Do you remember Brazil winning the world cup in 2002? I do.
Ronaldo was the star player at the time, scoring two winning goals against Germany in the finals. It was the perfect comeback after suffering a 1998 loss to France and it was the perfect moment in time for Brazil Supporters the world over.
In 2002 the onlookers had many questions – Was Ronaldo in good form? Is he truly the best player in the cup? Will he score amazing goals? What the heck is that on his head?
Yep, everyone was talking about Ronaldo’s odd hairstyle. I may not remember much about 2002 but I remember that hairdo.
My mind was also plagued with questions: *finger on chin**my best thinking face*…Was this hairstyle the secret to perfect head-ball grip? Would it lead to expert goal scoring headers? Or was it more basic…Did his barber forget to complete his haircut? *hmmmmmmmm*
What was even more perplexing was that people were willingly replicating this hairstyle, even children! Oh the children! Did no one think of the Children?!
Ronaldo later admitted his hairstyle was awful but I suppose the damage was done. Thankfully social media wasn’t a thing back then otherwise lots of folks would have this embarrassing hairstyle immortalized. Sometimes I wonder if people in the future are going to look back on cosmetic lip fillers with the same realization as Ronaldo’s hairstyle…only time will tell.
But, like I said, Ronaldo was the star player at the time and though his football career was short lived he will always be remembered as one of Football’s Greats and one of the Greatest Brazilians.
You know what’s another Brazilian Great? Moqueca.
What is Moqueca?
Moqueca is a traditional seafood stew eaten in Brazil. Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Lime Juice, Cilantro, Palm Oil and Coconut Milk make up the flavour base. Moqueca ingredients vary slightly depending on the region and there are versions made without palm oil and coconut milk.
What’s the best seafood for Moqueca?
Fish and shrimp are popular choices. When selecting fish for Moqueca it’s always recommended to pick a firm variety (to avoid flaking/ breaking up). Depending on personal preference other types of shellfish: clams, mussles, scallops can be used along with squid or octopus, and crab. I’ve even seen dried shrimp as an ingredient.
Palm Oil Substitutions
Palm oil or Dende oil has a characteristic red colour and distinctive flavour. Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to find. In my Moqueca recipe I omitted the palm oil and utilized a mixture of butter and olive oil instead. You can substitute Annatto oil, Coconut Oil, Butter or Olive Oil.
Coconut Milk
The coconut milk makes this stew rich and hearty, and it acts as a perfect vessel to combine and balance all those flavours. Canned coconut milk is available in most groceries so it’s easy to find but if you have access to fresh coconut and you’d like to make this recipe utilizing fresh coconut milk go right ahead.
Moqueca is one of those dishes that’s simple to prepare and has such depth of flavour. It can be eaten on its own, served with bread, spooned on top rice, served alongside potatoes, boiled yuca (cassava), farofa (toasted cassava flour) and some sweet plantains. The possibilities are endless.
Needless to say, Moqueca and Ronaldo are two of Brazil’s national Icons and Moqueca’s flavours are as fanciful as Ronaldo’s footwork. And that brings us to the end of our little chat on Football and Food.
If you’ve never had Moqueca, I strongly suggest you try it. And…if you’ve never seen the “REAL” Ronaldo play I strongly suggest that you watch a few videos.
Tchau, Até à próxima! (Bye, Till next time!)
Moqueca (Seafood Stew)
Course: One Pot Meals, SeafoodCuisine: Brazilian, CaribbeanDifficulty: Easy10
minutes30
minutesSeafood Stew made with Fish, Shrimp and Clams. Inspired by Brazil’s signature Moqueca dish, it has a rich and flavourful tomato and coconut milk broth.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. Butter
Drizzle Olive Oil
5 garlic cloves minced
2 small onions – 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced into thin rounds
1 tbsp smoked paprika
4 small/med. tomatoes chopped (seeds removed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 pimento pepper roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
400ml coconut milk (approx 1 1/2 full cups)
3 small/ medium sweet peppers seeds removed and sliced into rounds
6 okra (optional)
a few sprigs of Cilantro
- Seafood
1 1/4 lbs White Fish cut into smaller pieces
454 g Shrimp (deveined, shells on)
340 g Clams
- Marinade
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup chopped mixture of Parsley and Cilantro
1/2 portion of minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions
- Marinade
- Add lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 portion minced garlic, chopped cilantro and parsley to the seafood. Toss well.
- Cover and let sit in the refrigerator.
- General Instructions
- To a pot add the butter and oil, add the chopped onions, remaining garlic, chopped pimento, scotch bonnet and smoked paprika. Cook on medium heat for about 2 mins.
- Add the tomatoes, cook for a few mins.
- Add the Coconut milk. Stir to incorporate.
- Arrange onion slices in a layer, add sweet pepper slices on top, then nestle in the okra. Add a few sprigs of cilantro. Cover pot and cook on low-medium heat until the veggies are softened slightly (approx. 10-15 mins).
- Remove lid, add the seafood by placing directly into the sauce. First add the fish, then the shrimp, then the clams. Pour in the marinade. Increase the temperature to medium-high and cook for about 5 mins (or until the seafood is cooked).
- Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve warm with your side dish of choice.
Recipe Video
Notes
- This recipe was prepared using canned coconut milk. Substitute 1 1/2 cups fresh coconut milk for 400ml canned coconut milk. When using fresh coconut milk be sure to stir well before use.
- How to make Fresh Coconut Milk – Pulse 1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped coconut in a blender with 3/4 cups water (you might have to add a bit more when blending if the mixture is too thick (about 1/4 cup). Strain mixture or pass mixture through a cheesecloth making sure to squeeze the cheesecloth as many times as needed to get maximum liquid.
- Substitute Cilantro for Culantro (also known as Mexican Coriander, Puerto Rican Coriander, Chadon Beni)
- Clams – Fresh: Before cooking, discard any clams that are open (and do not shut when lightly tapped). Always discard any that have not opened during the cooking process. Frozen: Always follow suggested package instructions for defrosting and handling.
