Hey there Florida Foodie friends,
Roamer, wanderer, nomad, vagabond... call me Thomas Mates.
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Today is our much-hyped Hits The Road show in Sanford.
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We will be going live at Hollerbach’s German Restaurant from 4 to 7 p.m. and we would love it if you could come out and join us.
We’ll have some city leaders, along with our anchors and the News 6 Investigators out there to answer any questions you might have.
Plus, you’ll be able to get some tasty German cuisine while you’re there. I am required to tell you that any food or drinks will be on your dime, but it’s still worth it.
OK, this will be a quick one today, because I really do have to hit the road soon to get out to Sanford. I hope to see you all there.
Growing business 🧱🥗
Bricks & Bowls is getting ready to open its second location in Winter Park.
The business specializes in focaccia sandwiches, which are about the size and shape of a brick, and healthy bowls. The brick-and-mortar business is actually an extension of Ghost Kitchen Orlando, which you may have seen on your favorite delivery app.
On the latest episode of Florida Foodie, the owners shared their story and food with Lisa Bell.
>You can check out the whole episode here<
Don’t forget you can also find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube.
Small bites🍧
Insert berry pun here🫐: The Melbourne Blueberry Festival is rolling back into town this weekend. Click here to see everything the event has to offer.
Sip and stroll through the zoo🍺🦍: Brews Around the Zoo is bringing live music and over 30 beers for attendees to sample Saturday at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford. Click here to see some of the breweries that will be there.
Something to try at home 🍽️
This week I wanted to share a recipe that sounds really fancy but is actually simple and delicious.
We are making moqueca, which is a Brazilian fish stew.
My wife had been on me for a while to attempt moqueca. She had it for the first time at Richard Blaise’s restaurant Four Flamingos and loved it. Blaise is, of course, a past Florida Foodie guest.
I was hesitant because I thought it would be difficult or time-consuming to make, but it ended up being really easy.
This recipe comes from Recipe Tin Eats, though I made a few adjustments.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound firm white fish, no skin, cut into 1″ cubes. I recommend cod, but tilapia works well too
- The juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 14-ounce coconut milk
- 14-ounce canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup seafood stock (I used homemade shrimp stock, but you can use any kind you want)
Step 1: First, marinade your fish. In a bowl, combine your fish with the juice and zest of one lime, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Give your fish a toss, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes
Step 2: While the fish marinades, place a stock pot on medium-low heat. Add enough coconut oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Once the oil is shimmering, add your onions and bell peppers. Sauté them until the onions turn translucent. Then add your garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step 3: Now, add your cumin, paprika, and cayenne, Again, cook until fragrant. Then add your crushed tomatoes. You’ll want to cook this until the raw tomato smell goes away.
Step 4: Add your coconut milk and seafood stock, then reduce to a bare simmer and let it cook uncovered.
Step 5: While your stew simmers, remove your fish from the fridge. Place a pan over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with a neutral-tasting oil, like canola. Then, in batches, start searing your fish. You want to get it brown on at least two sides, but you do not want to cook it all the way through. This should take less than a minute on each side. Set aside your seared fish for the moment.
Step 6: You may find that there is some brown build-up in the pan used to sear the fish. This is called fond and it is delicious. Don’t let that go to waste. If you have more seafood stock, pour some of that into the pan while it’s still hot, then scrape the bottom and add the mixture into your stew.
Step 7: By this point, your stew should be suitably thickened. If it still seems too soupy, let it cook for another few minutes until it reaches the right consistency. Now, kill the heat and add your fish. It should finish cooking through from the residual heat in a moment or two.
Now all that’s left is to serve. I recommend pouring it over some white rice, but you could have it on its own. Moqueca is sweet and savory. Best of all, it doesn’t take long to make. I think I knocked this dish out in about an hour, give or take.
That’s it for today.
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Send me your recipes so I can share them with everyone. My email is tmates@wkmg.com.
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