Game-day Meal: Feast of the Sea

It's pretty safe to say that the summer heat has certainly settled in around us. Scorching days with record-setting temperatures don't typically inspire us spend a lot of time in our kitchens slaving over a hot stove.

But summertime is the perfect time to cook a dish like the one we're featuring this week. Using fresh fish along with herbs and vegetables straight from your garden or farmer's market, you can create a light and delicious meal without even breaking a sweat.

Many thanks to our South American correspondent for another tasty Brazilian recipe!

São Paulo, BR. -- The fishing tradition and heritage of indigenous culture in Brazil, profoundly influenced regional Capixaba cuisine, making it eclectic, a product of many influences such as Portuguese, Africans and peoples of northern Europe. To explain, Capixaba refers to people from Espirito Santo, a heavily-forested state on the eastern coast of Brazil. Rovena, a member of the All Habs team, is Capixaba.

With the arrival of other European immigrants new dishes were added to the Capixaba cuisine. Among the most famous dishes we can mention is Moqueca, a delicious seafood stew made with onions, garlic, cilantro and coconut milk.

Moqueca

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup canned or jarred hearts of palm, drained and diced
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
5 tablespoons dendê oil (you can use extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 1/4 pounds sea bass, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup freshly chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup freshly chopped yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups fish stock (you can substitute clam juice, low-sodium chicken broth, or equal amounts of both)
1 scallion (white and green parts), chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup coconut milk

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix together half of the scallion, half of the onion, half of the ginger, and half of the garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of the dendê oil, all of the olive oil, and half of the cilantro. Place the chunks of fish in a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade, pressing the bag to evenly coat the fish. Remove all of the air from the plastic bag and seal it. Place the bag in a shallow bowl, making sure the chunks of fish are completely covered by the marinade, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

2. Take the fish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 175C(350F)

3. Place the remaining 3 tablespoons of the dendê oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining scallion and onion along with the green and yellow bell peppers, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the remaining ginger and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring to combine, for another minute or until it’s hot. Add the fish stock and let it come to a full boil. Add the coconut milk and tomato paste and return to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to medium-low or so and simmer the sauce, nice and gently, while you prepare the fish.

5. In the meantime, place the fish and its marinade in a gratin or casserole dish. Pour the lemon juice on top and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until the fish is almost but not quite cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Carefully transfer each chunk of fish to the pan with the gently simmering sauce. Add any juices in the dish from the fish and marinade. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook just until the fish is soft and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

7. Uncover the pan, add the hearts of palm and tomatoes, and just let them get hot, which will take only a minute or two.

8. Taste the moqueca, season it with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the remaining fresh cilantro.

Variations

Moqueca de Camarão: Substitute shrimp for the fish. A very popular variation.

Use any type of seafood you like: crab, mussels, lobster.

For a lighter stew, substitute water or stock for 1 cup of the coconut milk.


photo credit: www.1-2-3artdinner.com


Share YOUR favourite game-day meal or snack with us! Send your recipe and a photo of the finished product to amy@allhabs.net today!

Read more...

Game-Day Meal: Brazilian Treat

MONTREAL, QC. -- Game-day meal. For athletes, the formula for the fuel that propels them to peak performance is often one-third nutritional science and two-thirds superstition or lucky-charm. Fortunately for fans, it's much more rudimentary -- something simple, tasty and manageable without disturbing one's gaze from the action.

At Habs Tweetup, we're all about the social side of the game. That can mean connecting you with other fans who are getting together at one of our All Habs approved venues, or providing tips to improve your viewing experience at home. Our series called Game-day Meal will feature meals and snacks that are easily prepared when you're expecting a few friends for the game or watching alone.

Today's suggestion is truly international originating in Brazil with a touch of old Italy. It comes from one of our South American correspondents. Keep in mind that our sister site AllHabs.net has original content articles written in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, French and English. 

São Paulo, BR. -- This treat is called Palha Italiana. Despite the name, roughly translating to Italian Straw, the origin of the candy is unknown -- many, however, believe it was created right here in Brazil. It is told that the idea came from the preparation of the chocolate salami, a typical Italian recipe, that is prepared with the mass of Palha Italiana.

It's one of those simple desserts, but everyone loves to eat, and during a game, can't stop eating! The recipe mixes plain biscuits, chocolate, cream and condensed milk. Just looking at the ingredients, we can see that the sweet is a delight, can't we?

Palha Italiana

Ingredients

200ml sweetened condensed milk
100ml heavy cream
30g dark chocolate
50g plain biscuits

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, whisk condensed milk, cream and chocolate. Heat over low heat, always stirring, until is possible to see the bottom of the pan, the mixture won't be sticking to the pan. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes
2. Coarsely chop the biscuits and fold in the warm chocolate mixture. Pour in a greased 15cm square pan. Level with a spoon and let cool completely in room temperature.
3. After the fudge is cooled, cut into squares.


Tip: You can add chopped pecans, hazelnut or Brazil nuts.

(photo credit: Jon Keen)

Read more...

My trip to Montreal for the Habs Tweetup

by Amy, Habstweetup.com, (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- One of my most favourite aspects of attending a Habs Tweetup is actually an essential part of each event's mission - to connect Habs fans from all over the world. I hail from the greater Philadelphia area and enjoy meeting many new friends and faces from all over the United States and Canada.

