FROM RIO WITH LOVE
Luke Burgess and Rio-born Deborah Blank channel Rio’s party vibe to create a menu with an Australian twist.
Chefs Luke Burgess and Rio-born Deborah Blank channel the party vibe of Brazil’s “Marvellous City” to create a crowd-pleasing menu with an Australian twist.
When chef Luke Burgess closed his two-star Hobart restaurant, Garagistes, last year, no one expected the next cuisine he’d turn his hand to would be Brazilian. When he served golden pecorino-topped dadinhos de tapioca during his brief tenure at 10 William St in Sydney, though, there were no complaints. The moreish bar snacks were a damn fine introduction to Burgess’s new-found love for Latin America.
His link to Brazil is his partner, Deborah Blank, a Rio-born chef last seen working the oven at Ester. The couple met in Paris when Blank helped out at a dinner Burgess cooked at the Omnivore Festival. They first travelled to South America together in 2014 for the World Cup and Burgess has been hooked ever since.
The cuisine in Rio de Janeiro is largely about the boteco culture, says Blank – the culture of bars. “Places with amazing snacks like bolinhos with sun-dried meat or crab, and pastel, a deep-fried pastry with different fillings.”
Here, the couple share their spin on a carioca menu (“carioca” being from Rio). The party kicks off with crisp cassava bolinhos filled with blue swimmer crab, inspired by the fried casquinhas de siri (“little cases of crab”) they ate at Tia Penha, a seafood restaurant in Rio, and an aged cachaça cocktail, enlivened with mandarin and pepper. “It’s a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet and it’s got kick,” says Burgess. “It’ll make you hungry, that’s for sure.”
They’ve focused on the brighter, more fragrant aspects of Brazilian cuisine, giving it an Australian bent. “Brazilians will eat feijoada at the beach in their bikinis in 35-degree heat,” says Burgess. “It’s the antithesis of what we’d do in Australia, so we wanted to keep things a bit lighter.” Yabbies, for instance, are poached and served with a zingy coriander and sugarcane vinegar, while whole flounder is coated with fubá, a fine cornmeal typically used for cakes, and gently fried.
What are the key ingredients for a carioca menu? Lots of food to share. “Brazilian food is perfect for meals around a big table,” says Blank. A trifle-like almond pavê brings things to a close, or, as Burgess suggests, another swinging start. “It’s a great match for some more cachaças.”
Mandarin and Pink Peppercorn Caipirinha
“This is a drink found in good bars and also one you’d knock up for friends at dinner parties,” says Luke Burgess. “It’s the same principle as the classic Caipirinha, muddled on ice. It’s a super-easy drink to prepare and the acidity gets the appetite going.” Prep time 10 mins Serves 8
8 mandarins, peeled, coarsely chopped, seeds discarded
2 tsp pink peppercorns
1 tbsp rapadura sugar
480 ml aged cachaça
Crushed ice, to serve
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 Muddle mandarin and pink peppercorns in a large jug until crushed and juices are released, then stir in rapadura sugar, cachaça and crushed ice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Season with lime juice to taste and serve.
Fried blue swimmer crab balls with chilli sauce
“Cassava (known as manioc or, in Rio, aipim) is a major ingredient in Brazilian cooking, and versions of bolinhos – fried balls – are found in all the best botecos in Rio,” says Burgess. “Usually dried meat is used, but we’ve chosen crab to lighten it up and make the most of seafood at its peak in winter through spring. Blue swimmer crab is very Rio, too, so it just seems right somehow. The molho, or sauce, is a tropical addition to the snack, and is a mix between Portugal and the New World. Think of an aromatic piri piri sauce but with much more complexity.” Prep time 50 mins, cook 1¾ hrs (plus standing, cooling) Makes about 16 (pictured p121)
600 gm cassava, peeled, cut into large dice (see note)
2 egg yolks
2 tsp unsalted butter
20 gm plain flour
Grapeseed oil, for deep-frying
Fresh curry leaves, to serve Chilli sauce 100 gm smoked tomatoes (see note) 75 ml rice vinegar
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped 5 long red chillies, coarsely chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp rapadura sugar (see note) ½ tsp finely grated nutmeg
Blue swimmer crab filling
2 tbsp olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 1 tbsp finely sliced fresh curry leaves 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds, toasted 250 ml (1 cup) tomato passata
250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
150 ml crab or fish stock
200 gm blue swimmer crab meat
1/ cup finely chopped tarragon
3
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 For chilli sauce, process ingredients and 2 tsp sea salt in a blender to a fine purée, season to taste and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Chilli sauce will keep refrigerated for a month.
