Appetizers

Pebre Sauce

September 18, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 4 Comments

Versión en español

Chilean Pebre sauce is essential to our traditional dishes: humita, empanadas, winter and summer beans soups are not the same without a good Pebre. It comes to the table for an appetizer with sopaipillas and stays to be enjoyed with numerous Chilean main dishes.

The recipe is infinitely adaptable, and each family has their preferences, so suit your self.

Is better to let it rest for 1 hour before eating, so the flavors marry.

Recipe originally published in June 2014.

VISIT ALSO: THE 10 BEST TRADITIONAL CHILEAN RECIPES

Pebre Sauce

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Appetizer
Method: Raw
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

A foundational Chilean flavor.

Scale

Ingredients

1/4 onion chopped very small (white or yellow onion)
1 bunch cilantro or 2 cups cilantro leaves
1–2 Tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon red chili sauce, like Tabasco
salt

Instructions

Chop the onion finely, can be placed in boiling water for 10 minutes, then wash with cold water to soften.
Separate the stems of the cilantro leaves, discard the thicker stems. Chop all the rest very fine.
Cut tomato into 4 and discard the seeds, chop the rest into small cubes
Gather everything in a bowl and season. Stir well and taste, adjust the seasoning to taste.
It is better rested in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
It can be done in the food processor, but chop everything separately to get the right texture.
Serve with BBQ, empanadas, etc.

Keywords: Pebre Chilean Sauce

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Mackerel Dip

March 27, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez Leave a Comment

Versión en español

Try this delicious Mackerel Dip.

Mackerel, when mentioning this traditional Chilean fish it’s impossible not to recall the famous marketing strategy during the ’80s when the company advertised it as “salmon mackerel” to make it sound elegant. In Chile, the mackerel had a reputation as a fish for the poor, but not anymore, now mackerel is well regarded and not cheap. Mackerel is very tasty, and my grandmother used to mix it with chopped tomatoes and a little mayo for the perfect salad or to stuffed avocado (a personal favorite).

Mackerel is perfect as a dip for canapes or end-of-the-year parties. With a crisp wine pairing, it is a great aperitif.

Wine for this party was a present from my friends at Pura 8 and we enjoyed it with my friend from Stay at Home Cocktails.

Visit our collection of Chilean recipes here.

Mackerel Dip

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12 1x
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

Tasty dip for your next party.

Scale

Ingredients

1 (320 grams) can of mackerel
1 package of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
hot chili sauce, Sriracha or similar
1 small bunch of parsley
salt and pepper

Instructions

Drain and crumble the mackerel, discard the skin and bones.
In a bowl place the cream cheese and mix well with a fork making sure it is creamy and soft. Add mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Stir well.
Add the shredded mackerel and integrate it.
Taste, adjust the seasoning.
Chop the parsley finely.
Place plastic wrap on the counter, place the mackerel mixture on top. Form a log, twisting the corners. Remove the plastic and roll it over the chopped parsley.
Serve with toast or crackers.

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Easy Homemade Mayonnaise with a hand blender

March 6, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 3 Comments

Versión en español

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise with a hand blender, learn the secrets for this easy way to achieve a delicious mayo for salads or sandwiches.

Affiliate link to my favorite immersion hand blender. I use it all the time to make creamy soups.

Visit our collection of Chilean recipes here.

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 cup 1x
Category: Sauces
Method: Blended
Cuisine: General

Description

A fool-proof way to make mayonnaise with a hand held blender.

Scale

Ingredients

1 egg
3/4 to 1 cup vegetable oil, I use grapeseed or sunflower
1 teaspoon lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a jar, place the egg and the oil (start with 3/4 cup).

With the hand blender touching the base of the jar, blend everything don’t stop or lift the blender until the mayonnaise form.

You can control how thick the mayonnaise is depending adding more oil after the mayonnaise had form; add the lemon juice, salt and more oil, blend again. The whole process should take about 30 seconds.

Remember that eating raw eggs can be dangerous.

Keywords: mayonnaise

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Easy Pisco Sour

July 19, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 18 Comments

Versión en español

Pisco sour is THE drink in Chile; it is the drink of choice both in restaurants and at family gatherings. This is the recipe we prepare at home: easy and delicious.

Pisco Sour was invented in Lima, Peru. And became popular in Chile many decades ago.

Here in the USA, it is increasingly easy to find pisco at liquor stores, and if you live in Texas, I recommend going to Spec’s. I love the variety of spirits and wines they offer.

This recipe is a batch version of the traditional drink. It’s essential for all the ingredients to be chill in advance, except the egg white. You can use pasteurized egg whites if that is a health concern, or leave it out. You will be missing the frothy top, but the flavor is still excellent.

If you want to learn the traditional version watch this video
This time we shared it with American friends who had never tried it and oh, boy, did they like it, remember to drink in moderation.

Besides Pisco Sour, other traditional drinks in Chile are:

Borgoña, red wine with fruits
Clery, white wine with fruits
Terremoto, fizzy white wine with pineapple sorbet and grenadine
Ponche a la Romana, champagne with pineapple sorbet
Cola de mono, coffee eggnog for the Holidays

Easy Pisco Sour

★★★ 3 from 8 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Drinks
Method: Blended
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

Quick and amazing.

