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).

The New Southern Latino Table Cookbook Giveaway!

Sandra Gutierrez's passion for food permeates the pages of her new book, The New Southern Latino Table.  In it, she talks about her upbringing in Guatemala--a fusion of Latin and American cultures that reached into all areas of her life--language, culture, and especially food.  Gutierrez credits her tia Maria, an accomplished and avid writer and cook, for giving her the cooking bug at an early age.

Years later, Gutierrez found herself in North Carolina as a newlywed, trying to replicate the flavors of home with ingredients found stateside.  And now, she has spent most of her life living in the southern United States, and has discovered the perfect harmony between classic Southern cuisine and the foods of her own Latin culture.  "The Latina found her Southern belle within..." as she says in her introduction.

In this book, you'll find recipes for chimichurri, but also for coleslaw, for ensalada rusa, but also for country fried steaks.  And you'll find a beautiful fusion in recipes for chile-chocolate brownies, catfish soft tacos with mango salsa, pumpkin seed brittle or jalapeño deviled eggs.

Sandra Gutierrez's book would be at home in the kitchen of any lover of Latin food (I also loved her guide to Latin groceries at the back) and is filled with recipes and useful cultural notes.  And needless to say, in the holiday season, it would make a great gift!

I'm giving away a copy of the book, and all you need to do to be eligible is leave a comment below. Comments will close on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 10:00am Mountain time, and is open to US residents only.  

I loved the recipe for her Peach Salsa, which the publishers of the book have graciously allowed me to share here.  It's so simple and summery, and would be a great companion to chips or a relish on top of fish, tacos, or steak!

Peach Salsa

From The New Southern-Latino Table: Recipes that Bring Together the Bold and Beloved Flavors of Latin America and the American South. Copyright © 2011 by Sandra A. Gutierrez. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu

In this new spin on a classic, peaches replace tomatoes, and the result is a healthy, colorful, and refreshing salsa. Whether you choose to eat it with tortilla chips or use it to dress grilled fish, this peachy take on traditional pico de gallo will satisfy your cravings for sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. Select fresh peaches that are still firm, so their flesh will keep its shape when cubed. In the South, peaches are in season throughout the summer. I prefer free-stone varieties, which have loose pits that release easily from the flesh, making them much simpler to slice. Canned peaches in syrup will not work in this recipe (because of their mushy texture and overly sweet flavor). Frozen and thawed peaches may be used in lieu of fresh, but nothing beats the flavor of local, seasonal peaches. Make this salsa, and a kaleidoscope of colors will welcome you to taste.

 

2 cups peeled and cubed fresh peaches (about 3 large peaches)

 ¼ cup finely chopped red onion

 ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

2 tablespoons minced jalapeños (seeded and deveined if less heat is desired)

1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained

2 teaspoons grated lime zest

Juice of 1 lime, or to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
 

In a medium bowl, combine the peaches, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, pimientos, and lime zest. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend, or cover and chill until ready to use (for up to 24 hours).

 Makes 2 ½ cups

Cook’s Tip: Peel peaches easily by using a serrated vegetable peeler (available in cooking specialty shops) or by blanching them. To blanch them, bring a large pan of water to a boil; using a paring knife, cut a small X through the skin at the base of each peach. Drop the peaches into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer them into a bowl of iced water for 2 minutes; peel the skin off starting at the base of the peach.

 

Celebrating Día del Niño--Dulce de Leche Donuts

The second Sunday in August is a special day in Argentina--it's Día del Niño, or Children's Day.  (This year it was postponed for elections, and was on Sunday the 21st.)

Día del Niño is a day celebrating the fleeting and wonder-filled years of childhood.  I suppose adults on this day may reflect on their own fond memories of youth, but really the day is to celebrate the children in our lives--our own or even someone else's.  On this day of honoring children, kids get a small gift and are told 'Feliz Día!'--they feel important, special and loved just for being themselves!

Esteban woke up to balloons on his chair at breakfast, a little metal lunch box from the Cars 2 movie with a t-shirt inside, and these dulce de leche-filled donuts to eat.  A special boy on this special day deserves a treat for breakfast, don't you think?  (Although in all truth, Papí ate many more of these donuts than Esteban did!)  

These would be wonderful for breakfast not only Día del Niño, but on any day when a little celebration is in order--the first day of school, or a birthday, or to celebrate any kind of pint-sized accomplishment--the winning goal, memorizing that challenging piano piece, or making the grade.  

I adapted the recipe from one for filled donuts I found on my friend Jen's blog, Use Real Butter. Since we live near each other at high altitude I knew this recipe would be a good one for making at a mile high, and it worked out perfectly--thanks Jen!  They were delicious! 

The rest of the day was spent playing--something we all need to slow down and do--young or old.  Even if for a day, we got to celebrate our son and be kids again, ourselves.

 
Dulce de Leche-Filled Donuts

Donas Rellenas de  Dulce de Leche (Rosquillas Rellenas de Dulce de Leche)

 These donuts are wonderful served with coffee for grownups or warm milk for little ones.  They are best when fresh, but will last a day or so in an air-tight container--at least long enought to enjoy as a midnight snack!  They can also be filled with jelly, custard or frosting.

makes a baker's dozen

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/8 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit)

3/4 cup warm milk (scalded and then cooled) 

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

heaping 1/4 cup shortening 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

cooking spray (or butter or vegetable oil, for greasing bowl)

vegetable oil (about 2 cups, for frying)

1 cup dulce de leche

confectioner's sugar, for dusting

 

In a small saucepan, heat the milk just until the boiling point and then remove from heat.  Let the milk cool to lukewarm. Rinse the metal bowl of your stand mixer with warm water (so that when you add in the warm water for the recipe, it doesn't cool the water down).  Add the 1/8 cup warm water to the mixer bowl and dissolve the yeast into the warm water.  Add in the milk, sugar, salt, egg, shortening and 1 cup of the  flour, and then beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a smooth dough forms, about two minutes.  Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, and let rise for about an hour, covered, in a warm place, until the dough has doubled in size.

Flour 2 baking sheets.  (Rub with butter or spray with cooking spray, dust with flour and discard the extra flour.) Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and roll it out to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a sturdy juice glass, cut the dough.  Place the cut dough onto the cookie sheets, and repeat the process with the remaining dough.  Let the donuts rise on the floured cookie sheets, covered, until doubled in size, about a half hour or so.

Heat the oil in a fryer, dutch oven or frying pan (if using a frying pan, use about 3/4 cup to start) and prepare a plate lined with paper towels.  Heat the oil to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Slide the donuts a few at a time (I did batches of 4) into the hot oil, and fry until golden on one side (about one minute) before turning over with a spatula.  Fry for about one minute more, and then carefully remove the donuts to the plate to drain.

Once the donuts are fried and cooled, fill a pastry bag with a wider tip with dulce de leche.  Make a small hole in each donut with a sharp, narrow knife, and then use the knife to make a cavity inside the donut to fill with dulce de leche.  Fill the cavity with the dulce de leche, and then dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.