Potatoes with wheat berries (papas con mote de trigo)

An ancient dish from the country side in Chile. Most of the old chilean dishes are vegetarian, since the meat was really expensive and only enjoy on special holidays.
I hate it as a child and refuse to eat it. Now I can not stop thinking how good it is.
The "mote" is not exactly wheat berries, but is the closest substitution. You can also use barley.
Enjoy!

Potatoes with barley/wheat berries
for 4 people
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 teaspoon of paprika or merkén (chilean dry chiles)
• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 2 cups of squash, such acorn or butternut, cut into small cubes (1/2')
• 2 large potatoes, golden or red if available, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup of milk
• water
• 2 cups of cooked wheat berries/barley

Directions:

1. Cook the barley/wheat berries according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-hig heat warm the oil and add the paprika, let it cook for 1 minute. Saute the onion on the oil for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the squash and potatoes and cover with milk, season with salt. Cook covered 15 minutes at low heat. Add water if star to dry.
3. When potatoes are al dente, add the cooked barley and stir, cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally with a fork and smash some of the potatoes and squash to give the dish consistency.
4. Serve hot.

As is sold in Chile

White fish with seafood sauce (Margarita)

A very traditional dish, available year around in all the seafood restaurant in Chile. Usually served with white rice and a salad.


Fish with seafood sauce (or salsa Margarita)
for 4
Ingredients:

     4 white fish fillets (tilapia, chilean seabass, sole)
     1/2 medium onion, diced
     200 grams of clean scallops
     200 grams of cooked shelled mussels, reserved the broth
     200 grams of shrimp cleaned and tail removed
     200 grams of squid cut into rings
     1/2 cup white wine
     3 tablespoons flour
     2 cups milk
     butter, oil, salt, pepper
     tomato sauce, optional

Preparation:

     First prepare the sauce in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and vegetable oil. Brown the scallops, 1 minute per side seal, remove to a plate.
     Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent, add the squid, scallops, mussels and shrimp, stir and add wine, cook until evaporated. Add the flour and stir well, 1 minute, add milk and stir all the time.
     Add salt and pepper, let boil and reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you want the sauce to have a pink tone add tomato sauce. Keep on very low heat on a toaster.
     Cook fish, in another large skillet heat to medium-high heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 oil, once hot place the pat dried fish for 3 minutes, turn and cook over medium heat for another 2 minutes, this depends the thickness of the fillets.
     Serve immediately with the sauce. Hopefully with rice and a good chilean wine.
     The sauce can be reheated by adding a little water and very low heat, stirring.

Hallullas, a chilean bread

In Chile, families either buy marraquetas or hallullas as the bread to be enjoy at home. Hallullas are a lot easier to do at home. This recipe captures the flavor of the hallulla. Enjoy!

Hallullas
for 24 breads

Ingredients:

     500 grams all purpose flour
     275-290 ml of warm water
     1 packet of yeast (7 grams)
     1 teaspoon granulated sugar
     2 teaspoons of fine salt
     50 grams of vegetable shortening or butter at room temperature

Preparation:

     Mix together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar, star adding water to form a dough. Knead for 5 minutes with the bread machine or mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
     Add the butter, mix until fully incorporated in the dough, knead 10 minutes more with the machine or 20 minutes by hand until the dough is soft and smooth dough. Let stand covered 10 minutes.
     Extending the dough over a floured counter until it reach a thickness of 1 cm, folded in half and stretch again, repeat the stretch and fold steps 4 times in total. Sprinkle with flour if necessary.
     Re-roll the dough until it is of 5-7mm thick, cut with a 10cm round cake pan diameter. Place on greased baking sheet or silicone paper.
     Let rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours or until double in size.
     Preheat oven to 400F or 200C.
     Bake until very browned, about 16-18 minutes.
     Remove, let cool on a wire rack and eat!

Granados-Chilean Summer bean soup

This soup scream summer when my country is bursting with crops of corn, tomatoes, beans and everything is sweet and full of flavor. This soup is vegetarian in is conception. Some people will top the soup with a braised chorizo, but most of the people will eat it just like this, toped with a spoon of a mixture of lard or oil with sweet paprika.

