From Argentina With Love

Heart-shaped Alfajores for Valentine's Day--Alfajores en forma de Corazon por el Dia de San Valentin

Valentine's Day--you can love it or hate it.  We've all gone through Valentine's Days alone or heart-broken, Valentine's Day days head-over-heels, Valentine's Days spent with girlfriends on the couch watching a weeper or out to dinner ignoring the holiday.  Even earlier, most of us suffered the unforgettable heady yet awkward exchange of Valentines in class. (The one when you're hoping that your crush returns your feelings as you slip your Strawberry Shortcake/StarWars card into the paper bag decorated in class).

In our household, Valentine's Day is always a mixed bag.  One year it was celebrated with a heart-shaped diamond necklace (before marriage and kids), the next it was forgotten altogether.  It's been quasi-celebrated with a quick dinner out while leaving the (then) baby with a sitter, and spent apart while one of us was on a business trip.  And it has also been celebrated with kids--not an over-done, romantic dinner, mind you, but a fun, family celebration, demonstrating as we do in a thousand small ways daily, our love for each other.  We light candles and use little Valentine's napkins, and eat these for dessert.  Esteban loves any occasion to celebrate!

This heart-shaped alfajor is just perfect for that type of casual dinner, whether your sweetheart is 4 or 40 (or 4 months old, as it were).  

I made these to share this weekend with friends for dinner (actually, in a romantic and uncharacteristic moment, the men did the assembly.  It was made with a jar of homemade dulce de leche from our hosts, another American/Argentinean couple, the van Halls.) Esteban's pre-school teachers are also getting a couple, in a decorative bag tied with a red bow.  

So whether you are celebrating the day of 'Amor y Amistad' in grand style, or at home with the family, we wish you the best the day can bring!

Alfajores

This recipe for alfajores is adapted from the book, Argentina Cooks! by Shirley Lomax Brooks

1 3/4 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 pound butter (1 stick) at room temperature

1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 recipe for dulce de leche (or one jar of it)

1 cup grated and sweetened coconut (optional)

Combine flour, salt, sugar and baking soda in a bowl. Cut the butter in with two knives, then mix by hand until well incorporated. Work in the lemon zest and then mix in the egg yolks, egg and vanilla. (Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor, fitted with the dough blade.) The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.  Shape the dough into 2 balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. On a floured work surface, roll out each ball of dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch.  ( I used lots of extra flour to get the dough to be pliable, not too sticky, and easy to cut.) Cut into 2-inch rounds (or use a heart-shaped cutter) and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until done. The cookies will be dry but not brown. 

When the cookies are cool, spread a generous spoonful of dulce de leche in one cookie and top it with another. Press together gently and smooth any squished-out dulce de leche with a pastry knife, or add a bit of extra so the  coconut will have a good smooth surface to adhere to. Roll the seam of each sandwiched cookie in shredded coconut. (I used Bob's Red Mill shredded unsweetened coconut, purchased from Whole Foods.)

 

Candied Squash--Zapallo en Almíbar

A couple of weeks ago, there was a recipe request from Amy for Zapallo en Almíbar that sparked some interesting conversation on the From Argentina With Love facebook page. Katie of the wonderful blog Seashells and Sunflowers provided lots of great information.

Zapallo en Almíbar is a typical Argentinean treat--cubed firm squash jarred in sweet syrup.  It has a crunchy texture outside and a soft texture inside.  Traditionally, Katie explained, Zapallo en Almíbar is prepared using cal viva, or calcium oxide, which gives it that crunchy/smooth texture.  

I did some research on calcium oxide, the caustic solution more commonly known as quicklime. It's combustible and is used in producing cement and whitewash.  It can be used as a weapon and has a phosphorus glow when reacting.  That illumination was used in theatrical productions prior to electricity, hence the term 'limelight'. I decided against ingestion.  

Its cousin, calcium hydroxide (aka slaked lime), is used in tortilla-making during the process called 'nixtamalization'.  Dried corn kernels are soaked in a mixture of slaked lime and water, softening the kernels so that the hulls can be removed and used to make the masa for corn tortillas, tamales, etc. Slaked lime is available at Home Depot, and is used in making plaster, in hair-removal products like Nair (cue 'Who Wears Short Shorts' music now) and in petroleum refining. This could be an alternative to cal viva, but still, I thought I'd skip it.

Katie suggested another alternative, that of using 190-proof alcohol, known as Everclear here in the U.S., to give the squash the desired crunchy texture. She also posted a recipe, which in its wonderful Argentinean fashion, lacks measurements and very specific instructions.

