Mexico: More Chiles

The Spicebox Supperclub has been celebrating the wonderful flavors of Mexico in our latest series.  See our menu overview to see what we enjoyed.  We started with cocktails, then had a tour of chiles.  This week, we enter the realm of main courses, still exploring the variety of chiles and other flavors used in Mexican cuisine.

Spicy Pasilla Mushroom Tacos

Ingredients

8 garlic cloves

6 large pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

¼ spoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup chicken broth

4 cups sliced woodland mushrooms (shitake)

¼ cup thinly sliced epazote

12 corn tortillas

½ cup finely diced onion

1/3 cup diced queso anejo

12 corn tortillas

Directions

Pasilla Paste

1. Roast unpeeled garlic. Toast chiles in skillet, then rehydrate for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve 1/3 cup of the soaking fluid.
2. Combine chiles, soaking liquid, garlic, oregano, pepper and cumin. Blend to a smooth puree. Strain through a medium mesh strainer.

Mushrooms

1. Heat oil in a medium pot, once hot enough to sizzle seasonings, add all of pasilla paste. Stir for 5 minutes. Stir in broth, then add mushrooms and epazote. Partially cover, simmer over medium-low until mushrooms are soft and sauce reduced, about 15 minutes.
2. Season with salt. Sprinkle with queso and garnish with epazote. Serve with tacos on bed of shredded cabbage. 

Corona Bean Soup with Ancho Chile and Mint

Ingredients

1 pound corona beans

8 cups chicken broth

6 garlic cloves

1 large white onion

3 medium-large tomatoes (9-12 plum tomatoes)

6 medium ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

2 ½ teaspoons salt

½ cup loosely chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

½ cup queso anejo

Directions

Soup

1. Soak beans for several hours. Drain and place in 8 cups of broth and simmer for 3-4 hours.
2. Roast garlic unpeeled. Roast tomatoes, discard skins, keep juices. Chop.
3. Add garlic, onion, tomatoes to beans, cook until ready.

Chiles

Cut chiles into 1/8^th inch slivers. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add chiles and stir for a minutes. Remove from heat, and add vinegar, 3 tablespoons water, oregano and a ½ teaspoon of salt. Let stand for ½ hour, stirring occasionally.

Finishing Soup

Remove some whole beans from soup. Reserve. Blend remaining soup until smooth but with some consistency. Stir in mint and cilantro. In bowls add a few whole beans, chile, and then pour soup over ingredients. Sprinkle crumbled cheese over soup.

Sandia Ice with Tequila

Directions

Take cubes of frozen watermelon (no seeds), place in freezer for an hour, mix, and freeze again.

Blend and add small amount of good quality tequila.

Serve in cognac glass with salt sprinkled. 

Chicken with Nutty Queretaro Green Mole (Mole Verde Queretaro)

Ingredients

½ pound (3 medium-large) poblano chiles

12 ounces (8-9 medium) tomatillos

½ cup sesame seeds, some extra for garnish

½ cup whole blanches almonds

1 small soft plantain, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick

1 corn tortilla torn into pieces

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup roasted skinless peanuts

1 large leaf of romaine lettuce

8 good sized sprigs of flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon cinnamon, preferably fresh ground Mexican

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon freshly ground aniseed

big pinch of freshly ground cloves

5 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt, about 2 teaspoons

8 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Roasting, Toasting, Browning

1. Roast chiles directly over a gas flame, about 5 minutes. Cover with kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Peel, pull out stem, and seed. Rinse. Roughly chop.
2. Roast tomatillos on a baking dish 6 inches below the broiler until softened, about 3 minutes. Then turn over and roast other side. Transfer tomatillos, along with juices, to bowl with chiles.
3. Heat small skillet over medium and add sesame seeds. Stir continually until aromatic and golden, about 2-4 minutes. Scrape into the chiles, and then do the same with the almonds.

Finishing the Mole

1. To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients (plantain, tortilla, garlic, raisins, peanuts, romaine, parlsey, cinnamon, pepper, aniseed, cloves). Stir in 2 cups of the broth, and in blender, in batches, puree to a smooth consistency. Pass through a medium mesh strainer.
2. Medium sized pot over medium heat and add oil. Once oil is hot enough to sizzle a drop of the mole, add all at once. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Add another 3 cups of the broth, partially cover pot and gently simmer over medium low, stiring regularly, for 30 minutes. Sauce should have consistency of a thick cream soup. Season to taste with salt, about 2 teaspoons.

