Brazil!

We took a short break from Around the World dinners for the last week of summer and M's first week of first grade(!). Now we're back and looking forward to trying new foods. This week, we made a meal from Brazil.

Menu:
Cheese Croquettes
Black Bean and Mango Stew
and Brigadeiros (chocolate bonbons named for a general with a sweet tooth)

M has decided that our best meals have been:
1st place: Brazil
2nd place: Denmark
3rd place: tie between Spain and Portugal

Recipes will follow...
M's Interruption
A friend joked about around the world desserts.She would really like this dessert!
On the brazilian flag there were the words ordeme e progresso.I guessed that progresso meant progress.Mom said i was right and that ordeme meant order.

Back to Anne (sometimes called Mommy)...
Everything in this meal was great! The croquettes were a nice change from the usual fried variety, the stew was easy and tasted wonderful, and, well, chocolate bonbons speak for themselves! :)

Let's start with dessert today.
Brigadeiros

Ingredients
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup chocolate sprinkles

Directions

1. In medium pan, combine milk and cocoa powder. Cook over low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Add butter and salt. Mix thoroughly before removing from heat.
2. When mixture is cool, rub hands with butter and shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Place in mini paper cupcake forms.
3. Store in fridge until served.



Mango and Black Bean Stew

Ingredients

* 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
* 1 small red bell pepper, diced
* 3/4 lb tomato, diced
* 3/4 cup water
* 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, well-rinsed and drained
* 1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced
* 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* salt, to taste (optional)

Directions

1.Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic until tender.
2. Add in the sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Add beans and cook uncovered until heated through, then add the mango and cilantro and season with salt to taste.

Croquettes De Queijo

Ingredients

* 2 ounces butter, cubed
* 2/3 cup flour
* 1 egg, separated
* 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or any hard cheese, grated
* salt and pepper, as needed
* 1 tablespoon water or water, as needed
* chili, salsa for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rub butter into flour until it gives a coarse mixture.
3. Add egg yolk, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and water, and mix together. Add a tablespoon of water if you find them difficult to bind.
4.Shape dough into golf ball size.
5.Dip into slightly beaten egg white.
6. Place in a well oiled baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until brown and crispy.
7. Invert the balls as well baking this time for 5 minutes or until brown and crispy too.
8. Serve warm with chili salsa.