Here's what we ended up doing:  We used Rum.  We didn't get that crunchy texture, but the results were nonetheless delicious. But the crunchy texture is kind of the point of this treat, so I'd still like to try a version using slaked lime and one using Everclear, just to see the difference. I'm on the case, then.  

For now, enjoy this homespun version of Zapallo en Almíbar.  Another little side note: We taste-tested two versions against eachother.  One was a jar of Zapallo en Almíbar we transported back from a roadside vendor in Bowen, and the other our homemade version.  The Bowen version was made by Marta Zacchigna de Molina, but the label provides no ingredient information, so I'm not sure of the type of squash she used, or whether she used cal viva or alcohol.  See the photos below.  I am amazed at the color difference, though I'm not sure the type of squash or the process used in the Bowense version.

Zapallo en Almíbar

Candied Squash

Serve with a tray of meats, cheeses and olives in the late afternoon as a snack, as part of a pre-dinner appetizer, or as a dessert course with fruit, nuts and cheeses.

3 cups firm squash, such as butternut (you can also use kabocha, acorn or hubbard)

600 ML (about 3 cups) light rum

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups water 

4 cups sugar

Peel and seed the squash.  Cut into medium-large cubes, about 1 1/2 inch in size.  In a medium bowl, combine the squash and the rum.  Let soak for 24 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure all the cubes are covered.

Drain the squash, discarding the rum (unless you want to make squashtinis, hee hee).  In a medium non-reactive stock pot, heat the water and the sugar over medium-high heat.  Stir frequntly, and when the sugar is completely dissolved, add in the squash and the vanilla.  Heat to a boil, and then reduce heat but maintain the mixture at a simmer until the squash becomes translucent, about an hour.

Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool completely.  Place the squash in a jar and cover with the syrup and a lid.  Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or alternatively, can for storage following the instructions with your canning kit.

Candied Orange and Lemon Peel--Cáscara de Naranja y Limón Azucarada

 

 

 

Every family has its own special holiday traditions.  Those rituals that bind us together during this festive season, whether trimming the tree with a collection of special ornaments gathered over the years, reading holiday stories while nestled in flannel sheets, or cooking cherished family specialties to share with family and friends.  Maybe it's the excitement children feel putting out their shoes for Los Reyes, or the family 'asador' putting on an unbeatable grill-fest.

Whether in the sizzling heat of the southern hemisphere's summer or the bone cold frost of the northern winter, the season brings us closer together, and wherever and whenever we gather, we are bound to break bread.

This is the first holiday season that our son, Esteban, almost five, is really 'into' Christmas.  So as we get into the rhythm of having a new addition to the family, I've been trying to solidify those favorite traditions from last year, to create the holiday memories that will be with them a lifetime.

Eating Pan Dulce (aka Panettone) is one of the traditions we most enjoy and hope to pass on--nothing says holiday to me like the smell of fresh pan dulce in the oven, its yeasty, sweet smell mingling with the orange and lemon peel studding the bread.  Cutting into one on Christmas morning is a special treat, a gift of its own. The first piece is eaten with a cup of coffee, as we sit bleary-eyed, around the tree opening gifts. 

This year, I decided to make my own candied orange and lemon peel for the pan dulce--a simple recipe that can be made up to two months in advance if you're one of those uber-organized folks, or the day before you make the pan dulce if you're not.  The flavor is much better in the DIY peel than the store-bought version, plus free of the preservatives and what have you that we would rather avoid.

Candied peel makes a wonderful homemade holiday gift, and can be dipped in dark chocolate, too.  It would be a great hostess gift, along with a tag attached with the recipe for pan dulce on it. Pan Dulce is sure to become one of your family's treasured holiday favorites, and even more so with the addition of your own handmade candied peel!

Candied Orange and Lemon Peel

Cáscara de Naranja y Limón Azucarada

This recipe makes enough for 2 panettone, about a cup each of orange and lemon rind, but this recipe is easily doubled or halved as needed.  I combined lemon and orange for convenience sake, but they can be made separately if that is your preference. The peel can be made up to 2 months in advance and stored in the freezer, or can be made one week in advance and stored in the refrigerator.  For the pan dulce, simply chop the strips of candied rind into small pieces.

