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Carne en Palito
Carne en Palito
Carne en palito literally translates to meat on a stick. They can be eaten as an appetizer made on small wooden skewers or as a main course on larger metal skewers. The meat only needs 2 hours of marinating time and 8 minutes in the broiler. Serve the skewers with tomato onion curtido, fried plantains, and cassava cheese bread.
Equipment
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 1 lb top sirloin sliced 1/4” thick strips
- 4 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp achiote paste
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix together the marinade ingredients.
- Marinate the beef for 2 hours.
- Turn on your oven’s broiler. Skewer up the beef. Place the skewers on a rack on a baking sheet lined in foil.
- Broil the skewers for 3-4 minutes a side.
Menestra de Porotos (Ecuadorian Bean Stew)
Menestra de Porotos (Ecuadorian Bean Stew)
Menestra de porotos is an Ecuadorian-style bean stew. The beans are always eaten with rice, a curtido, fried plantains, avocado, and a protein of your choice. Or you can skip the protein and make the meal vegan.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb dry white beans
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tomato diced
- 1/2 tsp annatto powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 4 cups water
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight in cold water.
- Heat up cooking oil in a pot over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, cumin, annatto powder, and chili powder. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add in the beans and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours.
- Stir in the parsley. Season with salt.
Tomato Onion Curtido
Tomato Onion Curtido
Most meals throughout South American countries will have some type of salad on the side. Many of the times it will be a lime marinated salad like this tomato onion curtido. Besides being tasty, it helps cut through all of the heavy richness of Ecuadorian cuisine. Other vegetables you can substitute instead of tomatoes include carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, etc.
Equipment
- mandolin slicer
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 small tomatoes thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rub the onions with salt. Place the onions in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Rinse the onions of salt and pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix all of the ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready for use.
