Tag: Latin American
Choripan
Choripan
Choripan is eaten all over many South American countries. Choripan is the combination of 2 words: chorizo and pan(bread). A toasted baguette get slathered in chimichurri sauce, then an Argentinian-style chorizo is placd inside. If the sausage is split down the middle and grilled, it is called mariposa-style choripan.
Ingredients
- Argentinian chorizo pan fried or grilled
- baguette or hoagie buns
- 1 tbsp butter
- chimichurri sauce
Instructions
- Melt the butter on a griddle. Split the baguette down the middle and toast for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip over and toast for 1 more minute.
- Spread a liberal amount of chimichurri sauce inside the baguette.
- Top with a chorizo.
Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri is a raw sauce originating from Argentina. It is used on all types of meat, fish, vegetables, and doubles as a marinade. Chimichurri’s base ingredients are parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. There are a couple ways that you can prepare chimichurri. The first way is to process all of the ingredients in a food processor. This produces a a sauce with a homogenized blend. The other way is to process the herbs, onion, and garlic. Then the rest of the ingredients are stirred in. This gives the sauce a chunkier texture. Both are great. The sauce keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Chop the onions and garlic in a food processor.
- Add in the parsley and cilantro. Process until the herbs are finely chopped. Scrape into a bowl.
- Stir in the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, chili flakes, and salt.
- Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Yuca Fries
Yuca Fries
If you haven’t had yuca fries by now in your life, you are missing out. They are served all over South American countries as a side with just about every dish. The easiest way to prepare them is to buy frozen yuca. The yuca gets boiled, cut into fries, then fried. I like to pan fry my yuca fries instead of deep frying; lots less oil being wasted.
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen yuca
- vegetable oil for frying
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the frozen yuca. Was boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Drain, then dry on paper towel. Cut the yuca into fries.
- Heat up 1/2” of vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in the yuca fries in a single layer. Fry for 4 minutes a side. Drain grease on a wire rack.
Coctel de Camerones
Coctel de Camerones
Shrimp cocktail is popular all over Mexico. What is different about Mexican cocktail sauce is that it doesn’t have horseradish in it. It gets it’s bite and flavor from hot sauce and limes, plus the shrimp stock you create when you boil the shrimp. The shrimp get drenched in the sauce and topped with red onion, avocado, and cilantro. Serve the shrimp cocktail with tortilla chips or saltine crackers and lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 onion
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 lb 16/20 ct. shrimp peeled and deveined; tails removed except for 4
Cocktail Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 3/4 cup reserved shrimp stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Toppings and Accoutrements
- red onion finely chopped
- avocado diced
- cilantro chopped
- lime wedges
- tortillas chips
Instructions
- Bring the salted water to a boil with the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Drop in the shrimp and boil for 2 minutes. Cool the shrimp completely in ice water. Save the shrimp stock.
- Mix together the cocktail sauce ingredients.
- Place the tailless shrimp in the bottom of a wide wine glass or bowl.
