Molha
About two years ago I had a chance to go to the Azores. Steve was sent there for a stint and I had an open invitation to visit. However the $1000 price tag and the lack of frequent flying opportunities (It’s just SATA that goes to Terceira directly from the US and the only Alliance airline is TAP) made it difficult to come to fruition.
Like most of my travel knowledge, what I know about the Azores was solidified during my youth. When I was 13, Prince Andrew and Fergie honeymooned in the Azores and I went to my encyclopedia to learn about the islands. To simply explain the Azores to you, they are Portugal’s Hawaiʻi. While more subtropical then tropical, the islands lie southwest of the Portuguese mainland and tourism is one of the main industries. Plus, volcanic activity left its impact on the island.
The Azores sit on the crossroads of three tectonic plates. Named the Azores Triple Junction, this is where the North American, the Eurasian and the African Plates meet. The western islands of Corvo and Flores are located in the North American Plate, while the remaining islands are located within the boundary that divides the other two plates. This geographic dispersion drives the forces which give Azorean cuisine such variety. Rich farmland and a dependence on the sea also influence the assortment of dishes throughout the archipelago.
Though I missed a chance to go to the Azores, Steve brought me back a nice Azorean cookbook. I have been a little intimidated to try any of the recipes since I don’t know enough about the cuisine to know if I’ve cooked it right. Plus, I’ve only been to a handful of Portuguese and Azorean restaurants in the States, and mostly in Boston area. This November, I happened upon Snack Bar / O Senhor Ramos in Cambridge with a positive write up on yelp. I entered and read “Portuguese Specialties” on the menu board. Not knowing what anything was, I ordered Frango No Churrasco. My server asked me if I wanted half or a whole chicken. I didn’t even know that was an option.
Anxiously I awaited my dish; I didn’t know what I was getting except that it was a half of a chicken. After 10 minutes, my server brought me the dish. It was a half chicken grilled in pieces covered in a red sauce, like the hot sauce and butter mixture of Buffalo chicken, over saffron rice. It was on the bone, tender, simple, tangy and hot due to the sauce. I ate it up, leaving nothing on the bone. I thought that it was great, and when I got to share my experience with Steve, he confirmed that was a dish that he had often in the Azores.
So, armed with the confidence that I liked Azorean cuisine and my new meme to cook with a crock pot once a week, I sought out a dish to make. I discovered Crock Pot Azorean Spiced Beef Stew on Stephanie O’Dea’s site, which chronicles her commitment to use her slow cooker daily for a year in 2008. In turn, she would get inspiration for her dishes from other bloggers. Notably the inspiration for her recipe came from Molha: Azorean spiced beef stew adapted by Sean Timberlake, a San Francisco based dot-com product manager-cum-blogger-cum-foodie, from a recipe in Azorean Cuisine by Zita Lima.
So I give you my take on Stehpanie’s version of Sean’s adaption of "Molha à la mode de Pico" by Zita Lima:
Molha /moˈʎa/
Ingredients:
2 lbs chuck, cut into bite-size cubes
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 cps white wine
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 bay leaf
Directions:
Serves: 4-6
I wanted to add my mark to the recipe; I made it last week with that I thought was chopped up Serrano pepper in lieu of the red pepper flakes since, per Sean’s blog, the original recipes calls for piri piri chilis. I found my stew lacking heat – I don’t know if I used a mild chili that looked like Serrano or if I needed to add more, but I think that I’ll follow the tried-and-true red pepper flakes until I can figure out what fresh chili would work.
I didn't have any starch like the traditional boiled potatoes or buttered noodles like Sean had to serve with my molha. I had to settled for pasta. It actually looks like a ragù over my penne.
Outside of that, I really enjoyed this dish. The stew was thick and the cubed beef fell apart easily when I pressed it with a wooden spoon. Also, there’s an interesting balance of flavor between the rich, succulent taste of the beef and the fruity light note of white wine; I enjoyed the newness of this pairing. In addition, the delicate flavor of the tomatoes was enhanced by the sweet profile of the cinnamon. The cumin added a hint of something smoky. I loved the combination. In short, if I had to pitch it like a movie, I would say, "Think a mole-influenced chili con carne."
Bom apetite!
