At the recent Beechwood Avenue boardroom launch of Ready, Set, Rio!, the Jamaica Observer’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics, colourful chef de cuisine Jacqui Tyson of From Yard Style to Gourmet catered with a yard style take on authentic Brasilian recipes. SO suggests you tackle the simplest of the bunch for your own Olympic viewing sessions. Saboroso!

Jacqui Tyson’s Moqueca & Churasca

Moqueca & Rice

In Brazil, the “moqueca “(pronounced “mo-KEH-kah”), very similar to our “yardstyle steam fish” …is a stew made with fish, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, and coconut milk.

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 lbs of fillets of snapper rinsed in cold water,

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp lime or lemon juice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced

1/4 cup escallion , chopped

1/2 yellow and 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, de-stemmed, chopped (or sliced thinly )

2 cups chopped (or sliced) tomatoes

1 Tbsp paprika

Pinch red pepper flakes/or _ of scotch bonnet chopped finely

1 large bunch of cilantro, chopped with some set aside for garnish

2 pkts coconut milk powder

Rice

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup white jasmine rice

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 3/4 cups boiling water (check your rice package for the appropriate ratio of liquid to rice for the type of rice you are using)

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Coat fish with garlic and lime juice: Place fish pieces in a bowl, add the minced garlic and lime juice so that the pieces are well coated. Sprinkle generously all over with salt and pepper.

2. Start cooking the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion greens: In a large covered pan (such as a Dutch pot), coat the bottom with about 2 Tbsp of olive oil and heat on medium heat.

3. Add the chopped onion and cook a few minutes until softened. Add the bell pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (at least a teaspoon of salt.)

4. Cook for a few minutes longer, until the bell pepper begins to soften.

5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and onion greens.

6. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, uncovered.

7. Stir in the chopped cilantro.

8. Layer vegetables with fish, add coconut milk: Use a large spoon to remove about half of the vegetables (you’ll put them right back in). Spread the remaining vegetables over the bottom of the pan to create a bed for the fish

9. Arrange the fish pieces on the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then add the previously removed vegetables, covering the fish.

10. Pour coconut milk over the fish and vegetables. Simmer, cook, Bring stew to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer again for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. You may need to add more salt (likely), lime or lemon juice, paprika, pepper, or chili flakes to get the soup to the desired seasoning for your taste.

11.Garnish with cilantro.

12. Serve with jasmine ginger scented rice

Remember they are several types of “Moqueca “so the fish can be replaced with either shrimps or vegetables.

Churrasco with Chimchurri Sauce

Churrasco is a very primitive form of cooking meat. The gauchos, or cowboys, of Brazil would kill and butcher the animals out on the pampas, build a big fire, and barbecue the meat on a spit of some sort, basting it with a vinegary liquid. Over time this recipe too became more simplified and is a must have at Brazilian steak houses, with cebollas fritas (otherwise known as onion rings).

Ingredients

5 lb whole beef tenderloin

1 Cup Kosher/rock s salt

2 cups chimchurri sauce

1 large onion thinly sliced into rings

Preparation

1. Pour 1/2 cup of the chimichurri into a large re-sealable plastic bag.

2. Add the beef tenderloin and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. (Reserve the rest of the chimichurri for serving).

3.Prepare a hot fire and grill.

4. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pack or bread with kosher /rock salt then place on skewer

5. Keep turning until grilled to desired finish. (Because they have been marinating overnight, they will cook very fast.)

6. Grill onion rings till cooked

Remove skwered meat from grill

7. Shake off excess salt …Cut tenderloin in slices , in arrange them in the center of warm plates, . . Serve with the reserved chimichurri on the side.

Chimchurri Sauce

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped garlic (about 8 – 10 cloves)

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup lime juice

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Put all ingredients in a food processor to chop and puree the final product.

Cover and let the chimchurri sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend before serving.

Store in a sealed glass jar for up to 3 weeks.