Chorrillana

When you spend time abroad, the food of that place becomes a part of you. When you eat them it brings you back to the place of its origin. For me at least having falafel, hummus, or shawarma here in the United States does not stack up to anything I ate while I was living in Tel Aviv. I have friends that have been all over the world. I always ask them how the food was and what kind of food they ate while they were there. One of my good friends went to study abroad in Chile during college. The only idea I had about Chilean food was Pisco, and anything that was on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. I asked my friend what we could make that was authentically Chilean. She told me we should make Chorrillana. Chorrillana is a favorite meal in the area of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar in Chile. It consists of strips of beef, fried onions, fried eggs, and french fries. If you are opposed to fried eggs and would like to make scrambled eggs that is perfectly fine due to the fact that some places in Chile use scrambled eggs for their Chorrillana. When cooking the onions and the beef be sure to use seasoning such as crushed garlic, ground black pepper, salt, and Merken. Merken is a special chili pepper that is dried and smoked that is used a lot in Chile. If you cannot find Merken in the grocery store, you can use hot smoked paprika instead.To assemble the Chorrillana, you will need to use the french fries as a base. Then you will place the fried onions and beef strips next. Finally you will top the Chorrillana with the fried eggs. When you eat the Chorrillana be sure to have a partner in crime with you. My friend tells me that the portions of Chorrillana should be obscene. The larger the better. This is a perfect meal if you are hungover. Its is basically what your body needs anyway with all of that starch and protein if you are feeling the effects from a night of drinking. Chorrillana can most definitely be considered Chilean comfort food and a comfort food of mine now that I have tasted it. If you like food spicy, do not be afraid to use your favorite hot sauce as a condiment to the Chorrillana. For a taste of Chile that is very easy to make at home, give Chorrillana a try!

West African Sweet Potato Stew

Sweet potatoes are one of the many ingredients that scream fall. There are many dishes that are ubiquitous during the fall season that feature sweet potatoes such as sweet potato pie. The sweetness of sweet potatoes goes extremely well with sweet spices such as allspice, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. When you combine sweet potatoes with savory ingredients, the results can be just as delicious. This sweet potato stew inspired by West African cuisine is a dish that combines both sweet and savory ingredients to create a delicious vegetarian main dish or a great side dish for any meal. If you are bored with your sweet potato recipes, give this sweet potato stew a try. It is will open up your palate to new taste possibilities. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks 

4 cloves of chopped garlic 

1 cup of chopped cilantro 

1 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes 

1 small can of chick peas

1 package of frozen green beans 

2 teaspoons of ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 cup of water 

1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter 

salt 

black pepper

Method: 

In a blender of food processor combine the garlic, cilantro, tomatoes, cumin, cayenne pepper, water, peanut butter, and cinnamon. Pulse the mixture until fully combined. Place the mixture into a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil place the chunks of sweet potato into the mixture. Simmer the sweet potatoes for about an hour. After an hour of simmering, add the chick peas and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Next add the frozen green beans. Cook for an additional 5 minutes at a simmer. The dish is down when the sweet potatoes are tender. During the cooking process be sure to stir the sweet potatoes to prevent sticking. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Modern Pastry

When it comes to food rivalries in Boston there are many. Everyone in the city and the suburbs has their favorite pizza, hamburger, and seafood restaurant that they stay extremely loyal to and detest the competition. The same can be said about Boston's favorite cannoli. There are those that stay loyal to the plethora of choices at Mike's Pastry. Right down the street there is another Italian bakery that Bostonians flock to for cannoli and other delicious treats called Modern Pastry. When you compare Mike's with Modern, its a battle between glitz and a classic. Mike's Pastry is the bigger bakery no doubt. On a good day you can find customers lining up on the street to get a cannoli from Mike's.While at Modern Pastry the line might not be out the door, but the pastry they bake is not to joke with. Its one hundred percent authentic and the cannoli are made to order. A simple cannoli filled with ricotta cheese, mini chocolate chips, and powdered sugar is all you need to experience an amazing taste of the North End. Do not be afraid when you do you not see the cannoli in the front of the store with the rest of the pastries. They make them for you when you order so it is not getting stale lying in the front display. For something that is not in all of the travel guides and packed with out of town tourists, Modern Pastry may become your new cannoli spot. Enjoy the power of the cannoli everyone!

Apple Apricot Cobbler

I love how fall has many culinary delights that are specifically associated with the season. Fall is a season that reeks of apple dishes. There is apple crisp, apple pie, apple cider, and apple cider doughnuts to name just a few apple treats that make fall what it is food wise. To mix things up, I tried to make a new recipe that utilizes the apple bounty that I picked at my local apple orchard. This apple cobbler also features dried apricots. I was pleasantly surprised that it came out perfectly. Serve this delicious confection with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I guarantee that you will be in fall heaven with this Apple Apricot Cobbler this fall. 