2 For blue swimmer crab filling, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic, curry leaves and mustard seeds and sauté until translucent (3-4 minutes). Add passata, coconut milk and stock, bring to the boil and cook until reduced by half (10-15 minutes). Add crab and simmer gently until just cooked (3-4 minutes). Add herbs, season to taste, then chill (1 hour).
3 Boil cassava in a saucepan of salted water until tender (40-45 minutes), then drain, season with salt, and mash to a paste. Cool to room temperature, beat in yolks, butter and flour, season to taste and beat to form a smooth dough. 4 Flatten ¼ cup of cassava mixture in the palm of your hand to form a rough 8cm round. Place a heaped teaspoonful of crab mixture in the centre, then roll and pinch the cassava mixture around to enclose. Roll into a ball and place on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate while you repeat with remaining mixture.
5 Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 180C. Deep-fry crab balls in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown (8-10 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Add a sprig of curry leaves to oil and fry until crisp (30 seconds). Drain balls on paper towels, season to taste, scatter with curry leaves and serve hot with chilli sauce.
Note Cassava is available from Latin American and Indian grocers. Smoked tomatoes are available from select delicatessens; if they’re unavailable, substitute semi-dried tomatoes and add 1 tsp smoked paprika. Rapadura sugar is available from health-food shops and Latin American grocers.
Poached yabbies, sugarcane and coriander vinegar
“Yabbies are a great starter to a casual meal,” says Burgess. “Simply put them in the middle of the table for guests to peel themselves. The tangy vinegar dipping sauce is even better when blood oranges are in season, so if you can get your hands on them, swap out the regular oranges for their more fragrant cousin.”
Prep time 20 mins, cook 5 mins (plus infusing, chilling) Serves 8 (pictured p120)
1 kg live yabbies (see note), chilled for 1 hour Sugarcane and coriander vinegar ½ cup (firmly packed) coarsely chopped coriander
¼ tsp coriander seeds, finely ground ¼ tsp white peppercorns, finely ground ¼ tsp finely grated orange rind
60 ml (¼ cup) orange juice
125 ml (½ cup) sugarcane juice (see note) 1 tbsp sugarcane vinegar (see note) 1½ tbsp dendê oil (see note)
1 For sugarcane and coriander vinegar, combine ingredients in a bowl, whisk to emulsify and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes.
2 Bring 4 litres of well-salted water to the boil in a large saucepan, add yabbies and boil until they change colour (2-3 minutes; see cook’s notes p185). Drain and cool for 5 minutes, then serve with sugarcane and coriander vinegar. Note Yabbies need to be ordered ahead from a fishmonger. If they’re unavailable, substitute large prawns. Sugarcane juice, sugarcane vinegar and dendê oil (also known as palm oil) are available from Latin American grocers. If sugarcane juice is unavailable, substitute a light sugar syrup (2 parts water to 1 part sugar). If sugarcane vinegar is unavailable, substitute white vinegar or coconut vinegar.
Flounder fried in fubá with finger lime and young ginger
“Fubá is basically polenta and makes for an amazing crust on the flounder, contrasting beautifully with its soft, gelatinous flesh,” says Burgess. “The condiment resembles a sambal and its seasoning is adjusted according to the sweetness of the fish. This is very much a sharing dish, and one that is not found outside the home in Rio.” Prep time 30 mins, cook 8 mins (plus infusing, standing) Serves 8 (pictured p124)
500 gm fubá (fine polenta)
1 tbsp lemon thyme leaves
2 flounder (500gm each), cleaned, skin on 4 eggwhites, lightly whisked
500 ml (2 cups) grapeseed oil Ginger sauce 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar, finely grated>
Juice of 2 limes
Pulp of 12 finger limes (see note) 100 gm young ginger, finely grated
1 For ginger sauce, whisk olive oil, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice in a bowl to combine, then add finger lime and ginger and set aside to infuse for 1 hour. Season to taste if necessary.
2 Combine fubá, lemon thyme and 1 tbsp salt in a large baking dish and season with black pepper. Brush flounder with eggwhite, coat with seasoned fubá and set aside for crust to set (5 minutes).
3 Heat grapeseed oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until hot, then add flounder and shallow-fry until an even golden crust forms
(2-3 minutes each side), then carefully turn and repeat, being careful not to overcook the fish. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a platter, dress with the ginger sauce and serve.
Note Finger limes are available from select greengrocers.
