Brazilians are world-renowned for their beautiful bodies. One of the secrets to obtaining the god-like Brazilian body can be uncovered by observing their diet. Brazilians hold a love for healthy cuisine, which plays an enormous role in any holistic health and fitness plan. To experience healthy Brazilian food at
its finest, visit Muqueca Restaurant in the charming neighborhood of Inman Square, less than a twenty minute walk from the Harvard Business School.
In contrast to most Brazilian restaurants that feature salty and heavy dishes of rice and beans and steak, Muqueca Restaurant Owner, Fafa Gomes, creatively designed a menu inspired by the delicacies of Espirito Santo, her Brazilian hometown. Muqueca is the authentic name of a traditional cooking style from the region of Espirito Santo, where seafood such as fish, crabs, and scallop flavored with cilantro, annatto seeds, and olive oil are cooked in a huge clay pot.
The menu is composed of the freshest and purest ingredients. Even the dessert is healthy, and the meal can be wrapped up with the A‡ai bowl, an energizing mixture of fresh a‡ai fruit topped with fiber-rich granola. A‡ai is one of the many Brazilian fruits rich in healthy fatty acids, antioxidants and potassium. Other exotic Brazilian fruits offered in the form of fresh juices include guaraná, acerola, and gravi¢la. The restaurant is vegetarian-friendly; in general, all seafood dishes can be substituted with tofu. My only advice to health conscious dieters is avoid white rice which is served in huge portions with each muqueca dish. Unfortunately, brown rice substitutions are unavailable.
Every dish is a beautiful work of art, as each dish is meticulously presented. Each plate is colorful, fragrant, interesting and unique. The restaurant’s most popular and interesting dishes include the Lasagna de banana, Shrimp Moqueca, Cod Capixaba, Brazilian Crab Cake, and Seafood Pie.
The fresh and pure diet is only one component of a Brazilian’s secret formula for obtaining a god-like body. Brazilians understand the healthy holistic interrelationship between diet, exercise and lifestyle. Their fun-loving energies and positive attitudes towards life are reflected in the brightly colored interior design of the restaurant and the magnanimous spirit of the waiters. Brazilian television in the background contributes to the warm, small family-style ambience.
Muqueca Restaurant
1093 Cambridge Street
617-354-3296
www.muquecarestaurant.com
Fafa Gomes has lovingly shared the recipe for one of her restaurant’s most popular dishes, the Seafood Pie, a tradition that dates back over one hundred years. This dish is typically enjoyed during Easter in Espirito Santo.
Seafood Pie (Serves 6 People)
Ingredients
Fresh Herbs: Onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon, cilantro, green onions; Several fresh tomatoes
2kg of natural palmito that has been previously cooked
or substitute with about 3 large cans of heart of palm.
200g frayed and cooked siri
200g frayed and cooked crab
200g cooked shrimp
200g cooked oyster
200g cooked sururu (mussels)
200g frayed and cooked white fish fillets
500g frayed and cooked unsalted cod
Preparation
Prepare a saute consisting of onion, garlic, pepper, olive oil, green olives all chopped up. Cook the palmito and wait until the water evaporates. Incorporate all seafood cooked in the moqueca clay pot, ensuring that minimal liquid exists. Begin with fish and cod, followed by the remaining ingredients. After the seafood is cooked, mix in six beaten eggs, leaving a small amount to cover the pie. Pour seafood into the muqueca clay pot. Add the remaining of the meringue made with eggs and decorate with onion rings and black olives. Bring the pie to a preheated oven in medium temperature. When the pie starts to foam on top, it’s ready-it should have a light brown color and the eggs will look cooked. Enjoy!
