Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Spanish Names for Cuts of Meat

Wow! Buying meat was so confusing because I could not tell what cuts of meat were what here except for lomo fino which is filet mignon.
I found this list at www.movingtoargentina.typepad.com and I wanted to include here.
If there is anyone out there who is stumped at the market when buying meat

Guide to Cortes de Carne de Vaca* in Spanish and English
Aguja - Chuck Roast
Asado - Short Ribs, Roast Prime Rib
Bife Ancho - Prime Rib, Rib Eye Roast, Rib Eye Steaks
Bife Angosto - Porterhouse or Strip Steak
Bife a la Rueda - Round Steak
Bife de Alcatra - Sirloin Steak
Bife de Costilla (con lomo) -T-Bone Steaks
Bife de Chorizo  - Sirloin Rump Steaks
Bife de Vacio - Flank Steak
Bola de Lomo - Sirloin Tip
Carnaza - Stew Beef
Carne Picada Comun -  Ground Beef with Fat
Carne Picada Especial - Ground Beef with out Fat
Chinchulin - Lower Intestines
Chorizo -  Sausage
Churrasco de Paleta - Pot Roast
Cogote - Neck 
Colita de Cuadril - Rump Steak
Corazon - Heart
Costillas - Rib Roast
Cuadrada - Bottom Round
Cuadril - Rump Roast or Rump Steak
Entrana - Skirt Steak
Falda - Flank Steak
Higado - Liver
Lengua - Tongue
Lomo - Tenderloin
Marucha - Short Ribs
Matambre - Flank Steak
Milanesa - Minute Steak
Mollejas - Sweetbreads
Morcilla - Blood Sausage
Nalga - Beef Round for Stew
Osobuso - Osso Busco
Paleta (see also Churrasco de Paleta) - Pot Roast
Palomita - Shoulder Roast in Butterfly Cut
Peceto - Beef Round Steaks, Roast Eye of Round
Pecho - Brisket
Rabo - Oxtail
Rinones - Kidneys
Ros Bif - Roast Beef
Sesos - Brains
Tapa de Asado - Rib Cap Roast
Tira de Asado - Short Ribs
Tapa de Nalga - Cap of Round Roast
Tapa de Cuadril - Cap of Rump Roast
Tripa Gorda - Tripe
Ubre - Udder
Vacio (see also Bife de Vacio) - Flank Steak
Choosing the Right Cut of Beef
It's important to choose the right cut of beef for the type of cooking you plan to do.  I found an excellent website that gives the recommended cooking style for the cut of beef. It's completely in Spanish, but it's a nice outline.
You can also use the following as a quick reference for typical cuts and typical cooking styles:
Best Choices for:
Asado: Asado, Bife de Lomo or Lomo, Bife de Chorizo, Vacio
Milanesas: Milanesa de Bola de Lomo, Milanesa de Lomo, Milanesa de Nalga

Roasting: Colita de Cuadril, Corazon de Cuadril, Lomo, Peceto
Steaks: Bife Angosto, Bife de Chorizo, Bife de Lomo
Stews: Bola de Lomo, Nalga, Rosbif, Tortugita
Stir Frys: Churrasco de Cuadril

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Pastel de Acelga/Kale quiche


this is a very delicious quiche like dish and spinach can be substituted for the kale.

ingredients for the crust
1 lb. flour
5 oz. butter
3 egg yolks
1 cup of milk
1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, place the flour and add the salt.
Knead in the room temp. butter
mix in a little of the milk and add the egg yolks and mix into flour
knead the milk into the rest of the dough
when done kneading cover the dough and set aside.