Recently the Habs Tweetup crew kicked off 2011 with a gathering in Montreal for a Habs/Leafs game and I was pleased to discover that I wouldn't be the only out-of-towner in attendance. One fellow traveler, @smalrus, trekked from Massachusetts - be sure to read his article on AllHabs.net, "Montreal, Mon Coeur".

Another friend, @emihawk, made his way from Quebec City for his second Habs Tweetup and has shared with us his experience from the weekend.

by René-Carl, special to HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

Quebec City, QC -- Avant de commencer, je dois dire que j’attendais avec impatience ce tweetup depuis mon premier en mars 2010 où j’ai rencontré pour la première fois certains partisans aussi et même plus passionnés que moi. Donc cette rencontre du 12 février je l’attendais avec impatience après avoir manqué le premier Habs Tweetup de l’année' marquant le début de la saison.

C'est donc le 12 février au matin je quittais Québec pour Montréal en train et attendais avec impatience que le début du tweetup pour revoir tous ses gens fantastiques que j'avais rencontrés lors de la première fois. Amy, Rick, Anne... Rendu au Pub je demandais à la serveuse ou se trouvait le groupe du Tweetup et j'ai vu Smalrus et Amanda qui quittaient pour le début du match au centre Bell. Par la suite, sont arrivés Steve, Kathy, Erica et tous les autres. La soirée se déroula comme un charme et en plus le Canadien gagna le match, par blanchissage de surcroît. Après le match, j’ai socialisé avec la plupart des gens présents et ils sont tous aussi sympathiques que je me l’imaginais.

J’attends avec impatience de pouvoir retourner a mon prochain tweetup a Montréal ou même a Québec si tout se passe bien...

==========

Before anything, I'd like to state that I was really looking forward to this Habs Tweetup since my first in March 2010, when I met for the first time some fans as passionate if not more than myself. So, if anything this February 12th reunion, I was expecting it with utmost impatience, especially after having missed the first one of the year, marking the new season.

So, on February 12th, I was leaving Québec City by train for Montreal and was so anxious for the tweetup for a chance to see again people I'd had met before like Amy, Rick, anne... Once at the Pub (Mcleans) I enquired where the group was at and I was able to catch Smalrus and Amanda on their way to the game at the Bell Centre. After that, Steve, Kathy, Erica and many others poured into the place. The whole evening went like a charm and moreover the Habs won by shutout. After the game, I socialized with all present and they were all as pleasant as I imagined beforehand.

I'm looking forward to the next Habs Tweetup in Montréal, or even in Québec City, if all goes well..

==========

Additional reading:

Habs Tweetup Kicks Off 2011 in Montreal

Habs Hockey: Better with Friends, Old and New

Read more...

Habs Tweetup Kicks Off 2011 in Montreal

by Amy, HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Those of you who have read my articles in the past know by now that I won't hesitate to travel far and wide for a Habs Tweetup. But for the first event of 2011 I was thrilled to see even more Habs fans packing their bags and trekking to Montreal!

More than thirty supporters of the bleu, blanc et rouge got together at McLean's Pub on February 12th to cheer on the Montreal Canadiens as they faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs...but not everyone in attendance was a local. I represented Philly, while @smalrus traveled from Massachusetts and @emihawk arrived from Quebec City. It was a Planet Habs convergence!

Every Habs Tweetup that I attend reaffirms for me the reasons why I keep coming back for more - and this one certainly did not disappoint. There are the traditional things you look forward to like visiting with friends you haven't seen in a while, tackling the All Habs Trivia Challenge during intermission, and cheering on the Habs with a bunch of people who are equally as crazy about hockey as you are.

But then there are things that really make a Habs Tweetup stand out...you get to meet new people and make new friends at each event, for instance. All Habs photographer @PabloJinko was on hand to snap some professional shots of everyone. (Click HERE to check out all the pictures from the night!) And, we all joined in a rousing version of "Habby Birthday" for @adzeee.

It's things like these that, for me, transform the evening into something a lot more special and memorable than just going out somewhere to watch the game.

Another thing I enjoyed was getting to know everyone a little better by capturing our first set of Habs Tweetup testimonial videos. It was very interesting to hear the different reasons why people liked to attend these events and to also hear stories about why they became a Habs fan! (A common theme seems to be "Well I grew up in a Habs household...)

The Habs Tweetup crew looks forward to sharing our collection of video testimonials with our readers - but there is still time for you to submit your entry too! Click HERE for more details.

I heard a lot of people that night talking about how much they enjoyed themselves and that it was one of the most fun Habs Tweetups they'd been to yet. There were others asking when the next one would be held. There are actually three Habs Tweetups planned for the Heritage Classic and one scheduled for Thursday, February 24th in Toronto. Click on the RSVP For a HabsTweetup tab at the top of the page for complete details and to reserve your seat!

Montreal certainly kicked off 2011 in true Habs Tweetup style and I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year has in store!

For more about this memorable evening, be sure to read Rick Stephens' article on AllHabs.net: "Habs Hockey: Better With Friends, Old and New"

Read more...