Carnival cookbook recipes: From Caipirinha granita to black bean soup shot

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Carnival! has everythingsnacks of grilled crab to barbecued chicken skewers, marinated in chilli, garlic and paprikia to tropical cocktails galore,

It is written by the team behind the popular chain of Brazilian restaurants, Cabana, and includes cultural tips from how to dance the samba to mixing that all-important caipirinha.

Black bean soup shot

Serves 4 as a starter or 6-8 as soup shots

This thick soup of black turtle beans, known as caldinho de feijão in Portuguese, is an instant shot of warmth on a cold day. We serve ours in little espresso cups topped with crème fraîche and bacon, but it’s equally delicious as a starter in a large bowl or mug.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 leek, trimmed and chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tin black turtle beans, drained
1 heaped tsp powdered vegetable bouillon, or 1 vegetable stock cube
1 sprig thyme, leaves stripped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper crème fraîche, crispy bacon lardons and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chopped vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook over a medium- low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add the tomato purée and stir again. Cook for a few more minutes, then add the beans, vegetable bouillon, thyme and hot water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10–15 minutes, until very soft.

Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a splash of boiling water and blend again. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or leave to cool and store in the fridge. Reheat the soup, if necessary, and serve in warmed bowls (or espresso cups, if serving as soup shots) with a little crème fraîche, crispy bacon lardons and a sprinkling of chopped parsley, if you like.

Zingy lime & garlic chicken

Serves 4

As much as we love spice, we know not everyone likes a side of heat with their meal. This lime and garlic marinade results in tender, juicy chicken that’s packed full of flavour, but without the chilli, therefore taking the heat down a notch.

500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs
6 tbsp Zingy Lime & Garlic Marinade*
1 yellow pepper
1 quantity Honey Mustard Glaze **
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper lime wedges, to serve

Trim off any fat from the chicken thighs, then put them in a bowl. Add the marinade and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Light the barbecue and let the flames die down before starting to cook. If cooking indoors, preheat the grill to high. Trim and remove the seeds from the yellow pepper and cut it into wedges. Thread alternating pepper strips and chicken thighs on to 4 or 5 metal skewers and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 10–12 minutes, turning once or twice, until the chicken is almost cooked through.

Baste liberally with the honey mustard glaze, then return to the heat for another 2–3 minutes, until evenly golden brown. The chicken thighs should feel firm when ready. Remove the skewers and leave to rest for a few minutes. Serve hot with lime wedges on the side. It’s delicious with Biro-Biro Rice (page 80) and Sweet Potato Fries (page 86).

*zingy lime & garlic marinade

1 large onion, roughly chopped
5 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped 
100ml lime juice
4 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil
4 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweetened rice wine) 
40g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
40g coriander, roughly chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a small food processor or blender and process until the herbs and garlic are finely chopped and you end up with a loose, wet paste. Use immediately or keep refrigerated in a clean sealed jar. It will keep well for a few days, although it may lose its vibrant green colour over time.

**honey mustard glaze

Makes about about 50ML

This sticky glaze adds a great finishing touch to grilled meat and chicken.

2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl and use to brush over grilled meat to glaze it.

Caipirinha granita

Makes about 600ml (serves 6)

As you may have noticed, we’re rather partial to a caipirinha, whether it’s in a glass, on a roast chicken, or in a granita. Alcohol can be tricky because it freezes at a lower temperature than water, so this is the best way to enjoy a frozen caipirinha. And the best part is that it’s dead simple to do.

100g caster sugar
100ml fresh lime juice (21⁄2 large limes) 
200ml cachaça
freshly grated lime zest, to serve 
cachaça, to serve

Put 200ml water and the sugar in a saucepan and stir over a high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and leave the syrup to simmer for a few minutes to thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lime juice and cachaça. Pour the mixture into a metal tray or a wide plastic container (with lid) and leave to cool completely.

Cover the tray with clingfilm and freeze for a few hours, until the mixture is frozen around the edges and slushy in the middle. Use a fork to break up the ice into smaller crystals. Return the tray to the freezer. Repeat this process 3 more times every 1⁄2–1 hour until the mixture is completely frozen and has the texture of snow. When ready to serve, roughly fork up the granita, then spoon into chilled serving glasses. Sprinkle with a little lime zest and add a shot of cachaça, if you like.

Carnival by David Ponte, Lizzy Barber & Jamie Barber, (Quadrille, £10). Photography by Martin Poole