Home Page - Highlight

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

8 Shares

Chilean Salad: Tomatoes and onions

February 21, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 10 Comments

Versión en español

Chilean salad is straightforward; it’s mostly onions and tomatoes but has its little secrets to make it tasty. Chilean salad is a summer salad, best made when tomatoes are fresh and have matured in the bushes. Many of the classic Chilean meals improve dramatically with the addition of the Chilean salad: fried fish with mashed potatoes, fresh tamales or humitas, BBQ beef with potato salad, spicy pork ribs only taste completed with this salad.

I made this salad with tomatoes from my garden, this year’s harvest was great, and I enjoyed it like never before.

You can do the salad with or without green chile and minced garlic, I do not recommend you skip salting the tomatoes before putting them together with the rest of the ingredients. The salt brings out the flavor of the tomatoes. Do not use olive oil; neutral vegetable oil is traditional.

Visit our collection of Chilean recipes here.

Chilean Salad: Tomatoes and onions

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

Description

The most traditional salad in Chile.

Scale

Ingredients

1 Spanish onion (yellow)
5 medium-sized tomatoes
1 clove of garlic (optional)
1 yellow Thai chili or sweet banana pepper (optional)
salt, pepper, oil, wine vinegar

Instructions

Boil water.
Chop onion in half-moons as thin as possible. Place in a bowl, cover with boiling water, let stand for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Dry with paper towels.
Chop the garlic and seed the peppers, cut finely.
Chop the tomatoes into wedges, place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt, stir.
Add onion, garlic, and finely chopped pepper if desired.
Season with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar.
Stir and taste. Adjust the seasoning.

Keywords: chilean salad

35 Shares

Brownies with Dulce de Leche

February 14, 2020 by jorge Leave a Comment

Versión en español

A special treat that it’s easy to make and send to school. This recipe of brownies with dulce de leche is a keeper; the contrast in between the cocoa and the sweetness of the dulce de leche is excellent.

I learned to make brownies in Chile thanks to the booklet that came with my mom’s first microwave on the ’80. It was my go-to recipe when I have friends over. Soon I was adding other ingredients like Dulce de Leche, raisins, nuts, and so on.

Nowadays, I prefer making my brownies in the oven since you get a better crust, but feel free to use your microwave if press for time.

You can cut it on nine big square or 12 small squares.

Originally published in May 2014.

You may also be interested in the recipe: Alfajores with Dulce de Leche.

Brownies with Dulce de Leche

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 9/12 1x
Category: Sweets
Method: Oven-baked
Cuisine: American

Scale

Ingredients

125 grams of unsalted butter
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate bar (170 grams) chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup of Dulce de leche (La Lechera canned is a good option)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
Prepare a 20x20cm (8″x 8″) square pan. Cover with foil or parchment paper.
In a bowl, that can go to the microwave or double boiler melt butter and chocolate. Use medium intensity 30 seconds each time and stirring well in between, do not burn the chocolate.
Add the cocoa powder, stir with a wire whisk.
Add eggs one by one, stirring after each addition until incorporated.
Add sugar and vanilla. Mix.
Add flour, stir until no large lumps are visible.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
Put 4-5 spoons of Dulce de leche, about 1/2 cup of the Dulce de leche and using a knife spread slightly.
Place the remaining chocolate batter on top and place the rest of the Dulce de leche and distribute the same way.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until done and a buried stick comes out clean.
Let cool entirely on a wire rack.
Lift from the pan and cut.

8 Shares

Sweet and Sour Pork

February 7, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 1 Comment

Versión en español

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pork

I have always liked the westernized Chinese food sold in Chile, especially the Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pork. And now that I live in the USA, it still entertains me to compare the versions of Chinese food available. And I have also been able to try authentic Chinese food. Here in Houston, there is a significant Chinese American population and a Chinatown full of restaurants and supermarkets with all the options.

My favorite is Mala Sichuan. As in Chile, all the dishes are served downtown to share, and that is one of the things I enjoy most, combining flavors and textures. In Chile, this sweet and sour pork is called Costillar Cantonés. It’s served with the same side dishes as here: fried rice and vegetables.

Other Chinese-Chilean dishes on the blog are Mongolian Beef and Chicken Chop Suey. I have adapted the flavors to what one expects from Chinese-Chilean food. I hope you like them. I love how this dishes are quick to put together and so full of flavor, also the re-heat quite well on the microwave.

And you can use this recipe and change the pork for chicken and make chicken with pineapple. It is the same recipe.

Sweet and Sour Pork

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Main dish
Method: stove-cooked
Cuisine: Chinese

Description

A Chinese-Chilean version.

Scale

Ingredients

1 pound of por shoulder or belly cuts, or chicken
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine or apple vinegar

for the batter,

1 egg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cornstarch
frying oil

for the sauce,

1/4 cup of water
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons rice or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon salt

to assemble the plate,

1 clove garlic, finely ground
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 green bell pepper cut into pieces
1 red bell pepper cut into pieces
4 fine chopped scallions the white part and the beginning of the green
1 small can of sliced pineapple, chopped into large chunks, drained
2 tablespoons maraschino juice, optional

Instructions

Cut the pork into pieces of about 1 inch. Place in a bowl and add soy and vinegar. Stir. Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat the frying oil in a deep pot so that it splashes as little as possible. It must reach a temperature of 180 C or 350F.
Prepare the vegetables: peppers, chives, etc.
Mix the ingredients of the sauce: in a jar place the cold water and the cornstarch, dissolve. Add ketchup, vinegar, soy, salt, and sugar (start with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar if you want it less sweet).
Add the egg and the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the meat and stir well until a batter forms.
Place the rest of the cornstarch (1/4 cup) on a plate.
Remove the pieces of meat and cover them with cornstarch and fry. I did it in two batches, fry until the pork is golden on all sides, about 10 minutes. Monitor the heat so that the oil stays hot. Remove the fried pork pieces to a plate covered with paper towels.
Heat the wok or a wide pan, place a tablespoon of vegetable oil, garlic, and ginger. Stir, add the peppers and pineapple. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce and add the vegetables (except scallions), stir, and as soon as it has thickened, taste. If it lacks sweetness, add more sugar to taste and the juice of the maraschinos. Stir.
When you are happy with the taste of the sauce, add the fried pork and the scallions, stir everything until everything is well mixed and serve immediately.

