Sardine Butter

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Anna Welander of Uppsala, Sweden for this one:

One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff was explaining the Buffalo Theory
to his buddy Norm. Here's how it went:

"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this. A herd of buffalo can only move
as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is
the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first This
natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the
general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by
the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way,
the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells.
Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But
naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In
this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain
cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's
why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Many readers have written recently to applaud my choice of ethnic
themes in recent weeks, and I'm glad because one of the reasons
I put "worldwide" in the name of this little ezine is because I wanted
to use it to explore the cooking from every part of the world. This
week we're going to the Iberian peninsula for a selection of classic
dishes from Portugal. Here's the lineup:

(Recipes in brackets are in the PLUS Edition only.)

Monday's Starter
Sardine Butter (Manteiga de Sardinha)
[Spicy Shrimp (Gambas Picantes)]

Tuesday's Soup or Salad
Tomato Salad (Salada de Tomate)
[Black-Eyed Pea Salad (Salada de Feijao Frade)]

Wednesday's Side Dish
Portuguese-Style Fava Beans (Favas a Portuguesa)
[Alentejo-Style Carrots (Cenouras a Alentejana)]

Thursday's Entree
Steak with Eggs (Bifes com Ovos)
[Chicken with Peas (Frango com Ervilhas)]

Friday's Dessert
Port-Style Flan (Porto Pudim Flan)
["Bacon from Heaven" (Toucinho do Ceu)]

The Portuguese don't have the rich tradition of cocktail snacks
the way neighboring Spain has with their tapas, but this traditional
spread is a perennial favorite with a glass of wine before a meal.

Sardine Butter (Manteiga de Sardinha)

1 3.75-oz (106 g) can sardines, packed in oil or tomato
sauce, drained
6 Tbs (90 ml) butter
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork to make
a smooth paste. Pack into small ramekins and refrigerate until
ready to serve. Serve with crackers, bread, or toast. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Aug 14 05:28:17 2006