Peruvian Potato Salad (Papas, la Huancaina)
1 small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes
6 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 small serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Bibb lettuce leaves
12 Greek olives
3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
Mix onion, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the red pepper; cover and reserve.
Heat 1 inch salted water to boiling. Add potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook until tender, 20 to 25 minutes; drain and cool. Pare potatoes; cut into quarters.
Heat cream cheese, half-and-half, chiles, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the turmeric over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is smooth, 10 to 12 minutes. Arrange potatoes on lettuce leaves. Spoon cheese mixture over potatoes. Drain onion; arrange on cheese and potatoes. Garnish with olives and eggs.
Yields 6 servings.
Coffee Jelly
1 envelope unflavored gelatine*
1/4 cup cold water
1 3/4 cups strong, hot coffee
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream
Finely ground coffee (optional)
* For a firmer jelly, use 1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatine.
Soften gelatine in cold water. Add coffee and stir until gelatine is dissolved. Stir in sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Pour into 8 x 4-inch loaf dish and chill until firm.
Cut into cubes and spoon into small dessert glasses. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with finely ground coffee.
Yields 3 to 4 servings.
Broiled Bean Curd (Tofu Dangaku)
"Dangaku" is the Japanese name for a sort of fair, and it refers to a number of different foods, all of which are skewered before cooking. It refers both to street foods and to the stilts on which fair performers entertain the crowds.
1/4 cup sake
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame paste
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine)
1 teaspoon grated gingerroot
1 pound firm bean curd (tofu)
Tempura Sauce, Hot Mustard Sauce
or Teriyaki Sauce
Mix sake, soy sauce, sesame paste, mirin and gingerroot in ungreased 10 x 6-inch baking dish. Cut bean curd into 1-inch cubes; arrange in sake mixture. Cover; refrigerate, turning bean curd once, 1 hour.
Soak six 8-inch bamboo or wooden skewers in water. Thread 4 bean curd cubes on each skewer.
Set oven to broil or 550 degrees F. Broil bean curd with tops about 4 inches from heat until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes; turn. Brush with marinade; broil 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with Tempura Sauce.
Yields 6 servings.
Pebre (Chilean Hot Pepper Sauce)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 to 6 fresh hot green chile peppers,
seeded and finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Makes about 1 cup.
Sukiyaki
Serve hot from the skillet, with separate bowls for hot cooked rice.
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pound beef tenderloin or boneless sirloin, 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
2 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/8-inch slices
1 bunch scallions, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (4 cups)
1 (8 1/2 ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
4 cups packed spinach, stems removed
Hot cooked rice
Dissolve bouillon in hot water; stir in soy sauce and sugar. Reserve. Cut beef into 1/8-inch slices. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet until hot. Place half each of the celery, carrots, scallions, mushrooms and bamboo shoots in separate areas in skillet. Pour half the reserved soy sauce mixture into skillet. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are crisp-tender, turning vegetables gently, 8 to 10 minutes. Push vegetables to side of skillet; add half each of the beef and spinach. Cook beef to desired doneness, about 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining vegetables and beef.
Yields 4 servings.
Suimono (Clear Japanese Soup)
3 cups water
1 tablespoon instant chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Garnishes
Heat water, bouillon and soy sauce to boiling, stirring occasionally. Serve in small bowls; top with 1 to 3 garnishes.
For garnishes, use thinly sliced mushrooms, scallion strips, celery leaves, thinly sliced lemon or lime, thinly sliced carrot, strips of lemon (without pith) or lime peel (without pith).
Paraguayan Corn Bread (Sopa Paraguaya)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (8 ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese (4 ounces)
1 small onion, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir boiling water into cornmeal in a large bowl; continue stirring until smooth. Blend in butter and egg yolks. Stir in remaining ingredients except egg whites.
Beat egg whites just until soft peaks form; fold into batter. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Bake until knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Yields 9 to 12 servings.
Seafood and Vegetables in Broth (Yosenabe)
1/2 (3 3/4 ounce) package cellophane noodles
4 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed chicken broth
2 broth cans water
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined
8 ounces cod or haddock fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ounces Chinese pea pods
1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 mushrooms, sliced
4 scallions (with tops), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Dipping Sauce
Cover cellophane noodles with hot water. Let stand 10 minute; drain. Cut into 2-inch lengths. Heat chicken broth, water and carrots to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Stir in noodles and remaining ingredients except Dipping Sauce. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer until shrimp are pink and fish flakes easily with fork, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with small dishes of Dipping Sauce.
Yields 6 servings.
Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion (with top)
Dash of red pepper flakes
Mix all ingredients.