Granados-Chilean Summer bean soup
4-6 people
Ingredients:

• 750 grams of beans, I used speckled butter beans, shelled (without pods)
• 1 large or 2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cups winter squash, like butternut, already peeled and diced, about 400 grams
• 3 ears of corn or a bag of frozen corn
• basil, a small bunch
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced, optional
• Salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced, optional
• paprika to serve

Preparation:

1. In a large pot bring to boil the beans in cold water with salt. Once boiling, cover and cook 15-20 minutes. Once cooked strain, saving the cooking water for the soup.
2. In the same pan heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil, add onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic if using, cook 1 minute.
3. Add the corn, squash, tomatoes and basil if using, salt and pepper to taste, stir and add the water used to cook the beans, just enough to cover the vegetables. If using fresh corn, you can add it grated and avoid using the blender later.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked. With the blender grind the vegetables, leaving a few pieces or to taste.
5. Add the beans and heat all, adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with paprika.

Enjoy!

Chacarero, an easy steak, green beans, tomato sandwich

Whoever happened to think that green beans belongs in a sandwich deserves our gratitude. Even my husband who is Chilean had forgotten how good is this sandwich and was not excited with this diner, then obviously wanted more. In Chile, is made in marraqueta, but you can replace it with French bread.
This sandwich has no mayonnaise or ketchup, if you like heat you can slice a light green chile, I usually use the thai chile.

Chacarero, an easy steak, green beans, tomato sandwich
for 2 people

Ingredients:

•      1 marraqueta or French bread slices lightly toasted
•      1 sirloin steak tenderized or cube steak
•      green beans
•      tomato
•      butter

Preparation:

1. Wash the green beans, cut the ends, and cut them lengthwise with a knife. Place them in a bowl and add a splash of water and sprinkle of salt, cook in the microwave 6 minutes, taste and cook until tender but still crisp. In my microwave they take 8 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. Add salt and pepper to the meat. In a medium skillet over high heat heat 1 teaspoon oil and cook the steak 1 minute per side. Cut into strips if desired.
3. Cut the tomatoes into slices and season with salt.
4. Cut and smear the bread with butter, place the meat, then tomatoes and chile if using, and finally the green beans. Serve immediately.

Truffle cake, truffle torte

This cake is very popular in Chile, is not your usual pancake, their are very thin layers of cake, much like tradicional European pastries. It is a labor of love, but the taste is amazing.

Truffle cake pancake
for a 24cm or 8' diameter cake, about 30 people

for the ganache,

     450 grams of chopped couverture chocolate, I use one with 60% cocoa, Callebaut brand
     2 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream cold
      4 tablespoons butter at room temperature

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.
Place the cream in a small saucepan or in a Pyrex glass, heat over medium heat or microwave until it boils gently and you can see bubbles around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand 1 minute. With a spatula or wooden spoon stir, in circles starting from the center out, the mixture to obtain a shiny chocolate cream, this takes some time, it is important to stir gently to keep it shiny, do not beat. Add the butter and stir until completely dissolved with the same gentle and circular movements.
Cool the ganache over the counter, will solidified to have a consistency like mayonnaise, this is the time to use it to fill and decorate.

for pancakes,

     500 grams of flour all purpose
     2 teaspoons of baking powder
     400 grams of granulated sugar
     12 eggs
     375 grams of butter at room temperature

preparation:
Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
Prepare 15 circles of 24cm-8' diameter of silicone paper, leaving an ear to handle them.
Separate the whites from the yolks. Combine the flour with the baking powder.
In a bowl beat the egg whites until foamy with mixer on high speed, about 3 minutes.
In a bowl working with a mixer cream the butter with the sugar. With the mixer on low speed now start adding the yolks to the butter mixture wait to be incorporated before adding the next egg yolk, in total about 5 minutes. Then add 1/3 of the mixture of flour and baking powder, beat at low speed to incorporate, add half of the egg whites, then the other 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining whites and the latest addition to the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until it forms a homogeneous batter.Place 1/2 cup of batter in each prepared paper and spread with a spatula or knife, leaving an even layer, work on top of a half sheet pan.Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, do not let it brown because they have more tendency to break and stick. Peel the paper of and start filling the cake immediately, putting a thin layer of ganache between each pancake. You will have some 15-16 pancakes.Covered the whole cake in ganache and then put a layer of chocolate glaze.For glaze,Reserve 1/2 cup of ganache in a pyrex jar, heat 10 seconds in the microwave, add 1 tablespoon or honey, mix and drop into the center of the cake, then gently tip over the cake, refrigerate for 5 minutes to solidify.
This cake does not need to be refrigerated, leave it rest the whole night. Enjoy the next day.
For more pictures you can visit my Spanish blog

Dulce de leche mousse

This is such a classic in my country, Chile, they sell it at the supermarket right next to the yogurts, is something that our mothers would send in the lunch box, this a homemade version, delicious.


