Moqueca is a traditional Brazilian fish stew that is made with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various types of fish and seafood. It is a flavorful and hearty dish that is often served with rice. There are many different variations of moqueca, each with its own unique flavor profile.
This article provides recipes for three different types of moqueca:
* **Moqueca Baiana:** This is the most popular type of moqueca and is made with a variety of fish and seafood, including shrimp, lobster, and mussels. It is cooked in a coconut milk broth and is flavored with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various herbs and spices.
* **Moqueca Capixaba:** This type of moqueca is made with dourado fish, which is a type of catfish. It is cooked in a coconut milk broth and is flavored with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various herbs and spices.
* **Moqueca de Camarão:** This type of moqueca is made with shrimp and is cooked in a coconut milk broth. It is flavored with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various herbs and spices.
These recipes are all easy to follow and can be made with ingredients that are readily available. Whether you are new to Brazilian cuisine or are a seasoned pro, you are sure to find a moqueca recipe that you will enjoy.
MOQUECA (BRAZILIAN SEAFOOD STEW)
Moqueca hails from the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil, the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture and its rich culinary heritage. Built on the freshest seafood you can find, moqueca delivers a creamy, spicy richness with just a few central ingredients. The dish begins with a base of sautéed garlic, onion, tomatoes and sweet peppers. A fresh chile adds heat that will linger gently, and coconut milk gives the stew body. Red palm oil (azeite de dendê in Portuguese) acts as the glue that holds this dish together. There is no substitute for its characteristic floral, smokelike flavor and vibrant orange sheen. Serve moqueca hot, alongside steamed white rice, farofa de pilão (made from manioc flour toasted in dendê oil), pirão (a creamy porridge made from cooking manioc flour in a fish or meat stock) and lime wedges for a bright finish.
Provided by Yewande Komolafe
Categories dinner, weekday, soups and stews, main course
Time 40m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut along the length of each prawn deep enough to expose and remove the vein. Place the fish chunks in a large bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and toss to coat. Set the prawns and fish aside while preparing the sauce.
- In a large, shallow Dutch oven or large, deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons dendê oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, 1 minute. Add the onion, stir and cook, stirring until translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high, add the peppers, tomatoes and chile. Season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are softened and any liquid from the tomatoes is beginning to evaporate, 4 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk, stir and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and reduces to a creamy sauce, about 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the salt, if necessary, and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
- Carefully place the prawns in the sauce in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the prawns to cook the other sides and add the cod. (Discard any juices in the bowl.) The fish will be partly submerged. Cook until the fish is tender and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon dendê oil and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Slice the remaining lime into wedges. Serve immediately, with steamed rice and lime wedges for squeezing.
MOQUECA (BRAZILIAN FISH STEW)
This Brazilian dish may contain a few unexpected or even unfamiliar ingredients, but they are easy to find online and worth the search. The result is a tropical fish stew mellowed by slices of plantain and coconut milk and accompanied by the traditional hot sauce called piri-piri and farofa, the toasted cassava-meal accompaniment. Farofa is served all over South America with all kinds of dishes; this version, with caramelized onions adapted from Felipe Amaral in Rio de Janeiro, was my favorite. You can serve the moqueca without the farofa, if you prefer, but it helps to sop up the soupy liquid from the stew.
Provided by Florence Fabricant
Categories soups and stews, main course
Time 2h30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Make the farofa if desired: Melt butter in a skillet or shallow saucepan on medium heat. Add sliced onion, and cook, stirring, until it turns light brown. Stir in manioc and cook, stirring, 5 to 8 minutes, until it starts to toast. Cover and keep warm.
- Make the fish broth: Cut each bass fillet in 4 or 5 pieces, cover and refrigerate. Place trimmings in a 3-quart stovetop casserole, preferably an earthenware pot. Lightly salt shrimp, cover and refrigerate. Place shells in the pot. Add 5 cups water; the bay leaves; the turnip; 2 onions, chopped; 2 tomatoes, chopped; half the shishito peppers; the garlic; and half the cilantro and chives. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut a slit in the skin of the plantain, wrap in foil and bake 20 minutes, until flesh is tender. Cool.
