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Chilean Charquican

October 16, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 21 Comments

Versión en español

Charquicán is a very seasonal dish in Chile. That is, if it is summer and green beans are in season, they go in. The same with other vegetables like peas and corn. Nowadays, I used frozen vegetables during winter, and I enjoy Charquican year around.

The name derives from the use of charqui in the preparation. Charqui is any smoked and dried meat. It could be horse, beef, or even fish. Now it is most commonly made with ground beef, but feel free to use ground chicken or turkey. In most houses is served with a fried egg on top.

You may also be interested in the recipe: Chilean Beef Stew

Chilean Charquican

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove-cooked
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

One of the oldest Chilean dishes on record.

Scale

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion, diced small
1 pound ground beef
2 cups (1/2 pound) of winter squash (kabocha, butternut, or similar), peeled, cubed
5 red potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
pinch of cumin
2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup each corn, green peas, or green beans (frozen is fine)
salt, pepper, oil
6 eggs, to serve, optional

Instructions

In a medium skillet over medium heat, put one tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes, until soft.
Add the meat and saute for 6 minutes.
Add the squash, potatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and paprika. Stir. Add the broth and cook cover for 15 minutes, simmering. Reduce the heat if need it.
With a fork, mash the potatoes and squash.
Add corn, peas, and green beans. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until hot.
Fried the eggs if using.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with a fried egg on top.

Keywords: Chilean Charquican

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Pebre Sauce

September 18, 2020 by Pilar Hernandez 6 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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Chilean Alfajores

July 5, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 37 Comments

Versión en español

Chilean Alfajores are a traditional sweet cookie. Make at home for the Independence celebrations or for Christmas, the rest of the year bought at bakeries unless there is a big family event like a baptism or graduation. At these parties, offering small pastries including Alfajores is customary.

Filling for Chilean Alfajores:

Dulce de Leche
Huevo Mol
Molasses paste

The recipe for the dough is a family heirloom; my great aunt taught me how to do it; she was the person in charge of the famous Thousand Layer Cake in our family. Alfajores? are a must at Christmas, Easter, and parties in general. They are offered during breakfast or for dessert or with tea.

Visit our collection of Chilean recipes here.

Chilean Alfajores

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 35 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

Alfajores, Chilean Recipe are a traditional sweet in Chile, filled with dulce de leche or Huevo Mol.

Scale

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted
3 egg yolks
5 tablespoons of milk (whole or 2%)
1 teaspoon of vinegar (apple or white)
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
Dulce de Leche to fill

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
Put flour in a large bowl.
Add the egg yolks and work with a fork or your hands to form crumbs.
Add the milk, vinegar, and melted butter.
Form a dough, add water if necessary, one teaspoon at a time.
Knead to a smooth dough, about 10 minutes.
Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest, refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Roll thin and cut the Alfajores, prick with a fork, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Fill with the Dulce de Leche once they are cool.

Keywords: chilean alfajores, chilean cookies

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Corn and Beef Chilean Pastel de Choclo

June 20, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 42 Comments

Versión en español

Chilean Pastel de Choclo is an iconic dish. A classic during the summertime. If living in the countryside, the Pastel de Choclo is usually cooked in a clay dish inside a wood-burning oven, if residing in the city a standard oven and a baking pan is enough. The flavors of the meat and corn mingle delightfully in this casserole.

Chilean corn is different from the varieties available in the USA. You will need to thicken the mash with cornstarch.

Proper sides for Chilean Pastel de Choclo are:

Pebre sauce
Salsa verde sauce
Ensalada chilena

Corn and Beef Chilean “Pastel de Choclo”

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: 6
Category: Savory
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

The Chilean version of Sheperd’s pie with a twist: corn pudding on top.

