Argentinian food is as interesting and diverse as its culture. This cuisine is known for its rich diet that is high in proteins. The staple dish of Argentina is grilled meat (asado). Beef ribs, pork sausages, fish, lambs and goats are often the main ingredients. Pizzas and pastas are devoured with great gusto out here! Argentinian food is quite similar in its preparation and flavor to Italian, Spanish and French food. Herbs and sweet peppers are used generously in this type of cuisine. So, do you feel the urge to try these recipes at home?
Delicious Empanadas
Ingredients
For the dough:
All-purpose flour (2 cups)
Eggs (2)
Salt (1-2 teaspoons)
Cold water (2/3rd cup)
White vinegar (2 tablespoons)
Cold butter - cut into small cubes (3/4th cup)
For the Meat Filling:
Ground beef (1 lb)
Hard-boiled eggs (4)
Stuffed green olive (1 cup)
Raisins (optional)
Large onion (1)
Garlic cloves (3)
Ground cumin powder (2-3 tablespoons)
Chili pepper flakes (1 teaspoon)
Sugar (1-2 tablespoons)
Salt and pepper
Preparation
First, you would need to sift the flour and mix it with salt in a large bowl. Add solid butter to it. Mix it well so that the flour has a coarse and even texture. Next, beat the eggs with water and vinegar in a bowl. Add this to the flour mixture and blend well.
Next, place the mixture on a floured surface. Knead the dough, cover it and place it aside for an hour. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/8th of an inch and cut into circles. These circles should be around 4-6 inches in diameter. Brush these lightly with flour.
You also need to heat some oil in a large saucepan. Add minced onions and garlic to this pan and cook the onions till they turn translucent. Now, add the ground meat. Break it up into little pieces and let it cook till it turns a light shade of brown. Also add the cumin powder along with the pepper flakes and sugar as per your requirement. Your next step would be to add the chopped hard-boiled eggs and the stuffed olives to the meat mixture. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375º F and stuff the empanada dough wrappers. For this, place around 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center area of each dough wrapper. You also need to dampen the outer surface of the dough. Now, fold the dough over to form a semicircle. Pinch a corner and then fold it. Pinch a corner again and pull out another section to fold it over and allow it to overlap. Repeat the procedure till it forms a twisted shape. Use the beaten egg yolk over the topside of the empanadas and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake these for 20 minutes or till it turns a shade of golden brown.
Delectable Shrimp
Ingredients
Large tomatoes - diced (2)
Red onion - diced
Cilantro - diced (1 bunch)
Oranges - squeezed (2)
Limes - squeezed (8)
Lemons - squeezed (8)
Large avocados - diced (2)
Serrano pepper/jalapeno - diced (1)
Large cucumbers - peeled and diced (2)
Peeled and deveined shrimp (2-3 lbs)
Preparation
Blanch shrimp for 5 minutes in boiling water. Then place it in ice-cold water and strain it when it's cooled. Then, cut the shrimp into tiny pieces and place in a bowl. Now, you need to add the citrus juice and marinate it for 2 hours. Add tomatoes, red onions, chilies and cilantro and marinate it again for 2 hours. Then, place the avocados with cucumber and serve.
These recipes should give you a flavor of the cuisine out there! Bon Appétit!