Chicken

1. Oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom of a 13×9 baking dish with mole, lay in chicken breasts in a single layer, then ladle remaining sauce over. Bake until chicken is done, about 20-30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Slice the chicken. Add the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Seared Corn (Esquites Dorados)

Ingredients

5 large ears of corn

hot green chiles (3 serranos, or 2 small jalapenos) stemmed, sliced crosswise

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons chopped epazote (or ¼ cup chopped cilantro)

Directions

1. Cut kernels from corn. Cook chiles and kernels in nonstick skillet (5-10 minutes), until kernels were browned.
2. In a cup, combine ¼ cup water, salt, and lime juice. Sprinke cilantro over corn and drizzle on liquid, let stand covered for several minutes. Add more salt as needed. Serve with lime wedges.

Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

1 small red onion, peeled, sliced 1/8 inch thick

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon Mexican oregano

2 garlic cloves, peeled, and halved

¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cider vinegar

Directions

1. Parboil onion by blanching in boiling salted water for 45 seconds, drain and place in a bowl.
2. Coarsely grind peppercorns and cumin in a mortar and add to onions. Add remaining ingredients plus enough water to barely cover. Stir well, and let stand for several hours until onions are bright pink (covered and refrigerated, onions last several weeks).

Topolo ‘Ceasar’ Salad (Ensalada Estilo Topolobampo)

Ingredients

Romaine lettuce

Olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, serrano chile, egg

Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Make dressing
2. Combine with lettuce, cheese, and tortillas

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Oh, did you remember to save room for dessert? Don’t worry, we’ll give you a week to recover.  See you next time! 

Mexico Cocktail Hour: micheladas y margaritas

We opened the night with micheladas, the Mexican beer and tomato juice cocktail.  With a rim of celery salt, this was a great palate teaser to open our tastebuds to the spicy menu to come.  And what’s a Mexican fiesta without margaritas? Peter stirred up his specialty cocktail using the perfect recipe out there, Rick Bayless’ perfect margarita.

Michelada

from Food52 The Flying Foodie http://food52.com/recipes/420-michelada-a-k-a-bloody-beer

Serves 4

Ingredients

Lime wedges, for garnish

Celery salt or plain salt, for garnish

1 6oz can tomato juice
2 limes, juiced (about 1/3 cup juice)
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 -1/2 teaspoons Tabasco or preferred hot sauce
2 12oz bottles or cans of beer (Modelo is ideal)
Several handfuls of ice cubes

Technique

1. Prepare the glasses: rub the rims of four tall glasses with the lime wedges then coat the rims with either celery or plain salt.

2.  In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the tomato juice, lime juice, celery salt, Worcestershire and Tabasco (or desired hot sauce) and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.

3.  Add a handful of ice to each of the prepared glasses, then divide the tomato juice mixture between them (each should have approximately 4 tbsp/60ml of juice).

4.  Top up the glasses with half a bottle of beer each, then garnish with a lime wedge.

Rick Bayless’ Perfect Margarita

http://www.fronterafiesta.com/cook/drinks/187-pure-and-simple-margaritas

Makes: 4 generous drinks

Ingredients

1 cup tequila, preferably a young silver or reposado 100% agave tequila
½ cup Cointreau or other orange liqueur
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, plus a little extra for moistening the rim of the glasses
A little sugar if necessary
About 1/3 cup coarse (Kosher) salt for crusting the rim of the glasses
About 3 cups medium ice cubes

Technique

1.  In a small pitcher, combine the tequila, orange liqueur and lime. Taste and decide if you think the mixture needs to be a little sweeter or a little tangier (keep in mind that it will taste a little tangier once it’s been shaken). Add a bit more lime or a touch of sugar, if necessary.

2.  Spread out the salt onto a small plate. Moisten the rim of four 6-ounce martini glasses with a little lime juice (if you have a cut lime, even an already-squeezed one, moisten the rims by running it around them). One by one, turn the glasses over and dip them lightly in the salt, creating a thin, even crust all around the rim.

3.  Pour half of the margarita mixture into a cocktail shaker, add half of the ice cubes. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds (this is important to achieve the perfect strength—some of the ice needs to melt into the margarita—and the right degree of frostiness). Strain into the prepared glasses, then repeat with the remaining margarita mixture. Relax and enjoy.

Thanks for coming to our fiesta! To see the amazing menu Chef Nalin prepared to follow, come back next week!

