Portugal - BBQ Piri Piri Prawns with Tomato Rice

Portugal (officially the Portuguese Republic), is a sovereign state on the Iberian Peninsula in South Western Europe.   It is the westernmost country of the European mainland, being bordered to the north and east by Spain and to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean.  

The food of Portugal has a strong Mediterranean influence so garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs are the key ingredients alongside fresh seafood harvested from the Atlantic Ocean.  Portuguese cuisine also carries influences from its colonial past, most notably exotic spices including black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, saffron and the chilli pepper which is known as Piri Piri. 

Our Portuguese menu included

BBQ PIRI PIRI PRAWNS 

with 

TOMATO RICE

PIRI PIRI PRAWNS

INGREDIENTS:

·      1 ½   kg (about 80) large prawns/shrimp, peeled & deveined

·      12 Wooden skewers pre-soaked in water ½ hour (I used flat bamboo skewers as they helped to keep the prawns positioned in rows & makes it easier to turn the prawn over)

Marinade:

·      2tbs chilli sweet sauce  

·      2  cloves garlic, finely chopped

·      2  tbs finely chopped cilantro coriander

·      ¼  cup lemon

·      1tbs  white wine vinegar

·      ¼  cup olive oil

·      1tsp paprika

·      1tsp cayenne pepper powder

METHOD:

1.    Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl

2.    Thread shrimp on to the soaked skewers & place in a large dish

3.    Pour the marinade over the skewers & let infuse for about half an hour in the fridge turning occasionally to ensure all skewers are coated well

4.    Turn BBQ on and heat up coals

5.    Place the skewered shrimp over medium coals & pour any extra marinade onto the skewers

6.    grill skewers on medium heat for about 2 minutes 

7.    Turn over and grill the other side for about 2 minutes more

·      Continue grilling & turning until the shrimp are lightly pink and start to curl

This is a q-zine original recipe

TOMATO RICE

INGREDIENTS:

·      2tbs olive oil

·      ½  a large onion, diced small

·      2 cloves garlic, crushed

·      2 large tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded & diced (or use canned tomato)

·      2 cups chicken stock

·      1 cup long-grain rice

·      1 tsp salt

·      pepper to taste

Note: What ever implements you use to make this dish will give the rice additional flavour, so it is best to use a wooden spoon in the cooking process (giving a fragrant/woody taste to the rice), rather than a metal spoon (giving a bitter/metallic taste)

  

METHOD:

1.    If you are peeling & de-seeding the tomatoes you will need to core & score the tomatoes first

2.    To do this use a small knife to cut out the stem end of the tomato & also cut a cross in the side of the tomato just into the skin not the flesh

3.    Plunge the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water until you see the skin curling back from the scoring spot

4.    Remove tomatoes & plunge them into cold water

5.    Once the tomatoes begin to cool gently peel the skin away from the flesh then sit them on a plate lined with kitchen paper to dry

6.    When the tomatoes are cooled down, cut them in half & gently squeeze out the seeds

7.    Tomatoes are now ready to chop

8.    Heat olive oil in medium to large sized heavy-based oven-proof pan with a tight fitting lid .Using a solid pot  will help prevent the rice from burning

9.    Add onion & saute until slightly brown

10.         Turn the heat right down, add garlic & put lid on pot cooking  

       gently until onion is soft & glassy - about 5 minutes

11.         Take lid off, turn heat up and when pan is hot add chopped  

       tomatoes, salt & pepper & saute for a minute

12.         Turn the heat down again, cover the pot  & simmer for 15 mins

13.         Add rice & sauté until rice is coated in the onion mix

14.         Add stock & bring to boil stirring occasionally

15.         When pot boils turn down to lowest temperature, stir pot very  

      well & cover with lid

16.         From this stage on DO NOT take the lid off the pot again until you

       want to serve your rice.

17.          Cook rice for 10  minutes on low

18.         turn heat off & let the rice pot stand on the cooking element for

10 minutes

NOTE: if you have very sturdy cast iron pot with a thick bottom you could cook this rice with heat under it for 20 minutes instead of cooking for 10 then resting for 10. It would produce a drier more authentic rice than I made – however, be warned, if you use copper bottom cookware as I do your rice will probably burn as the copper conducts a lot of heat.

This is a q-zine original recipe

Note: Photo used under Fair Use Laws from:

http://mywekutastes.com/recipe/grilled-piri-piri-prawns/