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup of lemon juice or lime juice
1 cup of pisco
1 cup simple syrup (1 cup sugar + 1 cup water, cook until sugar dissolves and cool after)
1 cup ice
1 egg white
bitter Angostura to serve

Instructions

Put it all together in the blender. Mix until everything comes together and is frothy.
Serve immediately with a few drops of bitter.

Keywords: pisco sour, cocktails

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Chilean Cheese Empanadas

May 2, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 8 Comments

Versión en español

Chilean Cheese Empanadas are very popular in Chile; they are a classic appetizer, but also popular as snacks or lunches. Empanadas abound throughout Latin America with different fillings and doughs.

In this case, the recognizable touch is the use of Chilean cheese: Chanco “queso de Fundo” cheese. It is a ripe cheese with a milky flavor that melts very well. In the USA the nearest cheeses are the Havarti or Muenster.

In the recipe, I explain how to make them fried or baked. It is essential that the dough is left thin so that it is crispy after cooked.

You can buy the dough premade frozen and use this plastic empanada sealer/press (affiliate link) if in a hurry.

Maybe you are interested in the recipe: Chilean Beef Empanadas.

Chilean Cheese Empanadas

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Yield: 20 1x
Category: Appetizer
Method: Oven-baked
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

A great dough for these easy empanadas.

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup of cold milk
1 cup of hot water
1 tablespoon of fine salt
1 kilo of all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs
180 grams of warm shortening or melted lard or butter
800 grams of Havarti cheese or any cheese that melts well in pieces 4 cm x 1 cm

Instructions

Make a brine with milk, water, and salt, stir until the salt is completely dissolved.
In a large bowl put all the flour, add the eggs, incorporate stirring with a wooden spoon or with a fork or with the tips of the fingers. You want to obtain sand of different thicknesses.
Add the butter and work a little more in the same way, at this point you will only have crumbs, not a dough yet.
Continue working the dough while adding the brine until you obtain a soft and elastic dough. This will take about 10 minutes of kneading by hand. If you need more moisture, to form a dough, keep adding water or milk without salt.
Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C or the oil to fry at 350F or 180C too.
Separate the dough into 20 portions or 30 and cover with a damp cloth.
Work each portion individually, roll into a thin dough (3 mm.), cut into a circle. I do not recommend extending half of the dough and cutting several circles at once, because there are going to be a lot of dough left and each time you re-roll it gets harder. With this method, they make sure that their empanadas are pretty since the dough will have sufficient flexibility.
Place a piece of cheese on one side of the circle. Close the edge with milk, press firmly and make the folds or close using a fork.
Brush with an egg beaten before taking to the oven. Do not brush if frying.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until they are golden, watch them during cooking if they are puffy, bury a toothpick to deflate them, so they do not open.
Or fry on one side and then the other, it’s fast, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve hot. To reheat put the empanadas in the oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes.

Keywords: Chilean Cheese Empanadas

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Homemade Chilean Queso Fresco

March 8, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 28 Comments

Versión en español

If you are Venezuelan and wondering what is this? I wanted a dessert recipe … I’m sorry, but this recipe is about homemade Chilean Queso Fresco, which in Chile is sold everywhere and we grew up eating daily.

I can tell you without hesitation that the Chilean Queso Fresco or Quesillo is what I miss most from Chile, and although I have tried many kinds of cheese here in the U.S., none are the same. And so, from time to time, I make it at home and enjoy it to the fullest. The recipe is a little long if you have questions leave a comment. The ingredients are as I find them in the U.S.A.

You may also want to check out the recipe: Chilean Beef Empanadas.

Homemade Chilean Queso Fresco

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Yield: 8" cheese 1x
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

A mild fresh and delicious young cheese.

Scale

Ingredients

1 gallon of 2 % milk
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablet of Junket Rennet (affiliate link)

It is important to sterilize all instruments and the cloth first, boil everything for 10 minutes in the same pot that will be used later to make the cheese. Do not forget:

Pot
Strainer
Soup spoon
Table knife
Cheesecloth (affiliate link)
Thermometer
Whisk or fork
Cheese Mold (affiliate link)
Tongs

Instructions

Warm the milk in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches a temperature of 31-34 degrees C (91F), it is essential to have a thermometer to control the temperature of the process. It took 7 minutes in my kitchen, but it will depend on the flame and the pot you use. Turn off the heat.
Dissolve a tablet of rennet in 1 tablespoon of water. Add the rennet to the warm milk, stir for 3 minutes. Let stand without stirring for 1 hour and a half, until you can cleanly remove a piece of the surface with a knife and it is set. The time is variable depending on the temperature of the kitchen; in winter it can take up to 2 hours and something.
Cut with a table knife from the top to the bottom of the pot in 2 x 2 cm. Let stand 15 minutes more in the pot, shaking gently every couple of minutes to “release” the serum.
Cover the colander with the cheesecloth. Strain the curd and let drain without stirring for 5 min, then lift with the cloth forming a ball to drain more liquid. Add the salt and stir gently.
Again make a ball with the cloth and squeeze gently, notice that the cheese has already decreased a lot in volume. The process starts with 3.8 Lt of milk, and I collected more than 2.5 Lt. of serum.
Put the curdled milk in the plastic mold with holes that allow drainage, give it a proper shape. Put some weight (can be a pair of cans). Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
The next day, remove from the mold, cut, and serve. Keep refrigerated. It is normal for the fresh cheese to release more serum, drain. It lasts only a couple of days.

Keywords: Chilean Fresh Cheese

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