Argentine Empanada

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In this land of the pampas and gauchos, beef is king. And beef is a traditional filling for empanadas that are a very popular appetizer, snack and/or picnic fare in Argentina. This recipe is rather similar to a Puerto Rican picadillo, so substitute pork if you wish.

Ingredients

  • 1/2  pound ground beef

  • 1/4 cup chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

  • 3 aji chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped, or substitute 3 jalapenos

  • 1 small potato, cooked and finely diced

  • 12 green olives, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and chopped

  • 2 tablespoons raisins

  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry

  • 1 tablespoon ground paprika

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 hard cooked eggs, chopped

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Saute the beef in a heavy skillet until almost browned. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chiles and continue to saute until the onions are soft. Add the potato and continue to cook for an additional minute. Pour off any accumulated fat.

Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, add the meat and mix well.

Spicy Rasta Pasta with Chicken and Hot Chiles

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Originally served at the restaurant Barbacoa in Newport Beach, California, this pasta has the flavors of the Caribbean.

Ingredients

For the Pasta:

  • 12 ounces assorted color peparodelle pasta (wide cut noodles)

  • 1 ½ pounds skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4 inch by 4 inch strips

  • 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

  • 1 cup diced tomatoes

  • 1/2 pound zucchini and yellow squash (cut very thin lengthwise)

  • 2 cups Spicy Marinara Sauce 

  • 1 habanero chile, stem and seeds removed, minced

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • ½ cup white wine

  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

 For the Sauce:

  • ½ teaspoon crushed hot dried red chile, such as piquin

  • 1 small white onion, diced

  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 6 ounces tomato paste

  • 3/4 pound whole tomatoes, peeled and chopped

  • 1 teaspoon white pepper

  • Salt to taste

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

 

Instructions

For the Pasta:

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water with a little olive oil until cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Dust the chicken with the jerk seasoning spice and saute in the olive oil in a large frying pan for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, squash and saute for an additional minute. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cilantro, and boil for 1 minute.

Mix the pasta with the chicken sauce, garnish with the cilantro and serve.

 For the Sauce:

In a pan, saute the chile, onion, garlic, basil, and oregano in the oil until soft. Add the tomato paste and whole tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place the sauce in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Add salt to taste.

Chill the sauce and add the fresh basil.

 

 

Upscale Mean Mac

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The variety of cheeses in this upscale and tasty dish make it dangerously delicious! The chiles in the dish, as well as the flavored pasta, add a subtle punch and contrasts nicely with the cheeses and the herbs.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 pound flavored pasta, such as green or red chile

  • ½ pound mascarpone cheese, softened

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground white pepper

  • ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

  • 4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

  • ½ pound fontina cheese, cut into small cubes (1/4 inch)

  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

  • 1 habanero chile, seeds and stem removed, minced or substitute 3 serrano chiles

  • 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon dried savory

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 4 to 5 cups mixed greens, such as Boston Bibb lettuce, endive, or escarole

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the salt and the olive oil. Add the dry pasta and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. Drain thoroughly and place the pasta in a large bowl lined with paper towels.

Mix the mascarpone, the olive oil, and the ground peppers together in a small bowl. Remove the towels from the pasta and mix in the mascarpone. Then, add the gorgonzola, fontina, parmesan, chile, parsley, thyme, oregano, savory, and salt and toss the mixture lightly. Microwave the mixture on low for 2 minutes to warm it up.

Arrange a bed of mixed greens on each plate and mound the pasta-cheese mixture on top. Serve immediately.

Brazilian Shrimp Empadinhas

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Brazil, the largest country in South America, was colonized by the Portuguese hence the spelling empadinhas or empadas. This Bahian-style empada filling can also be made with scallops or for a variation, used in puff pastry.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup chopped onion

  • 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

  • 1 habanero chile, stem and seeds removed, minced or substitute 3 jalapeno chiles

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • Juice of 1 lime

  • ½ cup chopped palm hearts

  • 1 small tomato, chopped

  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 egg yolk

  • ½ cup thick coconut milk

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  • 1 pound small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • Salt to taste

    • Instructions

    In a heavy skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion, bell pepper, and habanero until they are softened but not browned. Add the lime juice, palm hearts, tomato, cardamom, and cloves, and cook for a couple of minutes until the liquid has been reduced and the mixture thick. Salt to taste.

    Beat the egg together with the coconut milk in a bowl.

    Slowly stir the coconut milk into the palm hearts mixture, and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a medium white sauce. Stir in the cilantro and shrimp.

    Allow the mixture to cool slightly before filling the empadas.

     

    Habanero Lasagne

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    This is not a lasagne to be taken lightly as it has with the robust flavor of habaneros and black olives–a real taste combination. As you bite into this luscious layered delight, you are temporarily lulled into the garlic-infused sauce when all of a sudden, the habanero layer hits your mouth and then it melds with the taste of the tomato and the vegetables. This recipe requires 3 days of prior preparation–marinating the olives and peppers, and then some steaming and shuffling on the day of preparation. But, making good lasagne has never been easy, or neat. Note: This recipe requires advanced preparation.

    Ingredients

    • 1 16-ounce can of whole black olives, drained and rinsed, and thinly sliced

    • 3 habanero chiles, seeds and stem removed, minced

    • ½ cup white wine

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    • 1 cup chopped onion

    • 1/4 cup grated carrots

    • ½ cup finely diced celery

    • 3 cloves garlic, minced

    • 8 ripe tomatoes (2 pounds) peeled, seeded, and chopped; or substitute 1 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, crushed.

    • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, rehydrated in white wine, then finely chopped

    • 1 8-ounce can of tomato paste

    • 2 tablespoons chopped dried basil or 4 tablespoons fresh

    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 4 tablespoons fresh, chopped

    • 1 bay leaf

    • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

    • ½ teaspoon crushed rosemary

    • 1 teaspoon sugar

    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

    • 2 cups vegetable stock

    • 1 or 2 frozen packages artichoke hearts, cooked
      or substitute 4 fresh zucchini, peeled, sliced horizontally, and steamed for 1 minute

    • 1 bunch fresh spinach, cleaned and steamed for 1 minute

    • 1 pound lowfat ricotta cheese

    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

    • 1 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese

    • 1 pound cooked lasagne noodles

    Instructions

    Combine the black olives and the habanero chiles in a glass jar with the white wine. Place the jar in the refrigerator for 3 days, and, once a day, turn the jar upside down and shake gently.

    In a large, heavy Dutch oven-type casserole, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, the sun-dried rehydrated tomatoes, and the tomato paste and mix thoroughly.

    Bring the tomato mixture to a low boil and add the basil, oregano, bay leaf, parsley, rosemary, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and 1 cup of the rich stock. (Reserve the second cup of stock to use for thinning, if needed, later on in the cooking.) Cover and simmer the mixture for at least one hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes too thick, thin with the reserved stock.

    Remove the bay leaf from the tomato sauce and discard. Spread ½ cup of the tomato sauce in a 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Place some cooked lasagne noodles on top of the sauce. Thoroughly drain the olive-habanero mixture, and spread 1/3 of it over the noodles. Top the olive mixture with 1/3 of the sliced artichokes (or zucchinis), and 1/3 of the steamed spinach leaves. Mix the three cheeses together and spread 1/3 of this mixture over the spinach.

    Pour 1 cup of the tomato sauce over this mixture, and then cover with more lasagne noodles. Repeat the whole process for two more layers, ending with the noodles and topping off with the tomato sauce.

    Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. (Or, cover and refrigerate and bake later; just allow the dish to reach room temperature before baking.)