Spicebox Supperclub: Mexico

It’s been embarrassingly long since the last Spicebox Supperclub update! But we’re back! We’ve actually had two Supperclubs since our last foray to Eastern Europe.  Without further ado, here’s an overview of Supperclub #5: Mexico, which was on November 22, 2014.

Hosts: Heather and Nalin

Executive Chef: Nalin

Bartender: Peter

Sommelier: Chris

Pastry Chef: Dave

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Menu

Cocktails:

The Perfect Margarita

Michlelada

Amuse Bouche:

Pico de Gallo-stuffed cherry tomato with cilantro purée

Starter:

Shrimp with guajillo salsa

Amalaya Torrotnes Riesline 2012 Argentina

Palate Cleanser:

Tricolor of radish in apple cider vinegar, jicama in lime juice and cucumber in lemon juice

Courses:

Taco with shiitake and beech mushrooms with pastas, red cabbage, onion and quest anejo

Crisopa Albariño 2011 Spain

Corona bean soup with roasted tomato and ancho chiles

Muga Rioja Rose 2013 Spain

Palate Cleanser:

Watermelon ice with tequila and salt

Chicken with green carretero mole dusted with smoked ground clove

Pickled red onion

Corn with bell pepper and lime

Romaine with topolobampo

Villa Montefiori Cabernet-Sangiovese Mexico 2009

Purple Angel Chile 2011

Desserts:

Rick Bayless’ Pineapple Flan with Lime Zest

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mango Dipped in Cayenne and Dark Chocolate

Tequila Pineapple

Raventos i Blanc Cava

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The setting was stunning.  Hosts Heather and Nalin have spent the year getting their house remodeled, so this fiesta was held in their super swanky Telegraph Hill rental.  The luxurious furnishings and to-die-for views of San Francisco added to the convivial atmosphere.

Up next: cocktail hour! Come back soon to savor mixmaster Peter’s Mexican themed cocktails.

Comida Porteño: Postres (Desserts) Part Two– Tres Leches Cake

Several weeks ago, I got overexcited and posted our first dessert, the classic Argentine alfajores.  If you missed it, please check it out— you can’t leave alfajores out of any discussion of Argentine food.  Several courses later, we’re now ready for tres leches cake.

“Tres Leches” means three types of milk, which evokes a comforting, childhood dessert.  This is what makes this a classic confection enjoyed throughout Latin America.  The three milks include condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream, the combination of which are used to soak and cover a sponge cake.

I used a simple recipe from Fine Cooking, and garnished with some fresh raspberries.

Classic Vanilla Tres Leches Cake

by Fany Gerson from Fine Cooking, Issue 117

Serves 12 to 16

For the cake:

Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the soaking liquid:

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt
For the topping:

2-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Bake the cake:

1) Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

2) Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch Pyrex baking dish or a nonreactive metal pan. Line the bottom of the baking dish or pan with parchment and lightly butter the parchment.

3) Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

4) Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined, 1 minute more.

5) Clean and dry the beaters and then beat the egg whites, gradually increasing the speed to high, until they reach soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a stream, continuing to beat on high, until you reach firm but not dry peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more. Whisk a third of the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in a third of the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites, alternately, in two more batches each, until fully incorporated.

6) Pour the batter into the prepared dish or pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely.

7) Return the cake to the baking dish or pan (the cake will soak up more of the liquid if returned to the pan it was baked in), or invert it onto a rimmed platter.

Soak the cake:

1) In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and salt until the condensed milk is well blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to avoid scorching, until it begins to bubble around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof 4-cup measuring cup.

2) With a toothpick, prick the cake to the bottom in 1/2-inch intervals. Pour the soaking liquid slowly over the cake, starting at the edges and pausing to let it soak in before adding more. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the cake is well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Top the cake:

1) In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium speed. When it begins to thicken, slowly add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat just until it holds firm peaks, 3 to 4 minutes (be careful not to overbeat). Spread the whipped cream all over the top of the cake and serve.

Make Ahead Tips:

You can soak the cake in the milk mixture up to a day ahead and top it up to 2 hours ahead

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This post is the sweet ending to the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  ¡Muchas gracias! for joining us on this tour of Buenos Aires through food.  Ciao!

Comida Porteño: Parrilla– Bife de Ojo (Rib Eye) y Entraña (Skirt Steak) con Chimichurri Argentino

Chef Chris is sharing our final course of our evening of comida porteño with the piece de resistance (wrong language): more meat.  Looks pretty good, doesn’t it?

