Costillas a la riojana - an Argentinian specialty riffing on a classic South American polar.
This dish originated in Spain, where
pollo a la riojana is a popular chicken dish from La Rioja region in the northern part of the country.
Ingredients: Grilled Pork Ribs (enough for about 4-6 ribs/plate)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers
1 large onion
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of frozen peas
1/4 pound sliced deli ham (optional), cut into thin strips
3 large baking potatoes
Vegetable oil for frying
4-8 eggs
Avocado slices for garnish
Preparation: Prepare ribs and keep them warm, wrapped in foil in a low temperature oven. Ribs can be grilled the day before and reheated in the oven.
Prepare the french fries: Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Soak the rounds in cold salted water while you cook the vegetables.
Slice the onion and red peppers into thin strips. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft and fragrant. Add the red peppers, peas, deli ham (if using), soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for several minutes, until the peppers soften and brown slightly. Season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat. Place vegetables on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Heat 1-2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium high heat. Drain and thoroughly dry the potato slices with paper towels. Cook the potatoes in the oil until golden brown. Carefully remove potatoes from the oil with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Add a tablespoon or two of the oil used to fry the potatoes to the the same skillet that you used to cook the vegetables. Place the skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet, lower the heat, and fry the eggs until the whites are cooked and the yolk is still a bit runny.
Place about 4 ribs on each of 4 plates, and cover each plate of ribs with 1/4 of the vegetable mixture. Divide the fried potatoes between the four plates, and top each plate with 1 or 2 fried eggs. Garnish with avocado slices and serve.
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Now for all vegetarians out there for a change: here's a delicious, popular type of pizza in Argentina: the
Fugazzeta.
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped fine
1 teaspoon garlic salt
8 ounces spinach leaves, washed and coarsely chopped
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 ounces Boursin cheese spread, softened
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Preparation: Warm the milk to 100-105 degrees F, and place in a small bowl. Stir 2 teaspoons sugar into the milk and sprinkle the yeast over. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, until mixture is bubbly.
Place the flour, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a standing mixer and mix together briefly using the dough hook. Add the yeast/milk mixture and begin to knead, adding the water gradually. The mixture should come together as a soft, stretchy dough, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add a bit more flour if mixture is too wet, and add a bit more water if mixture seems dry, crumbly, or overly stiff. Knead for 5-10 minutes, until dough is smooth, soft and elastic.
Oil a bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, peel and slice the onion into very thin strips. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over low heat, and add the onions. Season onions with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Cook onions over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions turn caramel brown and fragrant, about 15 minutes. <
Remove onions from skillet and set aside. Place another tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet. Cook the garlic, chopped red pepper, and chopped green onions over medium heat in the skillet until soft and fragrant. Add the coarsely chopped spinach, along with 1 teaspoon garlic salt, and sauté spinach with the other vegetables, stirring, until the spinach is completely wilted. Remove skillet from heat, and transfer vegetable mixture to a colander, allowing excess liquid to drain away.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide dough into two pieces. Roll each half into a smooth ball. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch pizza pan or cast iron skillet. Place one ball of dough in the middle of the pan and flatten gently with your fingers. Let dough relax for 10 minutes.
Continue to flatten dough into the pan, pressing and pushing it toward the sides of the pan, letting it relax in between, until dough covers the bottom of the pan. Oil the counter and roll the other piece of dough into a 12-inch circle, letting it relax on the counter until it holds its shape.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the cream cheese and Boursin together, heating them for a few seconds in the microwave if needed. Spread the cheese mixture over the dough in the pan/skillet, leaving a half inch border around the edge. Cover the cheese spread with the spinach/vegetable mixture in an even layer. Spread half of the mozzarella cheese over the vegetables, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. Place the other round of dough over the cheese and seal the edges of the two dough circles together.
Top the pizza with the caramelized onions. Cover the onions with the remaining mozzarella, and sprinkle with the dried oregano and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
Place the fugazzeta in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy.
Remove from the oven. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into slices to serve.
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If you'd like a different pizza, Argentina's got you covered:
Pizza a Caballo! [
pronunciation] [kah-bah-yo]
"A caballo" means "on horseback" in Spanish, and when this expression is used to describe food, it means you'll find something good (most often a fried egg) served on top of something else, like fried egg on top of steak (bistec a caballo).
