Helena Pereira

Lisbon-born Helena Pereira believes her penchant for great food comes from being Portuguese, a cuisine that’s marvelously rich in unique flavors and enormous variety. She humbly asserts it’s the best in the world!

Like many, Helena learned to cook at her mother’s side, and her love of cooking has accompanied her all her life. She has acquired many cookbooks and in 2012 created the blog Cooking from Books. There Helena has been preparing and presenting many wonderful recipes.

In 2015, she and her family went to live in Miami, where they stayed for about two years. It was there that she first saw David’s website and discovered his program of testing recipes before he published them. This was something she’d never seen in Portugal or in Europe. The idea of contributing to the site and getting early access to high-quality content and recipes appealed to her, so she joined the testing team, a relationship that lasts to today.

The first recipe she tested was Cacio and Pepe, one of her favorites, but many others are dishes that she very much enjoys: Chocolate Salami | Salame de Chocolate; World Peace Cookies | Korova Cookies and Serrano Ham-Chicken Fritters.

Helena is now back in Lisbon, where she lives with her family. You can also find her on Instagram at cookingbooks.

Helena Pereira

Scottish Shortbread

White Bean Hummus

Pistachio-Lime Polenta Cake

Black Sesame and Lime Cake

Sablés Breton

Dark Chocolate and Tahini Ice Cream

Roasted Beet, Feta, and Mint Salad

Pasta with Tuna and Crispy Bread Crumbs

Potatoes with Tomatoes and Feta

Small Batch Strawberry Jam

Tuna Salad with White Beans

Banana Bread with Nutella

Jessie James Decker’s Lemon Basil Pasta

Red Wine Onions

Fried Rice With Leftovers

One Minute Mayonnaise

Za’atar Cacio e Pepe

Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

Portuguese Shrimp Turnovers ~ Rissóis de Camarão