Ingredients:

1 cup dried apricots that have been cut in half

1/2 cup orange juice

5 large apples 

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/4 teaspoon ground clove 

3/4 cup  unsalted sweet butter which has been softened 

3/4 cup granulated white sugar 

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

1 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 tablespoon regular brown sugar 

Method:

In a medium to large saucepan place the halved apricots and cover with the orange juice. Next peel, core and cut the apples into slices. Add the cut apples, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and spices to the apricots. Mix all of the ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. For the cobbler you will need at least a 2 quart baking dish. Grease the baking dish with butter, margarine, or baking spray. In a mixing bowl beat butter and granulated sugar until it is fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are beaten into the butter and sugar mixture stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and baking powder and beat until fully incorporated. Once the batter is ready, pour the apple and apricot mixture into the greased baking dish. Then place the batter over the apple and apricot mixture. Top the batter with the one tablespoon of regular brown sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The crust should be golden brown and delicious by this point. Serve by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

cranberry apricot sauce

Cranberry sauce is a ubiquitous part of any roast turkey dinner. Whether it be for Thanksgiving or any other holiday meal, cranberry sauce is a must have. While it is a must have addition to any Thanksgiving dinner, many people opt to open a can of cranberry jelly and serve it to their guest. While this might be the easiest thing to do, it is not the tastiest option. Making your own cranberry sauce is extremely easy to make. This year make sure to make this cranberry sauce to wow your guests at your Thanksgiving meal. 

Ingredients:

1 bag of fresh cranberries (12 oz.)

1 cup of apricot jam 

1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger 

1/2 cup of orange juice 

1/2 cup of sugar 

1 cup of diced dried apricots 

Method: 

Combine all of the ingredients into a large pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Make sure to stir the sauce to prevent scorching. When the cranberries begin to pop you will notice that the sauce will be thicker than before. Turn off the heat and let the sauce thicken. As the sauce cools it will thicken dramatically. Once the sauce has cooled completely it is ready to serve. Make sure to keep an eye on the sauce when you are making it. 

Maple Butternut Squash

One of the many bounties of fall is the variety of squashes available. One of my favorite preparations of squash is to roast it coated with maple syrup and spices. For this recipe I would use one butternut squash. This is a perfect side dish to your Thanksgiving dinner, or any steak dinner. 

Ingredients:

one butternut squash

one teaspoon cumin

one teaspoon allspice

one teaspoon cinnamon 

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

one teaspoon black pepper

one tablespoon sesame oil 

2 tablespoons canola oil 

one teaspoon salt 

Method:

Peel the butter squash and take out the seeds from the squash. Next cut the squash into chunks. Combine all of the spices, oil, and syrup with the chunks of squash. Place on a baking sheet and cook in a 415 degree Fahrenheit oven. Every 15 minutes you should turn over the chunks of squash. This will help it prevent from sticking to the pan. 

Baked Tilapia with Potatoes

If you live in New England you are probably well aware of the dish called baked scrod. It is usually Cod that is baked in an oven and topped with seasoned bread crumbs. While Cod is the traditional fish used in the dish, you may use any other mild white fish such as Haddock, Halibut, or Tilapia. Cook with roasted potatoes and you will have an authentic taste of New England.

Ingredients:
Tilapia fillets
1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
6 cloves of garlic minced
one medium onion diced
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons butter
tablespoon of sesame oil
salt and pepper

4 red potatoes cut into chunks
olive oil
salt  and pepper
teaspoon of thyme

Method:
Place the cut potatoes in a baking dish with half the diced onion, 3 cloves of mined garlic, thyme, two tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Make sure that the ingredients are incorporated fully. Set your oven to 425 degress Fahrenheit. Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes take the potatoes out of the oven and give them a stir. While the potatoes are cooking, melt two tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan. Once the butter has melted add the other half of the diced onion, the rest of the minced garlic, paprika, and sesame oil. Cook until the onions and garlic have softened. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes. After the onions and garlic have softened add the breadcrumbs to the saucepan. Make sure that the breadcrumbs are fully coated with the melted butter, onions, and garlic. Let the breadcrumb mixture cool before placing it on top of the Tilapia fillets. Once you take the potatoes out at the 20 minute mark, place the Tilapia fillets on top of the potatoes. Then divided the breadcrumb mixture evenly on top of the fillets. Cook the fish on top of the potatoes for 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with a salad or vegetable of your choice.