Cooking Club- September: Rio and Rick

[myrtleWilson]

September means - back to school, back to work and the return of the cooking club!

Welcome returners and newcomers....

Each month we choose a cookery writer and a cuisine and throughout the month we aim to cook and share recipes, what worked, what is definitely becoming a household favourite for you and what will never be spoken of again! Photos are optional (but usually make me drool!)

This month we will be cooking from Rick Stein and anything Brazilian

A couple of my favourite Rick Stein recipes that are regulars in my house - Turmeric Fish and Dhal and Braised Duck in spiced orange juice.

My Brazilian cooking is limited to chicken xinxim, feijoada and Brazilian cheese bread so am looking forward to finding out more.

I'll dig out some links and post these shortly but if anyone else has suggestions - for either Rick Stein or Brazilian please do share...

Happy cooking!

Ooo pink grapefruit curry sounds lovely- such a shame it didn't deliver! The spring rolls look great 👍

I'm working through the next few days so won't be cooking for a while but love seeing what people make

Tonight we had Chicken and Prawn Xinxim from Diana Henry Bird in the Hand. No idea how authentically it represents the Brazilian recipe but we enjoyed it a great deal. I have made it before and this time it was milder (but that's the luck of the draw with chillis isn't it) but still delicious! The ground nuts added right at the end give a nice contrast to the sauce accompanied with a good squish of lime.

Meant to add, have looked and can't find a link to the recipe online but if anyone wants it - happy to photo and send

I decided to copy what and cook Rick Stein's Clementine, Almond and Olive Oil cake. It reminded me of Ching-He Huang's Orange and Green Tea Loaf cake which is based on the same principle of cooking oranges and pulsing them to a paste in the food processor etc. This was better though as I preferred the citrus tang of it. My kids loved it! It is not going to last very long in this house! I am going to make it again next week for friends when they come because it's so easy. We had it with creme fraiche. Thanks for the tip what. I'm definitely making a note of that as an easy pudding! I love things that can be made in advance with minimum hassle.

I wasn't very generous with the icing sugar!! Trying not to eat too much but whats definitely looks better with a whiter top!

Hi. Newcomer here! I'm quite a basic cook but always looking for a tasty morsel (big pan of love) to serve up to the family. Looking forward to trying the pork and chorizo stew mentioned earlier! Xx

Great minds everything I've just bought the ingredients for the same cake except Sainsbury's didn't have clementines so we're going for mandarin Looks delicious.

Welcome scrolling looking forward to hearing about your cooking.

I made rick steins braised duck in spices orange sauce after your recommendation myrtle- it was delicious as promised. Easy, and not too hot so the children enjoyed too. I didn't use a whole duck- I used four legs and it worked wonderfully

Cake disaster.... out of the oven and not risen. Checks baking powder and realises it is out of date

Will let it cool and see what its like.... otherwise round 2 tomorrow!

Ah glad you enjoyed it What I never use a whole duck and usually do duck legs - occasionally throw in a breast....

How did you get on myrtle?

I made it again and success! It is a delicious cake and easy to make, well liked by the rest of the household. I've offered to make one for a work gathering in a couple of weeks

I'm so glad everyone likes the cake I raved about! I'm making it again soon for a work do as it's so easy.

I know it's early but with thought to library reserving etc- any ideas on what to cover next month?

How could I not know that there was a cooking club here???
No idea who this cook is. But I've never tried brazilian food and I've been wanting to try new types of cooking for ages so I'm really happy to have found this place.

Well I made the feijoada tonight. It was lovely. 18 month old had some, DP wasn't sure about the sweet potatoes, but I thought it was lovely. Makes enough to feed a small village though ha ha. Salsa was gorgeous....oranges, tomatoes and onions...who knew? 😘

ah does look good scrolling and high five to a fellow falconware aficionado!!

www.jocooks.com/recipes/brazilian-shrimp-soup/

Tried this Brazilian prawn soup today- easy and delicious, though not sure whether it's exactly authentically Brazilian. It's good- though I had to season it very liberally.

www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/11776088/Rick-Steins-fresh-fig-tart.html

Fig tart from steins Venice to instanbul . Not easy despite ricks assertion that it is, but lovely nonetheless. A very grown up desert

I think I'm the only one in the family that likes figs which basically means I never get to eat them! In exciting cassava flour news I've got some on order - should be arriving at Holland & Barrett tomorrow so then Brazilian cheese bread is go - am more than slightly anxious that they will be an enormous let down after all this wait and anticipation!

You're so funny, Myrtle! That is incredible dedication to the cause. I salute you. I'm really hoping the cheese bread is worth waiting for!

For next month, some ideas I had in the car driving home: pulses / Rachel Allen / Delia / Persian / Soups / Pies / Mexican / Swedish / Chinese / Allegra Mcvedy / Tamasin Day Lewis / leeks!

Essentially I don't really mind anything. I am not the greatest contributor to the club because my time to cook is so limited and my children are so fussy. But I love seeing what you've all been cooking.

oh, and I made Rick Stein's clementine cake again at the weekend. Is going to be my go to make-in-advance pud for a while!

We did Mexican recently, but I'm otherwise happy with any of the choices- I'd particularly like pie and Rachel Allen or Chinese/Allegra mceverdy - just because selfishly, I have books/ easy access to those

I'm making another version of fejoada today- delicious but not good for our waistline

I just got my tax bill today so I'd also be happy with "frugal"!

I'm happy with either of those combos.... Don't have any Rachel Allen but I think there's a good online resource.

Cassava is in the house so assuming my oven is still working tomorrow (it has taken on a rattling sound - we have someone coming out to look at it) then Brazilian Cheese Bread Balls are GO!