Comida

O tema esta semana é Comida - The theme this week is Food.  

Here are some phrases for this week - Idioms again to go with the tema -hey are great for learning – everybody finds them interesting, and we often remember them for that reason. I usually don’t recommend using them unless you have heard them used a lot and are super clear on the context they are used in. BUT they are fantastic vehicles for learning some new words – this week words like garfo (fork), apagar (to put out a light or a fire), favas (broad beans).
não fazer farinha - to not get on well with (lit. to not make flour)

ser um bom garfo - to appreciate food, to eat well (lit. to be a good fork)

apagar o fogo com azeite - to worsen a situation (lit. to put out the fire with olive oil)

misturar alhos com bugalhos - to confuse things (lit. mix garlic with oak apples)

pagar as favas - to suffer the consequences of what others have done (lit. pay the broad beans)

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

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AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)~ This week to go with the food theme - we have 3 traditional recipes.

Recipes:

A0 / A1 – Sopa de Legumes

Para fazer sopa de legumes, precisa de batatas, cenouras, cebola e água. Primeiro, descasque as batatas e as cenouras. Depois, corte tudo em pedaços pequenos. Numa panela grande, ponha um pouco de azeite e a cebola picada. Cozinhe durante cinco minutos. Junte os legumes e cubra com água. Cozinhe durante vinte minutos. No fim, use a varinha mágica para fazer um creme. Pode pôr um pouco de sal e azeite. Sirva quente com pão. É uma sopa simples, saudável e muito comum em Portugal.

A2 – Bacalhau à Brás

O Bacalhau à Brás é um prato tradicional português feito com bacalhau desfiado, batatas fritas palha, ovos e cebola. Primeiro, coza o bacalhau e desfie-o em pedaços pequenos. Frite batatas finas e reserve. Numa frigideira, refogue a cebola cortada às rodelas em azeite. Depois, junte o bacalhau e misture bem. Bata os ovos e adicione à mistura, mexendo sempre em lume brando até os ovos estarem cozinhados. No final, junte salsa picada e azeitonas pretas. Sirva quente. É um prato muito popular e fácil de fazer.

B1+ – Arroz de Pato

O Arroz de Pato é uma receita tradicional que se costuma preparar em ocasiões especiais. Começa-se por cozer o pato com chouriço, cebola, sal e louro. Depois de cozido, desfia-se o pato e reserva-se o caldo. Refoga-se cebola e alho num tacho, junta-se arroz e um pouco do caldo. Quando o arroz estiver quase pronto, junta-se o pato desfiado. Coloca-se tudo num tabuleiro, decora-se com rodelas de chouriço por cima e leva-se ao forno para alourar. O resultado é um prato delicioso e reconfortante, muito apreciado pelas famílias portuguesas.

Translations of the recipes:

A0 / A1  – Vegetable Soup

To make vegetable soup, you need potatoes, carrots, onion and water. First, peel the potatoes and carrots. Then, cut everything into small pieces. In a large pot, put a little olive oil and chopped onion. Cook for five minutes. Add the vegetables and cover with water. Cook for twenty minutes. At the end, use a hand blender to make a cream. You can add a little salt and olive oil. Serve hot with bread. It is a simple, healthy soup and very common in Portugal.

A2 – Bacalhau à Brás

Bacalhau à Brás is a traditional Portuguese dish made with shredded codfish, matchstick fried potatoes, eggs and onion. First, cook the cod and shred it into small pieces. Fry thin potatoes and set aside. In a frying pan, sauté sliced onion in olive oil. Then, add the codfish and mix well. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture, stirring constantly on low heat until the eggs are cooked. Finally, add chopped parsley and black olives. Serve hot. It’s a very popular and easy dish to make.

B1+  – Duck Rice

Duck Rice is a traditional recipe often prepared for special occasions. You start by cooking the duck with chorizo, onion, salt and bay leaf. Once cooked, shred the duck and set the broth aside. In a pan, sauté onion and garlic, then add rice and some of the broth. When the rice is nearly ready, add the shredded duck. Put everything in a baking dish, decorate with chorizo slices on top, and bake until golden. The result is a delicious, comforting dish, much loved by Portuguese families.