Elite life
Ecuador (Ecuadorian Recipes)
Vegetable Salad (Ensalada de Verduras)
Ingredients:
Green peas
Green beans, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Potatoes, diced
Artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
Avocados, sliced
Beets, diced
Corn kernels
Celery, diced
Tiny sliced raw zucchini, or larger zucchini, cooked and diced
Cauliflower, separated in flowerets
Carrots, diced
Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
Raw tomatoes, sliced
Cooking Instructions:
The
vegetables are arranged in rows on a large platter and are served
freshly cooked at room temperature. I have had them without any
dressing, simply seasoned with salt during the cooking, with a dressing
only of oil, salt, and pepper, and with a vinaigrette made with 3 parts
oil to 1 part vinegar or lemon juice, and seasoned with salt and pepper.
The platter may be decorated with shredded lettuce or garnished with
slices of hardboiled egg, or with olives, green or black. The vegetables
should be cooked and tossed with the dressing separately. The dressing
should not be abundant. The vegetables may be arranged as the cook sees
fit: in rows, in heaps, or in circles. The vegetables listed below are
the ones most frequently used.
Vegetable Souffle (Flan de Legumbres)
Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, cut into julienne
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 cup chicken stock
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups cooked mixed vegetables such as corn, peas, carrots, cauliflower,
green beans, and green pepper, all chopped
Cooking Instructions:
Cook the bacon in a skillet over moderate heat until crisp, and
drain on paper towels. Combine the bacon with the breadcrumbs, milk,
tomato sauce, chicken stock, melted butter, parsley, and salt and pepper
to taste. Fold in the mixed vegetables. Fold in the eggs and pour the
mixture into a buttered 1-1/2 quart souffle dish. Stand the dish in a
baking tin, half-filled with hot water, in a preheated moderate (350 F.)
oven, and cook for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the souffle
comes out clean.
Ingredients:
4 lamb shank
1 tablespoon olive oil
24 ounces beer or 12 ounces beer & 12 ounces water
1 bunch fresh cilantro, washed well
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium tomato
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 carrot
1/2 stalk celery
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
Cooking Instructions:
Brown meat and onion in olive oil. Remove meat to slow cooker or heavy dutch oven. Place onion, tomatoes, cilantro, carrot, celery, garlic, brown sugar, ketchup, seasonings and beer in food processor. Process until everything is thick puree consistency. Pour beer mixture over the lamb and cook at low heat for 2-3 hours if stove-top. If you are using the oven, 325 degrees for 2-3 hours. If using a crockpot, cook on low for 4-6 hours, depending on size of the shanks.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potato (yellow fleshed)
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 cup scallion, plus extra 1/2 cup finely chopped
6 tablespoons annatto oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium tomato, chopped
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups muenster cheese, coarsley grated
Cooking Instructions:
Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cover with cold water add salt and simmer til very tender. While potatoes boil, cook garlic and 1/3 cup scallions in 2 tbs of annatto oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until softened about 2 minutes. Stir in cumin and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook 1 minute. Add tomato and cook stirring 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to a bare simmer, then remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until well combined. Keep covered and warm off heat. Drain and mash potatoes. Cook remaining 1/2 cup of scallions with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper in 2 tbs of annatto oil until softened. Stir into potatoes along with the cheese. Form into 8 balls, flatten into a 3 inch patty. Heat 1 tbs annato oil in a non stick pan over medium high, then fry cakes in two batches turning over once until crusty both sides (about 6 mins a side). Gently reheat peanut sauce thinning with a little water to creamy consistency if needed. Serve with the potato cakes.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1lb unpeeled shrimp
1/2 medium white onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup ketchup
1-2 tablespoon bottled hot sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 small avocado
Salt
Pepper
1 large garlic clove
3 cups popped popcorn
Cooking Instructions:
Boil 1 quart salted water, adding 2 tbls lime juice. Add shrimp and cover, bring water back to a boil. Remove immediately from heat and set lid slightly askew. Pour out all liquid, replace cover, and let shrimp steam off heat for 10 minute. Spread shrimp out in a pan to cool. De-vein shrimp when cooled. Toss shrimp in remaining lime juice and refrigerate for an hour. Dice onion, avocado, cucumber, cilantro, garlic, and tomato. Add to shrimp bowl and toss with ketchup, hot sauce, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate if not served immediately. Serve in martini glasses for a stylish presentation. Sprinkle unsalted popcorn on top for crunch, and serve remaining popcorn in a bowl on the side. You may want to add more popcorn when initial popcorn is eaten. Do not add too much popcorn at once because it will get soggy before eaten. Add a little bit at a time. Garnish with lime slices and cilantro sprigs.