Ingredients

For the corn mixture,

•   2 tablespoons butter
•   4 bags of frozen corn (454 grams each) or 10 cups
•   1/2 cup whole milk
•   1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold milk or water
•   1 bunch basil, about 10 leaves, Sweet basil preferably
•   salt, pepper and Merkén or paprika

For the meat,

•   2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 2 pounds ground beef
•   1 cup water or beef broth
•     3 onions, diced small
•   Merkén or 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
•   1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
•   salt, pepper
•   2 tablespoons flour

Optional: cooked chicken, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and raisins

Instructions

For the meat, can be done the day before,

Heat the oil in a large pot, saute the beef until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, add the paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin, sauté 2 minutes more.
Add the broth and simmer 30 minutes over low heat.
Add the onion and mix well and cook over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off heat and add the flour and stir well, adjust seasoning if necessary. Cool and refrigerate or use inmediatly.

For the corn mixture,

In a large pot with a thick bottom, I use my cast iron, melt the butter over medium-high heat, add the frozen corn and occasionally stir about 8 minutes.
Add milk, basil, salt, pepper, and Merquén or paprika and continue to cook occasionally stirring for about 10 minutes longer.
With a hand blender, blend the corn trying to not to go uniform, leave some chunky parts, when happy with the consistency, add the dissolved cornstarch and continue cooking over medium heat 5 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning, it will thicken slightly.

To assemble the pie,

On a clay or baking dish, put one layer of the prepared meat filling. Add cooked chicken, quartered hard-boiled eggs, olives and raisins on top of the meat.
Cover with the corn mixture, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake at 400F or 200C in a preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Keywords: Corn pie, Chilean cuisine, Pastel de choclo

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Chilean Beef Empanadas

June 6, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 64 Comments

Versión en español

Empanadas is a popular dish that exists across Central and South America. Their strength is in their versatility with versions both fried and baked with endless possibilities for fillings. Every country has a classic, and the Chilean Beef Empanadas are the traditional favorite in Chile.

This dish brings to mind the comfort and familiarity of home. In fact, some families have empanadas for lunch every Sunday. I learned to make mine with my grandmother a long, long time ago. And, although they are not in our weekly rotation, I do try to make them at least once a year.

If you want to streamline the process, you can make the Pino (ground meat filling) the day before. Once baked, they keep well for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Serve your Chilean Beef Empanadas with these for a full Chilean feast:

Pebre Sauce (appetizer)
Borgoña (drink)
Sopaipillas (appetizer)
Leche Asada (dessert)

Chilean Beef Empanadas

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Yield: 12
Category: Savory
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Chilean

Description

A traditional Chilean empanada with the perfect dough and filling.

Ingredients

For the Pino,

•   1 kilo or 2 pounds of ground beef 90%
•   1 cup beef broth
•   3 large or 4 medium onions chopped into small cubes
•   2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•   2 tablespoons red pepper or paprika or Merken (Chilean smoked chili)
•   1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
•   salt and pepper
•   4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Optional,

•   20 black olives
•   40 raisins
•   4 hard-boiled eggs

For the dough,

•   1 cup whole milk
•   1 cup warm water
•   1 tablespoon salt
•   1 kilo or 2 pounds of all-purpose flour
•   4 egg yolks
•   180 grams/ 6,5 oz of melted shortening, warm

Instructions

1. For the Pino, always prepare it the day before,
In a large saucepan heat the oil and fry the meat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, add the paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin, saute a few minutes.
Add the broth and simmer 30 minutes over low heat. Add the onion and mix well and cook over medium heat until onion is tender about 30 minutes.
Add the flour and stir well and adjust seasoning if necessary, cook two more minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

2. For the dough,
Make a brine with the milk, water, and salt, stir to dissolve the salt altogether. In a large bowl or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment mix the flour and egg yolks, mix for a minute to incorporate.
Add the melted shortening and work a little more, at this point you will see only crumbs. To form the dough start adding the brine with the mixer running on low speed until the dough is soft and flexible. If needed, keep adding water. Separate the dough into 20 portions and cover with a moist cloth.
Work each piece individually, rolling until thin, cut in a circle about 7″ and fill with two tablespoons of Pino, a quarter of a hard-boiled egg, olives and raisins if desired. Close by smearing the edge, pressing firmly and make the folds. Brush with an egg wash before baking.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.
4. Serve hot. To reheat, use the oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes.

Notes

Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Keywords: Beef empanadas, chilean empanadas

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Argentinian Medialunas

April 9, 2019 by Pilar Hernandez 26 Comments

Versión en español

I still remember the first time I traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital and for four days our breakfast was an Argentinian Medialunas and a coffee. They are the perfect snack also for midafternoon. They are widely popular and always available in Argentina, and they have also been adopted in Chile, my home country.

