Looking for delicious Brazilian-inspired recipes

I'm looking for recipes for appetizers, desserts, salads or side dishes for a Brazilian-themed cooking club. Got any favorites? It's okay if it's not traditional and just has a hint of Brazilian inspiration. Already on the menu: pork and rice, Caipirinhas, and feijoada (beef and bean stew).

Ms. T
  • Posted by: Ms. T
  • March 13, 2011
  • 2559 views
  • 10 Comments

10 Comments

Burnt O. March 17, 2011
Serious Eats posted this recipe today - it's a classic Brazilian dish:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03/feijoada-brazilian-stew-pork-beans.html
 
Anitalectric March 16, 2011
That recipe does look good, but the acaraje I was thinking of are more like little sandwiches. They get filled with a spicy tomato-onion-pepper relish and shrimp or seafood.

There is a recipe in the first cookbook I mentioned above.
 
Ms. T. March 15, 2011
Thanks all for the great suggestions!
 
susan G. March 14, 2011
Acaraje, mentioned above, is on Food52 as 'akara' from Kitchen Butterfly -- by coincidence, I just saved it. It's a simplified version, looks good!
 
Anitalectric March 14, 2011
@greenstuff
Brazil, A Cook's Tour by Christoper Idone is a good all-encompassing one that covers all regions and has a lot of pictures and background info about the ingredients. There are not enough English language Brazilian cookbooks out there.

There is a vintage Life Magazine cookbook called "Latin American Cooking" that I reference often. I blogged about it here! http://fivefingerfeast.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/rolling-with-the-peaches/

But my favorite ones are sadly not in English:

Receitas Do Amor E Mesa by Maria Angelica
Tempero Da Dada by Aldaci Dada Dos Santos
 
aargersi March 14, 2011
My Brazilian neighbor taught me this - and there are other great Brazilian recipes on this site:

http://www.food52.com/recipes/1904_brazilian_rice
 
yella March 14, 2011
pao de queijo - brazilian cheese bread. Great side dish and oh so delicious. My mouth is already watering. use minas cheese if you can find it.

http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/breads/r/paodequeijo.htm
 
hardlikearmour March 14, 2011
Check this site out:
http://globaltableadventure.com/categories/1450/search_type/and/order/default/
 
Greenstuff March 14, 2011
Anitalectric, do you have favorite Brazilian cookbooks in English?
 
Anitalectric March 14, 2011
These are my favorite Brazilian dishes. I don't have any recipes on hand (the ones I do use are in cookbooks) but you can google them if any look good.

Acaraje- black bean fritters
Moqueca- coconut seafood stew from Bahia
vinagrete- like pico de gallo
maionese- potato salad
vatapa- similar to moqueca, thickened with cashews

Another super simple food I had there and made time after time (years ago) was a simple grilled chicken sandwich that also had a slice of grilled pineapple in it and melted jack cheese. There is a famous place in Rio called Cervantes that serves them. A cute appetizer would be mini versions of this.
 
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