Dulce de leche mousse
5 cups of mousse,  I did 10 ramekins with 1/2 cup each
Ingredients:

• 1 can evaporated milk chilled all night
• 1 pound of dulce de leche, I used the canned dulce de leche caramel, La Lechera brand available at Latin markets
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chopped

Directions:

1. In a large bowl put the evaporated milk and beat with a hand or stand mixer on high speed until thickened, about 4-6 minutes depending on the power of the mixer, volume should increase at least twice.
2. Add the dulce de leche and beat on low speed for 1 minute until fully incorporated, add cream and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Watch out for splashes.
3. In a bowl put the unflavored gelatin and cover with cold water, stir to wet all the gelatin and let stand for 1 minute, add half a cup of boiling water and stir 1 minute until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add the dissolved gelatin (can use a strainer if you are not sure) to the mixture and beat for 1 minute.
4. Spoon mixture into individual ramekins and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Melt the chopped chocolate in microwave for 45 seconds, remove and stir for 1 minute, if not already melted, continue heating in 20 seconds and stir for 1 minutes each time, when this all melted spoon on top of each well ramekin to cover the mouse. Refrigerate 10 minutes and serve.
6. Delicious!

Recipe adapted from Sansabor

Iced Coffee Chilean style (Tavelli)

When I lived in Santiago, Tavelli coffee store was a beloved stop for me. I loved having iced coffee during the summer, it is the perfect treat to have before going to the movies or with friends. Since besides the iced coffee included whipped cream and ice cream is a full meal.
Iced coffee is so simple that you need to used the best ingredients to make it, brew an espresso, buy or make a good vanilla ice cream (not diet) and use sugar and heavy cream.

Homemade iced coffee, Chilean style
2 people

Ingredients:

•      2 espressos (1/2 cup)


•      1 1/2 cup cold milk, I use skim


•      2 teaspoons granulated sugar (for milk)


•      vanilla ice cream


•      1 cup whipping or  heavy cream


•      1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for whipped cream)

Directions:

1.      First, make the espresso and mix with cold milk and sugar, stir and taste, if you like it sweeter add more sugar, let it cool.


2.      Remove ice cream from the freezer for easy serving.


3.      Whip the cream by hand or with a hand mixer, when star showing soft peaks about 2 minutes, add a tablespoon of granulated sugar and continue beating until the cream is whipped and hard peaks.


4.      In tall glasses or cups to serve ice cream, serve scope of vanilla ice cream until 1/3 of the glass is fill, add cold milk with coffee almost to the rim of the glass, leaving 1' free and add the whipped cream.


5.      Serve immediately.

Carrot tortilla

This is such a classic dish in Chile that when I asked my Facebook friends how long have been without eating one? A lot were like why do you ask that? I have one just the other day.
In my house, as my 5 year old daughter is "allergic" to the green bits in meals, I made it very simple and sprinkle with chives to serve, but you can mixed it on the batter. We enjoyed it a lot and brought us many memories. 
The sweetness of the carrot really shines in this dish.

Carrot tortilla
4 people
Ingredients:

• 1 onion (can be 1 / 2 as well) cut into small cubes
• 4 medium carrots, washed, peeled and grated
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cream or whole milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley or chives

Directions:

1. Heat over medium-high heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium nonstick skillet (9"), add the onion and let sauteed for 5-8 minutes until starting to change color. Combine the grated carrot and the onions on a bowl and stir, mixing well.  
2. In a small bowl mix the eggs with the cream, parsley if desired, salt and pepper, wisk for 30 second with a fork until foamy. 
   
3. Using the same pan, just whip cleaned with a paper towel, heat the other 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat, add the carrot and onion mixture and flatten it so as to cover the entire skillet evenly, adding at once the egg mixture and allow to drain, shaking the pan a little. Cook the tortilla over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally to prevent sticking. When the center is cooked (no longer wet) turn the tortilla, I do it with the help of a plate and let it brown on the other side about 3 minutes more, or finish of with the broiler of your oven. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with chives if desired.