Hello all,

I have decided that it doesn't make sense for me to keep up two different cooking blogs.
From now on, my primary blog "En mi cocina hoy" (Today in my kitchen) will be fully bilingual.
I hope you visit me there and keep cooking with me.
Cheers,

Pilar

Crunchy sweet Peanuts (Maní confitado)

This is such a traditional treat in Chile, there is no park without a street vendor offering it.

I always thought it was complicated to do at home, but is very easy and last long. A must try.
Perfect snack for all the get togethers.

Crunchy peanuts

for 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 4 cups peanut with skin (I used Spanish peanuts raw and unsalted from HEB)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Preparation:

1. Prepare a baking sheet, cover with foil or Silpat or parchment paper.
2. In a large pot place all the ingredients and stir. Bring to medium high heat and continue stirring occasionally.
3. When it boils, let it boil vigorously, stirring all the time.
4. It will start to stick and be candied, keep stirring until it looks like sand. If not cooked or are there still a lot of loose sugar  add a little water to the pan (I use a sprayer bottle). Keep stirring.
5. Pour over the prepared baking sheet and let it cool.
6. Since I started with raw peanuts and I like them very crunchy, I thought it lacked a bit so I put in the oven with the grill and keep stirring every 2 minutes until well caramelized. About 6 minutes total. Do not take out eyes off because it burns easily.

ready for the stove

done

Semolina caramel pudding

This comforting dessert is very popular in Chile, with commercial version on supermarkets, but most people grow up eating the home made version, because is easy and budget friendly. An the mild flavor is very attractive for little ones.

Semolina pudding and caramel

6-8 people

Ingredients:

for caramel,

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water

for the semolina pudding,

• 4 cups or a quart of milk, I use skim or 5 cups is like less firm
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• 1 cup semolina

Preparation:

1. Choose a baking dish 8' or use 8 1/2 cup ramekins.
2. To make the caramel: in a small saucepan place the sugar and enough water to moisten all the sugar, cook over high heat until it begins to change color and brown, lower the heat and keep watching, just as it turn tea-colored remove and pour into the ramekins or baking dish. Moving the dishes so that the entire bottom is cover with caramel.No worry if solidifies.
3. In a medium saucepan place the milk, sugar and vanilla, cook over medium-high heat, stirring with a round balloon whisk until sugar dissolves. When it boils, lower the heat to low and begin adding the semolina in a steady rain, beating all the time to keep them from forming lumps, will thicken quickly, since come to boil, cook for 1 minute stirring always .
4. Pour over the caramel and let cool in pan, refrigerate a few hours before un-molding and serving.
5. If the caramel is solid, just put the ramekins on a shallow dish fill with boiling water for 5 minutes.

Potatoes with wheat berry

This dish is a old staple of the Chilean cuisine, usually popular with the peasant and found in the country side. When I was little, my family used to take month long vacations on the central coast of Chile, always on the same little village we were welcome at the kitchen of the villagers and play with their kids. I ate this same dish cooked over a firepit and hated it... 

To replicated this dish, I called my mother and she share her recipe, it was a happy day at my table, the flavors mild and complex bring back so many memories. I long to go back to Lipimavida.

My husband, also from Chile, but a city-boy had never heard about this dish, but he also embrace the soul warming nature of it.

It can be a entree or a nice companion for a steak or pork. I ate mine with 2 eggs sunny side up.

Potatoes with wheat berry

4 portions

ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped into small cubes
• 2 cups winter squash cut into small cubes
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and red cubes (yukon gold)
• 1 cup milk
• water
• 2 cups cooked wheat berry
• sal and sweet paprika to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook the wheat berry as directed on the package. 
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat warm the oil and add 1/2 tablespoon of sweet paprika. Fry the onion for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the squash and potatoes and cover with the milk, season with salt and cook covered 15 minutes. Add water if started to dry out.
3. When the potatoes are "al dente", add the wheat berry and stir, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork and mashed some potatoes and pumpkin to achieve a stew consistency.
4. Serve hot.

Mote (wheat berry) Chilean salad

Wheat berries are present on many dishes in Chile. They are use on our favorite summer drink, mote con huesillos and also on a very comforting dish, papas con mote. In this salad I used as starting point our traditional salsa: pebre and just add the cooked wheat berries. You end there up with a healthy, refreshing and filling salad.

