The Brazilian Table

by Yara Castro Roberts

Overview

BRAZIL-EXOTIC, SENSUAL, MYSTERIOUS-mingles pleasure with high energy, and its cuisine is no different. The recipes of The Brazilian Table frequently blend the native ingredients of manioc, cachaça, pequi, hearts of palm, and Dendê palm oil with the rich cultures of Portugal, Africa, Japan, the Middle East, and that of the indigenous population to create complex tastes that define this region of the world. A sample of the extraordinary cuisine includes Tucupi Duck Soup, Fish Paupiette with Crabmeat Brazilian-Style, Papaya Galette, Chicken Xim-Xim, Coconut Custard Bahía Way, Giló Puff Pastry Tart, and Guava Paste Soufflé.

Authored by master chef Yara Castro Roberts-one of Brazil's most forthright advocates of its lifestyle and cuisine-this intimate look at the regions of Minas Gerais, the Amazon, the Cerado, and the Bahías from a food perspective not only introduces one hundred delicious recipes but also provides an in-depth cultural lesson on the regions and their unique foods.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423608141
Publisher:	Smith, Gibbs Publisher
Publication date:	05/02/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	932,901
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Chef Yara Roberts is well known in the arena of international chefs. She graduated from Boston University School of Culinary Arts and holds degrees from the Sorbonne and the École du Louvre. She taught at the Brazilian Academy of Cooking before moving to Paraty, Brazil, where she operates the Academy of Cooking and Other Pleasures with her photographer husband, Richard Barclay Roberts.

Read an Excerpt

Grilled Bananas

serves 6

8 bananas, firm but not green

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons butter

OR

6 tablespoons olive oil

1.Peel the bananas. Place a banana on a cutting board and, using one hand to secure it, gently slice the banana in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Do the same with the other bananas. Reserve.

2.In a heavy skillet, warm the vegetable oil and butter or the olive oil. When it starts foaming, place 2 halves of the banana at a time in the skillet and grill on one side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the banana gently with a spatula and grill the other side.

3.Remove the bananas from the skillet and place them in a serving dish.

4.Serve at once or heat in the oven on medium-high heat, covered with foil, for 5 minutes.

Table of Contents

8 Foreword

9 Acknowledgments

11 Preface

15 Introduction: Brazil at the Table

21 Brazilian Ingredients

37 The Cooking of the Amazon

73 The Cooking of Bahía

109 The Cooking of Minas Gerais

147 The Cooking of the Cerrado

175 The King''s Table

185 The Immigrants'' Table

193 Fruits of the Land

203 Resources

204 Bibliography

05 Index

Editorial Reviews

I haven''t been to Brazil yet. But when I take the journey to Yara Castro Robert''s Brazilian Table, I feel I have. The regions, the ingredients, the history, the farmers, the simplicity, hospitality and elegance of her table all draw me there. Yara is a cook, a storyteller, an environmentalist. She feels the deep links of culture and agriculture in this vast and complicated country and reveals its history and traditions through the beautiful dishes she creates and presents. Her approach is beautiful and basic: Fresh, simple, local, delicious, welcoming."

From the Publisher