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Recipes from The New Portuguese Table by David Leite. Clarkson Potter 2009
Crispy Fried Asparagus (Peixinhos da Horta)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
24 large asparagus (about 1 pound)
3⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄8 teaspoon baking powder
3⁄4 cup very cold seltzer water, or more if needed
1⁄2 teaspoon piri-piri sauce or store-bought hot sauce
vegetable oil for deep frying
1 cup cilantro and ginger “mayonnaise” (optional, but highly recommended)
1.Heat oven to warm, and slip in a wire rack on a baking sheet.
2.Have a bowl of ice water at the ready. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil,
and add the salt.
3.Meanwhile, trim and discard the woody ends of the asparagus. Peel the bottom third
of the spears if needed. Slip the asparagus into the water and boil until crunchy-
tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove using tongs and drop them into the ice water to stop the
cooking. Transfer to paper towels to dry.
4.Stir together the flour and baking powder in a small, shallow dish, and season with a
pinch of salt. Whisk in the seltzer and piri-piri sauce; donʼt worry about any small
lumps. The consistency should be like thin pancake batter; if the mixture is too thick,
pour in more seltzer.
5.Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a skillet large enough to hold 5 spears at once over
medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fat or candy
thermometer. Dip 5 spears in batter and turn to coat. Carefully slide them into the oil
and fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to
paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt while still sizzling, then place them on the
rack in the oven to keep warm. Fry the rest of the spears in the same way.
6.Serve immediately, stacked in a wood pile or standing upright in a low vase, to be
plucked out like breadsticks, with the mayonnaise, if using, on the side for dipping.
Purslane and Cheese Soup (Sopa de Beldroegas)
serves 8 to 10
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut lengthwise in half and sliced into thin half-moons
1⁄4 cup minced presunto, serrano ham, or prosciutto
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 bunches (about 1 1⁄2 pounds) purslane or 10 ounces watercress, thick stems removed,
leaves washed well, and roughly chopped
2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1⁄2 inch cubes
8 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8-10 1⁄8-inch-thick slices firm sheepʼs-milk cheese, such as Nisa, Evora, or Manchego
7.Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop in the onions and
presunto and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add
the garlic and purslane and saute until the garlic is fragrant and the leaves have lost
some of their moisture, about 5 minutes. (If using watercress, cook the garlic for just 1
minute, and stir the watercress into the pot when the potatoes are finished cooking in
step 2.)
8.Plonk the potatoes into the pot, pour in the chicken stock, cover, and bring to a boil
over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the
potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the oregano and lemon juice and
season with salt and pepper to taste.
9.Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top each with a cheese slice and a grinding of
pepper.
Black Olive Risotto (Rizoto de Azeitonas Pretas)
8 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cups carolino, carnaroli, or arborio rice
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
2⁄3 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus curls for garnish
1⁄3 cup mascarpone cheese
3⁄4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives, rinsed if overly salty, thinly sliced lengthwise, plus
more for garnish
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1.Pour the stock into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat
2.Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the
onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the rice
to coat, and cook until translucent around the edges, about 2 minutes. Pour in the
wine and continue cooking until it has been absorbed. Add a ladleful of hot stock to
the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has almost burbled away. Keep
up this rhythm of adding stock, stirring, and cooking until the rice slumps gently when
mounded and is tender but offers just the slightest bit of resistance in the middle, 20
to 25 minutes.
3.Stir in a final ladleful of stock, the cheeses, and sliced olives and mix until well
combined and very creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4.To serve, dollop the risotto into warm soup bowls and garnish each one with a few
olive slices, curls of cheese, and a sprinkle of parsley. Take to the table immediately.
Curried Mussels (Mexilhões com Caril)
( I think weʼll just make a half a recipe of this)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons curry powder, to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of ground cinnamon
6 pounds of mussels, scrubbed, debearded, and rinsed
1 1⁄2 cups dry white wine
2⁄3 cup heavy cream
piri-piri sauce or store-bought hot sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups cooked white rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1.Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop in the onions
and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic
and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in two thirds of the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle in the curry powder, ginger, and cinnamon and cook, stirring constantly, until
fragrant, about 1 minute. Set aside.
2.Discard any mussels that feel heavy, have broken shells, or donʼt close when tapped.
Pour the wine in a roomy pot. Clatter in the mussels, cover tightly, and cook over high
heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the shells pop open, 7 to 10 minutes. Toss
out any mussels that refuse to open, then pluck all but 18 from their shells. Strain the
mussel liquid.
3.Add 1 1⁄2 cups of the mussel liquid to the skillet with the tomato mixture, then add the
cream and bring to a boil over high heat to thicken slightly. If you prefer a brothy
add more mussel liquid; if itʼs creamy curry youʼre after, reduce the mixture
more. Season with piri-piri sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Take the pan off the heat
and stir in the shelled mussels.
