tofu mayonnaise | maionese de tofu

english version

mayonnaise is one of those things belonging to my childhood memories, especially in the whens where my mother would be absent and the kitchen would be taken by my father for a few days. she’d always leave a few airtight boxes with food already made, but when it started to end, it would begin the season of mayonnaise salads with everything. on those days, I loved the strangeness and astonishment of what they might contain. then I grew up, learnt how to prepare mayonnaise, getting conscious of which ingredients it contains, and when my caloric preoccupations were established, it was eradicated from the menu for quite a few long years. until tofu mayonnaise arose, very similar to the other one in flavour and texture, vegan and having low caloric value. a stuffed jar returned to the refrigerator, it returned to my toasted bread, to my fresh and delicious summery sandwiches. its flavour, as well as its consistency, are adjustable to your own taste. this is my version – rich, flavoursome, with a silky and creamy texture. 

Alentejo's purslane soup | sopa alentejana de beldroegas

english version

purslane’s fragility and the slightly acidulous flavour of its stalks are present in the peasant Mediterranean cuisine, as well as in Alentejo’s gastronomic tradition, since immemorial times.

it's the richest edible terrestrial plant in omega 3 [being also very abundant in calcium and beta-carotene], but it's still unknown by many or taken as a weed. 

strawberry-rhubarb yogurt cake | bolo de iogurte com morangos e ruibarbo

english version 

rhubarb, rhubard, rhubard. one day, if  [ I prefer ‘when’ ] I move to a house with a backyard, to the countryside or to another country, I’ll adopt a dog again and I’ll probably name him ‘rhubarb’.

tarator [yogurt-cucumber salad | salada de pepino e iogurte]

english version

very popular in the Balkans and Middle Eastern Mediterranean countries, can be found as salad, soup or dip.
it has a cooling effect, a simple and fast preparation, being the perfect meal for these warmer days. 

cold avocado-cucumber soup | sopa fria de abacate e pepino

english version

     smooth and zingy, the perfect companion for these bright sunny days.

chocolate-courgette cake with amaretto mascarpone | bolo de courgette e chocolate com mascarpone aromatizado com amaretto

english version


     my love is going to his land and needs strengths for the journey.

turkish red lentil soup | sopa turca de lentilhas vermelhas [kırmızı mercimek çorbası]

english version

the second time I travelled to Istanbul all alone was in a very cold February. one of those nights, a friend took me to a small restaurant for us to be able of warming ourselves and talk for a while without the uncomfortable shivering typical of the season. three things I remember of that night: he told me he’s Kurdish, he presented me the magnificent works of Yüksel Arslan – that had a retrospective exhibition then and I saw the day after – and that the soup he ordered for me was great. it was velvety, robust and exquisitely fragrant [beyond being sold at a very low price]. during my stay I looked for it almost every night, right before taking the tram and getting back to the cheap hostel where I rented a room.