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Parrillas are Argentinian steakhouses that specialize in grilled meats. Barbeque, or Asado, typically consists of beef cooked on a grill (parrilla) with an open flame.  Common cuts of beef used in parrillas include lomo (filet), ojo de bife (rib eye) or bife de chorizo (sirloin) as well as chorizo (sausage). The steaks are huge but relatively cheap by U.S. prices, usually for half or one-third the cost. The meat is simply seasoned with salt and pepper. No marinade is used so that nothing masks the flavor of the meat. The beef is cooked fairly slowly over medium heat. Argentines prefer their chargrilled meats to be a punto (medium). Side dishes are also simple and usually consist of a simple green salad and steak fries. We also had grilled provolone cheese (provoleta – a reflection of the Italian influence in Argentine cuisine) at a parrilla in Buenos Aires.

Recipe:

Serves 8

2 lbs rib eye steak

1.5 lbs skirt steak

Season meat with salt and pepper.

Fire up your grill so that all the burners/coals give off an even medium temperature. You want all your meat to be well browned and slightly crispy, but NOT blackened.

Cook rib eye for about 5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Skirt steak is thinner and will cook faster so needs about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest uncovered for 5 minutes.

Serve with chimichurri (see previous recipe) and a nice red wine such as a delicious Argentine malbec.

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This post is part of the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Come back next week for the final recipe from our menu from Argentina!

Comida Porteño: Tarta Pascualina (Spinach Tart)

What, vegetables? Si, our traditional Argentine meal has been authentically meat-heavy.  Pero Chef Chris surprised us towards us at the end with a lovely spinach and chard torta, with a delicate filling lusciously enrobed in golden flaky pastry.  Look what a fresh and lovely contrast it is to the assertive and equally lovely steak (coming next time!), which is keeping those green vegetables at a neighborly distance on their shared plate.

This is what Chef Chris had to say:

Tarta Pascualina– Spinach Ricotta Pie

Adapted from recipe on From Argentina with Love. In her blog, Rebecca states that Pascua is the word for Easter, so Tarta Pascualina literally means ‘Eastertime Tart’. What makes this dish extra-special is that under the crust, little wells have been made in the filling, and eggs are cracked into each well. When the Pascualina is served, each slice has a cross-sectioned hard-cooked egg in it.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

We used a combination of chard and spinach, about  a 50/50 split.

2 tarta shells or pie crusts (we purchased La Saltena at Evergreen Market in the Mission District, San Francisco. Look for hojaldrades style which makes a flakier crust)

1 bunch each of fresh spinach and chard, deveined and chopped into large pieces. (you can also use 2 packets of 9 oz. frozen spinach instead)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons milk

6-8 eggs

butter, for greasing pan

Technique

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Wash spinach/chard thoroughly. Steam in pot for a few minutes until just tender. Drain water and let cool. (or, defrost frozen spinach by heating in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top over medium heat.  Heat the spinach to defrost, but do not heat it up too hot.  Let cool before handling. Place the spinach in a linen towel, and squeeze out to drain the moisture from the spinach.  Not until it’s totally dry, leave a little moisture).

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the spinach/chard, crushed garlic, ricotta, and the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.  Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper, and mix well to combine.  Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk, and add the milk mixture to the spinach and cheese mixture and stir well until incorporated.

4.  Traditionally, Tarta Pascualina  is made using a spring-form pan.  However, a regular pie plate also works fine.  Grease the bottom of your pie pan or spring form pan with butter.  Line the bottom of your pie plate or spring-form pan with one of the tarta shells.  Put the filling into the shell.  Make 6-8 indentations in the filling (about one inch apart, and one inch from the edge of the pan) and crack an egg into each indentation.

5.  Cover the pie with the other tarta crust.  Seal the edges by pinching together the two shells with your thumb and forefinger making an indentation, as you would seal an emapanada.  Slice a few vents in the top of the pie.  Optional: brush the top of the crust with beaten egg to give it shine.

6.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust has turned a golden brown on top.  Make sure not to undercook otherwise the crust will not be flaky.  Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

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This post is part of the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Come back next week for another delicioso recipe from Argentina!