First a regular cheese pizza:
Ingredients:1/4 ounce dry yeast
1 cup water, lukewarm
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
Directions:1
Dough:.
In a glass or plastic bowl, combine yeast, water, and sugar (the water can just be water from the tap, make sure it's below 100°F).
2
Stir to dissolve the yeast and let the yeast "bloom" for 15 minutes.
3
Stir in 1 cup flour, add salt, and then stir in another cup of flour (the remaining cup of flour will be your "bench" flour and added flour).
4
Dump mixture onto kneading board and work in last cup of flour, kneading until dough is soft and elastic, but not sticky. Form dough into a ball.
5
In another bowl, pour in the 1 tbsp olive oil and spread around.
6
Coat ball of dough with oil and cover bowl with a damp towel and let dough rise for 40 minutes.
7
Punch down dough and knead on board about 2 minutes. Dough is now ready to spread in the pan.
8
To avoid sticking of crust, lightly spray pizza pan with olive oil or vegetable oil spray and then work dough to pan (or use free form pan) - this dough is enough for 1 14-in pizza with a thin bottom crust and enough dough around the edge to munch.
9
Sauce:
Combine pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, and basil.
10
Spread onto prepared pizza dough.
11
Top with sliced mozzarella cheese and bake at 500°F for 11-13 minutes.
And then top it all off with a Fainá, which is nutty, peppery flatbread and is made like this:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups garbanzo bean flour
1 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
2-2 1/2 cups water
Preparation: In a medium bowl, whisk the garbanzo bean flour together with the salt, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the Parmesan cheese, and a generous amount of ground black pepper.
Whisk in 1 3/4 cups of water until the mixture is well blanded. Set batter aside for about a half hour, to let the garbanzo flour absorb some of the water.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. When it is hot, place the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12 inch pizza pan. Heat the pan in the oven until very hot.
Gradually stir remaining water into the batter mixture until it is thin enough to pour. Remove the hot pizza pan from oven, and immediately pour the batter into the pan. The batter should make a thin (about 1/4 inch) layer. Place the pan back in the oven and bake until fainá is golden and crispy (about 8-10 minutes).
Cut the faina into pieces and serve.
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Argentinian cows are not only great for phenomenal beef, but also excellent dairy products. And it is from condensed milk that Argentina gets one of its culinary treasures:
dulce de leche.
It is said that Dulce de Leche originated in Argentina in 1829 in the providence of Cañuelas in Buenos Aires. Two opposing forces were on the brink of ending a war. The General Lavalle and the General Manuel de Rosas came together in order to make a treaty. The General Lavalle arrived very tired at the campo of General Manuel de Rosas. Manuel de Rosas wasn’t in the camp at the moment so General Lavalle entered into his tent and took a nap.
While the General Lavalle was napping a serving woman was preparing “la lechada” for the camp. “La lechada” is prepared by heating sugar and milk. The woman went to speak with the General Manuel de Rosas in his tent, but when she entered she discovered the enemy. She didn’t know about the treaty the two generals were about to make, so she ran to find soldiers.
The General Manuel de Rosas arrived moments before the soldiers, and stopped them from waking the sleeping General Lavalle. In the chaos, the woman forgot about “la lechada.”
When she remembered and checked on “la lechada,” she noticed that it had become a dark brown jelly substance. It is said that a very brave and hungry soldier tried the jelly and then dulce de leche was born.
Ingredients: 4 tbsp dulce de leche or canned caramel (we used Carnation)
1/2 tsp sea salt, plus extra to serve
85g each milk and dark chocolate, broken into squares
1-2 long, thin, plain grissini
2 tbsp demerara sugar
100ml double cream, at room temperature
50ml milk
Preparation:1. Mix the caramel with the salt, divide between 2 small glasses and chill.
2. Melt the chocolates together in a glass bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Snap the grissini into short lengths, then dip each end into the chocolate to coat a little. Sit on a wire rack for the chocolate to drip and set a little, then dip the chocolate ends into the sugar to coat. Sit in an airtight container lined with baking parchment and chill to set until ready to serve.
