Elite life
Paraguay (Paraguayan Recipes)
The snacks of Paraguay are mostly consumed in the breakfasts or suppers. These snacks can either be consumed as a separate dish or as a side dish. The preparation of the recipes in Paraguay need less than an hour. The snack dishes of the country mostly contain cheese as the basic ingredient. The resultants of these preparations take the shapes of breads; while some are cheese breads, few are corn breads.
The beverages of Paraguay are popular in and outside the country. While Paraguay tea should be consumed in the hot condition, tereré can be enjoyed both cold or hot. These Paraguay drinks act as stimulants. They also help in the prevention of many diseases.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
5 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons raw rice
1 pound zucchini, grated
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 egg
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Cooking Instructions:
Heat the oil in a fairly large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Add the chicken stock and the rice and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer until the zucchini is very tender, about 15 minutes. In a soup tureen beat the egg with the cheese and parsley, then whisk in the soup, mixing well.
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground lean sirloin or round steak
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or 1-2 fresh hot peppers, seeded and chopped
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup rice or vermicelli
Salt
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking Instructions:
Have the butcher grind the meat twice, then mash it in a mortar to make sure it is completely pulverized, or use a food processor. Set the meat aside together with any juices. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions and pepper until the onions are softened. Add the tomatoes and cook until the mixture is thick and well blended, about 5 minutes longer. Cool the mixture slightly. Put the beef and its juices into a saucepan. Stir in the sauteed onions, pepper, and tomatoes, known as the sofrito, and 8 cups cold water, mixing well. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the rice or noodles and simmer, still stirring, until tender, about 15 minutes. At this point, season to taste with salt. If salt is added earlier, the meat and liquid which should be completely blended, may separate. Some cooks believe that constant stirring is the most important step, others that the point at which the salt is added is the vital factor. Superstition has it that if anyone who does not enjoy cooking is present in the kitchen they may cause the So'O-Yosopy to separate and spoil the dish. Serve with a baked sweet potato or a thick slice of boiled yucca (cassava), or both, and Sopa Paraguaya, Paraguayan Corn Bread despite its misleading name. Sprinkle, if liked, with grated cheese. Water biscuits may also be served with the soup.
Ingredients:
2 lb beef (round steak, loin, etc.)
Salt and pepper to taste
garlic, optional
2 eggs
1/4 parsley
1/2 C milk
Flour
Fine bread crumbs
Oil for frying
Cooking Instructions:
Cut the meat in thin slices and pound each side. Season. Beat the eggs and add the milk and parsley. Dip the meat first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and then the bread crumbs. Heat enough oil in a frying pan to cover the meat. Fry until brown, turn and brown the other side. (Only about 10 minutes are needed for thinly cut meat). Remove and keep hot while frying the remaining pieces.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. oil
1 garlic clove
1 onion
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked ground beef
1 dash cumin
1 1/2 cups rice
Cooking Instructions:
Heat oil, brown the garlic and onion. Cook until onion softens. Add water.
Bring to boil and add rice. Let boil for 15 minutes. Mix in meat and cumin. Allow to cook few minutes more. Bake a pastry shell for 7-8 minutes. Add mixture in it. Optional: Add a hard-boiled egg to mixture.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground lean serloin or round steak
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped or 1 or 2 gresh hot peppers,seeded and chopped
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup rice or vermicelli
Salt grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking Instructions:
Have the butcher grind the meat twice, then mash it in a mortar to make sure it is completely pulverized or use a food processer. Set the meat aside together with any juices. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions and pepper until the onions are softened. Add the tomatoes and cook until the mixture is thick and well blended, about 5 minutes longer. Cool the mixture slightly. Put the beef and its juices into a saucepan. Stir in the sauteed onions, pepper, and tomatoes, known as the sofrito, and 8 cups cold water. Mix well. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the rice or noodles and simmer, still stirring, until tender, about 15 minutes. At this point, season to taste with salt. If salt is added earlier the meat and the liquid, which shood be completely blended, may seperate. Served with a baked sweet potato or a thick slice of broiled yucca (cassava), or both, and Sopa Paraguaya, Paraguayan Corn Bread despite its misleading name. Sprinkle, if liked, with grated cheese.