- Strain broth into a bowl, pressing on the solids. Discard solids and return broth to pot. Cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
- Slice remaining tomatoes and remaining onion 1/4 inch thick and add to pot. Add bell peppers, Cubanelle peppers, remaining shishito peppers, remaining chives and all but 1 tablespoon remaining cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Peel plantain and slice it 1/2 inch thick. Add to pot. Add coconut milk and dende oil. Add fish and octopus, if using, and simmer 5 minutes. Rinse and dry shrimp and squid, if using, and add to pot. Simmer 3 minutes. Check seasonings. Strew remaining cilantro on top, garnish with a red chile and serve over rice directly from the pot, with farofa and piri-piri on the side.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 696, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 62 grams, Fat 33 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 41 grams, SaturatedFat 21 grams, Sodium 1288 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams
MOQUECA DE PEIXE BAIANA (BRAZILIAN FISH STEW)
This fish stew, called moqueca, is a very typical, traditional Brazilian dish that originated in the Northeast. The palm oil gives it its distinctive flavor. Serve hot with white rice or coconut rice.
Provided by GraçaRibeiro
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American South American Brazilian
Time 1h20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Rinse sea bass under running cold water; pat dry. Place in a shallow dish and season with lime juice, garlic, and salt. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add grated onion and cook for a few seconds. Add fish and marinade to the skillet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in palm oil and onion rings, followed by water and coconut milk. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add green bell pepper, red bell pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions; cover and cook until vegetables are soft and flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 454.1 calories, Carbohydrate 16.3 g, Cholesterol 47.2 mg, Fat 33.5 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Protein 24.7 g, SaturatedFat 16.4 g, Sodium 144.4 mg, Sugar 6.8 g
MOQUECA (BRAZIL)
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 1h40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Place the fish in a large non-reactive mixing bowl. In the carafe of a blender, combine the chopped onion, the chopped tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of cilantro, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the lime juice. Blend until smooth in the blender, then pour directly over the fish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan, and once hot, add the julienned onions to the pan and saute, stirring often until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pan and saute for an additional 30 seconds. Pour the fish and the marinade into the saute pan and add the remaining teaspoon of salt, the Piri Piri, and the coconut milk and stir to combine. Once the liquid comes to a boil, dot the top of the pan with the sliced tomatoes and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the flesh starts to flake, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the cover from the pan and sprinkle the remaining 4 tablespoons of cilantro over the fish. Serve accompanied by steamed white rice.
- Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and peppers to the pan. Saute, stirring often, until the edges of the garlic start to turn brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan, and remove from the heat.
- Place the contents of the saute pan in a blender and add the salt. Puree the peppers and garlic in the blender until mostly smooth. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil through the feed tube of the lid of the blender. Let cool before using, and store refrigerated in an airtight container.
Tips:
- Use fresh ingredients: The fresher the ingredients, the better your moqueca will taste. This is especially true for the fish and seafood.
- Choose the right fish: Not all fish are created equal for moqueca. Some of the best choices include firm-fleshed fish like tilapia, cod, or halibut.
- Don't overcook the fish: Fish cooks quickly, so it's important not to overcook it. Otherwise, it will become tough and dry.
- Use a variety of vegetables: Moqueca is a great way to use up leftover vegetables. Some good choices include onions, tomatoes, peppers, and okra.
- Add some spice: Moqueca is a flavorful dish, but you can always add some extra spice if you like. Some good options include chili peppers, cumin, or paprika.
- Serve with rice or farofa: Moqueca is traditionally served with rice or farofa, a toasted cassava flour. This helps to soak up the delicious sauce.
Conclusion:
Moqueca is a delicious and versatile dish that is perfect for any occasion. It's easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. So next time you're looking for a new seafood recipe, give moqueca a try. You won't be disappointed!
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