It is getting cold…. I love to see the pumpkin and all sorts of winter vegetables out.  I usually make this recipe a couple of times, and it is a fun one to make for Halloween, because it cooks inside the pumpkin .  If you can, go to a pumpkin patch and try to find the Cinderella Pumpkin . It is orange and kind of flat.  This type is the one that is most comparable to the one we use in Brasil.  If you are not able to find it, any other pie pumpkin would work. Or as you can see in the picture I used a Kabocha Pumpkin. It has a stronger taste, but still delicious.

For this recipe you will want to “clean” your pumpkin first.  So grab a sharp knife and get to work.  Open a hole on top and of the pumpkin, clean out the seeds and goop.  Then wrap it in foil and bake inside a baking dish with a little bit of water until the inside of the pumpkin is soft.  It will take about 45 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin

Take it out of oven and scoop some of the pumpkin meat out.  Reserve.

Now you want to cover the sides of the pumpkin with cheese. I have used a mixture of catupiry and mozzarella cheeses. After the entire sides and bottom has a nice layer of cheese, then fill with the mixture (recipe bellow).  Then add a little cheese on top (for taste, haha) and bake it again until bubbly.

Here is a picture of it done.

For the inside mixture:

2 lbs of shrimp (it may take more depending on the size of your pumpkin). I usually go more than less, since we like shrimp here! (this can also be done with chicken or meat)

1-2 T olive oil

2 t garlic (crushed)

1/2 medium onion (diced)

3-4 large tomatoes (diced, no seeds or skin)

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

2 T butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

About 1 cup or more of the baked pumpkin meat (reserved from preparing the pumpkin)

1 can of creme de leite (table cream)

In a large sauce pan, sautee the garlic and onions in the olive oil.  Add shrimp, cook a little bit, then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, butter and seasonings.  Let it cook. It will make a sauce. If necessary add a little water.  After sauce is done, add the pureed pumpkin meat and the table cream.  Pour this mixture into your pumpkin.

ps: if you prefer, you can make the sauce first and then add the shrimp last. This will prevent overcooking the shrimp.  Still sautee them and season to taste. Then add to the creamy tomato sauce 😉

This is a light breaded coating. Usually people use beer to make the batter. I wanted to try it with soda. You may choose a ginger ale, sprite or seven up! Enjoy

For the batter:

2 egg yolks
1/2 c soda (ginger ale, sprite or seven up)
1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 -1 t cayenne pepper (depending how spicy you may like it)

Mix is all together. Dry the fish fillets (I used cod, but tilapia would work very well) using a paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides, then dip them into the soda mixture.

Fry each fillet for about 3-4 minutes each side.

6-8 tilapia fillets

4 T butter

5 T lemon juice (separate)

salt and pepper

1 c mayo

1/2 c Parmesan

Rinse and dry tilapia fillets.  Salt and pepper both sides.  In a casserole dish. Add half of the butter.  Then layer it with the fish.  Top each fish with rest of the butter and  2 T lemon juice.

Bake it at 350 for about 10 minutes. Turn fillets and bake for another 10 minutes.

Mix the mayo, 3 T lemon juice and Parmesan together. Top each fillet with this mixture.  Broil until top is golden brown.

I wanted to eat some good beer battered shrimp.  However, as many of you know I don’t drink alcoholic beverages. So, I had no beer at home to make the batter.  I did however have some club soda (which helped me a lot with pregnancy nausea by the way, but that is a topic for another day).  I used club soda instead and it turned out delicious! Here it is:

12 medium – large size shrimp (uncooked)

salt and pepper

For the batter

1 yolk

1/4 c club soda

1/4 c flour

1/4 t salt

1/4 t baking powder

Dash cayenne pepper

Dry shrimp using a paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides.  Dip each shrimp on the soda batter.

Fry them in a frying pan with at least 1-2 inches of oil.  It will take about 2 minutes each side on medium heat.

1 lb red snapper

Marinade:

1/ 4 cup lime juice

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1 T chopped cilantro

Marinade the fish  for about 1 hour

In a Sauce pan, sauté:

½ onion diced

3 garlic minced

1 T olive oil and ½ T oleo de dende

When onions are translucent add 1 can diced tomatoes

½ t cayenne pepper

Add in the marinated fish

Cover in medium low and cook for about 20 minutes

Add 2/3 c coconut milk

Cook for about 10-15 minutes

Serve with rice

4 cloves of Garlic (sliced very thin)

1/2 Onion (diced)

1 T Olive Oil

1 T Sun Dried Tomato paste

4 Fillets of Cod

Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup Chardonnay (you can substitute chicken broth)

1 T Lemon Juice

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced Tomatoes

Basil (fresh or dried)

In a sauce pan,  sautee onions and garlic in olive oil. Add sun dried tomato paste.

Add wine and lemon juice to onions.  Salt and Pepper both sides of cod fillets.  Lay fish on top of  sautéed onions.   Cook fish about 5 minutes in one side.

Turn fish and  add diced tomatoes.  Cover and let it cook for another 5-8 minutes or until fish it flaky. 

Sprinkle with fresh Basil.  I like to serve this with Rice, or Quinoa.  The sauce is very good, but not very thick.  So you want something that will catch the sauce. (like rice, quinoa or bread).  You can always take fish out of pan and thicken the sauce with 1 T of cornstarch dissolved in about 2 T water.

Ingredients:

One nice piece Salmon (cut into slices of 3-4 fingers big)

1/4 cup Butter

Salt and Pepper

1 T Olive Oil

2 cloves of Garlic

2 lime (juice)

2-3 T Capers

Use 1 T of butter and melt it in a frying pan. Add the fish and cook on both sides until it gets a nice color.  Make sure to salt and pepper both sides of the fish.  Set it aside.

In the same pan, add olive oil and smashed garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.  Add the rest of the butter let it melt and come together.  Add lime juice and then capers.  You might not need to add salt, since capers are a little salty.  Just make sure to try the sauce for seasonings.

Pour sauce on top of fish and serve!