I am sharing  my mom’s recipes at the Arts Center of  the Capital Region. The next class will be Nov 20–we are making moqueca, fish stew.

Saturday we made chicken with the turmeric  (Açafrão da terra) grown by my dad. And served with rice and Salpicão salad.

Frango no Açafrão, turmeric chicken

chicken (2-3 pounds) chopped.
1 tablespoon turmeric (Açafrão da terra)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
1 minced pimenta de cheiro (sweet chili)
2 tablespoons oil

lemon juice

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon coriander

cheiro verde (parsley, green onions and cilantro)

Wash and chop the chicken into pieces, rub with lemon, garlic salt, (let marinade for a while in the fridge if desired.) Add the sugar in the stainless pan and cook until it turns brown, but not burnt. Add oil to the pan, add chicken and stir. Cover and it will create some water. Reduce the fire to low, cook, stirring with a fork until the water dries out. Adding a few drops of water and cumin and coriander. Add açafrão towards the end of cooking time.
The Chicken is done when a fork sticking into a piece is tender. Add cheiro verde, pimenta de cheiro (parsley, green onions and cilantro) to serve. Serve with white rice and Salpicão salad.

Salpicão salad

1 whole chicken breast, boneless and skinless, poached, cooled and shredded (ham can be used as well) also meats can be omitted.
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas, cooked and cooled2 cups cabbage finally chopped
2 small green apples (Granny Smith or similar) cored, peeled an shredded (optional)
2 springs fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 standard package shoestring potatoes

salt and pepper to taste, paprika and boiled eggs to decorate

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, grated carrot, corn, peas, apples, cabbage, parsley and red onion. Stir well with wooden spoon to combine. Add 1/2 of the package of shoestring potatoes, and stir again. Add the mayonnaise and creme fraiche or sour cream, and stir until all ingredients are combined and coated with dressing. Taste for seasoning.
Put into a large serving bowl, or onto a serving platter, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 package of shoestring potatoes over the top. Or use boiled eggs and paprika to decorate. Hint: To have a crispy salad, just stir in the shoestring at the time you will serve it.