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Latin-American Cuisine

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby ZeroCook » Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:25 pm

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Wot no corn tortillas or wrappers for the enchiladas KDKA? :D

Stokey, I wrap extra tomato puree from the small tins in cling wrap and pop into the freezer.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby jeral » Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:11 pm

I haven't seen small tom paste cans; oh and I don't know of a use for squeezed-out tubes either ;) A local shops sells big 800gm tins of pulverised toms (passata?) which is great if you drink a million Bloody Marys, grin, and, er, for other things. The darn cans have ring-pull lids and I still have splatters on the ceiling from one which, after effort, sprang off with impressive momentum. (My next avatar?)

Meanwhile, I'd bought some small cooked prawns to use Latin-style. Cooked ones because the big raw ones are always tough to me however I cook them, even butterflied, but I notice that karadekoolaid marinates his raw ones for 15 mins in lime juice, so thanks and I'm hopeful for the next lot.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby karadekoolaid » Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:10 pm

Wot no corn tortillas or wrappers for the enchiladas KDKA? :D


Venezuelan, not Mexican enchiladas!
You dig into these with your plantain tostones - and maybe have 2 dozen oysters to start :gonzo

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby karadekoolaid » Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:12 pm

Jeral:
If your large prawns are tough, you´re probably overcooking them. They need about 5-6 minutes, max. Just when they start to turn pink, take them off the cooker. The residual heat will do the rest.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby scullion » Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:18 pm

jeral wrote:and I don't know of a use for squeezed-out tubes either

they are good cut into strips as plant labels (indent info with a pencil).
i use them tied on the apple trees to show variety, rough harvest time and whether they are tip or spur bearers so i know how best to prune.
i'm also using them, cut into folded strips and slid into the channel on our masks, as nose bridge shapers.

cirio brand sell in small tins as do sainsburys and tesco (own brand).

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby jeral » Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:33 pm

karadekoolaid wrote:Jeral:
If your large prawns are tough, you´re probably overcooking them. They need about 5-6 minutes, max. Just when they start to turn pink, take them off the cooker. The residual heat will do the rest.
I'm sure that's right, but how do I overcome being fixated on "piping hot"? Is residual heat enough? (Sea food that ain't right = bathroom, fast.) Ta.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby jeral » Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:35 pm

scullion, do you use tin snips?

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Jan 04, 2021 8:40 pm

I tend to cook large raw prawns just until they turn a nice dusky pink - trouble is, the ones I get now don't seem to blush noticeably, must be a different species, they are very nice

If they are really contaminated, I doubt and extra minute of cooking will make much odds, I think commercially supplied shellfish in the UK is pretty safe

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby ZeroCook » Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:44 am

karadekoolaid wrote:Venezuelan, not Mexican enchiladas!
You dig into these with your plantain tostones - and maybe have 2 dozen oysters to start


Great way to start, and your prawn recipe looks delicious! On an interesting culinary note , how does essentially cooked ceviche become enchiladas? I did look up the etymology re the Mexican dish and the word means seasoned with chili and generally refers to corn tortillas wrapped around seasoned filling, tho I'm going to guess from your recipe name in translation that aji dulce is just that but the wrapped part is completely deconstructed. :lol: Also interesting because of aforementioned Venezuelan aversion to hot chili which is shared by Spain. :D I've made classic Mexican chiles rellenos in Spain, which are enthusiastically eaten, but have to add that the local long green peppers - pimientos - identical as they look to Anaheim and New Mex chiles and have all the flavour, have absolutely no heat whatsoever!


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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Jan 05, 2021 2:16 pm

Many of my ex’s family were from Trinidad & Tobago, which are basically off the coast of Venezuela

Their great fish dish is escoveitch which is fish fried then marinated in a marinade very similar to that classically used for ceviche, but as the fish is already cooked you can leave it in the marinade for a longer time, using it as a preservative. They do use a lot of chilli sometimes

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby karadekoolaid » Tue Jan 05, 2021 2:35 pm

ZC - I think this version of "enchilada" is simply stolen identity. Someone had the dish in Mexico, took it back to Venezuela, cut the chile out, served it with rice instead of in a tortilla and that was it.A bit like what happened to "fettucine Alfredo" in the States; a simple dish of fettucine & butter gets cream, chicken, mushrooms, garlic, etc. added but keeps the same name! What ever rocks your boat, say I, as long as it tastes good.
There´s no equivalent to the tortilla in Venezuela. An arepa is far more like a burger bun than a wrap.

Pondering that stolen identity a bit reminds me of another fish dish. Next post for "Corbullón de Mero" :D

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby scullion » Tue Jan 05, 2021 2:36 pm

jeral wrote:scullion, do you use tin snips?

not for the tom paste tubes - they can easily be cut with ordinary kitchen scissors.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby Pampy » Tue Jan 05, 2021 3:34 pm

Stokey Sue wrote:Many of my ex’s family were from Trinidad & Tobago, which are basically off the coast of Venezuela

Their great fish dish is escoveitch which is fish fried then marinated in a marinade very similar to that classically used for ceviche, but as the fish is already cooked you can leave it in the marinade for a longer time, using it as a preservative. They do use a lot of chilli sometimes

That dish sounds very nice!

