Aphrodisiacal Recipes, Direct From Florianópolis With Chef Narbal Corrêa

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Their mineral properties, particularly their high zinc concentration, render oysters and shellfish an aphrodisiac. In fact, according to experts, zinc is a crucial mineral in the production of testosterone and progesterone in men and women.

To learn more about these rich foods, chef and gastronomy teacher Narbal Corrêa welcomed the team from The Rio Times to share the secrets of such delicacies. Narbal Corrêa is a forty-year-old scuba diver, and at thirty he became a chef and seafood expert. It is the sum of these two factors that make him follow the steps he learned from his family. “An underwater hunter who can cook.” The recipe worked, and Narbal is a success story.

Owner of Lagosteria Rita Maria, in Florianópolis, Corrêa is proud to say that he has already won four “certificates of excellence” from TripAdvisor, in a public vote.

Narbal Corrêa is a legend in the city, at the age of 56 he practices underwater fishing and is currently the president of the Underwater Archaeology Project (PAS). Until last December, he was also the coordinator of the Confraria dos Chefs da Associação FloripAmanhã (the FloripAmanhã Chefs Association Brotherhood), which administers the Florianópolis Creative City of Gastronomy project, a UNESCO title.

In his cooking lessons, Narbal addresses some of the topics he wrote about in his book “A Cozinha Do Bom Pescador”, published in 2012. “Passing on the knowledge and secrets of a Florianópolis kitchen is a way to perpetuate a tradition born out of the unity of indigenous and European cultures,” says Narbal at the start of his book.

The book is a manual of marine gastronomy; it teaches everything from how to cut fish fillets to the preparation of elaborate dishes.

Aphrodisiacal properties

“Sexuality permeates, guides and encourages human life, fueled by desire,” Sigmund Freud would say in today’s words. Hence the natural interest of the human being for ingredients that feed lust.

According to food engineer Alexandre Paupitz, the head of the Ostravagante marine farm, also in Florianopolis, “the oyster is rich in omega 3, omega 6, zinc, B vitamins, and protein.”

“The oyster fat is rich in omega-3 and omega-6. Minerals, magnesium, zinc, among others, are a further richness of oysters. The main feature of the oyster is its zinc content. The amount of zinc in 100 grams of oyster represents 1500 percent of a human’s daily requirement. Moreover, zinc is an important mineral in the production of testosterone and progesterone in men and women,” he explains.

Chef Narbal Corrêa’s recipes

Raw oysters

In this first recipe, Narbal Corrêa prepared what he calls “the creator’s recipe”: raw oysters, with indigenous, Azorean and other selected spices. Fresh oysters are served in the shell, usually with lemon. In this video, Narbal prepared six different types of raw oysters.

Seafood with cream and vinaigrette

In these two recipes, Narbal Corrêa uses seafood and simultaneously prepares two dishes. The first one is “La Crème”, where cooked seafood is served with a succulent local delicacy. For the second course, the oysters are served with herbs. Among the ingredients, one may find butter, garlic, onion, wine, and other “secrets” which are unveiled in this video.

Steamed and baked oysters

When steamed, oysters spread their fragrance all over the kitchen. It’s intoxicating. These are the most traditional in Florianópolis. Simultaneously, Corrêa prepared baked oysters in different recipes.

“‘Lambe-Lambe” rice

Typical of Florianópolis, the rice is cooked in a clay pot, in water from cooking a grouper’s head, resulting in a unique flavor. Rich in collagen, the delicacy is completed with shellfish, which are cooked together with the rice. Among the spices, Corrêa used caramelized garlic, giving it a sweet twist.

How to open oysters

In this last video, Narbal talks about the care that needs to be taken when opening oysters. Due to the strong oyster muscle, it is common for beginners to cut themselves with a knife when trying to open the shells.