Tag: Latin American
Honduran Frijoles Refritos
Honduran Frijoles Refritos
Frijoles refritos is a typical Honduran side dish. They use kidney beans, and sometimes black beans, for their frijoles refritos, as opposed to pinto beans used in Mexican-style. You can definitely use dried beans, but they will take a significant amount of time to soak and cook. In this instance, canned beans work great and allow these frijoles to be ready in 20 minutes.
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 2 cans red kidney beans
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 4 tbsp lard
- 2 tbsp white onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp green bell pepper finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp salt
Garnish
- queso fresco crumbled
Instructions
- Place the beans and it’s juices in a blender.
- Purée until smooth.
- Heat up lard in a large nonstick saucepan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, bell peppers, and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the bean purée. Season with cumin and salt. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring.
Smoked Provoleta
Smoked Provoleta
Provoleta is eaten at every Argentinian barbecue. This appetizer has its origins from Italy, which happens to have a large population of immigrants in Argentina. Traditionally, provoleta is prepared on a grill or in the oven, using a cast iron skillet. I took it one step further and smoked my provoleta. If using an oven or grill, preheat to 400 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes, then broil for 2. If using a smoker, preheat to 250 degrees. Smoke for 30 minutes. Serve the provoleta with a crusty baguette and chimichurri sauce.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- 6”-8” cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1” thick provolone cheese
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
To Serve
- crusty baguette toasted and sliced
- chimichurri sauce
Wood Chips
- hickory
Instructions
- Flour the provolone disc.
- Place in a small cast iron skillet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season with oregano and chili flakes.
- Place in a 250 degree preheated electric smoker.
- Smoke for 30 minutes until the provolone has completely melted and has color from the smoke.
Chicken Mole
Chicken Mole
Chicken mole is one of the most popular dishes to represent the Mexican gastronomy. If you’ve never had mole before; what stands out in the sauce is the use of Mexican chocolate. The chocolate is sugary and contains cinnamon. When combined with a pasilla pepper sauce, it creates a rich, sweet and savory sauce. It is truly a dish that has its own flavor that tastes unlike anything else.
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken legs drumstick cut from thigh
- 1/4 medium white onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 rib celery
- 3 sprigs parsley
Mole Sauce
- 4 dried pasilla peppers
- 1/4 medium white onion
- 1 large tomato
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tablet Mexican chocolate 3 1/4 oz
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken, onion, and garlic in a large pot. Fill it with water until the chicken is submerged.
- Bring to a boil. Skim off all of the scum that floats to the top. Add in the celery and parsley. Simmer for 45 minutes over medium heat until the chicken is completely cooked through. Drain the chicken, saving a cup of the stock you just created. Set aside.
- Dry toast the pasilla peppers in a skillet for 5 minutes on all sides. Place in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes. Remove the seeds and drain the water.
- Dry toast the tomato, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes until charred on all sides.
- Place the pasilla peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the chicken stock in a blender.
- Purée until smooth.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Pour the sauce through a fine strainer to remove the seeds into the saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add in the Mexican chocolate tab, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the tablet has completely dissolved.
- Place the chicken pieces back into the mole sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat; continuously basting the chicken with the sauce.
