I haven't posted about food in a while because I've been slaving away in the kitchen, trying out Chilean recipes and piling up my stock of photos. Apart from the bread that graces every Chilean table, Chilean food is pretty Paleo-Primal-Ancestral-friendly. I've even tried some new things, mostly just new combinations that I never thought of, that will definitely be gracing my dinner table when I get back to the States. Here they are, in no particular order of preference (mom, you'll be proud!):
'Once' (eleven) is what most Chileans eat instead of dinner because lunch is the biggest meal of the day. Usually, it consists of cheese, palta (avocado), deli meat, and bread. Although I usually skip the bread, the rest of the items are perfect. I just cut slices of cheese or roll up the ham and slather on some palta. Yum!
Palta reina (stuffed avocado) - This is a combination that I had never thought of that I adore and will definitely be eating back in the states, if the prices of avocado don't give me a heart attack first (you can buy four here for $1.50). Just cut the palta in half, then stuff it with tuna, and presto! your tasty snack or lunch is served.
Reineta con champiñones (Reineta with mushrooms) -
Reineta is a fish that is only found along the Chilean coast. The sale of this fish only began in the 1990's, but now it's the most prominent species in every fish market that you visit in Chile because of it's texture and flavor (kind of like halibut). I think this is the dish that I'm most proud of because I hadn't really cooked fish before and it was so tasty and satisfying.
Churrasco! (thinly sliced beef) This is my go-to dish when I don't have a lot of time to cook. It might not look that great, but let me tell you - with some thyme and olive oil (suggested by my friends in Santiago), it is delicious!
Chuletas con Merkén (pork chops with merkén) - I've gotten the exact same exact response from both of the butchers at my supermarket when I asked for the fattier pork chops: 'Te gustas la grasita, eh?' (with huge smile). I think they trip out that a tiny girl like me eats fat. Although they don't measure up to
John Crow Farm pork chops, they're pretty satisfying. And merkén is a spice mix that is a specialty of the indigenous Mapuche people in southern Chile. It's made with ají, a type of chile that's common in Chile (haha), and other spices like cilantro. I picked this one up in Valparaíso and thought it was pretty special because it was handmade until my friend let me smell hers, which was more smoky and powerful. I'm definitely going to have to pick up some when I travel south.
Pana (chicken livers) - I can just see my mom's face right now because she hates liver. But it is a prominent fixture in Malloco's meat case so one day while I was feeling brave I decided to give it a try. I found a recipe that called for red pepper, thyme, onion, garlic and chile which I substituted with ají. It was actually pretty good! Although, I had about enough of it after having it for dinner and then lunch the next day.
And for the grand finale!!!!
Pernil! (pork shoulder) - These, along with pig's feet (which I'll probably also try before I leave), are also prominent fixtures in Malloco's meat case. It even had little hairs on the skin - how's that for organic? I let it marinate in olive oil, garlic, and spices for a day before roasting it for a couple of hours. Then a group of us at ECIM feasted on it. It was delicious!
Now I'm hungry! Time for dinner!
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