Miguel de Almeida

  • Harvey's Bristol Cream Christmas Cake

    Wednesday November 9th, 2011

    In these austere times, when we're all going back to fundamental principles, what a brilliant idea from this well established wine merchant and producer to get us baking using this so well known home brand of sherry, Harvey’s Bristol Cream.

  • ProCook Glass Teapot: Clearly a good teapot

    Monday September 19th, 2011

    In spite of coffee being the drink that gets me going in the morning of every day, I revert to tea after a languid lunch or a comforting dinner. Tea is the signature of a well written meal. But I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to this centenary drink.

  • Pão-de-Ló Recipe

    Friday September 2nd, 2011

    If there is a cake which evoques my childhood memories, Pão-de-Ló is the one at the top of my list. A glorious yet simple sponge cake, fluffy and light like a cloud and canary yellow. A traditional recipe of Conventual origins, a time of egg yolk surplus due to the high usage of whites in the daily errands of nuns and monks.

  • Smart and simple kitchen scales for no-hassle cook

    Monday August 1st, 2011

    We give ProCook glass digital scales a trial in a small, urban kitchen to discover that dishes with proper cooking measurements are hard to fault.

  • Yellow plum clafoutis

    Friday July 8th, 2011

    Yellow plums are to me the epitome of Summer, they evoke memories of my grandfather and picnics on the beach after hot afternoons playing in the sea. Today the firm sweet-yellow flesh quickly transports me to those Summer childhood days and to the sight of my grandfather's tanned face.

  • Octopus Lagareiro Style

    Wednesday May 4th, 2011

    My adoration for this sea creature has yet again surfaced in another recipe. This time I present you with a traditional dish from the Algarve province of Portugal. This is utterly delicious as a light lunch or dinner.

  • The Alchemy of Food by Peter Schleicher and Eckart Witzigmann

    Wednesday March 9th, 2011

    In his book, Dr. Peter Schleicher guides us with a thorough historical explanation of the power of alchemy, and the healing attributes of plants and other natural products, toward chronic illnesses, primarily cancer. By using the highest quality of ingredients and exact combinations, followed by traditional methods of alchemy like separatio (separation), purificatio (purification), Cohobatio (combination), to name a few, we get a pure result, a natural remedy which can be used towards the treatment of a specific ailment or disease.

  • Pão de azeite/Olive oil bread

    Monday March 7th, 2011

    In this region of Portugal people bake a type of bread which I adore. Fluffy, light, like a cream cloud. Usually it is served during Easter, baked in fierce wood ovens, but nowadays can be found all year round in the village bakery. It's taste is so evocative of this place in the country, the olive harvests and reminds me of my Grandad who loved it and would crumble some  slices when stale, in more olive oil and garlic.

  • Cafe Luc, Marylebone

    Monday March 7th, 2011

    Café Luc is open all day and serves very good food from breakfast to dinner. The menu is strongly French with Mediterranean hints. This is the sort of place you might take your mother after a morning of shopping in Marylebone if you wanted something a bit more special in a brasserie style environment.  

  • Almond cake with a honey-orange blossom syrup

    Wednesday January 26th, 2011

    This is a rich almond cake from the Convent of Vidigueira, in Alentejo. to which I have introduced two things that make the cake stand out and taste even nicer: some sheets of filo pastry on top which add extra texture and a honey-orange blossom syrup which give extra scent and moistness.

  • Rabanadas by Miguel de Almeida

    Thursday December 16th, 2010

    Rabanadas are one of many traditional desserts that are served in Portugal for Christmas. I can describe them as being a very moist rich slice of fried crusty bread, a bit like the "pain perdu" of the French cuisine. Warm or cold, as a dessert or for Christmas day's breakfast they are always present on my family table. I have great memories of the preparation of "rabanadas".

     

  • Miguel de Almeida's Pastéis de Feijão (traditional red bean cakes)

    Tuesday November 9th, 2010

    This 19th century cake is traditionally from the “Estremadura” region of Portugal, from the city of Torres Vedras. The original recipe is a secret kept within the family that created this cake. Nevertheless, I present you with my own variation which includes red bean instead of white bean puree.

  • Miguel de Almeida's octopus rice

    Monday October 18th, 2010

    Of all the foods I have tried during my thirty years of existence, nothing comes close to the delights of the mysterious octopus. This mollusc is by far my favourite of all ocean treats. I love it in ceviche with salsa verde, fried as an entrée, roasted with floury potatoes or above all in delicious moist chouriço and red wine rice. It has always been one of the Sunday meals in my parents house.

  • Miguel de Almeida's saltcod cakes with a chilli dip

    Monday September 20th, 2010

    My grandmother used to cook these more when the weather was getting warmer, from Spring onwards. I loved seeing her chopping the parsley, mashing the potatoes, shredding the cod and assembling everything with an egg in a cream coloured china bowl.

  • Miguel de Almeida's Caldo Verde Recipe

    Thursday September 9th, 2010

    Caldo Verde is the Portuguese national soup. This velvety, simple and hearty kale soup is eaten during festivities. My grandmother used too cook it when Spring had sprung and we were on our way to Summer.