South American

Picanha is a tender beef well appreciated all over Brazil for grilling. It has a layer of fat, which should be removed only after grilling. You can find picanha in most European countries by the name of "cap of rump" also called "Tri-Tip". Ask the butcher for the cap of the top sirloin. see photo below and weighs between 2 to 5 pounds the entire piece.

Cap of Top Sirloin Picanha Barbecue

The toasted manioc flour is a staple food in the northeast and northern regions of Brazil. Season the flour with green onions, chopped hard boiled eggs, currants, pine nuts and it becomes a farofa.

Farofa:
2 cups Manioc flour
2 tablespoon Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped finely
2 Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons Green onions, chopped
2 Hard boiled egg, chopped
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup Pine Nuts

Heat the oil - saute the onions and pine nuts lightly add the Manioc Flour and toast slightly - take off the heat - mix in tomatoes, parsley, green onions, currants - season - plate and decorate with chop egg and parsley

I enjoy serving this with the great Argentine sauce - Chimichurri

1 jalapeno - depending on the heat you want discard the seeds
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 tsp. fresh oregano - or dried
1 tbsp of spanish paprika
1/4 cup olive oil - use good olive oil
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt

According Wkipedia the name Chimichurri comes from:

"the unusual name comes from 'Jimmy McCurry', an Irishman who is said to have first prepared the sauce. He was marching with the troops of General Jasson Ospina in the 19th century, sympathetic to the cause of Argentine independence. The sauce was popular and the recipe was passed on. However, 'Jimmy McCurry' was difficult for the native people to say. Some sources claim Jimmy's sauce's name was corrupted to 'chimichurri', while others say it was changed in his honor.^[4] "

Moqueca de Camarao

This a brazilian variation of Shrimp Stew using Coconut Milk instead of Evaporated milk

This stew can be made with other seafood - Scallops and Fish (pick a firm white fish). They always include two of the three ingredients referred to as the "Holy Trinity of Bahian cuisine" -- coconut milk, dende oil. The third, malagueta pepper (substitute your favorite hot pepper jalapeno or habanero for real HOT PEPPERS) is placed on the table for adding as desired.

Peel and clean the shrimp. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with lime juice and salt. Marinate while preparing the other ingredients.
1.5 lbs of Shrimp - 21-25 count headless
3 tablespoons Fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon Salt
Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add onion, garlic and peppers. Saute until the onions are almost translucent then add tomatoes, tomato paste, scallions, and parsley. Cook until soft then add the shrimp and lime juice. Continue cooking until the shrimp are done (2 to 3 minutes).
1/3 cup Olive oil
2 large Onions, halved and thin sliced

4 large Garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 medium Green pepper, seeded and sliced
3 medium Tomatoes

2 tablespoon Tomato paste

3 stalks Green onion, sliced thin up to the green

Add the coconut milk and dende oil. Return to almost a boil for a minute. Adjust seasonings.
1 can of coconut milk
1-1/2 teaspoon Fresh parsley, minced
1/3 cup dende oil Note: This bright orange palm oil is a staple in Brazilian cuisine, but very high in saturated fat. In Sarasota you can get the Dende Oil @ Sweet Talk Cafe

Serve over white rice or rice cooked in coconut milk.

Shredded Pork (shoulder)

This is my all time favorite - Inexpensive piece of meat cooked slowly for 16 hours - and Wow Paradise

Rinse the pork shoulder thoroughly and dry with some paper towels cover the meat with a handful of the dry rub - put in to a roasting pan - pour a bottle of beer into the bottom of the pan (if available or water or wine) and into the oven at 200 F for 20 hours. Be careful most ovens turn off after 12 hours so in the morning before going out - turn off the oven and then reset the oven to 200 F again also check the liquid - you might need to add another beer!!

Remove the skin - Great to eat if you want (put the skin back in the oven - raise the temperature to 300 until the crackling becomes crunchy!!) - with 2 forks remove the fat - Shred the meat - it should be like butter

The dripping from the pan make a great sauce - remove the excess fat add some liquid.

I like to serve this rice and black beans the first night - sandwiches or fried rice the next!!

1 Pork Shoulder (@ 8 to 10Lbs)

Dry Rub

2 Parts Paprika
1 Part Garlic Powder
1 Part Onion Powder
1 Part Kosher Salt
1 Part Crushed peppercorn
1 Part sugar
1 Part Dry Thyme
1 Part Dry Oregano
1 Part Cayenne

I usually make a large batch then use it for the Pork as well as Spare Ribs, Chicken, Pork Tenderloin - Basically this seasoning is great rub to have on hand