Ingredients:
4 hot red pepper (aji peppers or similar small hot peppers)
2 garlic clove
1/2 cup water
2 tomato, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 lemon, juice of
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
Cooking Instructions:
Combine the water, peppers and garlic in the blender and blend well. Strain the liquid into a bowl and discard any solids. Add the balance of the ingredients and mix well. Store in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
4 green plantain
1 lb fish fillet
4 ounces onion, minced
4 ounces bell pepper, peeled, seeded, chopped
4 ounces tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 ounces unsalted peanuts
7 ounces unsalted butter, plus
Additional unsalted butter, for buttering baking dish
2 teaspoons annatto oil (achiote oil , manteca)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups water
Coarse salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Grate the plantains, separating one grated plantain from the rest. Butter a pyrex baking dish large enough to hold all the ingredients. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Finely grind the peanuts and dissolve them in 1/2 cup water. Saute the onion in one ounce of butter over medium heat till softened, then remove from heat and add the peppers, tomatoes and fish fillets cut into pieces; add the peanut mixture, the oregano and the sugar and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Bring 3 and 1/2 cups of water to boil with 2 ounces of butter, some grated pepper and one teaspoon of manteca(annato oil); as soon as it boils, add the three grated plantains and cook, stirring frequently until a smooth and relatively thick mixture forms. Place half the plantain mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing it out so that the bottom of the baking dish is covered. Layer the fish mixture on top and then cover the fish mixture with the remaining plantain paste. In a saute pan over medium high heat, melt the remaining four ounces of butter and teaspoon of manteca; add the one remaining grated plantain and saute until well mixed. Spread this mixture over the top of the casserole. Bake the casserole until brown, about one hour.
Ingredients:
1 lb salt cod fish, optional
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
Fresh ground pepper
1 cup long-grain rice, cooked in
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 cup corn kernel, cooked
2 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded and cooked
2 cups winter squash, cooked and mashed (1 small)
2 cups zucchini, chopped and cooked (2 small)
1 cup baby lima beans or fava beans, cooked
1 cup green peas, cooked
1 cup green beans, cooked
1/2 cup peanuts, ground
5 cups 2% low-fat milk
1 cup muenster cheese or queso fresco or queso blanco, shredded
1 teaspoon salt or to taste if fish is included
3 egg, hardboiled and sliced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Cooking Instructions:
If using, soak cod fish in cold water to cover for 12 hours or more, changing water from time to time. Drain and put in saucepan with fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until fish is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain fish, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. Preheat oven to 375-400 degrees fahrenheit. Cut winter squash in half and place cut side down on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions replacing half the water with milk (boil on very low heat about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, cook beans and vegetables according to package directions. I used frozen corn, peas, lima beans and green beans combined in same casserole dish and microwaved for 8-9 minutes. The zucchini and cabbage I steamed together for 10 minutes. Combine. Meanwhile, cook eggs until hard boiled (about 4 minutes) and set aside. Let cool, remove shell and slice. When rice is done, add to bean mixture. When winter squash is done, set aside and let cool slightly before scraping out flesh with a fork and mashing a bit. Add to beans and rice mixture. If you are making this ahead of time, place in refrigerator until ready. Heat butter in large saucepan and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes, Add oregano, cumin, bay leaf and several grinds of black pepper and saute for a minute or two longer. Add 1 cup water, bring to a boil and add the next 11 ingredients (rice through milk) and fish, if using. Stir to mix and simmer very gently for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Add chopped cheese and salt to taste. The soup should be about as thick as a minestrone. If it seems too thick, thin it with a little more milk and simmer for a few minutes longer. Garnish soup with sliced hardboiled eggs and serve with parmesan cheese.
Chicken in Egg Sauce (Pollo en Salsa de Huevos)
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter or vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock, about
3-1/2 to 4-pound chicken, cut into serving
pieces
1 tablespoon dry mustard
6 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Heat the
butter in a skillet and saute the chicken pieces until golden on both
sides. Transfer them to a casserole. In the butter remaining in the
skillet saute the onion and garlic with the mustard, stirring to mix.
When the onion is soft, transfer the contents of the skillet to a
flameproof casserole. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pour in
the stock, adding a little more barely to cover the chicken, if
necessary. Cover and simmer until the chicken is thender, about 45
minutes. Transfer the chicken to a warmed serving platter and keep warm.