3. Stir the double cream and milk into the remaining melted chocolate until smooth, then scrape into a jug. Slowly pour on top of the caramel, around the edges first. Chill the pots for at least 2 hrs, or up to 24 hrs.
4. To serve, scatter a little more sea salt on top of each pot, then add one or two sugar-tipped grissini.
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A pre-requisite before any football match, as well as a go-to amongst taxi drivers, and a mainstay at markets and from street vendors,
choripán is the ultimate Argentinean street food. [
Pronunciation]
Ingredients:8 heat-and-serve sourdough dinner rolls
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 ounces Thinly sliced onions
6 ounces sausage, such as andouille
12 ounces prepared Argentinian chimichurri sauce
Directions: Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350F. Split the dinner rolls in half lengthwise with a serrated bread knife. Following the manufacturer’s directions, heat the rolls in the oven until they are nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
Step 2:
While the bread is baking, heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet. Add the sliced onions, and sauté until very well caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Step 3:
Meanwhile, slice the sausage in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 smaller pieces. Place the sausage cut side down into the hot skillet (with the onions), and brown alongside of the onions for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the onions and sausage from the pan and set aside, keeping them warm.
Step 4:
Remove the rolls from the oven. Separate the halves, and place them cut side down into the hot skillet, toasting them for 1 to 2 minutes, until the bread is toasty and brown. Fill with a piece of sausage, a pinch of grilled onions, and chimichurri sauce on the side.
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For Argentina's cooler months, there's a great dish that consists of a stew cooked and presented in a hollowed-out pumpkin - the
Carbonada! [kar-bow-na-duh]
As with many recipes, the origins of the dish and its name are obscure. It is very similar to the southern Italian pasta cacio e uova, and it is likely it originated as an urban dish from Rome.
Ingredients:3 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tomatoes, large, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cups chicken stock
3 potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes
3 sweet potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes
2 ears corn, cut into 1-inch widths (or use 2 cups of frozen corn)
2 zucchini, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 peaches, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 pears, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
Preparation:1:
Heat oil in heavy pot.
2:
Brown beef in separate batches so that all of it gets cooked. Remove from the pot and set aside.
3:
In that same pot, cook tomatoes, pepper, onion, and garlic until soft.
4:
Add bay leaves, oregano, and chicken stock, and bring to a boil.
5:
Return beef to the pot, and add potatoes and sweet potatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until potatoes are almost soft.
6:
Stir in zucchini and corn. Simmer 10 more minutes, or until vegetables are almost soft, then add the peaches and pears.
7:
Cook 5 more minutes.
8:
Serve hot.
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Berenjena en Escabeche (Marinated Eggplant) - a classic dish from Argentina that combines eggplant, crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil making a plate that goes well with meats, cheeses and Argentine wine.
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, peeled
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 cups white wine vinegar
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 cup Olive Oil
Preparation:
Step 1
Slice peeled eggplants into thick slices of approximately 1/2 inch.
Step 2
Put one layer of eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkle with kosher salt. Layer and repeat until all the salt and eggplant has been used. The eggplant will drain, so put it in the sink or over a plate. Wait 30 minutes, press down on the eggplant to drain off some more liquid, then shake off salt.
Step 3
Quickly rinse (but do not soak) the eggplant in running water to remove more of the salt, and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 4
Bring the water and vinegar to a boil in a sauce pan, along with the bay leaves.
Step 5
Place the eggplant in the sauce pan, and cook at a slow boil over medium heat until it is fork-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the eggplant.
Step 6
Whisk the remaining ingredients together: garlic, oil, oregano and hot pepper.
Step 7
Pour a tablespoon of dressing at the bottom of a ceramic or glass dish, or clean glass jar. Place a layer of eggplant on top of the dressing, spoon more dressing over the top. Repeat layers of dressing and eggplant. Pour additional oil on top if necessary.
Step 8
Let marinate for at least two days in the refrigerator for best results.
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Provoleta (Grilled Provolone) - What could be better than melty gooey cheese right off the grill? Also try it with the empanadas!
The cheese was developed by Natalio Alba in about 1940, and the PROVOLETA trademark was established in 1963. The cheese is produced with a pulled-curd (pasta filata) technique is used.