Comida Porteño: Choripan y Chimichurri

Oh, that locro was ¡que rico! But there was much more.  Chef Chris moved us quickly along to the heart and soul of Argentine cuisine: meat.  Up first, some sausages.  The Argentines have perfected the condiment which brings out the best in their wonderful meat dishes, the equally deliciously named chimichurri (which has an intriguing etymology, see below).  Hungry? Me, too.  Read on…

Choripan

Choripan is a sandwich with chorizo sausage and bread (pan = bread in Spanish), hence the name. We had choripan as an appetizer with asado (grilled meats) at several parrillas, the ubiquitous “steak houses” throughout Buenos Aires. It reminds me of really good Italian sausages I have had outside Fenway Park before a Red Sox game, but without the peppers and onions or mustard.  Similarly, choripan is eaten at Argentine football (or soccer) games. Argentine chorizo is normally made of pork or beef. Chorizo is often thought of as spicy but Argentine chorizo isn’t. Instead, red spicy chorizo is Spanish or Mexican chorizo.

Chorizo is cooked on an open flame grill and split down the middle lengthwise (butterflied). The high heat of the grill chars the meat and fat to delicious effect.  It is served on a grilled (toasted) soft and chewy roll, sort of a cross between a hot dog bun or dinner roll. In general, the bread we had in BA was excellent and this was no different. The typical accompaniment  is chimichurri which can be added sparingly or generously….very tasty! Chimichurri is made with garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar. The typical green chimichurri we see in the U.S. gets its color from an abundance of finely chopped parsley. The chimichurri we had in BA was often reddish from addition of minced red bell pepper.

Choripan

Serves 6-8

2 lbs uncooked Argentine chorizo sausage (we found at a local San Francisco grocery catering to Argentine products, Evergreen Market.)

8-12 rolls or hot dog style buns (we used dinner rolls from Acme Bread Co. purchased fresh at the Ferry Building along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, CA)

Chimichurri sauce (we brought back packets of dried chimichurri spices that we received on our Parrilla Tour in Buenos Aires and reconstituted with olive oil and vinegar).

Chimichurri

If you want to make from scratch here is a recipe from the blog Inside Buenos Aires posted by the Fierro Hotel Staff. They say that chimichurri is a traditional sauce made from herbs, garlic and vinegar that is used on meat at asados.  It is said that the name of the sauce comes from the British. Allegedly, the English men associated the spice-based sauce with curry, so when they wanted it they said “give me curry” which was locally understood as chimichurri.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp coarse salt

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp thyme

1 Tbsp ground chili pepper

1 Bay leaf

Fresh parsley

5 garlic cloves, chopped

Preparation:

Heat the water, vinegar and salt until they boil.

Mix all the other ingredients except for the oil and incorporate them to the water mixture.

Allow to cool at room temperature.

Add the oil.

Store covered in a glass jar. Make it a few days ahead to enhance the flavor.

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This post is part of the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Come back next week for another delicioso recipe from Argentina!

Comida Porteño: Locro (Bean and Hominy Stew)

Dear Readers– Lo siento, we got a little ahead of ourselves with last week’s dessert, alfajores.  Skipped over several more savory courses.  We’re back this week with Locro. Don’t worry, there will be more dessert to come!

In the words of Chef Chris:

Locro (bean and hominy stew) is a traditional stew throughout the Andes regions of South America often made with squash, beans, corn/hominy and meat including bacon and chorizo. It is considered a Argentine national dish and often served on the anniversary of the May Revolution. It is thick and rich and we thought that is had similarities to chili. We had locro at Cumaña, a restaurant in Buenos Aires popular with locals. It was a bit heavy but would be great on a chilly winter evening.

We tried to recreate the locro we had in Buenos Aires and found many of the ingredients at a local grocery in the Mission district in San Francisco, CA. We used canned hominy and beans (brand: Goya).

Argentine Locro

Adapted from recipe in Seashells and Sunflowers, which had adapted a recipe by Dan Perlman in his blog Saltshaker. Since we have been on a recent slow cooker kick we made some adjustments accordingly then at the end we simmered the entire stew on low heat for an additional few hours to reduce the sauce and bring out the rich, smoky flavors.

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 tbs. olive oil

3/4 cup white corn (hominy)

3/4 cup white navy beans

1/2 cup chick peas

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 oz.  pancetta, cubed

2 oz. chorizo, uncooked

1/2 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 ears of fresh yellow sweet corn, cut the kernels off the cobs

14 oz. crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tbs. paprika

salt to taste

½ tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

1/2  cup sweet potato or butternut squash (or both), peeled and diced small

chopped green onion for garnish (optional)

chili oil (see directions below)

crème fraiche topping (optional)

Directions

Prepare the chili oil in advance by soaking a teaspoon of ají molido (or crushed red pepper flakes) in a tablespoon of olive oil for 2-3 hours.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions until they start to become translucent. Reduce heat and add chorizo and garlic until cooked through. Add cumin and paprika and cook for 1-2 minutes. Transfer everything to slow cooker. In separate saucepan, cook pancetta until well done and crispy. Drain fat and transfer to slow cooker. Add pork shoulder.