Like most of my travel knowledge, what I know about the Azores was solidified during my youth. When I was 13, Prince Andrew and Fergie honeymooned in the Azores and I went to my encyclopedia to learn about the islands. To simply explain the Azores to you, they are Portugal’s Hawaiʻi. While more subtropical then tropical, the islands lie southwest of the Portuguese mainland and tourism is one of the main industries. Plus, volcanic activity left its impact on the island.
The Azores sit on the crossroads of three tectonic plates. Named the Azores Triple Junction, this is where the North American, the Eurasian and the African Plates meet. The western islands of Corvo and Flores are located in the North American Plate, while the remaining islands are located within the boundary that divides the other two plates. This geographic dispersion drives the forces which give Azorean cuisine such variety. Rich farmland and a dependence on the sea also influence the assortment of dishes throughout the archipelago.
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| The stew and pot looking all vermelho (photo in HDR) |
Though I missed a chance to go to the Azores, Steve brought me back a nice Azorean cookbook. I have been a little intimidated to try any of the recipes since I don’t know enough about the cuisine to know if I’ve cooked it right. Plus, I’ve only been to a handful of Portuguese and Azorean restaurants in the States, and mostly in Boston area. This November, I happened upon Snack Bar / O Senhor Ramos in Cambridge with a positive write up on yelp. I entered and read “Portuguese Specialties” on the menu board. Not knowing what anything was, I ordered Frango No Churrasco. My server asked me if I wanted half or a whole chicken. I didn’t even know that was an option.
Anxiously I awaited my dish; I didn’t know what I was getting except that it was a half of a chicken. After 10 minutes, my server brought me the dish. It was a half chicken grilled in pieces covered in a red sauce, like the hot sauce and butter mixture of Buffalo chicken, over saffron rice. It was on the bone, tender, simple, tangy and hot due to the sauce. I ate it up, leaving nothing on the bone. I thought that it was great, and when I got to share my experience with Steve, he confirmed that was a dish that he had often in the Azores.
So, armed with the confidence that I liked Azorean cuisine and my new meme to cook with a crock pot once a week, I sought out a dish to make. I discovered Crock Pot Azorean Spiced Beef Stew on Stephanie O’Dea’s site, which chronicles her commitment to use her slow cooker daily for a year in 2008. In turn, she would get inspiration for her dishes from other bloggers. Notably the inspiration for her recipe came from Molha: Azorean spiced beef stew adapted by Sean Timberlake, a San Francisco based dot-com product manager-cum-blogger-cum-foodie, from a recipe in Azorean Cuisine by Zita Lima.
 |
| Molha |
Molha /moˈʎa/
Ingredients:
2 lbs chuck, cut into bite-size cubes
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 cps white wine
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 bay leaf
Directions:
- The night prior, combine the cubed chuck, garlic, red pepper and salt; mix to cover the beef with the seasonings and refrigerate overnight to flavor.
- The next day, add onion and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker then add the beef mixture; top with paste and wine.
- Stir in the remaining seasonings, floating the bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
- Molha is served traditionally with boiled potatoes
Serves: 4-6
I wanted to add my mark to the recipe; I made it last week with that I thought was chopped up Serrano pepper in lieu of the red pepper flakes since, per Sean’s blog, the original recipes calls for piri piri chilis. I found my stew lacking heat – I don’t know if I used a mild chili that looked like Serrano or if I needed to add more, but I think that I’ll follow the tried-and-true red pepper flakes until I can figure out what fresh chili would work.
I didn't have any starch like the traditional boiled potatoes or buttered noodles like Sean had to serve with my molha. I had to settled for pasta. It actually looks like a ragù over my penne.
Outside of that, I really enjoyed this dish. The stew was thick and the cubed beef fell apart easily when I pressed it with a wooden spoon. Also, there’s an interesting balance of flavor between the rich, succulent taste of the beef and the fruity light note of white wine; I enjoyed the newness of this pairing. In addition, the delicate flavor of the tomatoes was enhanced by the sweet profile of the cinnamon. The cumin added a hint of something smoky. I loved the combination. In short, if I had to pitch it like a movie, I would say, "Think a mole-influenced chili con carne."
Bom apetite!
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