cantina
SUPERFOOD
Contented with food that grew without cultivation, they collected (…) acorns fallen from Jupiter’s spreading oak-tree.
Ovidio (Metamorfosis) – 43 a.C./17 d.C
The Acorn for human consumption is the emblem of Montado do Freixo do Meio. It is called the «food of invincible men» because of its unique health benefits.
According to the study led by researcher Manuela Pintado from the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia da Universidade Católica – Porto, the acorn has surprising nutritional and functional features. With high fiber and protein content, has a fat profile similar to olive oil, is gluten free (making it particularly interesting for celiac sufferers), high levels of antioxidants and very rich in molecules that may help fight diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
The Freixo do Meio was pioneer in the use of this superfood and has been the main champion of the reintroduction of this fruit in the everyday diet, by creating unique products like acorn coffee, acorn breads, acorn shaped biscuits, acorn hamburgers and sausages.
We pioneered the use of this superfood with the creation and production of unique products.
I took part on the second Acorn National Week at Montemor-o-Novo in March 2017, where I had the opportunity (pleasure and happiness) of tasting acorns transformed into all types of food (sweet and savory), from chocolate bonbons with acorn, to various types of cookies and cakes, acorn mousse, acorn “migas”, roasted and stewed meat with acorn, fermented acorn, toasted acorn, and so on.
Personally, I use the acorn to produce all types of bread (Lusitanian, alentejano, corn bread with acorn). I introduced acorn powder into the sweet “broínhas” also known as Easter “broínhas” (a traditional sweet from Matosinhos).
We can say that fresh acorn can be used in all manner of cooking – boiled, puréed, roasted, stewed, even caramelized like we do almonds, and so on.
It is my belief and hope that the goodness of the acorn and the food it makes will be a major contribution to human feeding and the preservation of the planet.
José Luís Araújo
—
GRAND MASTER OF THE IBERIAN ACORN CONFRATERNITY
Would you like to try this superfood but don’t know how to cook it?
Here are some handy recipes with acorn.
Fry a good meat sausage cut into slices in a drizzle of olive oil. Remove and add 100g of acorns, which are sauteed in this fat with sea salt and thyme to taste, just for a few minutes.
Join the chorizo and serve the appetizer.
Recipe given by chef Pedro Mendes from his book “Renascer da Bolota”
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Start by separating the cabbage leaves, removing the thicker stalks. Wash them and drain well. Overlap the sheets, roll them and beat them with the rolling pin to break the fibers. Cut them into strips and blanch for 15 minutes in boiling water.
Chop the onion and garlic and sauté them in a skillet in very hot oil. Then add the homemade Freixo do Meio organic tomato sauce, as well as the drained cabbage. Season with salt and a little pepper.
Add acorn crumb and fold for 5-10 minutes until ingredients are bound. If necessary add one or two tablespoons of the broth from the cabbage cooking. Add the chopped coriander and shape the migas with the help of two spoons.
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Soak the acorns the day before and make three water changes. After this process, boil the hydrated acorns in boiling water for 1 hour.
In another pan, cook the potatoes, carrots, zucchini, onions and peeled garlic for 20 minutes. After the vegetables are cooked, add the previously cooked acorn. Grind everything with the magic wand. Add the oil and spinach leaves. Cook until cooked through (8-10 minutes) and serve.
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the sugar with the yolks. In another container, add the dark chocolate with the margarine and heat in a bain-marie. After the dark chocolate is melted, add the egg yolks and sugar. Mix and add the acorn flour and finally the beaten egg whites. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes.
Make a classic saute with olive oil, onion and minced garlic and bay leaves.
Fry the gizzards in this preparation, seasoned with salt and pepper. Add two tablespoons of peeled tomatoes and a glass of white wine. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes over a low heat.
Sauté the sea salt seasoned acorns until golden and add the gizzards, just before serving.
Recipe given by chef Pedro Mendes from his book “Renascer da Bolota”
In an oven tray, place 10 cl of good oil, 6 cloves of crushed garlic, a bunch of rosemary and a bunch of fresh thyme. Place the 8 quails seasoned with salt and pepper and sprinkle with dry Port.
Place in a preheated oven at 180º for about 15 minutes.
Serve with acorns sautéed in good oil, sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary.
Recipe given by chef Pedro Mendes from his book “Renascer da Bolota”
The sugar is put on the fire until it reaches the sweet point, and, patiently, each acorn is involved, which it removes and cools.
Recipe given by chef Pedro Mendes from his book “Renascer da Bolota”
400g of cooked acorns are crushed. Add 100g of corn flour, 15cl of sugarcane honey and an organic egg.
On a baking tray, spoon them on top of a silicone blanket or greased parchment paper, and place them in a heated oven at 200g, for about 12 minutes.
Recipe given by chef Pedro Mendes from his book “Renascer da Bolota”
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Separate the yolks from the whites and beat the whites into castle. Add the egg yolks with the sugar and stir until it becomes a smooth mixture. Add the oil and mix well. Then add the flour and yeast and add the milk until it becomes a creamy dough. Scrape a little of the rind of a lemon and add to the mixture.
Place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Preparation mode
Separate the yolks from the whites and beat the whites into castle. Add the egg yolks with the sugar and stir until it becomes a smooth mixture. Add the oil and mix well. Add the flours with the yeast and add the milk until it becomes a creamy dough. Scrape the peel of an organic lemon and add to the preparation. Finally, put the preparation in muffin molds.
Place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes.
Our mission is to build a community around Herdade Freixo do Meio that is democratic, inclusive, transparent, autonomous, and resilient, that achieves a constantly improving relationship with natural resources, and that encourages personal development.
