Moqueca and Ilha Grande

One of my favorite places in the world is Ilha Grande, a Brazilian island I visited in May 2006. It is quite undeveloped (cars are not allowed). It is almost all beaches (more than 100 of them!) and forest (over 100 miles of hiking trails). Purportedly, Brazil's best beach is located here - Praia Lopes Mendes, which we visited (pictured below). It was spectacular.

Besides its beauty, I enjoyed Ilha Grande because it was the first time ever I had moqueca, a Brazilian seafood stew. I have become quite addicted to this dish - comforting and delicious. The recipe we often use is from The Book of Latin American Cooking (by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz).


Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, scraped and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Salt, fresh ground pepper
2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons dende (palm) oil

Preparation:Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and saute the onion, carrots, and green and red peppers until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a few minutes longer over moderate heat. Stir in the shrimp and the dende oil and cook, turning the shrimp once or twice, until the shrimp are pink and have lost their translucent look, about 3 minutes. Serve on a warm platter surrounded by white rice.