Drain and rinse hominy, beans and chick peas. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in the sweet potato/squash, crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Add fresh corn for last 30 minutes.

We then transferred everything into large pot to simmer at low heat. Stir and mash the starchy vegetables using the back of a wide spoon or spatula, press the ingredients up against the sides of the pot so they break down into the soup. As you continue to stir and mash the soup should gradually thicken. Continue until the locro reaches the rich consistency of a stew. Add salt to taste.

Serve in bowls, and garnish with green onions and a touch of chili oil. We also topped off with a dollop of crème fraiche mixed with lemon juice to lighten the heaviness and add a bit of tangy goodness (a la sour cream on chili).

This post is part of the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Comida Porteño: Postres (Desserts) Part One: Alfajores

Dessert was comprised of two Latin American classics: alfajores, a symbol of Argentina, and tres leches cake, which is enjoyed throughout Latin America.  This week, we start with the alfajor.

This story is excerpted from an article Linda published on Salon.com in 2010.  For the full article and an additional recipe using dulce de leche ice cream, see the post on SpiceboxTravels.com.

Before I met José, I had never heard of alfajores.  José, whose parents hail from Cordoba, Argentina, may have been raised in Connecticut, but he has an Argentine soul.  He can even do the tango.

He excitedly shared some alfajores after a trip back to visit family.  He enthused, “The combination of the unctuous, sweet, toasty middle set off by the crumbly, citrusy cookie, is like Proust’s madeleine for the Argentine set.”

Argentines are known for their passionate opinions, and José is no exception, so I wasn’t sure if I would necessarily be as overwhelmed by this cookie.  After my first bite of this confection, though, I understood that this was no hyperbole.  That first bite triggered a sort of madeleine moment for me as well: I realized that I actually had seen, but not tasted, alfajores before.  They’re sold without fanfare in bodegas around San Francisco, and in certain cafés which otherwise have no trace of Latin American ties.  They’re usually kept in a glass jar or Lucite display case near the cash register and, to be honest, don’t look all that appealing to an alfajores novice.  They look like a dry cookie mounded with too much confectioners sugar.  But as I found out, the homemade version is in a different category.

For alfajores innocents, as I was before José’s initiation, let me give you some more details.  The alfajor (singular for alfajores) is a lemony, buttery sandwich cookie containing dulce de leche, the beloved caramel sauce of Latin America.  It’s often dusted in fluffy white confectioners sugar, or alternatively, dipped in chocolate or a sugar glaze.  Some versions also use flaked coconut.  Its exotic-sounding name traces its ancestry to the Moors who ruled for over 800 years in the South of Spain in Andalusia, or Al-Andalus, as this region was called in Arabic.  Andalusia retains much of its Moorish character: there’s lacy architecture and buildings adorned with intricate tiles featuring geometric and floral designs.  The name “alfajor” itself has Arabic roots, translating as “fancy” or “great” sweets.

When the Spanish conquistadors set up shop in Latin America, they brought over alfajores, hence the popularity of these treats in Argentina and other parts of Latin America, including Uruguay, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile and parts of Brazil. Each country has a variation on alfajores, and each claims its own as the authentic version.

Seeing as I was enthusiastic about his alfajores, before his next trip home José asked if I would like some of his mother’s homemade dulce de leche.  Of course! I was excited.  I imagined his mother performing alchemy, stirring a pot of butter, milk and sugar over the stove for hours until it was transformed into the thick caramel sauce.  You could do that.   But I found out that the way dulce de leche is most often made in Latin America, including by José’s mother, is by warming an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for hours in a slowly simmering hot water bath.  José’s mom also adds cocoa powder to thicken the dulce de leche, if needed, when she makes alfajores.