Pickled okra
“With African influences and robust cooking, the okra is used to offset the protein for some freshness and texture,” says Burgess. “It’s served with prawns and chicken and is very popular in Bahia. Here we use it for balance and texture.” Start this recipe a day ahead to pickle the okra. Prep time 20 mins, cook 10 mins (plus pickling) Serves 8 as a side (pictured p125)
500 ml (2 cups) apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp rapadura sugar
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced 1 tsp dill seeds
500 gm okra Brazil nut and black garlic farofa 100 gm Brazil nuts
50 gm unsalted butter, diced
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped ¼ tsp ground allspice
1 black garlic clove, finely chopped 1 Combine vinegar, sugar, lime leaves, garlic, chilli, dill seeds, 2 tbsp sea salt and 500ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stand for 10 minutes to infuse and cool.
2 Place okra in a jar, pour in pickling liquid, cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Pickled okra will keep refrigerated for about a month.
3 For farofa, process nuts in a food processor to a medium-coarse meal. Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add fresh garlic and allspice and fry, stirring occasionally, until light golden (30-40 seconds). Add black garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add nut meal and stir continuously over low heat until toasted and evenly coated (3-4 minutes), then season to taste and set aside.
4 Drain okra from pickling liquid, arrange on serving plates, scatter with farofa and serve with flounder.
Braised oxtail
“Braised oxtail, or rabada, is very popular in Brazil,” says Burgess. “It’s a dish that’s deep in flavour, and fresh at the same time. The watercress adds bite and the tamarind acidity.” Prep time 20 mins, cook 2½ hrs Serves 8
140 ml olive oil
3 kg oxtail pieces
4 onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 bunch Asian celery (see note), finely diced 6 ripe tomatoes, diced
200 ml tamarind liquid (see note)
10 thyme sprigs
4 fresh bay leaves
1 tbsp white peppercorns, crushed
1 tbsp sumac
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Watercress sprigs, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 180C. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large casserole over low heat, add oxtail in batches and brown well all over (3-4 minutes), then transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil to casserole along with onion, garlic, celery, tomato, tamarind liquid, thyme, bay leaves and spices, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low again and simmer for 5 minutes. Return oxtail to pan, season to taste, cover and braise in oven until tender but still on the bone (2-2¼ hours). Check seasoning and serve scattered with watercress.
Note For tamarind liquid, dissolve 1 tsp tamarind purée in 90ml hot water. Asian celery is available from Asian greengrocers. If it’s unavailable, substitute the stalks of the heart of regular celery.
Pavê de amendoim
“This is a classic Brazilian dessert in the manner of a trifle or tiramisù,” says Burgess. “Crumbly maizena cookies are layered with a lemon-coconut cream and roasted peanuts (amendoim) – it’s basically a peanut trifle. Fig leaves, in season, make a lovely variation of this cream: blend four leaves with the lemon, sugar and egg, and omit the coconut. This dessert is a good match for the rest of the aged cachaça!” Prep time 35 mins, cook 30 mins (plus cooling, standing) Serves 8
300 gm raw peanuts in the shell, peeled and roasted
Water and coarsely torn flesh of 2 young coconuts
Pulp of 4 passionfruit
Sea salt flakes, to serve Maizena cookies 130 gm cornflour
25 gm plain flour
40 gm caster sugar 70 gm cold butter, diced 1 egg Lemon-coconut cream Juice and finely grated rind of 2 large lemons
100 gm caster sugar
135 gm lightly beaten egg (about 2½) 1 titanium-strength gelatine leaf, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
175 gm cold butter, diced
350 ml pouring cream, whisked to soft peaks 70 gm toasted shredded coconut, to taste
1 For maizena cookies, preheat oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Sieve cornflour and flour into a bowl, add sugar and a pinch of salt and mix to combine well. Add butter and rub in with your fingertips to form even crumbs. Mix in egg, tip out onto a work surface, bring together with the heel of your hand to form a firm dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest for 20-30 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick, place on prepared baking tray and bake, turning tray halfway through cooking, until evenly golden (25-30 minutes). Cool completely. 2 Meanwhile, for lemon-coconut cream, blend lemon juice and rind, sugar and egg with a hand-held blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk continuously until thick and pale (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, squeeze excess water from gelatine and whisk into lemon mixture, then whisk in butter, a little at a time, until incorporated. Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and refrigerate to chill completely (2-3 hours). Whisk lemon mixture until light and creamy (1-2 minutes), fold in whipped cream, then coconut and refrigerate.
3 Process peanuts in a food processor to even medium-coarse crumbs and set aside.
4 To assemble, break maizena into rough pieces and soak in coconut water, then form an even layer in a deep 20cm-square dish or 3-litre bowl. Spread half the cream on top, scatter with an even layer of peanuts, then repeat layering, finishing with a layer of peanuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, then serve topped with coconut and passionfruit and seasoned with sea salt flakes.