Egg Salad- Great as Soup Topping

This egg salad will go perfectly as a topping for soups. Try it with the Colombian Sancocho (Published June 25 2013)... A match made in culinary heaven!

Recipe

Total Time: 15 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients for Egg Salad Topping

2 boiled eggs, peeled and diced

1.5 tsp salt

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

4 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Steps
1. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients, serve and enjoy!

Serve with

Colombian Sancocho (Published June 25 2013)

Colombian Sancocho

The Sancocho recipe has many variations among different Latin American countries and even within these countries' inner regions. This specific recipe belongs to Colombia's Caribbean region. The traditional ingredients can even add up to 7 different kinds of meats, including: pork chops, chicken breasts, chicken legs, short ribs, salt pork, udder and salt beef. The following just calls for five of the most common meats. Even though this recipe is supposed to yield six servings, take into account there is one piece of each meat per person. It is very uncommon for one person to eat these many pieces of meat, so according to your guests' appetite and choice of meat, the recipe may be appropriate for a larger group.

Recipe

Total Time: 3 hours

Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 pork chops

6 chicken pieces (breasts and/or legs)

6 short ribs

6 salt pork pieces

3 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 tsp ground cumin

1 garlic head, peeled and minced

6 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

8 oz apple cider vinegar

3 tomatoes, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

2 cubanelles, top removed, unseeded and chopped
salt to taste

2 tbsp green onion, chopped

6 cilantro branches, cut in 3

2 col or cabbage leaves

2 ripe plantains on the shell, cut in 3 pieces each

3 corn on the cob, cut in 3 pieces each

3 lbs yuca, peeled and cut in large pieces

3 lbs ñame, peeled and cut in large pieces

Steps

1. In a large pot pan season pork chops, chicken pieces and short ribs with black pepper, cumin, garlic, tomatoes, onion, cubanelles, lime juice and vinegar

2. Add enough water to soak the meats and come about 3 inches above the pieces. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil

3. As soon as the water boils, remove the lid, add the salt pork pieces and cover again

4. After a couple of minutes, remove the lid, taste the water and add salt to taste, if necessary. Cover again

5. After 1/2 hour check if the meats are thoroughly cooked and start removing from pot in the following order: chicken legs, chicken breasts and pork chops. The chicken legs should take approximately 30min, the breasts 45min and the pork chops about one hour. Leave aside

6. Add corn, yuca and ñame, cover and cook these, the salt pork pieces and the short ribs for 40 more minutes

7. Remove the lid and add the plantains on the shell, the green onions, the cilantro branches and the col or cabbage leaves. Cover and cook for 20 more minutes

8. Just before serving, add back the chicken pieces and pork chops to warm these up
9. For an easier serving, place the meats on one large serving tray; the corn, yuca, ñame and plantain on another large serving tray and the broth in a large serving bowl. In this way each guest will be able to select their desired ingredients. They can either have the dry ingredients separately from the broth, or they can chop the chosen dry ingredients and add them to a soup bowl mixing these with the broth

Serve with

Egg Salad- Great soup topping (To be published June 25 2013)

Tamales or Hallacas

Tamales have many variations among different Latin American countries and even within these countries' inner regions. This specific recipe belongs to Colombia's Caribbean region, where these are commonly known as Hallacas.

Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours
Servings: 12

Ingredients for meat stuffing (pork)
4 lbs pork tenderloin, chopped
5 tsp salt
2.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
5 tsp cumin powder
1 garlic head, peeled and minced
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 red onion, sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
1 cubanelle, chopped
1/2 cabbage, chopped
2 cups large string beans, chopped

Ingredients for dough
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 cubanelle, minced
4 cups of yellow corn meal
Vegetable oil, if needed

Ingredients for non-meat stuffing
4 boiled eggs, peeled and sliced (get about 24 slices)
1/2 red onion, sliced and cut in half (get about 12 slices)
1 tomato, sliced and cut in half (get about 12 slices)
1.5 cups green onion, chopped
4 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 tsp cumin powder
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup cappers
1 cup raisins

Assembly Ingredients
24 plantain or "bijao" leaves, washed and dried* (approx. 20 inches or 50cm long)
Extra plantain or "bijao" leaves, washed and dried
Sewing thread or "mahagua cordage"

*If you're using bijao leaves, use a meat tenderizer to soften the veins. You don't need to do this when using the plantain leaves.
When washing the bijao leaves, soak them in boiling water for 5 minutes. For the plantain leaves you can just clean them up with a water-dampered cloth"
If you can't find these leaves, use foil paper for wrapping

Steps for meat stuffing (pork)
1. In a large pot pan season pork pieces with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, vinegar, onion, tomato, cubanelle, cabbage and string beans
2. Add enough water to cover these ingredients and put a lid on the pot. Heat over medium-high until the pork is thoroughly cooked. This should take aprox. 45 minutes. Set aside
3. In the meantime, heat a pot pan over high heat. Add 6 cups of water

Steps for dough
1. In a large pot pan, heat 6 cups of water and add chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, cumin and cubanelle. Bring to a boil
2. Add the corn meal to a large bowl and slowly pour in the boiling broth while carefully mixing with a spoon
3. Mix thoroughly with the spoon. As soon as it cools off, start kneading with your hands. Use extra water if it's too dry, extra corn meal if it's too moist or oil to smoothen it if necessary
4. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes

Steps for non-meat stuffing
1. Place the eggs, onion, tomatoes and green onions separately in four different bowls
2. Add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 2 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp vinegar to each of these bowls, thoroughly mixing with each of their original ingredients. Set aside
3. Place capers and raisins in individual bowls. Set aside