Servings: 7
Ingredients:
2 lbs chuck or beef shank
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
4 ozs bacon, chopped
1 large onion, unpeeled, cut into quarters
1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in 1/2 horizontally
3 stalks celery, with leafy tops, washed and cut in half
1 medium carrot, washed and cut in half
1 bay leaf
7 cloves
1 tbs coarse salt
Dumplings:
1 cup white or yellow cornmeal
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tsp coarse salt
1 small onion, peeled and minced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup clarified butter
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tbs Italian parsley, chopped
Grated Parmesan
Cooking Instructions:
Wipe the meat with a damp cloth and cut into 2-inch cubes. Sprinkle with black pepper. In a large saucepan or sauté pan, heat olive oil and bacon over medium heat. Sauté until bacon has released most of its fat, about 1 minute. Add the meat cubes and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, bay leaf, cloves, 1 tbs salt, 3.5 quarts water and bring to boil. Lower heat, cover,let simmer for 1.5 hrs or until meat is tender. Remove pot from the heat; remove meat and set aside. Strain stock through a fine sieve, pressing to extract all the juices from the vegetables; discard the vegetables. Let stock sit for a few minutes. Degrease thoroughly, then pour stock through a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth. Discard cheesecloth and measure stock, should have 10 cups. If not, add enough water to make 10 cups. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine cornmeal, Parmesan, 2 tsp salt and mix well. Add minced onion and butter and, with fingers or fork, incorporate all the ingredients well. Make a well in the center and place egg and egg yolk in it. Mix with fork until eggs have been thoroughly absorbed.
With your hands, knead all the ingredients right in the bowl for a minute or so, until you have a smooth and compact dough. Tightly cover dough with a piece of plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature undisturbed, for about 30 mins or more.
Divide dough into 30 equal portions (each 1 scant tablespoonful), and, with the palms of your hands, gently roll each portion into a small dumpling. In large saucepan, bring 3 qts water to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer, drop dumplings into water, let cook for 15 mins. Remove them from water with slotted spoon and set aside. In large pot or sauté pan, bring reserved 10 cups of broth to a boil, adding saffron, if desired. Lower heat and add meat; cook for 15 mins and correct the seasoning with salt to taste. Gently place dumplings into the broth and continue simmering 15 mins more. Serve soup at once sprinkled with chopped parsley.
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 dash salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
Chocolate Cream Filling:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup water
Oatmeal Topping:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup oatmeal
Cooking Instructions:
For the Cake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix in lemon peel. Add butter, mixing with fingers to a bread crumb consistency. Add egg, lemon juice, and milk, kneading well. Divide dough into five equal parts. Roll out each part into a circle about 10 inches in diameter. Place circles on greased cookie sheets and bake at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool. Stack cake layers, spreading each layer with warm Chocolate Cream Filling. Pour Caramel Sauce over top and then sprinkle with Oatmeal Topping. Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
For the Chocolate Cream Filling: Combine cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder, and egg yolks, mixing together well. Set aside. Heat milk over hot water. Gradually add cocoa mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
For the Caramel Sauce: Combine sugars and water in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes without stirring. Let cool slightly.
For the Oatmeal Topping: Melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and oatmeal and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes lightly browned.
Ingredients:
2 tbl butter
2 med onions, chopped
2 med carrots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup tomato puree
2 fresh, hot chilies, seeded and chopped
2 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed
5 cup low-sodium, chicken broth (remove fat)
Pepper to taste
Very small amount of salt, optional
Lime wedges
Cooking Instructions:
In a large, non-aluminum saucepan, warm the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes and then cover the pan. Lower heat and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, until the vegetables are very tender. Stir in the tomato puree, chilies, butternut squash, and chicken broth. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Mash the squash pieces with a potato masher or the back of a spoon (the soup does not need to be completely smooth), season to taste (optional) and serve. Pass lime wedges to be squeezed into each bowl of soup. Serve with corn bread.
Ingredients:
All-purpose flour
2 med Onions, chopped fine
8 tbl Margarine, divided
1/2 lb Farmer or cottage cheese
1/2 lb Muenster cheese, shredded coarse
2 cup Cream-style corn (16 oz)
1 tsp Salt, preferably coarse
1 cup Milk
2 cup Cornmeal
6 Eggs, separated
Ground anise seed, optional
Cooking Instructions:
Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour. Shake to remove excess. In skillet saute onions in 4 tablespoons margarine. Add farmer cheese; blend thoroughly. Add Muenster cheese, onions corn salt, milk and cornmeal; mix thoroughly. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then lightly beat yolks separately. Combine and stir into cornmeal mixtuer with anise seed. Turn into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 45 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve hot, cut in squares.