Ingredients:
1 round wheel of provolone, about 1-inch thick
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Preparation:
Step 1
Heat grill until fairly hot. Clean grill grates thoroughly. Coat each side of provolone round heavily with olive oil.
Step 2
Sprinkle herbs evenly on both sides of the cheese. This will make a very thick coating, but a lot will come off on the grill.
Step 3
Gather the troops, say your prayers, and make any announcements you have to make. Provoleta is the most time-sensitive food I know of, right up there with the soufflé or the elite NY style coal-fired pizza. You want the first group of diners ready to pounce on their provoleta like wild dogs on their prey. Do NOT put it on the grill before doing this step. You have been warned.
Step 4
Put it on the grill. Wait until it starts melting, about a minute. Flip it with a metal spatula, pulling up as much as you can. Don't worry about the cheese stuck to the grill. It will burn off.
Step 5
Wait another minute or so and remove as much of the provoleta as you can from the grill. (Chances are some will be stuck). Throw it on a plate and get out of the way.
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Milanesa Napolitana - an Argentine favorite
The origins and history of the Milanesa is fraught with drama and confusion. There are many variations floating about several countries, but nowadays it's beloved by Argentineans as something uniquely their own. Who's to say?
Ingredients:
6 veal cutlets, about 1/4-inch thick, ideally from a round roast or eye of round
2 large eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups dry breadcrumbs
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
6 slices ham, optional
18 slices (3 per milanesa) queso fresco or mozzarella
* dried oregano, to taste
* fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* sunflower oil, to taste
Preparation:
Step 1
Pound the cutlets to just under 1/4-inch (remember to look for steaks with little fat and no sinew, which makes the milanesa curl up as you cook it).
Step 2
Whisk together the eggs, parsley, milk and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3
Leave the cutlets soaking for 30 minutes to one hour in the fridge. The more time the better.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly cover a baking tray with oil and heat it up in the oven.
Step 5
Spread the breadcrumbs out in a shallow bowl and one by one place the cutlets into the crumbs, turning and pressing firmly until they are well covered.
Step 6
Add the milanesas and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown.
Step 7
Turn over the milanesas and spread on a layer of tomato sauce, a piece of ham, if using, and three pieces of cheese. Sprinkle with oregano.
Step 8
By the time the cheese has melted the bottom should be nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes more. For best results, use the broiler for half of the suggested cooking time in this step to melt the cheese.
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Salmon Tartar with Mango Salsa - An elegant dish enlivened by a vibrant mango sauce.
Ingredients:
For the Mango Salsa:4 ounces brown sugar
2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 star anise
1 mango, peeled and pitted
For the Tartar:9 ounces salmon fillet, cut into small squares
2 red onions, chopped
2 sour pickles, very finely chopped
1 1/2 ounces capers
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons dark rum
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
6 drops worcestershire sauce
4 drops tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 quail egg yolks
Preparation:
Step 1
For the mango salsa make a syrup with the brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, vinegar and star anise. Stain and process in a blender with the mango. Set aside.
Step 2
For the tartar, combine the salmon, onions and pickles in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix.
Step 3
To serve, place some of the tartar inside a circular mold on a plate. Make a small indentation in the center of each tartar circle and top with a quail egg yolk. Spoon some of the mango salsa on the side of the plate.
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You already know how to make Dulce de Leche, and now you can use that knowledge to make classic, delicious Argentinian caramel sandwhich cookies: the
Alfajores! [ahl-fah-HOH-rehs]
Its origins lie in Spain, but consists of different ingredients in South America. Argentina is today the world largest consumer of alfajores, both in total numbers and in per capita calculations, being the most common snack for schoolchildren and adults.
Ingredients:
1 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon pisco or brandy
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Dulce de Leche, at room temperature
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preparation:
1 Place the cornstarch, measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk briefly to combine; set aside.
2 Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, pisco or brandy, and vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the reserved flour mixture and mix until just incorporated with no visible white pockets, about 30 seconds.
3 Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a smooth disk, and wrap it tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.
4 Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
5 Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness (the dough will crack but can be easily patched back together). Stamp out 24 rounds using a plain or fluted 2-inch round cutter, rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone.