Most alfajores lovers from Latin America, José included, insist that homemade alfajores are the best.  But not everyone has the time to simmer condensed milk for hours over a stove to make the dulce de leche filling, or to make the corn starch-based butter cookies, called maicenitas, that form the sandwich.  Commercial brands of dulce de leche are available.  And there are mass-market brands of alfajores, too, with Havanna being the most popular.  But José does not find these worth eating.  He’ll hold out for homemade.  Second best are those baked by an old bakery in Cordoba called La Costanera.  He and his family make a pilgrimage to La Costanera whenever they visit Argentina:

“Whenever we go to (or relatives come from) Argentina (Cordoba specifically), we bring back a box of La Costanera alfajores for each of the rest of the family.  They sell different shapes and sizes of alfajores, usually with a lightly sweet sugar glazing.  At La Costanera bakery (which my Dad remembers from when he was a kid in the 1940s, and which up until the 1990s still had an old woman working there who he remembered from childhood), they also have alfajores with jams (apricot, quince, etc.) as the filling — but these are clearly inferior, not anything to waste your time upon.”

José’s favorite variety from La Costanera is called a Colacion:  ”It has only one cookie, kind of concave, with a thick layer of dulce de leche… I quickly discovered during childhood that this has the maximum dulce de leche-to-cookie ratio, they key measure of worth of an alfajor, of course.”  See what I was saying about passionate opinions? And long ago memories, triggered by a cookie.  Now I understand that his reference to Proust’s madeleines was heartfelt.

Alfajores

Makes 1 dozen.

Ingredients

2 dozen maicenitas (lemony butter cookies, recipe below)

1 can of dulce de leche

grated coconut, toasted if desired

confectioners sugar

Technique

1.  For each sandwich, you’ll need two cookies.  Place a tablespoon or two of dulce de leche on the bottom of one cookie and smooth it out with the spoon.  Top it with the bottom of the second cookie.  Press down gently so that some of the dulce de leche squeezes out on the sides.

2.  Roll the sides (the dulce de leche) in coconut, and then dust the top and bottom in confectioners sugar.

Maicenitas (butter cookies for alfajores)

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons rum

2 1/2 cups cornstarch

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Zest of 1 lemon

Technique

1.  Cream the butter and sugar together.

2.  Mix in the remaining ingredients.

3.  Knead on a floured work surface until the dough is smooth.

4.  Chill for 2 hours, then roll out into 1/4 inch thickness.

5.  Cut dough into 2 dozen 2″ rounds.

6.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until just slightly golden.

7.  Allow to cool completely on a rack before assembling into alfajores.

Dulce de Leche

Yield: about 3 cups (enough for a dozen alfajores, with another extra cup to spread on bread or to save for another batch).

Ingredients

2 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk

Technique

1.  Place unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk in a pot with enough water to cover the cans.

2.  Bring the water slowly to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let cook, covered, for 3-4 hours.

3.  Check occasionally to make sure the cans remain covered with water.  Top off with more water as needed.

4.  Cool the cans before opening.

Note: Be careful! Make sure the cans are always covered with water, and that the hot water bath is simmering slowly to avoid the risk of the cans exploding.

This post is part of the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Come back next time for the second dessert– Tres Leches Cake.

Comida Porteño: Empanadas

After being welcomed by pisco cocktails and centered by a few rounds of yerba mate, we began with a classic and mouthwatering appetizer: empanadas.  Chef Chris has kindly described the two types of empanadas he prepared:

Empanadas are common and everyone seems to have their favorite empanada joint. We went to several places and all were very good. Empanadas are common throughout Latin and South America. In Argentina, empanadas are baked although each region has their own differences. Common flavors were Carne (usually chopped steak with red peppers, green olives and hard boiled egg), Jamon y queso, Humita (mashed corn with red peppers and cheese). There are also sweet kinds with dulce de leche and coated with sugar.

Empanada de Carne (adapted from recipe on blog “From Argentina with Love”: Mendoza-Style Empanadas from the Oliva-Quiroz family).

Traditionally,  ground beef or chopped steak is used. We exchanged for short ribs prepared the day before with our slow cooker for fantastic juicy meat.

makes about one dozen

1 lb Short ribs, trimmed. slow cooked in slow cooker for 8 hours on low setting

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

8oz tomato paste

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 Tbs smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

~6-10 green olives, pitted and cut into slices

1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

crushed red pepper, to taste

12 empanada rounds (tapas): we bought brand La Saltena at a local grocery store that specializes in Argentine food products (Evergreen Market in the Mission District of San Francisco.) We used estilo hojaldre, which makes a flakier crust.

1 egg, beaten, for glazing

1 glass water, to seal edges

Note: The meat can be made a day/s in advance and keep in refrigerator.

