Tomato Soup

There are people of sweets and there are people of salty. Some people rave about the desserts, ice cream, pastry,  and there are those who go to croquettes, to pastries, to snacks, to slices of pizza and tomato soups.
I'm  a salty person, i like good croquettes, good snacks and tomato soup. It is one of those things that if i go to a restaurant and they have it on the menu I have to order it.
And likewise, it is a recurring dish here at home and on Primeiro Andar menu. I've tried to do in many shapes and forms, cream with pieces, with egg, with croutons.
Today I leave you one that made this week, and for me, one of the best.
Also I leave you this photograph of a tomate soup from the  restaurant Bastardo in Lisbom, which I consider one of the best in Lisbon (i have not yet tasted all, but i have tasted a few ).

 Tomato soup from the "bastardo" restaurant

Tomato soup

- 2 red onions chopped

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 8-10 peeled tomatoes

- 1 drizzle of olive oil

- Mozzarella cheese

- Basil leaves

- 1 egg poached

- salt

Chop onions and garlic. I used a chopper .

Sauté onion and garlic in a little olive oil and add the tomatoes, also chopped without skin . Add one cup of water and cook for about 20 minutes. Add some salt and taste.

To poach the egg. Put a pot on the fire with water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

When it is almost boiling, stirring with a wire rod. Open the egg into a cup and pour it in the water still moving. Simmer about 4 to 5 minutes to fluctuate. Remove carefully.

Serve the soup with the egg in the center, mozzarella cubes and basil leaves.

Good appetite!

I returned.Veal meatballs with cherry tomato sauce

I returned.
After three and a half years without writing here, without sharing my recipes and discoveries, I decided to come back, a lot has happened by the way, some good and some bad things.
But something brought me back here and gave me this sudden desire to return, write and share my recipes.
I'll start by sharing a recipe that arose from research in which I find myself, research to change the menu  of the place I call home (Primeiro Andar- lisbon), I changed the menu every 4 months and right now I find myself leaning in that process.
The seasons change and with them the ingredients and thus makes sense to cook with the best that each season gives us, that is synonymous of freshness and quality accordingly.
I am apologist that if the ingredients have quality is certain that the end result pleases everyone.
We also have to adjust what our body asks us, for example in the summer more salads and fruits in winter stews and casseroles more what I call comfort food.
Get to the point, the recipe:

Veal meatballs with cherry tomato sauce

- 400g minced veal meat (a good quality meat and poked at home)

- 1/2 chopped red onion

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

- 1 tablespoon mustard 

- 1 egg

- 2 tablespoons tomato paste 

- Chopped nuts (I used pine nuts and pistachio) some 3 tablespoons

- Chopped parsley

- Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients and make small balls. Fry a little in a skillet with a little olive oil so they get golden and keep their shape. Bake for half an hour in the oven with the tomato sauce.

Cherry tomato sauce

- 1 drizzle of olive oil

- 1/2 chopped red onion

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika  (I used one I bought last week in Tavira market)

- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 

- 1 can of tomatoes peeled diced

- 200g cherry tomatoes

- 150g tomato paste

- 2 thyme sprigs of the garden

- Salt and pepper to taste

Put cherry tomatoes to bake in the oven for 20 minutes with only 1 thread of olive oil.

Sauté the onion and garlic in  olive oil . Add the paprika and cayenne pepper, sauté a little more.

Add the can of tomatoes, the tomato paste, thyme and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper and add the roasted tomato.

Place on a platter the meatballs, the sauce on top and sprinkle with mozzarella , parmesan and basil from the garden.

Bom apetite!

Spring Pizza

Photography : Rui Major

From now on I will use this short introduction to talk about an ingredient, its origins, uses and techniques.
I'll start with basil, very used for me in my recipes.

Basil is an aromatic herb which is symbolic for some people, it is sacred to the Indian and a Valentine's herb for the Romans.

Southern Italians embrace the tradition of the ancient Romans, that is a bachelor offering a pot with the basil to a girl means he his asking her to marry him.

This herb should be planted in a sunny location during the spring and blooms in summer.

The basil is widely used in Italian and French cuisines to add flavor to tomatoes, with which it has a special affinity.
It is also mixed in salads, pizzas, pastas and sauces, being the most popular the Italian pesto.

It Should be picked up and after washing the leaves it should be dried on absorbent paper and then hadn cut in small pieces, once cutting it with a knife will oxidize .

The cut with a knife oxidizes the leaves and turn them dark.

Friends: Rui and myself

Wine:a lambrusco rosed fresh wine

Flavors:

- one fresh pizza base if you do at home is much better

- tomato sauce
- Fresh pineapple, cut into triangles
- Slices of ham
- 3 fresh mushrooms
- Sliced ​​red onion
- fresh mozzarella cheese
- Basil leaves
- Grated Mozzarella cheese

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and place over tomato sauce.
Fill the pizza base with ham, purple onion, mushrooms and mozzarella.

Sprinkle with lots of grated cheese and bake for 10 minutes.
Add the fresh basil leaves.

Bon appetite