6 Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, 12 per sheet and at least 1/2 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are firm and pale golden on the bottom, about 12 to 14 minutes. (The cookies will remain pale on top.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7 Flip half of the cookies upside down and gently spread about 2 teaspoons of the dulce de leche on each. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
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Some more sugary delights:
Pasta Frola [flôr'ə]
de Dulce de Membrillo.
There's a saying in Argentina: Life is not a pasta frola. (La vida no es una pasta frola). Pasta frola is another example of the influence of Italian food on Argentinian cuisine - its name comes from the Italian word for the shortbread crust, "pasta frolla", that is used to make Italian crostate (jam pies). But the filling has evolved to match South American tastes: usually quince paste or dulce de leche.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter, chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup dulce de membrillo (quince paste), homemade or store-bought
1/4 cup pineapple preserves (optional)
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (optional)
Preparation:
1 Mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar) together in a medium bowl.
2 Cut the butter into pieces, and mix butter into dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, until well blended.
3 Stir egg, egg yolk and milk together and add to flour mixture, blending gently with a fork until dough comes together. Knead a couple of times to just barely mix the dough, which should not be too crumbly nor too wet. If needed, add an extra tablespoon or so of flour or milk.
4 Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5 Add dulce de membrillo (and pineapple preserves and raspberry jam, if using) to a small pot, with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture has melted enough to be smooth and have a spreadable consistency. (add a little more water if necessary). Remove from heat and let cool slighly.
6 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9=unch tart pan with a removable bottom.
7 Roll out about 3/4 of the dough on a floured surface in a circle large enough to line the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Place the dough in the pan. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
8 Roll the remaining dough into a circle, and cut thin strips of dough, using them to make a lattice pattern over the top of the tart.
9 Brush the tart lightly with an egg wash (1 egg thinned with 1 tablespoon water), and bake until golden brown (about 30 minutes).
10 Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, or brush with an apricot glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Locro de Argentina [lock-roh]: a yummy stew of squash, meat, and hominy.
In Argentina it spread from the Cuyo region to the rest of the country. It is considered a national dish and is often served on May 25, the anniversary of the May Revolution.
Ingredients:
2 cans navy beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 chorizo, bratwurst, or other spicy sausages (about 1 pound)
1 pound stewing beef, cut into bite size pieces
4 ears of fresh corn (or 2 cups frozen corn, or 2 cups of canned corn, drained)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
1 large winter squash, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/4 pound good quality smoked bacon
32 ounces chicken broth
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1 Drain the navy beans and add them to a large pot.
2 Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan and sauté the chorizo and the stewing beef until lightly browned. Cool and slice the sausages into bite size pieces, and add them with the beef to the pot with the beans.
3 Scrape the kernels from the cobs of the fresh corn and add the corn to the pot (or add the canned or frozen corn).
4 Add the carrots and the squash.
5 Dice the smoked bacon into small pieces and add to the pot.
6 Add the chicken broth. If necessary add some water as well to cover the beans and meat by an inch.
7 Simmer the meat, beans, and vegetables on low to medium heat for about an hour, then taste and check for seasoning. The soup should be thicker and the beef should be getting tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8 Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour longer, until the beef is tender and the stew tastes very flavorful. You can add a little water from time to time if necessary.
9 While the soup is cooking, make the sauce. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet that was used to cook the sausage, and add the chopped onion and red pepper. Season with a teaspoon of paprika, and chile powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
10 Serve soup hot, with the sauce on the side, and decorate each bowl with a sprinkle of green onions.
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Humitas [oomeetus]; another dish (basically a corn casserole) that is differently prepared in each Latin American country. Here's the Argentinian version--the best one, of course.
Also, this is a dish from pre-Hispanic times, meaning it has been enjoyed for many, many centuries, and its exact origins are actually unclear, but it is native to Latin America.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large - Can of whole kernel corn
1/2 Cup - Water
1/4 Cup - Spanish Onion
1/4 Cup - Red Bell Pepper
6 Cloves - Sliced Garlic
1/4 cup - Grated hard cheese
To taste - Salt
To taste - Pepper
To taste - Red Pepper Flake
To taste - Oregano
PREPARATION;
Pre-heat oven to 375F
Open can of corn and rinse and strain. Separate half the can and blend in blender. Add water to smooth out the texure (milk and cream can also be used).
