Tag: main course
Pusandao de Pescado (Fish and Vegetables In Coconut Milk)
Pusandao de Pescado (Fish and Vegetables In Coconut Milk)
Man…this is really good. Pusandao de Pescado is fish and starchy vegetables stewed in coconut milk. This can be eaten as a soup or served over white rice. This dish traditionally uses catfish; but you can use any firm white fleshed fish such as tilapia, cod, snapper, swordfish, etc. I really like the combination of potatoes, yucca, and plantains in so many Colombian dishes; and this is one of them. I think this is a great dish to turn on someone who isn’t a fan of fish; especially if you use a mild fish like catfish.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 medium white onion diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tomato diced
- 3 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 6 small red potatoes quartered
- 1 lb yucca 1” pieces
- 2 plantains cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp sazon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs firm white fish fillets catfish, tilapia, snapper, swordfish, cod
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat up olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Sauté the onions, red pepper, tomato, and garlic for 8 minutes.
- Add in the coconut milk, water, potatoes, yucca, plantains, cumin, sazon, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Add in the fish fillets chunks. Simmer for another 10-12 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the cilantro.
Chuzos o Pinchos de Cerdo (Grilled Pork Skewers)
Chuzos o Pinchos de Cerdo (Grilled Pork Skewers)
These pork skewers are found all over Columbia from street venders. What makes these unique is that they are both marinated and basted with the same marinade. The beer helps break down the connective tissues of the pork, acting as a tenderizer. The pinchos taste the best when they are marinated for 24 hours. These can be either grilled or broiled; both for the same amount of time over or under direct heat, depending on your chosen method of charification.I used pork sirloin for the meat. It is tender while still slightly lean, and costs $1.99lb. Pork sirloin is the equivalent cut as beef sirloin tip. Pork sirloin is an under utilized cut and is a better option in overall tenderness and price point compared to pork loin or tenderloin.
Equipment
- food processor
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork sirloin or tenderloin cubed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 4 green onion chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 cup beer
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients, minus the pork, in a blender.
- Purée
- Cut the pork sirloin into 1 1/2” cubes.
- Marinate in the beer marinade overnight.
- Turn on your broiler. Skewer the chunks of marinated pork. Place on a rack on a baking pan lined in foil.
- Broil the pork for 5 minutes a side.
Arepas
Arepas
Arepas are a very important part of Colombian cuisine, comparable to tortillas in Mexico. They are practically eaten every day in their various forms for breakfast, lunch or dinner, as a snack, an appetizer, a side, or even as a main course. They are simply fried corn cakes that can be stuffed or topped with pretty much anything. There’s really no wrong to making these.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups masa flour
- 1/2 cup corn meal
- 1/2 tsp salt
- warm water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add enough warm water to form a dough similar to the consistency of firm mashed potatoes.
- Form a ball of the dough a little larger than a golf ball. Place it on a tortilla press.
- Make sure to have it cover by wax paper or plastic wrap.
- Press it down to 1/4” thick.
- Heat up cooking oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in an arepa.
- Cook for 2 minutes a side.
Arepas de Rellenos Queso
Arepas de rellenos queso is stuffed with mozzarella cheese and is fried for an extra 2 minutes a side, allowing the cheese to melt. Top it off with a little hogao sauce and cilantro. This is similar to a grilled cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 arepa corn cake
- 2 slices mozzerella
- 2 tbsp hogao sauce
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Cut your arepa in half; like you would an english muffin.
- Put 2 slices of mozzarella inside.
- Add it back into the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes a side until the cheese is melted.
- Top with hogao sauce and cilantro.
Arepa con Camarones y Hogao
This arepa is topped with shrimp cooked in hogao sauce; garnished with diced avocado and pickled red onion.
Ingredients
- 1 arepa
- 1/4 cup hogao sauce
- 4 shrimp cooked
- avocado diced
- pickled red onion diced
Instructions
- Heat up a 1/4 cup of hogao sauce with 4 shrimp for 2 minutes. Op the arepa with the sauce, shrimp, diced avocado, and pickled red onion.
Arepas con Pollo y Aguacate
This type of arepa is topped with a simple chicken salad and slices of avocado. While the arepa is hot, the chicken salad is cold.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup white onion diced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- avocado sliced
- arepas
Instructions
- Season chicken with paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Let cool.
- Chop up the chicken. Mix with the mayo, onion, sugar, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Top an arepa with the chicken salad. Top with avocado slices and chopped cilantro
Chicharrón and Bean Arepas
This arepa is topped with refried beans and pork belly. In this recipe, I happened to have leftover white, red, and garbanzo beans. The beans got fried in rendered fat from the pork belly and mashed together with diced Chicharrón.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp lard
- 1 cup beans pinto, kidney, Black, white, or garbanzo
- 1/4 cup Chicharrón finely chopped
- 2 slices chicharron
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp water
- white onion thinly sliced
- cilantro chopped
- arepas
Instructions
- Finely dice a 1/4 cup of Chicharrón.
- Heat up lard in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the Chicharrón for 2 minutes.
- Add in the beans, salt, cumin, and water. Start mashing the beans.
- The beans should be smooth with little chunks of fried Chicharrón. Add more water if too thick.
- Top an arepa with 2 heaping tbsp of the beans. Add 2 slices of pork belly to the beans. Garnish with thinly sliced white onion and cilantro.