ingredients for filling
3 bunches of kale with the stems cut off
1 aji mirasol
1 pot of boiling water
1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 pinches of blk pepper
2 pinches of oregano
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 cup of grated cheese like jack or mozarrella here a cheese named paria is used
2 tbsp. veg oil
1 whole egg
optional  2 sliced hard boiled eggs

prep
place the kale (acelga) in the hot water to blanch for about 5 mins.
remove from the water and let drain and set aside.
take the aji and roast over an open flame if possible or just hold over electric burner.
Skin should start to blacken. when done take to sink and remove the black skin and cut open and remove the seeds and chop into small pieces.
If the kale is still too hot too handle. place in colander and rinse under cold water.
then chop into small pieces.
In a large pot of saucepan add the oil and heat
then add the onions and garlic and cook down then add the aji, blk.pepper, oregano and the nutmeg and mix
turn off the fire
add the kale, the egg whites and the grated cheese and mix completely
add 1/2 tsp. salt and mix and set aside.

butter a very large pie tin preferably with a removable bottom
get the dough and divide into 2 pieces 2/3 and 1/3.
Take the larger piece and roll out on a floured board.
then place into pie pan to cover the edges
pour the mixture into the dough and even.
At the very center of the filling make an indentation and break the egg into it making a perfect round egg yolk.
At this point if you wanted you could place sliced hard boiled eggs over the filling.
Now take the second part of the dough roll out and cut into strips to make the criss cross topping for the pie.
Place the strips over the top.
Take 2 egg yolks and brush the crust generously
place in an oven 350 deg.for about 35 mins until crust is golden.

Usually served with lime slices

Enjoy!

Pollo al Sillao/ Peruvian Soy Chicken


Chinese food is a very important part of Peruvian cuisine and this dish can be found in Peruvian restaurants other than Chinese Restaurants.

Ingredients
2 lbs. of chicken pieces
small handful of green onions with bulbs and tops cut off
1 red bellpepper sliced in thin pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce (sillao)
1 tsp. ginger minced
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup vegetable oil

prep

season the chicken with blackpepper and tbsp. salt and add 3 tbsp. soy sauce
marinade for at least 1 hr. or longer

In a large pot add the oil enough to cover the bottom to fry the chicken  and heat
add the chicken and fry. cover and let cook for at least 15 mins. per side.
When done chicken chicken should have a beautiful dark soy color.
remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Keep warm in an oven.
In the same pot add the bellpepper, ginger and green onions and cook down for a few mins.
in a little bowl add the cornstarch with a 2 tbsp. of water and mix completely add the rest of the soy sauce and mix together.
Add the soy mixture to the vegetables and let thicken if too thick you could add some more water to thin.
When the sauce is ready pour over the chicken and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Asado de Antano/ skirt steak with mushrooms

this is supposed to be an old recipe for Sunday suppers in Peru

3 lbs. skirt steak ( or if you prefer a more tender cut of meat to start )
1 red onion chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 stalks of celery chopped
6 plum tomatoes or 12 oz. crushed tomatoes
1 medium carrot grated
1/2 cup dried mushrooms reconstituted with 1/2 red wine
1 cup beef broth to add as necessary
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 laurel
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

prep

brown the beef  both sides in in a big pot.
Remove from the pot and set aside
add the onions, garlic and cook down for a few mins
add the grated carrots, celery the mushrooms with the wine, the blended tomatoes and the tomato paste.
Also add the laurel
again add the beef to the pot
Cover and add the cup of beef broth and let it cook down on simmer. For about 30 mins.
When the meat is tender it is ready to be served.
Serve the sauce with it.
This dish is served with buttered pasta.

Enjoy!

Frejol Criollo/ Peruvian Beans

These beans are served in simple restaurant offerings as beans and rice dish and quite delicious.
I have used chorizo or pork sausage with it but you can use bacon as well.

1/2 lb.cooked beans like white beans or pink beans
1/2 lb. pork sausage
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 small onion finely chopped
2 tbsp. aji amarillo
salt and black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. vegetable oil

In a saute pan, heat oil
add the garlic, onions and aji amarillo
cook until translucent and limp
add the sausage and cook for about 8 mins.
add the beans and cover on low heat for about 15 mins.
by now the beans should be soft.
mash half the beans, so there is a mixture of whole and mashed beans.

To serve squeeze some lime and drizzle some olive oil.

Enjoy