Corn Pie (Pastel de Choclo)

Pastel de Choclo is a classic and very popular dish of  South American cuisine.
It is made of Peruvian giant corn, also known as Choclo, an Andean corn with extra large kernels, almost 4 times bigger than the North American corn.
When I first heard about it, I thought the tale about the giant corn was slightly exagerated, but after visiting the local markets I was really impressed by its size and taste.
Corn is one of the most consumed foods in Peruvian cuisine and has been planted in this country for centuries.
According to Bernabe Cobo, a Sixteenth-century chronicler in the Inca Empier one could find corn ein every color under the sun from pale yellow to red, dark purple and black.
Still today there are almost 55 varieties of corn grown by local farmers.
Local cuisine offers a huge choice of dishes based on corn such as the Pastel de Choclo  , which we are going to prepare today., Peppian (a stew based on grated corn kernels mixed with onions, garlic, chili and a touch of fresh coriander., sweets like Humitas ( corn mashed pastries wrapped and steamed in corn husks) or the wonderful refreshing Chicha Morada, a drink made of purple corn. 
 The Amazing Purple Corn

Pastel de Choclo is a creamy, delicatley flavored dish with a wonderful combination of textures and savors.
There is as well a vegetarin version, filled with cheese instead of meat and it tastes fanatstic too.
Pastel de choclo  is easy to cook and can be prepared in advance, making it a crowd pleasing and ideal party food.



You need:
 4 cups of fresh white corn kernels
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup of soft butter
1 spoonful sugar
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the filling:
1/2 kg ground meat (beef)
1 1/2 spoonful olive oil
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon yellow chili paste (optional)
1/2 cup raisins
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup black olives, stoned and roughly chopped
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 F
Blend corn kernels in a foodprocessor or blender together with the milk and soft butter.

 Add sugar, chilies and egg yolks.


 Season with salt and pepper.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks are formed, then fold carefully into the corn mixture.


 Aside, heat olive oil in a large sauce pan and saute onions and garlic until traslucent.



Add beef, chopped tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.


 Then incorporate hard boiled eggs, raisins and oilves.


 

Grease a rectangular Pyrex and pour half the corn mixture into the pan.
 top with the meat mixture, then pour over it the remining half of the corn mixture.
 

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.


 
 Serves about 6-8 P.
Enjoy!
 

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Easy And So good: Spanish Chorizo Chicken

Have you met "El Niño"?
El Niño means Christ Child and the term was originally used by Peruvian and Ecuadorian fishermen, referring to a warm current that spears around Christmas time the Peruvian and Ecuatorian coast and can last for several months.

When this climatic phenomena makes its appearance ,dramatical changes in temperature, marine life and even in climatic conditions around the globe are the consequence. 

Here in Lima it's supposed to be autumn, but sun is still shining bright and people walk around in summer clothes.
Now YOU are supposed to say: How wonderful, but wait, we are not living in a perfect world, and other regions of the country are suffering from heavy rain and floodings.

Still a lot of summer veggies around at the farmer's market.
On a visit to Lima's colorful fish market of Lima I noticed the display of strange, exotic fishes that are not seen around here in normal times.

Populations of fish and seabirds vanish and anchovy catches ( one of the world's richest fisheries is off the coast of Peru) dwindle.

As the saying goes "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

The ones of you who read my blog regularly know that whenever I talk about sunny weather, it's followed by easy, light but still yummylicious food.

Spanish Chicken with chorizo is a crowd pleaser that never disappoints and will not keep you in the kitchen the whole day long.

Robust and delicate flavors are in perfect balance in this dish and for me it was love at the first bite.

For the Spanish Chicken With Chorizos you need:

 8 chicken thighs

150 g chorizo ( I prefer the spicy one, it adds a wonderful flavor)

2 red onions, chopped

1/2kg baby potatoes

4 rosemary sprigs

The zest of 2 lemons

 2 spoonful olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 220C

Wash baby potatoes carefully under rinsing water.

Put the onions at the bottom of a large baking tray, add the chicken thighs,
 baby potatoes, then scatter over the chorizo, rosemary and the lemon zest.


Chorizos and rosemary add lots of flavor

Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and tender.


*(For a lighter version of this dish, remove skin from chicken 

 thighs)
Serves 6p.
Enjoy!

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Hearty Hungarian Goulash Soup

I don't know about you, but here in Vienna it's freezing cold and after walking a while through the city we were longing for some warm comfort food.

For tomorrow temeratures below -6C are expected, but despite of the weather we will be visting the New Years Trail. Now you might ask - what's the New Year's Trail?

For the last night of 2014 and following a 25 year old tradition, the Vienna News Year's trail offers

12 hours of entertainment - a great way to begin the New Year.

The programe starts at 2pm with children activities and continues  from the late afternoon on with everything from live bands and DJs to free for all waltzing clases and a live broadcast from the Vienna State Opera where traditionally "Die Fledermaus" is performed.

Apart from that, countless stalls around the city offer all kinds of treats from sparkling wine to toast to the New Year to hot goulash soup, sausages and sweets to keep the visitors warm.

Every year there is a beautiful firework at one of the big squares in down town, the Heldenplatz.

At midnight, the big bell of St. Stephen's Cathedral, called the Pummerin will ring to announce 2015.

For the ones who prefere to dance into the New Year, the glittering New Year's Eve Ball in the Imperial Palace "Hofburg" will be the place to be and to enjoy a unique experience.

To keep you warm during walking through the city, Gulaschsoup is the classic  soul warmer from the Austrian-Hungarian cuisine.

Spicy, hearty and restorative, it's the star during the ball season when nights are short and people are dancing and celebrating until dawn.