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby karadekoolaid » Wed Jan 06, 2021 1:25 am

A change of mind - no fish today, but since the temperature went down to almost 12°C last night ( which is bloomin´cold here), I thought I´d offer you a delicious, warming soup from Central Colombia ( and Bogotá)called Ajiaco.
There are two items which you probably won´t find over there. The first is *papas criollas - tiny, yellow potatoes. They cook in about 7-8 minutes, and are sweetish and floury. If you can find some yellow spuds - use them. Otherwise, use any floury potato you can fin.
The second item is a herb called **guasca. Use parsley - not the same, but I doubt that guasca is available in the UK.

3 skinned chicken breasts, on the bone
3 lts water
3 fresh corn cobs, cut into 2" pieces
¼ tsp salt
Ground black pepper
2 chicken stock cubes
3 spring onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsps chopped coriander leaf
400 gms "papas criollas"*
3 medium white potatoes, cut into slices
3 red potatoes, cut into slices
1/3 cup guascas**
1cup thick cream to serve
1 cup capers to serve.
1 avocado, cut into chunks, to serve.

Put the chicken, corn, stock cubes, coriander, spring onions, garlic, salt and pepper, white and the water in a large pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook for about 35 minutes, until the chicken is soft. Remove the chicken and the onions and put to one side.
Add the red and white potatoes and the parsley to the soup, cover with a lid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. The potatoes should be very soft and falling apart.
Now add the papas criollas* (see above) and cook until they´re just tender.
Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the soup to warm.
Serve the dish topped with cream, avocado and capers.

Here´s an anecdote. I once worked in a Chemical company and the Marketing Manager was an American, married to a Chilean. He was a brilliant chemist - but a lousy linguist. He came back from Bogotá one day, all excited about his trip. Apparently the highlight was a visit to a restaurant, where he assured us he´d eaten " Ají con Gallo" ( literal translation: chile peppers with cockerel) . When we finally worked out he´d eaten Ajiaco, he became, in the words of the Mikado, a source of innocent merriment :lol: :lol:

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby Gillthepainter » Wed Jan 06, 2021 10:52 am

Good story.
(Sadly, Tony's a bit like his mum, and not a lover of potatoes I'm afraid).
I've made your Corbullón de Mero, it is excellent.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby karadekoolaid » Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:31 am

Here´s a classic dish which is known as " Carne Mechada" (Pulled beef) in Venezuela; "Sobre barriga" ( literally, above the stomach - because that´s where the skirt is from)) in Colombia; "Ropa vieja" ( old clothes) in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Beef skirt, cooked until very tender; pulled apart, and then gently fried with a mixture of onions, pepper, garlic and tomato. Served with black beans, fried plantains and white rice.
Carne Mechada ( Sorry about the cups - that´s what the recipe says)
2 cups water
1 kg beef skirt
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 Tbsp sweet chile ( leave it out if you can´t find it)
2 1/2 cups chopped tomato
2 Tbsps Lea & P
2 tsps salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsps tomato ketchup
Put the water and the meat in a pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool, then pull the meat apart into " strings". Reserve the cooking liquid. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic and peppers until soft.
Now add the tomatoes, L&P, salt and pepper, and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the ketchup and the pulled beef, mix well together, add the cooking liquid and cook for about an hour, or until the meat is almost dry and the liquid has evaporated. The meat should be still juicy and very tender.
Serve with black beans, fried plantain slices and rice.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:29 am

What do you understand by sweet chilli powder, in Venezuela?

I googled and most results were for American brands that seemed to contain a blend of mild ground chilli + paprika + cinnamon + coriander and sometimes other aromatics too, so I’d be included at least to use paprika if I didn’t have any

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby karadekoolaid » Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:57 am

Sweet chile powder is probably only available in Venezuela and Colombia. A sweet chile ( "Ají dulce") is a variety of chile which grows here which has all the flavour of a hot chile, but none of the heat. In fact, ají dulce look exactly the same as the chiles in your avatar (which I imagine are habaneros), but without the heat.
I´d simply leave the ingredient out, unless you can find a very, very mild chile in the market. Apart from cumin, the use of spices around here is extremely limited.

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Jan 11, 2021 12:09 pm

Ah, I thought it probably wasn’t the blend

My peppers I thought were habañeros, the picture was taken in the main market in La Habaña, Cuba

But now I’m wondering if they are in fact aji dulce, since it puzzled me that there were heaps of these everywhere, and never a trace of hot chilli on any plate

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Re: Latin-American Cuisine

Postby scullion » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:03 pm


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