FROM THE WOOD STOVE TO YOUR STOVE

During the race we were given a dish that is a specialty of the state of Bahia. This delicious treat, was prepared for us over a charcoal fire by the former owner, who is still very involved with the vessel.

Jailta preparing a race day lunch aboard E DA VITA

ACARAJE

Acaraja is a dish made from peeled black-eyed peas formed into a ball and then deep-fried in dende (palm oil).

Here is the recipe:

Put 1 pound of raw cowpeas (black eyed peas) in the blender and give them a short pulse just to break them.

Let them rest for 6 hours in water.

Wash them carefully and try to get rid of the skins as good as possible.

Another meathod if you don't have a blender is to soak the peas for 24 hours, then wash several times to remove skins by rubbing beans between the hands. Change water and drain.

Put them together with:

1 pound of onions cut in cubes

2 teeth of garlic

2 teaspoons of salt and hot pepper sauce (quantity depending on your taste)

Mix them till it turns into a soft homogenous paste. Pour it into a pot and work it trough with a great wooden (if available) spoon till it doubles or triples its volume.

Fry 2 pints of palm oil in a deep pan, take a portion of the mass with the spoon and set it carefully in the hot oil.

Let it fry till it's crunchy and crusty.

Take it out of the pan and put it on paper towel to get rid of the exceeding oil.

Slice it in two and fill it with a finely chopped salad with small shrimp, green and red tomato, and hot pepper.

GOOD APETITE!

And - don't forget the caipirinha, (kai-pee-reen-ya), and the cold beer!

Caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail, easy to drink - hard to pronounce!