Mote (wheat berry) Salad

4 portions

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup cooked wheat berries according to package directions
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
• salt, oil, cumin, Chilean JB sauce or spice chili sauce of your liking 
• avocado, chopped hard eggs, cheese like queso fresco, optional

Preparation:

1. Wash the tomatoes and cut into 4, remove seeds and chop all into small cubes.
2. Wash, dry cilantro leaves, chopped very finely.
3. Wash, peel the onion, chop finely.
4. In a large bowl mix the tomatoes, cilantro, wheat berries, onion and seasoning with  the Chilean chili sauce, salt, vegetable oil, pinch of cumin, stir well and test, gradually adjust the seasoning and amount of cilantro, tomato and onion until it your personal taste.
5. Hopefully let sit overnight in the refrigerator or a couple of hours.
6. Serve at room temperature, I would add this combination to the bed of lettuce, looks good. You can also add avocado, hard eggs, queso fresco, etc.

Beef cuts Chile/USA

Based on the Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the United States of America
and the Government of the Republic of Chile

Cuarto Delantero (Paleta)= Forequarter

Cortes sin hueso/Boneless Cuts
1 Malaya= Subcutaneous muscle-beef flank cap 
2 Plateada= Cup of cube roll
3 Sobrecostilla= Chuck (pony)
4 Tapapecho= Brisket
5 Cogote= Clod and sticking
6 Huachalomo= Neck
7 Choclillo= Chuck tender
8 Punta de paleta= Blade clod
9 Asado del carnicero= Chuck cover
10 Posta de paleta= Shoulder clod
11 Lagarto= Shank meat
12 Lomo vetado= Cube roll
13 Entraña= Skirt (diaphragm)

Cortes con Hueso/Cuts with bone
1 Asado de tira= Short ribs
2 Costillas arqueadas= Back ribs
3 Aletillas= Sternum ribs
4 Osobuco de mano= Foreshank

Cuarto Trasero (pierna)= Hindquarter
Cortes sin Hueso/Boneless Cuts
1 Lomo liso= Striploin
2 Filete=Tenderloin
3 Punta de ganso= Outside round
4 Ganso= Silverside
5 Pollo ganso= Cup of rump
6 Posta negra= Top, inside, or topside round
7 Posta rosada= Knuckle or sirloin tip
8 Asiento= Sirloin butt
9 Punta de picana= Tri – tip
10 Tapabarriga= Thin flank
11 Palanca= Flank steak
12 Pollo barriga= Thick skirt
13 Abastero= Heel (gastrocnemius)

Cortes con Hueso/Cuts with bone
1 Coluda= Ribs steak
2 Osobuco de pierna= Shank
3 Cola= Tail 

Seafood empanadas, Chilean style

Another recipe for empanadas. In Chile we grow up eating all kinds of seafood. My family have a small beach house on a very remote village on the central coast of Chile. I used to spend the whole summer there, my grand father taught me how to fish on the sea and many times we made whole day excursions to fish along the rocks. Or if we were lazy, we just sit on the front of the house and wait until one of the fisherman walks by with the catch of the day. 

Here in the USA is difficult to find our most love clam: pink razor clams, in this recipe I used ones brought to me as a present from Chile.

You can also add mussels, scallops, and white fish (cooked).

Seafood Empanadas

for 20 empanadas

Ingredients:

• 20 empanada dough, I buy Goya brand here in USA
• 2 cups peeled shrimp, cooked and tail off
• 2 cans of whole clams (pink clams if you can find)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cups shredded pizza cheese or Havarti 
• salt, pepper, merkén (Chilean smoked chili powder)

Preparation:

1. If the empanada dough are frozen, thaw, it is easier work them at room temperature.
2. Wash and chop the onion into small cubes. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, chop the shrimp into small pieces.
4. Open the cans and discard the liquid. Clean the clams, cut into small pieces.
5. In a bowl mix the chopped onion and seafood, add the grated cheese, season with salt (little), pepper and merkén. Stir and taste, adjust the seasoning.
6. Separate the empanada dough. Place 2 teaspoons of filling into each pie and wet the edge of the pie with water or milk. Close the dough and tighten. Make the folds the way you want.
7. Heat oil to 380F or 190C in a deep pot. Cook 2-3 empanadas at a time, 2 minutes per side, until golden. Serve immediately.