From Argentina With Love

Seven Fires--Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann

 

Just in time for Father's Day, famed Argentinean chef Francis Mallmann makes his US debut with this tour de force book on 'Grilling the Argentine Way.'  Mallmann is accompanied by Peter Kaminsky, Brooklyn-based author of Pig Perfect, among others.  South American celeb chef Mallmann resides in Garzon, Uruguay, where he has a restaurant, El Garzon.  His other two restaurants are in Buenos Aires (Patagonia Sur) and Mendoza (1884) and he is the host of a popular show on Argentina's food channel El Gourmet called Los Fuegos.

Francis Mallmann hails from Patagonia, (actually, from Bariloche, where we honeymooned!) and later went to France, learning the techniques and flavors that launched him into super-stardom upon his return to South America.  In time, he developed a cuisine that he called 'Nuevo Andean,' based on the history of gauchos and Native Americans grilling, as well as traditional Argentine flavors.  Naturally, he retained his years of  training, combining flavors and textures, and intensifying them with technique.

The beauty of this style of cooking is that, true to its Argentinean roots, it's not fussy or complicated, it's pure and simple.  The ingredients are traditional, the flavors speak for themselves.

I'll let them do that:  Pears and Iberico Ham with Parsley, Olive Oil and Garlic Sauce...Rescoldo Vegetables (buried in hot coals to cook)...Tournedos Wrapped in Bacon and Sage...71/2-Hour Lamb Malbec with Rosemary and Lemon...Brook Trout in Crunchy Potato Crust...Tomitican (a tomato and bread soup topped with a poached egg)...Leche Quemada (a sort of grilled creme brulee) Dulce de Leche Flan...Dulce de Leche Panqueques...Chapa Bread...Galletas Martin Fierro...

Not to mention Francis' beautiful narrative in homage to his beloved Argentina, the myriad other mouth-watering recipes, and the photos, which are absolutely breathtaking. 

When I said on Twitter that I was going to sleep with it under my pillow, I wasn't joking--the book is a dream itself, or at least dream-invoking.  It's part guide-to-Argentinean-food with resources and background, part how-to-guide, and a lot of celebration of the beauty and culture of Argentina and its cuisine.  It is just a stunning book, simply put, one of the most beautiful I've ever come across, and will definitely be one of my favorites in my collection. 

If you buy one cookbook this year, buy this one.  You'll be transported.

Available from Amazon by following the link in the STORE tab above.

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My photo of Francis Mallmann's humitas recipe, reprinted from Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Wayby Francis Mallmann with Peter Kaminsky, copyright 2009.  Humitas recipe and Jacket Cover reprinted with thanks and permission from Artisan Books.  Thanks also to Amy Corley and Quinn Rowan at Artisan.

Humita

Savory Corn Pudding

Rebecca's note:  Humita is a corn pudding, sometimes with meat or tomatoes, and sometimes used to stuff empanadas.  It' s a very simple and very classic Argentinean recipe with roots in the Native American traditions of the north, in the province of Salta.  This recipe is easy and delicious.  The red pepper intensifies after a day, so use sparingly if you're going to have any leftovers. Also, the grating process is important, it also releases starches.  I didn't use any additional sugar, and it was very sweet.

From Seven Fires:

I first encountered humita, as it has always been made by native people, in the northern province of Salta.  In many ways, I think Salta is the part of my country with the richest culinary traditions.  Many of the Indians there speak Quechua, the ancient Inca language, and the women still mill their corn by putting it on rocks that have been work down over the centuries.  The señores still come to lunch with their guns tucked into their belts!

The traditional humita is prepared and served in corn husks, but I find that this recipe is simpler and fresher.  The most important thing to keep in mind is that you must do it only when the corn is sweet and just picked at the peak of the season.  Grate it rather than cut it off the cob.  Only then will it release the sweet juice that mingles so well with the spicy red pepper flakes, onion and fresh basil.  Serve with tasted country bread and a green salad.

Serves 4

8 ears corn, preferably yellow, as fresh and sweet as possible, husks removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup whole milk

1 cup fresh basil leaves

Coarse salt

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

crushed red pepper

Using a box grater, grate the corn kernels into a large bowl.  Then run the back of a knife down each cob to release all the milky liquid from the kernels.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a caldero or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and saute, stirring until it is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes; it should not brown.  Stir in the corn with all its liquid, and saute, stirring until the mixture has thickened.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the milk.  Once the milk is absorbed, gradually stir in the rest of the milk.  Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, until the corn is creamy, 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the size and freshness of the corn.

Chop the basil and add it to the corn, along with the crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and sugar, if desired.

Empanadas de Jamon y Queso--Ham & Cheese Empanadas

It's been a long while since I've created any video, and making a quick Ham and Cheese Empanada video seemed like it would be useful.  As always, using the pre-made tapas or discos (available in most Latin stores) for empanadas make these into almost fast food!  The assembly is simple and something kids would enjoy doing.  The empanadas can be sealed using a fork, or the repulgue technique in the video for Empanadas Mendocinas, (link below) or the pinch and twist sealing technique introduced in this video!   May you enjoy the video, perfect the technique, and make lots of delicious empanadas.  Recipe follows.

