MRM News: Samba Montclair–Cooking Up a Book

Brazilian-born Chef Ilson Gonçalves shares customer-favorite recipes from his restaurant in The Samba Montclair Cookbook: Authentic Home-style Brazilian Recipes and Reminiscences. The book includes 42 recipes for home cooks interested in the multi-cultural flavors of Brazil with its European, African and indigenous influences. From Feijoada (Brazil's national dish) to Camarão na moranga (Creamy shrimp-filled winter squash, pictured) to Pão de queijo (Gluten-free homemade cheese bread), Gonçalves guides the reader each step of the way while providing simple secrets for achieving perfect results. Gonçalves learned to cook by watching his mother and helping her peel carrots and potatoes in the kitchen of her neighborhood restaurant. From an early age, he dreamed of owning his own place, creating make-shift kitchens with friends in their tree houses.  "It was common for me to pick wild fruits for snacking and spend the day surrounded by natural beauty," said Gonçalves of…