2 islands, 1 photo and so much to imagine...

The photo of this week comes from a very special and magic place "lost" in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean: The Horta Marina in Faial Island, Azores.
With Pico Island as wallpaper this is the perfect place to loose yourself across the sailors' paintings increase in this unique connection point between Americas and Europe... 

Thanks again Pacheco for the excellent organization!

The cod that never fails!

This recipe is a classic at our home... I've shared today's recipe in many occasions with friends (parties/dinners/new year's eve). As many of the recipes I used, today's recipe is  my mom's receipe of codfish with cream, a cooker that deserve all the michelin stars

You will need: (for 4/6 people, for more o less portions just keep the proportions...)

- 400 g of codfish (soaked and shredded)

- 3 onions

- 1/2 L of béchamel sauce

- 250 ml of cream

- Extra virgin Olive oil q.b.

- Garlic q.b.

- Breadcrumbs 

- potato sticks

Start by putting a pan with water in the heat till it boil, add the codfish, and when it starts to boil again take it out from the heat, throw the water away and reserve. In a pan with a splash of olive oil sauté the chopped onions with garlic till it is completely cooked. Then, in medium heat, put the codfish in a pan, add the potatoes and, without stopping to stir it let it cook for 5/7 minutes. Take it off the heat and mix it with the béchamel sauce, the cream, and season with salt and pepper. Put the moisture on a pirex with butter and, before putting it in the oven, cover with a thin layer of breadcrumbs. 

put it on the oven, preheated at 180 ºC, and leave it until the bread is crispy. We normally put it to leave 5 minutes with the oven, then 5 with the grill.

Before the oven you could freeze it for another time! The best tip of this receipe is to do it with a lot of love and affection, the only way I know how to cook...

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Wine of the Week: Camins del Priorat 2012

Despite its simplicity, Camins del Priorat is a  fresh and soft red wine from the  interesting the Spanish region of Priorat. In the nose is very interesting and I would even say funny...

This was the perfect ending to an totally unexpected afternoon and evening of laughs, talks and fun with friends...

My first time in African soil

One year after my first time in Africa all that colours, flavours, aromas, landscapes still remain as I had just come back yesterday...

The easiest and quickest Hot sauce!

Last week I was asked to prepare a simple recipe to help one of our readers start cooking at home. So the recipe of this week is the easiest chili sauce, even easier than buy it!

You will need:
Hot pepper, (depending on your taste you can choose softer or hotter)
Whiskey 
Extra virgin olive oil

In a jar, add the chopped hot pepper, and add 1/2 of whiskey and 1/2 of extra virgin olive oil, and that's it!

 I prefer like this as it stays less greasy and more aromathic but, as an alternative, you can also add 1/3 of whiskey and 2/3 of extra virgin olive oil...

I guess this will be a great year ...

Wine is much more than just a drink, it is a way of sharing and socialize, I would even dare to say it is a way of living. This is one of the explanations of the election of this wine for a very special moment: my birthday lunch...

This wine made from Antão Vaz, Arinto and Verdelho Grapes, had the perfect intensity and harmony to go with the John Dory fillets with roe panada from Dona Bia Restaurant.

Because I guess (Palpite) this will be a great year 

Note: Palpite means guess in Portuguese...

Photo of the week: Vineyards

The photo of the week is dedicated to all those women and men who dedicate their lives to taking care of the vineyards along the whole year, to those who take part on the tough harvest process worldwide and to those who put all their knowledge to create wines with soul, to all, Thank you very much!
Last but not least some special words to a great friend Pedro Jerónimo who is dedicating all his mind, body and soul to bring up a project with history the Vinho da Ordem.  

Recipe of the week: Boletus mushroom Risotto

Last friday I was with some stomach problems so I only had white rice for lunch and dinner. Despite what you may think this was not a really big effort, why? because I really love rice!!! So the recipe of this week had to be a rice dish...

You will need: (4 pax)

300 g of Carnoli rice

200 g Boletus (the original recipe of José Avillez he uses Portobello mushrooms)

1 dl White wine 

1 tablespoon of chopped onion

1 coffe spoon of chopped garlic

1 coffe spoon of chopped parsley

hot Chicken stock as needed

50 g of butter

Freshly grated parmesan

Parmesan slivers 

Basil leaves 

Extra virgin Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Cut the boletus in not very thin slices. Sauté the boletus in a non-stick frying pan with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Add a pinch of salt, a bit more of olive oil and then the chopped garlic. Season with a little more salt and add the chopped parsley, stir it well and reserve.

In a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, fry the onion in low heat without letting it brown. As soon as the onion is translucent, add the rice, mix it well with the olive oil and refresh with the white wine. Let it evaporate and add a little of the hot chicken stock and when the rice absorbs the stock add a little more.

The most important tip is to keep stirring constantly, Repeat the operation of adding a little of the hot chicken stock until the rice is cooked.

After aprox. 12 minutes, add the mushrooms and continue the previous cooking process till the rice is cooked.

When the risotto is ready add the butter and the greated parmesan, stir well and cover for 30 seconds

Serve it immediately with some Parmesan slivers and basil leaves.

* Recipe from Chef José Avillez book Cantinho do Avillez