 

Empanadas de Jamon y Queso

Ham & Cheese Empanadas

1 package pre-made empanada shells or one batch of homemade dough

several slices of ham of your choices, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used proscuitto)

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

4oz. fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced into cubes

1 egg, beaten, for painting empanadas

a bit of water, for sealing the edges of the empanada

Lightly floured cookie sheets

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lay the empanada shells out on the counter assembly-line style.  Into the center of each shell, place a bit of the shredded Mozzarella, a few pieces of ham, and a couple of cubes of the fresh Mozzarella.  Wet the edges of the empanada round with water on your finger.  Pick up the edges of the empanada and bring them together, sealing them by pressing together.  Seal using either the repulgue on the counter, a fork, or the pinch-twist repulgue method.

Place sealed empanadas on a floured cookie sheet, brush with beaten egg, and put in the oven, baking for 15-20 minutes, until crust is golden.

Relevant posts: Empanadas Mendocinas (Repulgue technique video) Yerba Mate Video, any of the empanadas in the Empanada category

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Yerba Mate Ice Cream--Helado de Yerba Mate

  

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, this is the time of year for ice cream.  Summer leaves long, warm hours after dinner to relax, take walks, and enjoy a bowl of something cold you whipped up yourself.  And for me, there always has to be a sweet ending to a meal, even if it's just a bite. 

I was intrigued by the idea of green tea ice cream, often served in Japanese restaurants.  I've had it before and enjoyed it, and I thought...why not make ice cream with Yerba Mate?  Argentina has a strong cultural tradition of drinking Yerba Mate, and a serious penchant for gelato-style ice cream...it's an inevitable cross-breed!

I'm glad to report that the result was splendid--and the perfect way to kick off summer!  We were scooping out tastes even as the ice cream maker was whirring away.  And when our son, Esteban, who's 2, saw us dipping in, he had to join in--he marched right over to the drawer where the silverware is kept, got out his own 'special' spoon, and waved the spoon at us:  "Mas?  Mas?"  And then; his first taste, a satisfied "Mmmm!!"--could you ask for a better endorsement?

 

Helado de Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate Ice Cream

To get the hardness of American-style ice  cream,  freeze the bowl of the ice cream maker after the ice cream is made for an additional couple of hours.  Straight from the ice cream maker the consistency is softer, like gelato.  If the bowl is kept in the freezer when not in use, clean and empty, it makes making ice cream quick enough to start before dinner and eat for dessert--about 30 minutes!

2 tea infuser spoons of Yerba Mate (or 2 tea bags)

3/4 cup boiling water

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups cream

Freeze the mixer bowl of the ice cream maker for several hours ahead of time.  Brew the yerba mate as strong as possible, using boiling water and the yerba mate.  Set aside to cool after brewing, either in the refrigerator or over a bowl of ice (still in its cup, as to not dilute tea).

Beat the eggs and milk together in a medium saucepan.  Add the sugar and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon, approximately 10 minutes.  (Be sure to use lower heat--if it's too high, the egg will cook.)  Let cool completely. 

Add the yerba mate and the cream and process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Relevant posts:  Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, Dulce de Leche

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Pastelitos de 25 de mayo--Pastries for May 25th

"Are you going to make pastelitos this year?"  Guillermo asks as we're driving down the street near home.  He's driving,.  Maybe it's the recent greening of everything (Spring always makes me sentimental)...it's one of those rare moments that he takes a walk (or a drive) down memory lane.

"Well, are you going to teach me?" I ask him.  It's funny--if creating this blog and being married to a 'foreigner', experimenting with unfamiliar recipes has taught me anything at all, it's to get over my fear of the unknown.  Still, I'm afraid of pastelitos. 

"I remember selling them door-to-door as a kid, by the dozen!"  He says, pronouncing the word dozen as 'DOH-sen' in an oh-so-adorable way.  "Yeah!  Like how you guys have, your, you know, lemonade (lay-mohn-AIDE) stands!  And then we would raise money for a school trip."

I'm trying to picture him, with the toothy smile I've seen in so many school pictures, selling pastelitos del 25 de mayo door-to-door.  And I imagine the real behind-the-scenes work done by my mother-in-law, Florencia, who must have lined up squares of puff pastry dough across the countertop like a mini-pastelitos assembly-line.

The story of the origins of pastelitos del 25 de mayo, like Guillermo's memory of selling them door-to-door, is one of those school-age lessons that fades with time.  (Much like my own foggy 5th grade memory of the facts of the American Revolution.) 

May 25th in Argentina was the first meeting of the minds that decided to oust then-Viceroy of Spain, Hidalgo de Cisneros, back in 1810.  Somehow, a woman selling these little fried pastries in the street became the mascot of the holiday, and the tradition lives on.

And what a tradition:  A square of quince paste, wrapped up in a won-ton-esque pastry, fried, and then drizzled in sweet syrup and topped with sprinkles.  Barely bigger than bite-size, they are larger than life.  Sweet, but not too sweet, and heart-stopping fried puff pastry.  But its simple flavor somehow unlocked so much more than that--for Guillermo, a taste--and he was transported back to another era--1810, or the innocent days of the lemonade stand...by the DOH-sen.