Over brisk heat reduce the sauce until it is of medium thickenss. Taste
the sauce for seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if necessary.
Stir in the eggs and cook just long enough to heat through. Pour the
sauce over the chicken and serve, or serve the sauce separately in a
sauceboat. Accompany with rice or potatoes, mixed vegetable salad, or a
green vegetable.
Ingredients:
3-pound boned loin of pork
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 hardboiled egg, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
Cooking Instructions:
With a stell, or with a sharp, narrow knife, make holes about the thickeness of one's thumb all over the loin, almost to the center of the meat. Season the shrimp and egg with salt and pepper. With your fingers, stuff half the holes with the shrimp, the other half with chopped egg, or mix the shrimp and egg together and use as a stuffing. Season the loin with salt, pepper, and the crushed garlic. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a flameproof casserole large enough to hold the loin comfortably (an oval casserole is best) and saute the meat until it is golden all over. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Cover with aluminum foil and the casserole lid and bake in a preheated moderate (325 F.) oven for 2 hours, or until the pork is tender. Lift the pork and keep warm. Mix the flour with the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir it, over moderate heat, into the casserole, stirring until the sauce is lightly thickened. If the liquid has reduced a great deal during cooking and the sauce is too thick, add a little wine or chicken stock to thin it to medium consistency. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Spoon a little of the sauce over the pork slices, and pour the rest into a sauceboat. Serve with shoestring potatoes, sliced tomatoes, and Ensalada de Habas (Fresh Broad Bean Salad).
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 quinces, peeled, cored, and chopped, or 2 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup beef stock
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
Sugar to taste
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Cooking Instructions:
Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet and saute the onion until it is soft. Using a slotted spoon transfer the onion to a casserole. In the oil remaining in the skillet saute the beef until it is browned on all sides. Add it to the casserole with the wine, stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 2 hours. Arrange the meat on a serving platter and keep warm. Reserve the stock. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and add the fruit, including the tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Add a little sugar, if liked. The sauce should be quite tart. Add enough of the reserved stock barely to cover, and simmer, stirring from time to time, until the mixture is thick and well blended. In the old days cooks had to work the mixture through a sieve, a tedious procedure; today a blender or food processor does the job. Return the puree to the saucepan and taste for seasoning, adding a little salt if necessary. Stir in the cream and cook just long enough to heat through. Pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with rice.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds fillets of striped bass, or similar fish, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 fresh hot red or green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup lime or lemon juice
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup bitter (Seville) orange juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
Cooking Instructions:
Put the fish into a large glass or china bowl and add the lime or lemon juice to cover, adding a little more if necessary. Refrigerate for about 3 hours, or until the fish is opaque, "cooked" by the lime or lemon juice. Drain. Transfer to a serving bowl and mix with the bitter orange juice, pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and the oil. Serve with Maiz Tostada (Toasted Corn) on the side.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Oil or lard for deep frying
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 pound (1/2 cup) butter, softened at room temperature
Cinnamon Syrup: 2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked, mashed West Indian pumpkin (calabaza)
1-inch piece of stick cinnamon
Cooking Instructions:
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Add the cheese. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingers, then the pumpkin with a fork. The pumpkin should supply enough moisture to make a soft but not sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a floured board and roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut it into strips 1 inch wide and 6 inches long. Form each strip into a ring, pinching the ends lightly together. Deep fry in hot oil or lard (350 F to 365 F.) until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels and serve with cinnamon syrup. Cinnamon Syrup: In a saucepan combine the sugar with 1 cup water and the cinnamon stick. Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.
Ingredients:
3 large avocados
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup chopped, cooked ham
1 cup mayonnaise
3 hardboiled eggs, chopped
Romaine or iceberg lettuce, shredded
Cooking Instructions:
Carefully peel the avocados, cut into halves lengthwise, and remove and discard the pits. In a bowl combine the ham and hardboiled eggs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and fold in enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture, about 1 cup. Fill the hollows of the avocados with the mixture, Make a bed of lettuce on six salad plates and put half an avocado on each. Serve as a first course or light luncheon dish. A vinaigrette sauce may be used instead of mayonnaise. Avocados discolor quickly, so if it is necessary to prepare this ahead of time, dip the avocados in lemon juice, or leave them unpeeled, though they will look less alegant. Chopped cold roast pork or chicken may be used instead of the ham mixed with 1 cup cooked mixed vegetables instead of the hardboiled eggs. This is a dish that welcomes the improviser. Ecuadorian cooks sometimes substitute tomato sauce or bechamel for mayonnaise, though I find this less attractive.
