When we moved to Houston with my husband 13 years ago, I did not know how to cook, but the longing of our flavors prompted me to start this blog eight years ago. It was totally about the necessity to keep a journal of my experiments with new ingredients and recipes. This blog has opened so many doors to amazing opportunities, like the one I want to tell you about today: I was invited to be the hostess of a dinner cooked by chef Luis Martinez and have the privilege to enjoy and share with other Chilean food bloggers in Houston.
The chef Luis Martinez organizes monthly dinners called Underground in Westchase, Houston. It is an intimate opportunity to discover the flavors and stories from different countries or regions. He had previously made Italian, Argentine and Spanish dinners and this month he invited me to participate in the Chilean meal.
It was a great experience, besides the delicious menu and perfect flavors, the atmosphere of the dinners is such that each dish is presented with a description and history, I contribute with my experience growing up in Chile: our love for fruits and seasonal vegetables, grains and potatoes, and legumes.
To give you an idea these dinners start with an appetizer and small bites. That night it was sopaipillas (fried squash bread) with Pebre sauce with Chilean papayas or Carica, Sopaipillas with "Chancho en piedra" sauce (tomato and garlic based) and Shrimp and cheese empanadas (baked), all accompanied by a spectacular Pisco Sour.
After enjoying the small bites, we sat to a salad of Langostino tails, chickpeas, and farro (in place of Mote, similar to wheat berries). I love the Mote in salads, and legumes are something that my family always ate a lot. The farro is an excellent replacement here in the US.
The soup was the formidable conger chowder or Caldillo de Congrio, made with monkfish. The conger eel is very hard to find in the US.
To end Steak "a lo pobre" with potatoes with parsley and a cute quail egg fried in merken oil (Merken is a smoked chile and coriander spice mix developed for the Mapuche Indians). We drank an excellent Montes Cabernet Sauvignon 2013.
For dessert Dulce de Leche Flan with a Calzón roto (broken underwear) drizzle with palm honey. It was served with an elegant version of a Terremoto or Earthquake (classic Chilean drink) in a martini glass.
If you live in Houston, the Underground Dinners by Chef Luis Martinez are a unique opportunity to learn and share with others who are passionate about cooking and eating well. There is excellent service and friendly staff. Follow him on Facebook and his website to be aware of their news. Luis thank you very much for inviting me to your place and feeding me with Chilean food, I felt at home.
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