4.Spoon the rice into 6 bowls and top with the mussels. Garnish each with mussels in
their shells, and shower with the remaining tomatoes and the cilantro. Pass the piri-
piri sauce at the table.
Sweet Lemon and Black Olive Wafers (Biscoitos doces de limão e azeitonas
pretas)
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup mild oil-cured black olives, rinsed quickly if particularly salty, pitted, and coarsely
chopped
1⁄4 cup sugar, plus more for coating
1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch kosher salt
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg, beaten
1.Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and crank up the heat to 375 degrees.
2.Stir together the flour, olives, sugar, baking powder, zest, cinnamon, and salt in a
medium bowl. Whisk together the oil and egg, pour the mixture into the dry
ingredients, and mix with your hands until the dough no longer looks dry and holds
together when squeezed 1 to 2 minutes.
3.Fill a small bowl with sugar and set nearby. Pinch off 1 rounded tablespoon (about 1
ounce) of dough, roll it into a ball, and coat it well with sugar. Place it in one corner of
a sheet of parchment cut to fit your baking sheet, place another piece of parchment
on top, and using a rolling pin, roll the ball into a 3 1⁄2 -to-4-inch circle, a scant 1/16
inch thick. The edges will be ragged; thatʼs how they should be. Repeat with 5 more
wafers on the same sheet. Lift off the top sheet and slip the parchment with the
cookies onto the baking sheet.
4.Bake until the wafers are edged with brown and pebbled on top, 10 to 12 minutes.
Slide the parchment onto a wire cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining dough. Once
cooled, the wafers will keep in an airtight container for several days.
Chocolate Mousse (Mousse de chocolate)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 70%), finely chopped
1⁄3 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1⁄4 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
flor de sal
finely crushed pink peppercorns, for sprinkling
1.Melt the chocolate with the milk in a double boiler over low heat. Stir with a fork until
the milk is incorporated and the mixture is voluptuously glossy. Add the butter one
piece at a time, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool to room
temperature.
2.Beat the yolks and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and falls in thick ribbons
when the paddle is lifted, about 7 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture and whirl on low
to combine.
3.Whisk the egg whites in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Using the whisk, stir- do
not fold- the whites into the chocolate mixture until incorporated. Pour the mousse
into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.
4.To serve, spoon the mousse into individual cups and sprinkle a little flor de sal and
crushed pink peppercorns on top.
Piri-Piri Sauce (Molho de piri-piri)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄3 cup white wine vinegar
6 to 8 fresh red chile peppers, such as cayenne, tabasco, pequin, or santaka, stemmed
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
1.Mix the garlic and vinegar in a small bowl and let steep for 20 minutes.
2.Drop the peppers (including their seeds) and the garlic mixture into a food processor
and pulse to chop. While the motor is running, pour in the oil, sprinkle with the salt,
and whir until smooth. Pour the sauce into a small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and
let steep in the fridge for at least several days, preferably 1 week.
3.Strain the mixture if you wish. It will keep for about 1 month in the fridge. Shake well
before using.
Cilantro and Ginger “Mayonnaise”
1⁄3 cup cold whole milk
13⁄4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
about 3⁄4 cup vegetable oil or about 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil plus 1⁄4 cup olive oil
kosher salt
1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
1 1⁄2 inch length of ginger, peeled and grated
1 scallion
Combine the milk, lemon juice, cilantro, ginger, and pepper in a 2-cup glass measuring
cup. Using a hand-held blender, buzz for 30 seconds, until frothy. With the motor
running, slowly pour in the oil in a fine thread, moving the blender up and down until the
mixture thickens lusciously and resembles a soft mayonnaise. Stir in 1 scallion, cut into
thin slices on the diagonal. Season with salt to taste. The mayonnaise will last for up to
1 week in the fridge.
Amped-up Red Pepper Paste (Massa de pimentão forte)
(we may make this just
because it looks so delicious -- a bonus sauce)
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
1⁄4 cup dry red wine
8 to 10 garlic cloves, to taste
2 turkish bay leaves, well crumbled
1 tablespoon double-concentrate tomato paste
1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 sprigs fresh cilantro
5 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1⁄2 tablespoons kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
a few dashes of piri-piri sauce or store-bought hot sauce
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1.Dump both types of paprika, the wine, garlic, bay leaves, tomato paste, lemon juice,
cilantro, parsley, salt, pepper, and piri-piri sauce into a food processor or mini chop
and pulse until the garlic and herbs are minced. Scrape down any chunky bits from
the sides of the bowl.
2.While the motor is running, pour in the olive oil and continue whirring until the paste is
slick and homogeneous, 1 to 2 minutes. Use the mixture immediately, or spoon it into
a small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. The paste will keep for up to a
month in the refrigerator.
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