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions until they start to become translucent, then add in the beef. Cook the ground beef, chopping as it cooks with a flat spatula to maintain ground beef texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the beef has cooked through, then taste for salt and pepper, and stir in the paprika, cumin, and crushed red pepper and mix well.

Or, use our variation with slow cooker. Trim short ribs and cut into 2-3 inch chunks. As above, sauté onions then stir in paprika, cumin, tomato paste and crushed red pepper. Then transfer to slow cooker. Next, heat more olive oil on medium-high heat and sear short ribs on each side for 1 minute each. Do not cook through. Place short ribs in slow cooker. Pour in warm water to add some liquid but not too much (about ½-1 cup). Cook on low setting for about 8 hours. When cool, shred meat into smaller pieces and return to remaining sauce.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the tapas on a lightly floured work surface. With a tablespoon, put a little of the meat filling in the center of the dough round. Add a piece or two of green olive and hard boiled egg.

For sealing, you’ll need a small glass of water. Moisten the edge on the top half of the round with a little water on your finger. Fold the bottom half of the dough up until the edges meet and seal with your fingers by pressing down. The empanada should have a half-moon shape.

Use the palms of the hands to pack the filling firmly in the center. Next, fold the edges with the Repulgue: using your fingertip, fold one corner of the empanada over, pressing down firmly. Go to the edge again and repeat, pressing firmly each time. Go around the edge of the empanada and you’ll get a spiral pattern. You can also use a fork-seal, instead.

Beat an egg in a cup and paint the top of each sealed empanada so that when they bake, they have a shiny, golden shell. Spread flour lightly over several cookie sheets, and place the finished empanadas on top. Put the empanadas in to bake for 12 to 15 minutes-they should be sizzling and very golden brown on top. Take out and eat very carefully while hot!

Empanadas de Humita

(also adapted from recipe on blog “From Argentina with Love”)

10 ears of fresh corn

1 medium-sized onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup cornstarch

about six roasted piquillo peppers or three roasted red bell peppers

one teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

12 tapas or discos for empanadas, either store-bought or homemade (we used La Saltena)

1 egg, beaten

Shuck the corn, removing all hulls and silk, and rinse the ears under cold water. Then, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the kernels into a large bowl. Rotate the ear around, grating the ear of corn, until all the kernels have been grated off. Slide the flat edge of a butter knife down the edge of the ear of corn all around to release any additional starchy juices into the bowl.

Peel and finely chop the onion, and heat the oil in a medium-sized non-reactive sauce pan to medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, but not browned, lowering the heat if needed. Add in the grated corn and stir to incorporate.

Bring the corn mixture to a boil (it will just sort of bubble up slowly) and continue to boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add in the cornstarch and stir to incorporate, and continue to cook at a simmer until the mixture thickens, about a half hour. Meanwhile, dice the peppers. Stir the peppers into the corn mixture, then add in the salt, crushed red pepper, and grated Mozzarella, and stir to incorporate.

Remove the mixture from heat and let cool completely, first on the stovetop and then in the refrigerator–this helps a lot in getting the mixture to thicken and make a good spoonful of filling. When the humitas have cooled completely, you’re ready to fill the empanadas.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour.

Lay out the tapas four at a time on a clean countertop, lightly dusted with flour. Put out a small glass of water for sealing the empanadas, along with a small glass with one beaten egg, for brushing over the empanadas before baking.

Place a heaping tablespoon of the humitas filling in the center of the empanada shell.

For sealing, you’ll need a small glass of water. Moisten the edge on the top half of the round with a little water on your finger. Fold the bottom half of the dough up until the edges meet and seal with your fingers by pressing down. The empanada should have a half-moon shape.

Use the palms of the hands to pack the filling firmly in the center. Next, fold the edges with the Repulgue: using your fingertip, fold one corner of the empanada over, pressing down firmly. Go to the edge again and repeat, pressing firmly each time. Go around the edge of the empanada and you’ll get a spiral pattern. You can also use a fork-seal, instead. (Make sure there is a good seal, some of ours had leaks!)

Beat an egg in a cup and paint the top of each sealed empanada so that when they bake, they have a shiny, golden shell. Spread flour lightly over several cookie sheets, and place the finished empanadas on top. Put the empanadas in to bake for 12 to 15 minutes-they should be sizzling and very golden brown on top. Take out and eat very carefully while hot!

This post is part of the second Spicebox Supperclub, the Comida Porteño con Sabor Latino, celebrating the food and drink of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Please visit previous posts and come back soon– there’s more food to come, plus dessert!