Capela Dos Ossos - Alcantarilha

As part of my job I was lucky enough to go to Portugal last month with one of my clients (I work as a live-in carer - not an escort!) and two of his friends. 

We stayed in a lovely apartment just on the outskirts of Lagos that was decked out with all the equipment that we could need. Hazel and Bryn, the owners of Funchal Ridge, recommended many places in the Algarve to visit. We decided to follow them up on the recommendation of Capela Dos Ossos in the small town of Alcantarilha. 

We skipped the new main motorway and stuck to the old highway (got to keep away from those tolls!) following directions from a road map!

We came of the highway and straight on to tight, cobblestoned roads.

As well as the map we had the use of phone GPS as we weren't entirely sure of the exact location of the Chapel. We came to a T-junction and followed the GPS and a very vague sign and ended up 5km away in a little village that seemed to be closed for siesta. Executing a quick u-turn, turns out the Chapel was where the T-junction was!

Looking up to the main church in Alcantarilha

The Chapel is situated behind the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and was constructed in the 16th Century and built on the site of the old church cemetery. 

The interior is lined with skulls and thigh bones of dead parishioners. 

                                    


The Chapel is about 4m x 4m and the doorway is barred so that the bones can not be stolen. 
 A crucifix of Jesus Christ is placed high on the back wall. 


                     

                              

                                        

I personally didn't find the Chapel eerie or scary, but that could have been due to the sunlight streaming through the doors behind me. 



We ended up having dinner with my client's family near Carvoeira and didn't arrive back to Lagos until after dark. 

Despite the cold night air that had come in, the darkness worked in our favour as we found this beauty in the middle of a roundabout coming through Lagos. 

Massive chairs!

Of course we had to take a few photos of them!

                                              

Dinner at Work - Zimbo-Italiano Veg Dish

Last night we had another culinary delight that tickled the tastebuds!

The amazing thing about food is that you can start your dish with one thing in mind (in this case the spicy tastes of Zimbabwe) and with just the additions of a few spices it can go in a completely different direction! Straight to Italy!

Ingredients

onion, sliced

tinned diced tomato

cabbage (darker the better), thinly sliced

garlic gloves, chopped

cinnamon

chilli powder

curry powder

fennel seeds

rosemary

oregano

olive oil

polenta

veg stock

Method

brown the onion with cinnamon

add garlic and stir

add the cabbage slices 

pour in the tinned tomatoes

add in the chilli powder, curry powder, fennel seeds, rosemary and oregano

stir, taste and adjust to your liking

add a touch of olive oil to bring it all together

In another pot add 2 cups of stock

pour in polenta WHILE stirring

constantly stir until thick

if it starts spitting at you, take of heat and continue stirring

once both are ready, serve and enjoy

** to have a more Zimbabwean tasting dish, leave out the fennel seeds, rosemary and oregano and replace with hemp seeds, garam masala and a touch more chilli powder

Dinner at Work - Smoky Carrot and Broccoli Soup

Soup has seemed to be the theme of the week with the colder weather coming in. 
Yesterday we had a bag of carrots and quarter head of broccoli in the fridge that need to be used. 

Solution: 

Smoky Carrot and Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

1 onion sliced

5 medium carrots
Spring onion

Quarter of a brocoli

2 cloves garlic

Veg stock

Cinnamon

Pepper

Dried chillis

Garic granules

Smoked paprika

Method:

fry onion with cinnamon until golden

add chopped carrots

add 1 litre of veg stock and chilli

add chopped spring onions and stalk of broccoli

put lid on and bring to the boil

add the paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper 

taste and adjust

stir, and garlic cloves, then take of heat to blend

add the broccoli florets

 replace lid and back on heat for a few minutes to cook broccoli 

serve and eat

Dinner at Work - Not-Peanut-Butter and Spinach Curry with Basmati and Wild Rice

One of my main duties in my job as a live-in carer is cooking. 
Some of my clients are cool to sit back and let me work my magic and some others like to make kitchen magic with me! 


Since the end of August I have been paired with a guy in Norwich who is a wizz in the kitchen. 
Due to the fact that I absolutely loath peanut butter with a vengeance and he really wanted a peanut butter curry he thought of a way to still make the curry, but delete peanut butter from the process.

I give you.....

Not-Peanut-Butter and Spinach Curry

with basmati and wild rice

Ingredients:

                             Blender:

Pumpkin seeds

sunflower seeds

linseeds

fennel seeds

ground almonds

garlic cloves

olive oil

red wine vinegar

salt

Pot:

onion, sliced

veg stock

salt

spinach (we used 6 frozen cubes)

tomato, diced

hot curry powder

garlic granules

chilli powder

pepper

cinnamon

garam masala

Cooking is very much a trial and error process, so we tend to just play it by ear with the amounts used. 

Don't forget your rice!

Method:

Put all of the ingredients into the blender and blend. You may need to add a dash of water to get it into that 'paste' consistency.

In the pot fry the onion with a coating of cinnamon. 

Add in a cup and a half of veg stock (you will get steam burn if you're not careful!)

Add in the spinach and tomato

Add in the pepper, salt, chilli powder, curry powder, garam masala and garlic granules

Stir and adjust for your taste

Once the paste is consistent add it to the pot and stir. It will thicken out and look a bit like baby's poo thanks to the spinach.

While that is infusing together, get your rice on to boil. 

Once your happy with your rice and curry serve it up and enjoy!