Photo of the week: Arrifana beach

The photo of this week is one of the images of some amazing Portuguese beaches that I cannot erase from my last holidays memories... 
This one shot in Arrifana beach, just a few minutes away from Aljezur, is one the favourites of my friend Ana, so today this post is specially dedicated to you...

An apple Vichyssoise to bring the temperatures down...

Today's recipe today, sent by Cesar Benavides, is the first contribution of our blog followers': a cold soup to cool the temperatures which are still above the 30ºC outside...

Among the many recipes Vichyssoise this is a great summer suggestion replacing the potatoes by the apples which turns this soup lighter for a summer evening and the rest of the bikini operation !

You will need:

4 large leeks, 

3 apples (you can use Golden or starking, for instance)

75 ml of extra virgin oil

200 ml of cream

700 ml chicken stock (see recipe in previous post)

Salt and pepper

Start by washing the leek, and slice white part. Sauté a little avoiding it to get colour and add the apples previously peeled and diced. Add the chicken stock and let it boil for about 15 minutes. Grind it, add the cream, let it boil again for about 5 minutes, and correct the seasoning with salt & pepper. Remove, let cool reserve it in the fridge.

Serve the soup very cold, with freshly ground black pepper. (Alternatively you can also add a bit of chopped chives).

Cold Carrot Soup with philadelphia cheese and chives

As we are still in the middle of the summer, today I bring you a cold carrot soup with Philadelphia cheese and chives, a recipe of the Portuguese chef José Avillez.

You will need ... (4 people)

600 gr carrot

100 gr leek

60 gr of philadelphia cheese light 

50 gr butter

20 gr of chives

salt and freshly ground pepper qs

Cut the sliced ​​leeks and carrots previously peeled and sauté it in a pan with a bit of butter. Cover with water and boil it until they are well cooked. Remove from the heat and grind it.

Bring it back to the boil and season it. Remove from heat, add the philadelphia cheese, stirring until it is well connected and creamy.  keep it in the refrigerator. Serve cold and dredge chopped chives and a freshly ground black pepper.

Tomato, avocado and edible crab Salad

Today I bring you another recipe from Chef José Avillez: a great salad for hot summer days, light and fresh, to keep yourself in good shape!

You will need:

400 gr of good quality tomatoes

200 gr avocado

300 gr of cooked edible crab pincers

Basil 

salt 

pepper

salt qs

lime juice

extra virgin olive oil

With the aid of an appropriate tool remove the interior  of the edible crab pincers. Season with extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, sea salt and pepper and reserve.

Cut the tomatoes in tiny half moons, peel the avocado and cut it also into half moons.

In a dish alternate the slices of tomato with the avocado and season it with lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. Add the edible crab and cover with some basil leaves. 

Serve it immediately!

Fresh Melon Soup!

Today it was a typical summer morning, with more than 30ºC outside what better than cold and easy soup to bring the temperature down?

Even if cooking it's not your type you have no excuse to avoid this soup as this could not be easier...

You will need (for two persons)

1/2 melon

ham

salt

Grind the melon , adding a bit of salt and reserve it in the fridge. Serve it cold with small pieces of ham!

Tip: You can also serve it in small shot glasses as an appetizer...

Octopus Salad

The summer is almost around the corner. By this season of the year salads get a special place on the Iberian diets due to the bikini operation or due to the fact that with the hot weather the best you can have is a fresh salad...

Today I bring you a typical spring or summer starter, an Octopus salad:

you will need:

- Octopus

- Tomato

- Shallot

- parsley or coriander

- onion

- clove

- Laurel

- Extra virgin olive oil

- vinegar or lime juice

- salt

You can use pre-cooked octopus, but if you look real flavour you should boil it by yourself. For an 1,5 kg Octopus: In a pan add 9 glasses of water and one of red wine. Add an onion cut in two halves, in each half put two cloves and a laurel leaf and a little bit of salt , and let it cook for about 40 minutes and let it cool

Chop the tomatoes, the shallot, the octopus and finely chop the parsley. mix everything and season with vinaigrette, (3 parts of extra virgin olive oil and 1 of vinegar or lime juice)

Enjoy it!

Do you prepare it differently leave us your comment!