Chilean-Inspired Comfort Food for the Holidays

Daniel Joelson, author of Chilenismos and Tasting Chile, is with us today to share a hearty traditional recipe perfect for holiday gatherings. Daniel writes:

My wife and I are excitedly packing our bags for a trip in late December to beautiful Chile, where we will bask in the sun and celebrate the New Year with fireworks on the beach as the Southern Hemisphere’s summer explodes into full swing.

But first, we need to cook some good old-fashioned Chilean comfort food as we try to keep bodies warm and bellies happy in frosty Washington, DC. With family and friends soon to descend upon our home for the holidays, we have started to arm ourselves to the hilt with a wonderful array of shellfish and different types and cuts of meats. All of these will come together so that we can titillate our guests with one of Chile’s national gastronomic treasures, the Curanto, which is typically eaten during the wintry months at big family get-togethers and for special occasions.

The most traditional version of Curanto is prepared over hot rocks in a burning pit in the ground. In fact, curantu means “abundance of rocks” in Mapudungun, the language of Chile’s indigenous Mapuche peoples. However, for the Curanto recipe below, rather than digging up a big hole in your backyard and charging it with heat, you only need a large pot and a stove. With the hearty flavors and the rich pork in this dish I like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Syrah, which can stand up to the mighty Curanto.

Curanto en Olla (Pork and Shellfish Stew)
Serves 6

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 chicken (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), cut into 4 pieces
1 pound pork chops (about 3 medium chops), cut into several pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces semi-spicy sausage, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped into thin 1 inch strips
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped; or half red pepper and half green pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh celery leaves
2 cups white wine
8 mussels, in their shells, cleaned and scrubbed
8 littleneck clams, in their shells, cleaned and scrubbed
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken and pork chops. Heat half of the oil in a pot over a medium flame. When hot, add the chicken pieces and lightly brown them on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and lightly brown the pork slices on both sides. Remove the pork and then brown the sausages on both sides.
2. Remove most of the fat from the pot, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons, return the chicken, pork, and sausages to the pot and add the onion, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, celery leaves, 1 cup of water, and ¼ cup of the wine.
3. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat, shaking the pot, and adding a bit of wine every few minutes for a total of 20 minutes. Gradually add 1 ¾ cup more wine and ½ cup more water.
4. Add the mussels, clams, and parsley, continuing to mix. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve in a large bowl or casserole dish. Provide your guests with both a bowl and a plate so they can cut the meat.

Daniel Joelson is author of Hippocrene’s Tasting Chile: A Celebration of Authentic Chilean Foods and Wines

Pork Adobo

Banbeave

Filipinos often combine pork with chicken. Experiment with half pork and half boned chicken.

2 pounds pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 whole peppercorn, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon raw or brown sugar
8 cups cooked white rice


Sauté the pork and garlic in the vegetable oil for 5 to 6 minutes, or until browned. Add the vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorn, salt, soy sauce, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pork is tender. Serve over hot, fluffy rice. Yields 8 servings.

Pork Adobo
Onion Garlic Pork Adobo

2 pounds lean pork, cut in 2-inch pieces
1/3 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 bay leaf, optional
1/2 cup vinegar, or enough to cover meat
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 to 6 cups cooked white rice

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer with the cover slightly ajar until the pork is tender and all liquid evaporates. Be sure the pork is thoroughly cooked. If the meat is still tough or pink, add 1/2 cup hot water and continue simmering. When meat is tender, stir-fry the meat slightly in its own juices until light brown in color. Serve hot, with steamed rice. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The New Year in the Philippines!

Our author Karen Hulene Bartell continues our Filipino Menu Series by giving us a look into what festivities and foods have become a tradition in the Philippines on New Years Eve and Day!

On New Year’s Eve, Filipino families make as much noise as possible by lighting firecrackers, beating pans, and blowing horns or whistles until midnight. The Media Noche is a snack served at midnight.

Media Noche New Year’s Eve Snack
Biko Sweet Rice
Salabat Ginger Tea

On New Year's Day, try something different. Roast a pig over hot coals and serve with traditional Pancit, Lumpia, and Adobo.

New Year’s Day Dinner
Whole Suckling Pig
Pancit Canton or Noodles Cantonese Style
Lumpia Shrimp and Vegetable Wraps
Lumpia Sauce Pork
Adobo Steamed Rice
Papaya Atsara or Green Papaya Pickles
Flan
Sweet Potato Flan
Star Fruit

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet)

Serves 4

4 Philippine eggplants
l tablespoon minced garlic
l/4 cup diced onion
8 ounces ground pork
l medium potato, diced
l/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
4 eggs 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Boil the eggplants for 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Remove the skins. Set aside and keep warm. Sauté the garlic, onion, ground pork, potato, and bell pepper until the vegetables are tender and the pork is thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm. Separate the egg whites from the yolks; beat the egg whites until stiff. Mix in the yolks. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/8 of the beaten egg mixture into the skillet, and let it cook until it forms a crusty bottom. Place an eggplant on top of the egg. Lightly spread the pulp and top with 1/4 of the pork-potato mixture. Add 1/8 of the beaten egg mixture to the skillet. Carefully turn over the omelet to cook the topside. Repeat with the remaining eggplants, pork-potato mixture, and eggs.

Salabat (Ginger Tea)

Serves 4

3 inches fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Heat 4 1/2 to 5 cups water with the ginger and brown sugar just until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add more water to weaken the tea. Strain and serve hot or cold.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.