Grilled veal steak with coriander and garlic

There are days when you need to make a meal in a short time. One of the things I like to do in those occasions is a grilled steak, sprinkled with a mixture of aromatic herbs, garlic and olive oil. It is a delight. It doesn't seem like a quick meal at all!

Ingredients:
2 sirloin steaks
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig of coriander
fleur de sel
black pepper, freshly grinded
olive oil


1. Grill the steaks.

2. Season with fleur de sel and black pepper to taste.

3. Mince the garlic and coriander. Sprinkle the steaks with this mixture and with a little bit of olive oil. Serve immediately.


The coriander can be replaced by fresh rosemary leaves or any other aromatic herb. Instead of sirloin steaks you can also use veal chops.

When it is required a quick recipe, these steaks can be an excellent choice. Give it a try!

[ Originally published in Portuguese as Bife de vaca grelhado com coentros e alho ]

A salad with a zest of vacations

The day has finally came! The feeling is one of freedom and relaxation. Even so, I have already started to make plans and writing lists of what I want to do on this vacations. Time flies. I haven't done anything and I have already a feeling that I won't get everything done.

Before I start publicizing what I have planned reading, which movies to watch, etc., I first wanted to celebrate the beginning of this holidays with a light, simple and tasty canned white bean and tuna salad.

Ingredients:
70g lettuce and arugula
1/2 roasted red peppers
1/2 roasted green pepper
1 red onion
3 roma tomatoes
300g cooked canned white beans
2 cans of tuna
olive oil
vinegar
salt and pepper

1. In a bowl combine the lettuce leaves and arugula, roasted peppers cut into small strips, sliced ​​onions, sliced ​​tomatoes, canned beans and the previously drained cans of tuna.

2. Season with salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil to taste. Stir and serve.


This salad, like most of the salads I have prepared, was made ​​with the ingredients I had close at hand. And it tasted lovely!

[ Originally published in Portuguese as Uma salada a saber a férias ]

Pearl couscous with pesto, feta cheese and shrimp

In the days preceding the summer holidays when the idea of vacations dominates almost everything we do, it is a good thing to have one or two recipes handy. Here at home, this pear couscous with pesto salad is one of them. The ingredients may change according to one's taste and preferences. For example, you can easily use chicken instead of shrimp and the result still is pretty good.

Ingredients:
250g pearl couscous
200g prawns
300g peas
100g feta cheese, in cubes
1 red onion, chopped
4 tablespoons pesto
salt to taste


1. Boil in different containers, the pearl couscous, peas and shrimp. Drain after being cooked.

2. Place the pearl couscous, peas and shrimp in a bowl. Add feta cheese as cut in cubes and the diced red onion.

3. Add the pesto and a little bit of salt. Stir and serve.


This salad can be served warm or cold. It is usually very difficult to stop eating it.

[ Originally published in Portuguese as Massinha couscous com pesto, queijo feta e camarão ]

Watermelon, mozzarella and olives skewers

It is commonly said that "there is no accounting for taste", nevertheless I find myself constantly wondering why I don't fancy watermelon very much. I concede that it is very suited to be eaten in the summer. A chilled slice of watermelon in a hot summer day is a marvelous sensation.

Recognizing, thus, the value of the watermelon, since last year I have been using this summer fruit. Last year, I used it in juices and in one salad. This year, seeing the recipe of watermelon skewers in the July 2011 Continente magazine, with such a tempting look, I could not resist and do it.

Ingredients:
500g peeled and seedless watermelon
150g mozzarella snack cheese
100g pitted green olives
fleur de sel and freshly grounded pepper to taste
olive oil to taste
20 wooden skewers


1. Make small balls of watermelon with a Paris spoon (a spoon fitted for this purpose). Put aside.

2. Drain the cheese and olives.

3. Place the ingredients in separate bowls.

4. Begin putting a watermelon ball on a skewer, then alternate with cheese and olives and finish again with the watermelon.

5. Place the skewers on a platter. Season with olive oil, fleur de sel and pepper.


This can be an interesting solution for a quick and fresh starter, for example, to served at lunch with friends or family.

Here, at home, this combination of watermelon, olives and mozzarella cheese was also served as a salad. I laid out on a platter the previous ingredients, along with green leaves and seasoned it all with salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. After all, watermelon can be used in many ways!

[ Originally published in Portuguese as Espetada de melancia, mozzarela e azeitonas ]