 
Pastelitos del 25 de mayo

Pastries For May 25th

1 package La Salteña tapas for Pastelitos, or 24 small squares of puff pastry (the size of square won-ton wrappers) or 24 won-ton wrappers (which don't have the same yummy puff-pastry effect, but get the job done!)

6 0z. quince paste (available at Whole Foods or at most Latin Markets, also called Dulce de Membrillo)

canola oil, for frying

small cup of water, for sealing the edges

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

sprinkles for cake decorating

Lay out several  tapas on the counter.  Place a smallish square of quince paste in the center of each square.  Moisten the area around  the quince paste and also the edges around the square with water on your fingertip.  Take a second pastry square and place it over the first one, press lightly around the quince to create a seal and then around the edges of the square, sealing again.  Take the two diagonal corners over the index finger of each hand and meet them in the center, making a boat shape.  Repeat with the other remaining corners.  The result is all four corners neatly meeting in the center, much like a crab-cheese wonton.

Heat 3/4 inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Place four of the pastelitos  in, letting the oil bubble, for a couple of minutes each side, until the shell has turned golden brown.  Using tongs, turn the pastries until each side is equally golden.  Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar and the water until the suagr has dissolved.  Let thicken slightly, but not brown.  Remove from heat.  Using a spoon, drizzle the syrup over the top of the pastelitos and the sprinkle with sprinkles.  Eat with abandon.

Step-by-step assembly photos available on my flickr photostream, From Argentina With Love

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Short Ribs with Chimichurri Sauce--Costillas con Chimichurri

The beauty of traditional Argentinean cuisine is that it's mostly unfettered by complicated sauces and preparation techniques.  This is especially true in the realm of asado, or barbecue.  Think of gauchos on horseback, riding over the vast landscape; Andes rising in the distance, cooking over a wood fire with little more than salt and a few herbs to season the meat.  This is more or less what remains today.

Unlike its American counterpart (which, by the way, I find equally delicious, but for different reasons),  Argentinean barbecue is not slathered in sweet, smoky barbecue sauce.  It's simply salted with coarse salt made for barbecuing, and placed on the grill.  Getting fancy would be painting the meat with a liquidy Chimichurri sauce, or maybe sprinkling on some crushed black or red pepper.

What makes Argentinean cookery so tantalizing is its simplicity--flavors that show their true colors, and are enhanced by melding together, yet remain distinct.  And simplicity in flavor also translates to simplicity for the cook.  After all, wouldn't you rather be sitting in the shade enjoying an icy beer or a cool glass of Torrontes instead of stoking hot coals and painting your meat with sauce?

We finally got the weather we were waiting for to fire up our grill this weekend.  That weather that says "Grill short ribs and drink a beer while lounging in the sun."  Not exactly riding off into the Andean sunset, but at least we have the Rockies and some flame...

This Short Ribs recipe couldn't be simpler--salt the meat, place it on the grill, turn once.  To make the Chimichurri, simply combine all the ingredients and let steep.  And sit back, relax and enjoy a cold one.

 

Costillas Con Chimichurri

Short Ribs With Chimichurri Sauce

A good amount of meat for Short Ribs is an estimate of about 1 lb per person.

2 lbs. Flanken-Cut Short Ribs

Asado salt (Dos Anclas is a good brand) or coarse Kosher salt, to taste

Chimmichurri sauce, to taste (recipe follows)

Prepare grill using either wood or charcoal, heating until coals are white and hot.  Liberally salt both sides of the meat, massaging meat slightly to let salt absorb.  (Don't use fine salt--it only will be absorbed by the top layer of meat and will dehydrate it, leaving a salty, dry layer on top with a flavorless core.  This cut of meat is not a super-juicy, greasy cut, so coarse salt is the way to go.)

Place the meat (as seen in photos) marrow-side up on the grill.  Go drink a beer.  (What I'm really saying here is, after you put the meat on the grill, don't move it, check it, or fuss over it.  Just leave it.  Guillermo says this depends on the heat of the coals--if they are very hot, put the meat closer to the edges of the grill instead of directly over the flame.  He also says you can turn it and turn it once more if you feel it needs more time.)  After about 10-15 minutes, turn the meat over.  Let grill another 15 minutes or so, until the meat is brown, juicy, and until the edge with no meat has pulled tight over the bone. 

Remove from heat and serve with Chimichurri on the side.  The 'portion' is to cut between each rib bone, crosswise, so that each serving includes a bit of the rib.

Chimichurri de Florencia

Florencia's Chimichurri

My mother-in-law,claims to hate to cook, but has the best recipes, for, like, everything.  This is her recipe for Chimichurri, an herb-and-vinegar based sauce.

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup red wine

2  cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, wine, garlic, salt, black pepper, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes in a bowl, stirring until ingredients have combined.  Add the oil and mix well.  Store unused portion in a tupperware or a jar in the refrigerator.  Shake well before serving.

More photos on my flickr photostream, From Argentina With Love

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Relevant posts:  The South American Table, Asado Argentino