Saute onions, peppers with a little oil until slightly browned, season lightly with salt and pepper and add garlic and 1/4 cup of water to de glaze and keep garlic from burning.
When that mixture is 3/4 cooked add creamed corn and whole corn. Season with remaining spices and herbs.
You can either cook this in something that can go straight to oven or transfer to appropriate receptacle.
Sprinkle cheese on top of mix and place in oven until cheese for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted through and has developed some color.
Serve with toast.
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MatambreFun fact: The name matambre is a portmanteau word, "matar" + "hambre" (which means "kill hunger").
Ingredients:
1 (2 1/2 pound) flank steak, trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound fresh spinach, washed and drained, stems trimmed
4 small thin carrots
4 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise
1 cup large pitted green Spanish olives, halved lengthwise
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (recommended: Argentine Malbec)
1 head garlic, halved
1 large onion, halved
1 handful fresh thyme sprigs
1 handful fresh oregano sprigs
2 bay leaves
Preparation:
Butterfly (a word which here means: "to split down the center, cutting almost but not completely through. The two halves are then opened flat to resemble a butterfly shape") the steak by slicing lengthwise and opening it up like a book. Pound the meat gently with a mallet to flatten and even out the thickness; rub all sides with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper.
With the steak lying lengthwise, scatter the spinach leaves evenly over the surface of the meat, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Arrange the carrots in long rows across the steak, about 2 inches apart. Put the egg strips and olives between the carrot rows. Scatter the onion rings and cheese over the filling, sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Carefully roll the meat up over the filling, from bottom to top, into a long thick cylinder (jellyroll-style.) Tie with butcher's twine to hold it together, as you would a roast.
Coat a large Dutch oven or pan with olive oil and put over moderate heat. Lay the stuffed steak in the hot oil and sear until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the wine and enough water to come up almost to the top of the meat. Toss in the head of garlic, onion, and herbs to flavor the broth. Cover, and slowly simmer on medium-low heat until the meat is fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours, turning the meat over once halfway through cooking. Taste the broth before serving and adjust spices, if necessary.
Transfer the matambre to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove the kitchen strings and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices – the colors of the filling will look absolutely gorgeous spiraled in the steak. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and serve. Matambre is good hot, room temperature, or cold.
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Tarta PascualinaThe tarta pascualina’s origins lie specifically in the region of Liguria, Italy, where the dish can be traced back to the 16th century.
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
2 bunches spinach, stemmed and washed very well
1 15 oz. container fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Italian four cheese blend OR 1/8 cup each Asiago, Provolone, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses
8 eggs (6 for the tarta, one for the spinach/ricotta filling and one for glazing the shell)
1 each red, green and yellow bell peppers, seeded and julienned
1 package tarta shells, (2 shells) or 2 pie crusts, homemade or pre-made, such as Pillsbury
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a springform pan with baking spray. In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Meanwhile, heat the two large bunches of spinach in a stock pot with a small amount of water over medium heat. Cover, let steam until the spinach has wilted.
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 4-cheese blend, julienned bell peppers, 1 egg, salt, and pepper and mix well. Line the bottom of the springform pan with one tarta crust. Drain the spinach, press with a clean towel to force out excess moisture. Stir spinach into cheese mixture. Put the cheese mixture into the tarta shell in the pan.
Smooth out the top to form an even layer. Make 6 indentations in the filling, and crack an egg into each one--each slice of tarta should have some egg in it. Cover with the second tarta shell, and seal the edges with pinch-pleating technique or a fork. Bake for at least 45 minutes, or until the shell is golden brown and the inside has set. Let cool completely before serving.
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PolentaOrigins: As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier forms of grain mush (commonly known as gruel or porridge), commonly eaten since Roman times. Historically, polenta was served as a peasant food in North America and Europe.
Ingredients:
6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation:
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
Now part 2, forming polenta into cake form:
Ingredients for 4 servings:
3 cups water
1 polenta
Instructions:
Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Pour in polenta steadily, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until polenta is thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon. This can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes. Pour polenta onto a wooden cutting board, let stand for a few minutes.