Before going home, it's tradition that everybody tastes this amazing soup.

It's Hungarian roots makes it spicy and passionate and the Austrian background adds a touch of harmony and perfect balance between the different flavors, light and charming as a Viennese Waltz.

There is a "student version" of Gulash soup - lots of gravy and less meat for a small Budget and the Fiaker (carriage driver) version, adding a hearty sausage.
This dish is easy to cook, can be prepare at least 1 day in advance and is a crowd pleaser on cold Winter days.

This is what you need:

2 yellow onions, chopped

1 clove garlic,crushed

200g bacon, chopped

2 spoonful olive oil

1/2 kg stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 spoonful flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 1/2 spoonful sweet (Hungarian) paprika 

1/2 spoonful spicy (Hungarian) paprika 

1 spoonful tomato paste

2 beef stock homemade or low sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 

3-4 medium size potatoes, quartered

Salt, pepper

Sour cream and freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Method:

Toss beef with salt, pepper and flour.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over high heat

Add onion and crushed garlic and fry gently until it softens and starts to turn Golden.

Add bacon, fry until golden brown, add beef, sear on all sides.

add beef, sear on all sides.

Add both paprikas, mix well until blended with the other ingredients, add tomato paste, beef stock and vinegar.

Stir thoroughly , leave covered to simmer gently for about 1 hour or until meat is soft.

Add potatoes and continue simmering until soft.

Check seasoning.

Serve warm and top with sour cream and chopped parsley.


Enjoy! Serves 8P.

Happy New Year to everybody!

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Fresh And Light : Summerfruit Terrine

What does a foodie under stress?
Goes straight to the kitchen and prepares something comforting and yummy.
After a hectic week involving a small traffic accident (fortunately only a fender bender) I was taking refugee in my kitchen practicing a kind of gourmet yoga,
After lots of OOOms and some goodie sample testing I recovered my mental peace :)
Lima is a great city but traffic is..hmm..exciting.
Traffic rules are "flexible" and due to interpretation of the one with the more powerful car.
Don't get me wrong, I love to drive here because it provides you with the perfect adrenalin kick and strengthens your ability  to react on the spot.
It's a kind of daily surviving training on an asphalt jungle and can win you the title of Iron Driver.
If you think I'm exaggerating check out this link from the TV series "You don't want to drive here"
which has devoted a whole chapter to traffic in Lima.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch0JUbgq3Gc
Back to my kitchen I decided that something fresh,light  and easy to prepare would be the perfect way to relax.


This terrine is a stunner for summer parties and even people who usually don't eat dessert cause of diet reasons will love it.
And nobody will suspect it's so easy to make.
This is what you need:


About 900g of fresh summer fruits like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and white or black grapes.
-2 sachets of unflavored gelatin powder (11g  or 1/4 ounce each)
-2 cups cranberry juice or rose wine
-1/4 cup sugar , if you use rose wine take 1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:
Remove stalks and halve or quarter strawberries so that they are not much larger than the other berries.


Gently mix together fruits in a large bowl.
Place berries in a loaf pan ( 6 cups capacity). Put some of the smaller berries on the bottom of the loaf pan.



Bring 1/2 the cranberry juice or Rose wine to a boil.


Remove from heat and whisk Gelatin powder, sugar and lime juice into it.


Make sure that everything has dissolved well, than add remaining fruit juice and let the mixture cool down.
*If you want some delicious extra flavor add 1 spoonful of fresh raspberry puree.
Pour gelatin mixture over the berries mixture until covered.


Lay a sheet of cling film over the tin.


Place another loaf pan or something similar to act as weight over the cling film to weight the mixture down and refrigerate over night or until firm.


Dip bottom of pan in hot water for about 10 seconds to unmold.
Slice with a sharp knife and decorate with some strawberry or mint leaves.





Serve pure or with Greek yogurt or Crème fraiche.
Enjoy!
Serves 10 to 12 portions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   



 

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Express Limoncello Syllabub With Amaretti

Preparing an amazing dessert for the Holidays is a must-spending hours in the kitchen to cook is optional:)
One of my closest friends, Ursula, a school principal,loves to cook and entertain, but is always short of time and has therefore created several delicious express recipes.
Her Limoncello dessert is everybody's darling and she was generous enough to share it with us.
As I wanted to try something different this year for the Holidays- no sweet potatoes and no pumpkin had to sacrifice their veggie life for this delicious sweet treat.
It's super easy to prepare, full of flavor and the hint of summer aromas of this syllabub will bring a bit of sunshine to your table during the colder days of the year.
Limoncello, a delightful lemon flavored liquor produced in Southern Italy is the shining star of this dessert.

It is not difficult to find in larger supermarkets and well assorted liqueur stores and I just learned when preparing this post,that Dany de Vito has even his own brand (I don't know if his Limoncello is as good as his acting though :-))

This is what you need: 

3/4 cup of Limoncello
the zest 3 organic lemons
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11/2 cup of Greek Yoghurt
1/2 cup of Mascarpone
1 cup of brown granulated sugar (I run out of it, this is why I used white sugar)

Cut off both ends of the lemon, then grate the zest.

 Cut  zest into smaller pieces.

Put lemon juice,Limoncello,1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, lemon zest and sugar in the blender and blend until mixture is smooth and creamy.
in an other bowl soften the Mascarpone.
Gently mix  Greek yoghurt and the Mascarpone until smooth.

 Add the Limoncello mix and stir again until all ingredients have blend in.

Serve in wine or cocktail glasses and sprinkle with crushed Amaretti.

Serves 4-6.
Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

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