Venezuela

 Welcome to Venezuela!  With everything going on in the news, I thought this may be an appropriate time to make their national dish.  So, we took a detour from Slovenia and went here instead!  Venezuela is home to the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, which is Angel Falls (and it looks stunning!).  It is home to the world's largest rodent, the capybara, and has more land dedicated to conservatorship than any other country.  According to Google, the population is 28.5 million people and the capital is Caracas.  Their national dish is...

Pabellón Criollo!

It's a rice and beans meal with some meat.  To go with Pabellón Criollo, we made Chicha, which is similar to Horchata.  Let me tell you, this meal took some time to prep and had a lot of different components!  I had to read and re-read the recipes to get things figured out and then time everything out to make it.  I also made fried plantains to go with it, as I read that this is a common addition to the meal.  Here's what I did:

PABELLON CRILLO

Black Beans

1 small package of black beans

6 C water

2 bay leaves

Sofrito

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp  paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded Beef 

4 lb flank steak

6 C water

1 onion, cut in quarters

1 carrot, chopped

1 bell pepper

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of parsley

Salt, to taste

Sauce of The Beef 

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

14 oz can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tbsp curry

1 tsp paprika

Meat broth (left from boiling the beef)

Chili flakes, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large container, wash the beans very well under running water and discard any beans that float.
2. Put the black beans in a large pot, add the water and the bay leaves, and cook over medium heat for 1 hour and a half or until you see that the beans are soft. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sofrito. 
4. Put the sofrito ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed and the consistency of salsa.
5. Place this sauce in a pot with a lid and cook for about fifteen minutes over low heat.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. When the beans have softened, add the sofrito to the beans and cook over low heat for about 30 more minutes so that the broth thickens a bit, add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place the meat in a large pot.
9. Add the pieces of onion, carrot, celery, the chopped peppers and the bunches of cilantro and parsley to the pot with the meat.
10. Cover with water, cover the pot and cook for 2 hours over medium heat, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. 
11. Remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 5 minutes before shredding it. 
12. With the help of two forks, shred the still hot meat into thin and long strands.
13. In a frying pan, brown the onion and garlic in avocado oil until they are translucent.
14. Add cumin, curry, paprika and stir.
15. Add a little of the meat broth.
16. Add the shredded meat, the bell peppers, and the chopped tomato, and mix all the ingredients. 
17. If you see that the meat is a bit dry, add more broth.
18. Let cook covered and over low heat for about 15 minutes so that all the flavors mingle. 
19. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste.
20. Serve with white rice and fried plantains, and enjoy!

(Source: Pabellón Criollo)

CHICHA

1/2 C rice

3 C water

1 C milk

1/2 can condensed milk

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Soak the rice in 1 cup of water from 2 to 12 hours.
2. Rinse the rice and cook it in a pot with 3 cups of water. 
3. Cook it for 40 minutes with the cinnamon stick until the rice is extremely soggy and can’t absorb more water. 
4. Let it chill and remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Blend the rice, milk, condensed milk, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. 
6. Blend on high speed for 5 minutes. You can add more milk if you feel that the chicha is too thick.
7. Top with extra sweetened condensed milk and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Chicha)

The verdict?  It was OK.  This is one of very few South American dishes that we didn't just love.  The meat was quite chewy, which made it hard and unpleasant to eat.  The flavors were good, but the texture not so much.   I think it would have been better if the meat was barbequed or cooked another way.  Boiling it didn't make it great.  I used the extra meat broth to make the rice - this was a good move!  It was delicious!  I couldn't eat the beans, so Handsome Husband will have to speak to the beans.  I wasn't a fan of the chicha - I don't think that I blended it long enough.  It was quite grainy.  All in all, the meal was OK, but not one we plan to repeat.

The beans -- they were beans. Nothing special and pretty bland, which was disappointing after sampling the sofrita and really liking the vibrant flavors. But even plain beans always manage to be at least a little bit good, so they still get a decent rating.

ME

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 3

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 3

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Another South American country down!  Join us next time (for real) in Slovenia!

Paraguay

 Welcome to Paraguay!  We thought it was a good time to do another South American country, and boy were we right!  Well, kinda right.  Some interesting facts about Paraguay: there is a dam called Itaipu Dam that borders Brazil.  This dam produces almost all the power for Paraguay and is owned by both Paraguay and Brazil.  Also, the flag of Paraguay is the only country to have a double-sided flag!  According to Google, the population of Paraguay is around 7 million people, and the capital is Asunción, Their national dish is...

Sopa Paraguaya!

It literally translates to the Soup of Paraguay.  However, the dish is not soup at all! It is actually a cornbread!  That didn't stop us from making soup though...To go with sopa paraguaya, we made Paraguayan Dumpling Soup.  While I was reading recipes from Paraguay, many of them talked about how people of Paraguay use cassava or corn in some form for almost every meal.  Well, we had corn as part of both our dishes!  Here's what we did:

SOPA PARAGUAYA

8 oz corn flour

2 large onions, sliced thinly

4 tbsp avocado oil, divided

4 eggs, yolks and whites separated

1 tsp salt

10 oz. mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 C milk

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small skillet, heat two tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. 
3. Add two sliced onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk four egg yolks with 10 oz cheese and a teaspoon of salt. 
6. Mix in the sautéed onions and one cup of milk. 
7. Add corn flour and whisk until incorporated. 
8. Pour in the remaining milk and mix with a tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary.
9. In a separate bowl, beat the four egg whites on high speed until foamy and stiff peak forms. 
10. Fold into the cornmeal mixture.
11. Grease a 9" non-stick round or square baking dish. 
12. Pour in the mixture and bake until golden brown, for 30-35 minutes. 
13. Let cool and slice into wedges or squares.
14. Enjoy!

