Cooking with Tessa…..
The Cookbook: Piri Piri Starfish - Portugal Found
by Tessa Kiros
Sitting late on a Saturday afternoon I take my time to peruse the contents of Piri Piri Starfish, the recipes and the beautiful images. A cookbook is many things, a visual aid, a historic document, a place to rest and find the creative impulse, for cooking is creativity at heart. The ingredients call me from the page. I want to try new things and I want to capture what is in season this very moment. I highlight recipes. I walk outside and snap a bay leaf off the tree and tear a large handful of coriander in the potager. I am pleased the coriander is at its peak and not far from going to seed. I check the fridge for three tomatoes. This I can do. I call out to Maddy, “guess what Piri Piri Sauce is on its way with chilli, you will love it”. Off I go.
My Portuguese Inspired Table, home made Portuguese Tarts and Madeira Cake for morning teaTessa Kiros is the master of weaving a travel narrative. Her cookbooks are not only beautiful but evocative of a time and place. I have a shelf full of Tessa’s books. This one arrived one Christmas, an ode to a person who loves a visual anchor. That would be me. And I love to be transported to places I have not yet discovered, far off lands and seas that have stood the test of time.
Piri Piri Starfish recalls a fading European Empire that borders the edge of Spain. The sea farers have been and gone and the many invaders and conquerers who have landed on the islands and ancient soil of Portugal. They have left their silks, spices and recipes.
For Tessa it all started in South Africa in her childhood. The greengrocers were Portuguese as were the restaurants in Mozambique. The food and recipes traveled from Portugal around the Atlantic Ocean and into their homes and their kitchens.
I see in Piri Piri Starfish many recipes that include salt cod fish, sardines, coriander, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves and piri piri chilli. I am intrigued how eggs weave their way into most desserts, some soups and main meals. This is wonderful for me I am always searching for recipes that load up on eggs when I end up with too many from the chickens. The Creme Caramel is divine, so sweet, homely and decidant, and reminiscent of something my Dad would bring home in the groceries even if it was in a tub. And of course the lemon infused custard of the infamous Portuguese tart ‘Pasteis de Nata’. I have to make them, they are truely a favourite even if it is one Portugals best known recipes.
Piri Piri Sauce, some in a small jug, some in jam jars, one in the freezer. A sauce that can be spooned onto everything. Maddy is happy as she loves to add chilli to most things. We had a splash on some Veggie Burgers the next night with halloumi and coriander, and lets just say the jar that went into the freezer has been removed and is nearly all gone!
Salt Cod, Coriander, Garlic and Bread SoupThis is light and wonderful to make. Throw the paprika, garlic, oil, coriander in a mortal and pestle and you are elevated before you even taste the soup. I love that it includes 2 egg yolks, although I didn’t read that the first time I made it, but four days later when I made it again on request. We don’t traditionally see salted cod around in the supermarket and I cannot get to the fish markets (stay home orders) so I used some Barramundi fillets and added Maldon salt to balance the flavours. This was Richard’s dish. I had already polished mine off. I just tossed the toast in the bowl and ladled the soup on top. Mine looked a little less rustic, with buttered bread on the side. A keeper for sure.
Peas with Eggs and ChouricoA festive dish, and a classic in the pantry staples department. I really love making something tasty from a few good ingredients. Lunch was made and all was well. One of the classics of the Portuguese Cuisine is the use of Chorizo in their dishes. Tessa suggested that in Portugal the bread is heavenly. I wonder when I will get to try some of the Prego Rolls.
Pasteis de Nata - Portuguese TartsThe pastry for Portuguese tarts has to be made with a light touch. I am not very patient with the temperent of pastry making. So I asked Madeline, please would you be interested in making this for me? It then stayed in the refrigerator for a day. The following morning I said to Richard, please would you roll this out for me, it has to be very thin. In other instances I have turned to making my Portuguese Tarts with filo pastry which if not in the state of mind for melding chunks of butter with flour works totally fine. But saying that does not taste as wonderful as this particular recipe does. The pastry was just the right kind of sweet and buttery and light to the touch, and melt in your mouth and the custard was like a dream that ended all too quick. They were all devoured very fast and my helpers in the kitchen were happy with their commitment and mine.
Dear Tessa,
I am often transported by your evocative food stories, you really are a master story teller. I admit I am a bit envious following the call to visit places in Europe and Asia for your many books. What a way to live. The many layers of history, place and the details are what attract me to your food. Soon I will cook from Provence to Pondicherry, although perhaps I will need many weeks to sample the dishes as there are many that I want to try. I think it will be interesting to taste Vietnam, Provence and India and more in your book. I once heard you say you “were not an author but a collector”. I thought about that a lot. I guess we are all collecting things, observing and bringing something beautiful to the table when we cook and eat well.
Thank you
5th October, 2021
Baked Butter RiceThis is my new favourite dish, I just couldn’t stop eating it, creamy and soft and perfect for a cooler evening like the one we had last night. I wish spring would hurry up and be warm again but it is not so. Beautiful stock pot dishes like this are my favourite kind of cooking. Throw dish in the oven and forget about it.
Passionfruit Creme Caramel, a recipe from San Miguel in the AzoresOh how I love this kind of recipe, decadent in eggs and a good one to prepare ahead of time. My passionfruit went on top last, as I am not always in the mood for the sour pulpy seeds. It was a great experiment and I did happen to use a cake tin that was a ring shape. That was certainly a little experimental. I will have to keep my eyes open for a ring tin that is great for moulds and gels etc. In the meantime we are enjoying small plates of Creme Caramel and feeling rather spoilt for choice.
Piri Piri and Lemon Butter Grilled PrawnsI don’t go out of my way to get fresh seafood a lot. I am often a little timid in cooking the seafood, we do eat fish but mostly filleted kinds of fish, trout and salmon, however it was nice to have a mix up in the kitchen on Sunday afternoon. These Lemon Butter and Piri Piri Prawns were super nice with the Butter Rice above, a light and flavoursome dinner that I will definitely try again.