They are in between a brioche and a croissant, is a rich dough, with many layers and with a very subtle hint of lemon and vanilla. The sweetness is also restraint. They are a little challenging to make but fabulous to eat. They can be frozen and then popped in the microwave or toaster oven for a real treat. Don’t forget to try them if you ever go to Argentina.

This recipe is sponsored by Plugrá® butter, and it could not be a better occasion. Argentinian Medialunas are a kind of enriched bread with egg and butter added to the dough, the use of butter with an excellent flavor and made with care is fundamental for the final result.

Plugrá® has 82% fat, compared to 80% in regular butter. This coupled with a low percentage of moisture translates into Medialunas that last longer and taste better. Details like these make the difference.

Plugrá® uses specially selected cream from American dairy farms, is a premium butter. It does not have artificial ingredients nor does it use milk with growth hormones. One of its steps to obtain an ultra-creamy butter with low moisture content is careful handling of the temperature of the cream during the churning process.

Available in two varieties: Salted, recommended for savory recipes or with toast and Unsalted for sweet recipes: doughs in general, cookies and sauces, you can buy it at Kroger supermarkets (get the coupon).

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

Argentinian Medialunas

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Yield: 18-20 1x
Category: Sweets
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Argentinian

Description

A traditional recipe for Argentinian Medialunas or sweet croissants.

Scale

Ingredients

for the dough,

300 ml. of whole milk
14 grams (2 envelopes) of active yeast
525 grams of all-purpose flour
40 grams of sugar
15 grams of honey
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of lemon zest, optional
10 grams of salt
2 eggs (1 for the dough and 1 for the brush)

for the filling,

40 grams of all-purpose flour
225 grams of Plugra® butter, at room temperature

for the syrup,

1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of sugar

Instructions

Warm the milk; it should not be more than 110F or 43C. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes; it should form abundant bubbles. If you do not see bubbles, repeat the process and make sure that the yeast is alive.
With a fork, mix the butter with the 40 grams of flour and spread over parchment paper, give it a square shape of about 6″ per side. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
In a bowl, place the flour, sugar, honey, vanilla extract, lemon, salt, and one egg. Using the paddle attachment mix everything while adding the milk with the yeast. Work to form a sticky dough, about 5 minutes. Change to the kneading hook and knead for 10 minutes in low speed.
Place the dough on a floured board. Stretch the dough into a square of about 12″ per side, place the square of butter in the center and fold the dough so that it covers the square of butter. Pinch to seal the edges of the dough. Roll without exposing the butter into a rectangle. Fold in 3 as a letter, the left side first. Place in a floured tin and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove the dough from the floured board and place with the longest side in front of you. Extend to form a rectangle and fold again in 3, always the left side first. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this process two more times. After the four times doing the folding, don’t refrigerate, move to the next step.
Stretch the dough on the floured counter into a rectangle of 45 x 30 cm (18 “x 12″) with a thickness of 5 mm. Cut so that the rectangle has straight edges. Cut three long strips of 4” wide each. Then cut each one in 3 and then diagonally, you will get 18 triangles. Extend each triangle and roll up starting from the base. Guide yourself with the photos.
Butter generously a quarter baking sheet. Place each roll in the sheet and give it a horn shape, pressing the tips into the baking sheet, place the next crescent almost touching the previous one, fill the tray.
In a small bowl, place the remaining egg and a little water or milk. Beat until fully incorporated.
Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C.
Leave the medialunas covered with a dishcloth in a warm place for 30-45 minutes; they should grow, but not double in size.
Brush with the egg mixture and bake for 30 minutes, rotating if necessary.
Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Place the water and sugar in a small pot. Cook over medium heat stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let boil for 4 minutes to reduce.
Remove the medialunas from the oven; they must be well browned, prick with a toothpick in several parts and brush with the syrup so that it is absorbed. Keep brushing until you use all the syrup.
Serve warm. They keep three days. They can be frozen and reheated without problems.

Keywords: medialunas, argentinian cuisine

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