(Source: Sopa Paraguaya)

PARAGUAYAN DUMPLING SOUP

Dumplings

1/3 C yellow cornmeal

1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C gluten free flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of black pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp minced scallions, white portion only

2 tbsp oil

Soup

2 tbsp oil

1 lb stew meat

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

8 C beef broth, plus as needed

1 onion, finely chopped

4 small carrots, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

1 bay leaf

3 whole cloves

2 or 3 crushed saffron threads

1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

1. Make the dumplings: Combine the cornmeal, Parmesan, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, egg, scallions, and oil in a mixing bowl. 
2. Cover the batter and let it rest at least 45 minutes and up to 3 hours before shaping and cooking the dumplings.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. 
4. Season the stew meat with salt and pepper and add it to the hot oil. 
5. Sear the beef on all sides, turning as necessary, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
6. Add the broth and simmer over low heat until the beef is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. 
7. Remove the beef to a plate and let cool. 
8. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and reserve.
9. Return the soup pot to medium-high heat. 
10. Add the remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat. 
11. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
12. Add the strained broth to the soup pot along with additional broth, if needed, to make 8 cups.
13.  Bring the broth to a simmer and add the bay leaf, cloves, and saffron threads. 
14. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the broth is flavorful, 30 minutes.
15. Trim the cooled beef and cut it into medium dice. 
16. Return the beef to the soup. 
17. To form the dumplings, pinch off small pieces of dough (about 1 teaspoon) and roll them into balls. 
18. Add the dumplings to the soup and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. 
19. Serve immediately in warmed soup bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
20. Enjoy!

(Source: Paraguayan Dumpling Soup)

The verdict?  The soup was really good.  It was a hearty, filling soup.  It was very much like a traditional beef stew, but for some reason had a bit more flavor. The dumplings in the soup were interesting - they were good to start off, but then they just fell apart, and then the texture was a bit odd.  But overall, it was really good!  The sopa paraguaya wasn't great.  That could be because the power went out halfway through cooking, but it tasted more like an egg bake than cornbread.  The flavor profiles were good, but it was just too dense and eggy. Not one we would like to make again.

   

ME

Taste of Sopa Paraguaya (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Sopa Paraguaya (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Paraguayan Dumpling Soup (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Paraguayan Dumpling Soup (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Hope you had fun in Paraguay!  Join us next time in Mali!

Chile

 Welcome to Chile!  We did take a detour on our way to Guinea-Bissau, but we are back in South America, where we love the food!  Chile's highest mountain is over 22,000 feet tall, and is only the second-tallest mountain in South America!  It is the southern-most country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica (bucket list!).  It also has the highest volcano on earth.  Chile sounds like it's got a bit of everything, and a place to go visit!  According to Google, the population of Chile is 19.66 million people and the capital is Santiago.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Cazuela!

It is a stew with a little bit of everything.  Another source said that Curanto was the national dish. Curanto is almost like a Spanish paella without the rice.  What do you do when you find two recipes to make?  Make them both! So that's what we did.  It was great to share this meal with the whole family - there were lots of folks to help eat it all!  Here's what I did:

CAZUELA

4 short beef ribs
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 bell pepper, cut into quarters
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
One celery stalk, chopped

2 carrots, chopped
2 ears of corn, cut into thirds
6 small red potatoes, peeled
4 handfuls of rice
1 butternut squash, chunked
5-6 cups boiling water

1. Fry meat in the oil, brown all sides.
2. Add the onion, oregano, and cumin, and fry until brown.
3. Add all other ingredients, except for squash, and cover them with water.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bring to a boil then simmer for at least 1 hour, up to 2 hours.
6. Add the squash about 30 minutes before serving.
7. Serve hot and enjoy! 

(Source: Cazuela and Cazuela) 

CURANTO

2 tbsp avocado oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 lb gold potatoes, quartered
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 jalapeño, thickly sliced
1 tbsp garlic chopped
1 large Savoy cabbage leaves, torn off
2 chorizo sausages, cut in thirds
1 lb pork chops, chops cut in half
2 lbs clams
1 lb mussels
1 C white wine

1. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Add chicken and cook until lightly brown.
3. Add potatoes, red peppers, onions, jalapeño pepper and half of garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes or until softened.
4. Cover tightly with cabbage leaves.
5. Add sausage and pork chops, and cover with more cabbage leaves.
6. Add clams, mussels and remaining garlic, pour wine over top and cover with a final layer of cabbage leaves.
7. Cover pot tightly with a lid.
8. Cook for about 40 minutes on medium heat, or until everything is cooked and steaming hot.
9. Remove pot from heat and put all the ingredients clams, mussels, sausage, chicken and pork on a platter.
10. Serve cabbage as well.
11. Enjoy! 

(Source: Curanto) 

 

The verdict?  Mixed reviews.  The Cazuela was pretty bland, and difficult to eat.  It is supposed to be eaten with your hands (which is really strange for a stew), but we found there wasn't much flavor to the dish.  It was  OK, just not anything great.  The Curanto was very good.  There were lots of different flavors, and we enjoyed all the different elements of the meal.  Although, I must admit, I did skip the clams and mussels...

 

      

 

ME

Taste of Cazuela (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Cazuela (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

ME

Taste of Curanto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7 

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 1

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Curanto (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 2

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

Join us next time (for real!) in Guinea-Bissau!