5 lemons

5 oranges

3 cups water

4 cups sugar

Using a sharp knife, cut off the ends of each lemon and orange. Score the rind of the fruit in quarters, slicing just through the rind and not into the fruit.  Peel off the quarters of rind carefully, then slice into strips about 1/4 inch wide. Put all the peel into a medium sized saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the water and replace it with fresh water, and bring to a boil again. Repeat this blanching process two more times to remove any bitterness from the peel. (A total of 3 times.) Drain the water and reserve the peel.

In the same saucepan, combine the water and 3 cups of the sugar and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Add in the rind into the sugar and water mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let simmer until the rind is translucent, about 45 minutes. Drain the rind, reserving the simple syrup, if desired, as a citrus simple syrup for cocktails and such.

Remove the rind and spread out evenly on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar. Turn the rind over and sprinkle with the other 1/2 cup of sugar.  To dry, either leave the rind in a cool, dry place in the kitchen overnight or bake for one to two hours in a 200 degree oven (checking frequently to be sure that the rind is not cooking, but just drying out).

Fresh Herb Gnocchi--Ñoquis de Hierbas Frescas

Today in Argentina people from coast to coast are meeting friends and family over plates of gnocchi (or ñoquis, if you're in Argentina) to celebrate one of my most favorite time-honored Argentinean food traditions--the habit of eating gnocchi on the 29th day of each month.

I recently got an email from reader Socorro in Miami, who reminded me that it's been a long while since I wrote about the traditions of this holiday.

While gnocchi came to Argentina along with the influx of Italians who immigrated to their new home in the early 20th century, the tradition of eating this dish is distinctly Argentinean.  Newly arrived Italians ate gnocchi on the 29th of each month to honor the saint day of San Pantaleon, a Venetian patron saint who healed the ailing and would only take a simple meal (such as gnocchi) for payment.  

Pionono de Atun y Morrones--Pionono with Tuna and Roasted Red Peppers

 

If there were ever a quality that would make a food lovable, for me that quality would be versatility. Take the humble Pionono--a handful of basic ingredients (above) blended together to create a spongy cake that has just about as many filling options as you can dream up.

In the mood for something sweet?  Spread your Pionono with Dulce de Leche, or maybe Nutella and crumbled nuts.  Or spread it with a soft gelato, then roll and freeze to make an ice cream cake.  Looking for a brunch option?  Whipped cream and strawberry-filled Pionono make a great  brunch dish.

In the mood for something savory? Fill your Pionono like a sandwich--with layers of ham or salami or turkey, provolone cheese, sliced olives, roasted red peppers and hard boiled egg.  Or whipped cream cheese with Roquefort crumbles mixed in.  Or like this version, it can be filled with tuna salad spiked with fresh herbs and roasted red peppers.

The humble Pionono, a staple in Argentina's kitchens, makes a great party appetizer or something different to bring to a potluck.  And last week we had it paired with a hearty quinoa salad--it was the perfect small plate to go with a grain, both playing an equal part as main dishes on the plate.

What are your favorite filling  ideas?

Pionono

Pionono (Jelly Roll)

5 eggs

5 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon honey

5 tablespoons flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer, put the eggs,sugar, and honey, and beat on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease with butter or spray with cooking spray.

After 8 minutes, you should have a fluffy batter. Add the flour in all at once and beat for one minute more, until incorporated. Pour the batter onto the cookie sheet and spread gently with a spatula (you don't want to de-fluff the batter!) Make an even layer covering the cookie sheet. Place in the oven for 6 minutes.

Wet a cotton (not terry-cloth) towel and put it flat on the counter. Sprinkle it lightly with sugar. Lift the parchment paper off of the cookie sheet, and lay the pionono face down on the wet towel, paper-side up. Carefully peel the corner of the paper off, and continue, careful not to rip the pionono, until the paper has been removed. Fill with filling as below or as desired by spreading the chosen filling evenly across the pionono.   Roll carefully (too long on the wet towel is not good) and slice. Arrange on a plate to serve.

Relleno de Atun con Morrones

Tuna and Roasted Red Pepper Filling

Salmon would also be a nice option here, just substitute the 2 cans of tuna for 2 cans of skinless, boneless salmon. 

2 cans tuna, drained

2 tablespoons (or more, to taste) mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (tarragon or basil would also be nice)

1 egg, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped (optional)

2 roasted red peppers, chopped

Place the tuna in a medium mixing bowl, and flake with a fork.  Stir in the mayonnaise and mix well until combined.  Add in the lemon juice, and then fold in the parsley, hard-boiled egg, and roasted peppers.  Spread the mixture across the pionono as described above, before rolling and slicing.