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pork

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pork

5 Shares

Fruit Tart

January 30, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 1 Comment

Versión en español

Fruit Tart

My husband’s favorite dessert: Fruit Tart. I have done many different versions for the dough and the pastry cream and finally settle on this one.

I recommend making the pastry cream the day before and leave it refrigerated. The next day, make the dough early, it must be refrigerated before baking, as soon as the dough is cooked and cold, it can be assembled.

The dough can be made in the food processor or by hand. I do it by hand, less to wash; besides this was my job when I was a girl, helping my mom.

We tested the fruit tart at room temperature and refrigerated; we liked it better when cold. The next day it was the same, so you can do it the day before serving without problems.

Original recipe from June, 2011. Edited with new pictures and simplified method, but with the same final result in February 2020.

Fruit Tart

★★★★ 4 from 2 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 10 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven baked
Cuisine: French

Description

A great recipe for a classic.

Scale

Ingredients

for the dough,

1 egg
1 tablespoon of heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons or 115 grams of cold butter cut into 1/2″ pieces

For the pastry cream,

3 egg yolks
1 egg
70 grams of granulated sugar
40 grams of cornstarch

475 ml whole milk
50 grams of unsalted butter in cubes
70 grams of granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To assemble:

1 kiwi peeled and sliced
5 medium strawberries, chopped
1/2 mango, sliced
a handful of blueberries
1 small peach, peeled and sliced
I didn’t have grapes, but I love them in tarts
quince jelly or some other flavor jelly to varnish the fruit

Instructions

For the dough,

In a small bowl, beat the egg, cream, and vanilla until incorporated. In another large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt, stir with a fork to mix. Add the cold butter and working with the fork or two knives incorporate it into the flour until it looks like sand, add the mixture with the egg and work a little with a fork and then form the dough with your hands, just put together and squeeze.
Spread the dough using your fingertips to cover the tart mold, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or refrigerator for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F. Cover the dough with aluminum foil or parchment paper and put some weight (beans, for example), bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil and beans carefully and bake for 5-8 minutes more until golden brown. Let cool completely in the mold.

For the pastry cream,

In a bowl, mix the yolks, the egg until they are frothy, add the sugar (70 grams) and the cornstarch and mix until everything is incorporated.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk with the butter, the rest of the sugar (70 grams) and the salt, stir to dissolve the sugar, as soon as it starts to boil, remove from heat and slowly incorporate in a thread to the yolk mixture, beating all the time.
Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat until it becomes thick and begins to bubble, stir all the time. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Let the pastry cream cool on a bowl of water and ice. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.
It can be done 2-3 days before using it.

To assemble the fruit tart,

Unmold the dough and fill with the cold pastry cream, cover with the chopped fruit giving it the shape you want, but ensure that each future piece has a representation of all the fruits, in round cakes, make concentric circles.
Heat the jelly or jam in the microwave for 20 seconds and brush the fruit. Refrigerate until serving time.

Keywords: fruit tart

Fruit Tart

3 Shares

Easy Rye Bread

January 10, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 1 Comment

Versión en español

Easy Rye Bread

In Chile, rye bread is one of the most popular whole-grain bread. Rye flour is even added to traditional Chilean bread, like Hallullas or Marraquetas. In Spanish rye is know as Centeno. White wheat flour is sometimes referred to as Trigo Candeal.

This Rye bread has a tight crumb, dense, with a delicious flavor. Perfect for slicing for toast or sandwich. I’ve always liked whole-grain food, probably because my mom favored them, so I grew used to its flavor and texture. They can be an acquired taste too, and rye is a great introduction. In the USA, rye flour is very commonly combined with caraway, and many people thing of rye of having a licorice flavor. This is not true at all; rye is mild and sweet.

My mom used to bake whole-grain crackers; they were my favorites; she doesn’t remember the recipe. Some time ago, I tried to bake them with whole wheat flour, but something was missing, and now I realize that it was rye flour.

In this recipe, you can play with the flours: adding flour or oat flakes, flaxseeds, and other grains to this bread.

In the US, use rye flour or pumpernickel (the bread will be darker).

Visit our recipe collection of Chilean bread.

Easy Rye Bread

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Yield: 14 1x
Category: Bread
Method: Oven baked

Scale

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 cups of water
2 teaspoons dry yeast
3 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups of rye flour

Instructions

If they do it by hand, mix the flours, and make a volcano.
Mix 1 and a half cups of water with the rest of the ingredients, except the flours. Turn to the center of the volcano and stir, incorporating flour little by little with a fork. Then begin to knead until all the flour is incorporated, they should obtain a heavy and moderately sticky dough. Add more water to tablespoons if necessary. Knead for 10 minutes by hand.
If they do it on the machine. Mix all the ingredients and knead 5 minutes.
Place in an elongated dish that can go to the oven, let rise for 1 hour to 2 hours until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. Bake the bread for 1 hour or until golden brown, and when burying a stick into the center it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Unmold and let cool completely before slicing.
They can keep it frozen for up to 3 months.

Keywords: bread recipe

Easy Rye Bread

3 Shares