Arroz de peixe (Fish rice)

This is a great way of using leftover baked or grilled fish. We sometimes even buy a bigger fish than we need just so we can use what's left in this recipe. The one in the picture was made with leftovers from the enormous corvina (sea bream) that Ricardo baked for dinner yesterday evening.

Ingredients (for 5)

• flaked baked or grilled fish leftovers (at least one cup)
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 large tomato or 2 small ones
• lots of fresh coriander
• 2 cups rice
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• salt
• chili pepper
• olive oil

1. Chop the onions and stir-fry them in olive oil in a medium-large casserole
2. Add the garlic whole
3. Before the onions brown, add the rice, salt and chili and stir
4. Add the wine and stir until it evaporates
5. Then add the tomatoes (finely chopped) and some of the coriander and stir a little more
6. Add 4 cups of water and the fish
7. Stir a little longer, then leave it alone and cover the casserole
8. Let the rice simmer until the water evaporates
9. Serve with sliced hard-boiled eggs and fresh coriander.

Baked Fish Fillets

I must admit I am not the chef here at home when it comes to preparing fish dishes. Maybe one day Ricardo will write a post with his famous Corvina no forno (baked sea bream). In the meantime, here is a quick and easy alternative.

Ingredients

• 200 grams frozen fish fillets per person
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 lime
  
• fresh coriander
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

1. Remove the the fish fillets from the freezer well in advance to thaw them out completely (don't skip this step because the fish won't absorb the seasoning and will be tasteless if it is not thawed).
2. Season with the remaining ingredients
3. Place in an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and bake in a medium/high oven for 20 around minutes.

Serve with boiled new potatoes and vegetables.

Fish cake

A great way to transform leftover fish into something new or frozen fish fillets into something tasty.

Ingredients (for 6)

• 400 grams frozen fish fillets or cooked fish leftovers or a mix of both
• 4 thick slices of a good quality loaf
• 2 onions
• 3 carrots
• 1 stalk of celery
  
• 1 clove garlic
• a bit of parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated emmental cheese
  
• 3 eggs
• salt
  
• pepper
• olive oil
  

1. Soak the bread in cold water
2. Chop the onions and stir-fry them in olive oil until soft (use a medium pan)
   
3. Chop the carrots, the garlic and the celery very finely in a blender and add them to the onions
   
4. Place the fish over the vegetables (if using frozen fish, cover the pan to steam cook the fish for around 8 minutes)
5. Shred the fish with a wooden spoon and mix it well with the vegetables
6. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat
   
7. Chop the parsley and add it to the fish and vegetable mix
   
8. Squeeze out the excess water from the bread, mash it with your fingers or in a blender and mix it with the fish.
9. Add the cheese and the eggs last and mix well.
10. Place everything in a greased baking tin and bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes

Serve with a green salad

Polvo a lagareiro

Lagar é onde se faz o azeite. Daí que qualquer prato "a lagareiro" envolva encharcar o personagem principal numa substantiva dose deste magnífico óleo, que é o da oliva. O resultado é uma combinação de simplicidade e exuberância, a primeira na elaboração, a segunda no palato. Aqui fica o polvo assim tratado. Não é minha especialidade, na verdade só o fiz meia dúzia de vezes. Mas não tem saído mal.

Ingredientes (5 pessoas)

• Um polvo grande (>1kg)


• Uma cebola


• Azeite


• Louro


• Alho


• Batatas

1. Limpar e lavar bem o polvo. Bater-lhe com um martelo de cozinha, para ficar tenro.


2. Cozer o polvo, juntamente com uma cebola, 30 min. Não é preciso água, nem sal. Basta pôr o polvo e a cebola na panela. Outra receita para deixar o bicho tenro: pôr uma rolha na cozedura.


3. Lavar as batatas com casca e assá-las ou cozê-las, mas não completamente. Sem sal.


4. Pré-aquecer o azeite, com muito alho, em fatias, e louro


5. Colocar numa assadeira o polvo (cortado), as batatas (esmurradas) e o azeite, e levar ao forno.


6. Quando o polvo começar a dourar, está pronto.


7. Servir com legumes refogados e um bom vinho tinto.