Assembly steps
1. Place a plantain or "bijao" leaf on a large, flat surface
2. Place a second leave crosswise over the first (If you're using "bijao" leaves, the vein should be facing down)

3. Add 1/4 cup of the dough in the center of the upper leave and press. Top it with pork (from the meat stuffing) and a bit of its broth and the following ingredients from the non-meat stuffing portion: 1 or 2 egg slices, 1 onion slice, 1 tomato slice, a fingerful of green onions, capers and raisins
4. Top with 1/4 cup of more dough, sealing the edges as well as possible

5. Tuck in the sides of the leaves and roll

6. Place the roll over the second leave, tuck in the sides and roll again

7. Tie securely, crossing over the thread (or cordage) like a present and finishing up with a knot, not a bow (this can be loosened easily)
8. Repeat these steps for a total of 12 hallacas. You'll end up with stuffing left overs

9. In a large pot pan, add the broth in which the pork was cooked. Add extra water if you think it will be needed to cover the 12 hallacas

10. Add the extra leaves to the bottom of the pot and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water boils, place the hallacas on top of these leaves and cover with the remaining extra leaves and the pot's lid
11. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from pot and let them rest "standing up" vertically. After they drain for about 10 minutes, cut the knot off and open the leaves carefully

12. Serve immediately. You can save some for later use after they have cooled off. If you are going to eat them within a couple of days, store the hallacas in the fridge and cook in boiling water with a pinch of salt and some vinegar, for about 15 minutes (wait until water is boiling to place the hallacas in the pot.) If you are going to eat them after more than 3 days, don't cook for 30 minutes on step 11, but just for 10 minutes. Store the hallacas in the freezer and whenever you want to eat them, boil enough water with salt and vinegar to cover the hallacas. As soon as the water boils, place the frozen hallacas in the pot, cover with a lid and cook for approx. 1 hour

Mint and Feta Fettuccine

Recipe

Total Time: 15min

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Feta

2 boxes fettuccine, cooked
2 large white onions, diced
2 (10oz cans) sweet peas, drained
2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups mint (yerbabuena) leaves, sliced
3 tbsp butter
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2tbsp salt

Steps

Onions

1. Heat a large and deep frying pan over high heat
2. Add butter, 3 tbsp olive oil , salt and onions
3. As soon as onions start to change color, add sweet peas and stir for a couple of minutes

Onions and peas

4. Add cooked pasta, 3tbsp olive oil, feta and mint, thoroughly mixing until all ingredients all well combined
5. Serve and garnish with mint leaves





Serve with

Pork Ternderloin with Sweet Apple Sauce (Published June 11 2013)

Breaded Eggplants Topped with Butternut Squash (Published June 11 2013)

Breaded Eggplant with Butternut Squash

Recipe

Total Time: 30min

Servings: 12

Butternut squash cubes

Ingredients
2 eggplants, thinly sliced
1.5 lbs butternut squash, diced (about 1/2 inch cubes)
3tsp butter
1.5tsp salt
1.5tsp freshly ground black pepper
1.5tbsp brown sugar
3tbsp olive oil
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
2 cups canola oil
1tbsp balsamic vinegar reduction

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease a baking tray with the butter
3. Place the squash on the tray and toss it with the olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar

4. Roast for 15 minutes, toss and roast again until the squash is tender. Set aside
5. In the meantime, heat canola oil in a frying pan
6. Dip each eggplant slice into the eggs and then coat with crumbs

7. Place eggplant in frying pan until they acquire a browned appearance
8. Place over a paper towel to remove excess oil
9. Top with butternut squash
10. Garnish with balsamic vinegar reduction

Serve with

Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Apple Sauce (Published June 11 2013)

Mint and Feta Fettuccine (To be published June 11 2013)

Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Apple Sauce

This recipe is inspired on Elizabeth Band's Pork Tenderloin with Four Kinds of Apples, included in her charming novel: "Love in Paris a Love Story with Recipes"

Recipe

Total Time: 2hrs 30min

Servings: 12

Ingredients
6 -7 lbs pork tenderloin
Marinade
12 cloves garlic, grated
6 tsp thyme leaves, dried or fresh
4 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
6 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 cups red wine
2 cups olive oil
Pork Roast
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sea salt
1.5 tbsp freshly ground pepper
4 tbsp butter
7 small green apples, cored and sliced
3 large white onion, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 cups apple wine
3 tbsp brandy

Steps

1. Make cuts in the surface of the tenderloin

2. For the marinade make a paste of the garlic, thyme, rosemary and moisten with the cider vinegar. Rub the paste all over the meat

3. Place the pork in a resealable plastic bag

4. Add the red wine and 2 cups olive oil

5. Marinade for 12 hours in the fridge

6. Preheat the oven to 375F
7. Remove the pork from the bag and set the marinade aside
8. Rub salt and pepper all over the meat
9. In a roasting pan or Dutch oven, heat 6 tsp olive oil and brown the meat well on all sides
10. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside

11. In the same oil in which the tenderloin was browned add the butter and onios. Cook for a few minutes and add the apples and sugar stirring until lightly colored

12. Return the pork to the pot, add the apple wine and half the marinade

13. Put the pot in the oven for approximately 1:30 hrs until the pork is well cooked

14. Remove the pork, apples and onions to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 minutes

15. Meanwhile, add 2tbsp brandy to the pan juices and reduce. Turn off the heat and add the 3rd tbsp brandy to the reduced juices after turning off the heat
16. Slice the tenderloin and top with apples and onions
17. Spoon the sauce over or pass separately in a gravy boat



Serve with

Breaded Eggplants Topped with Butternut Squash (To be Published June 11 2013)

Mint and Feta Fettuccine (To be Published June 11 2013)