Sofrito (con carne)

Sofrito is the base to a lot of the Chilean dishes, is the combination of a few vegetables with sauteed in oil with some seasoning. I make this sofrito and add ground beef and some diced tomatoes and is (almost) the best spaghetti sauce. Or chop zucchini and mix is all in a bowl and put it in the oven, also you can do stuffed peppers!

Here is my recipe that I learned from my dad who learned from my Grandpa Raul. The best thing about this is that you can not fail...  never is too much of one thing  or the other (besides salt)

1.  3 celery sticks
2. 1 large carrot
3. 3 shallots
4. 2 garlic cloves
5. 1/2  white onion
6. 1/2 red pepper
7. 1/2 green pepper
8. 2 bay leaves
9. 2 cups of ground beef
10. 1/4 teaspoon of paprika  
11. 2 tbsp olive oil
12. S&P

** I cheat and put 1/4 of taco seasoning with low sodium.

Fist chop all the veggies in really tiny cubes and leave aside while you warm up a pan with  olive oil and the tiny chopped garlic. Next add the onion, and shred directly the carrot to the pan. As soon as you finish with the carrot, add the celery and peppers.  Is is important to start with the items that take longer to cook first, so when you add the ground beef the veggies are not over cooked or saggy. I add the ground beef last because I like to use the steam of the vegetables to help cook the beef.
Add seasonings; paprika, taco seasoning is optional, salt & pepper and now you can add the bay leaves. Bay leaves help the meat to enhance the taste. That's what dad always told me and a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. But I only do it when I am making spaghetti sauce.

Always prepared

Growing up, we often had people stopping by our house because we lived in the beach and that is just the thing you do in Chile. Mom always had something to offer/ serve to our unexpected but gracious visitors.

I learn to have in stock a fruit that will pair with honey or balsamic reduction and goat cheese. A cheese that isn't too strong as blue cheese, more as smoked gauda, brie or cream cheese. Another great thing to have is some kind of marmalade, or sauce to drizzle over the cream cheese (I get hot plum chipotle by Spice Exchange) . Carbs! also get some crackers... if you have baguette you can warm it up in the over while you serve some wine to your guest.
So next time you are doing groceries, get one of each list and you will find more than one use for your everyday cooking;

Fresh produce section:

• Strawberries
• Cherries 
• Raspberries
• Red grapes 
• Cantaloupe (it taste great with balsamic reduction wrapped in prosciutto)
• Watermelon (with some goat cheese and olive oil+ balsamic reduction! a new twist to a caprese)

Cheese Section

• Goat cheese
• Brie
• Smoked gauda

Condiments/ or glazing

• Blackberry marmalade
• Hot plum chipotle sauce (this isn't too hot and you can use for grilling)
• Honey ( I drizzle honey on top of the brie with some pine nuts or sliced almonds)

** I also have dry apricots or figs. It seems to be a favorite in moms and my kitchen.

Don't forget the crackers! 

Not-so Mexican Pasta Salad

There are many variations to pasta salads, you can add anything you like and call it 'pasta salad'. The only requirement is; it needs to be colorful.
For this salad my ingredients were:
(Serves 8)

• 1 package of Orecchiette or preferred pasta
• A hand full of cherry sweet tomatoes
• 1 avocado
• 1 corn (cooked)
• 1/2 purple onion
• 1/3 cup of green pepper 
• Olives (optional)
• A hand full of arugula

Sauce

• 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp of low fat mayo
• salt & pepper
• a few drops of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

First- Cook the orecchiette pasta as package indicates. In a bowl, add the onion very very fine chopped, the corn, the avocado (cut in cubes) the green pepper cut in very small pieces, the cherry tomatoes cut in halves (this helps to release some of the sweetness of its juice), cut the olives in small pieces (remove the pit) .

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients below the sauce list. As soon as the pasta is ready, you can let it sit until cool, or like me if you are short in time, pour the pasta in a colander and run cold water through it. This will not harm the pasta. Make sure its strain completely and add a little drops of olive oil so it doesn't stick.

Add the pasta on top of the veggies, mix well then add the sauce. Mix evenly and add the hand full of arugula. Clean the bowl around the edges and you can sprinkle some parsley for aesthetic. Yum!

French Pie (my version)

Living with my boyfriend has thought me a few lessons in life, especially in the cooking world. When he craves pizza, I ambition this recipe but in his mind really he would go to the frozen isle and call it good. After all is 450 degrees for 18 minutes right?
Well this pizza which is what I crave and it takes me 20 minutes at 350 degrees, and taste a lot better!

What you will need:

1. Boboli Whole Wheat Thin  Pizza Crust 12" (or preferred )
2. 1 pear
3. 1/2 of white onion
4. 1 cup of brie cheese
5. 2 tbsp of brown sugar
6. 1 cup of arugula
7. turkey breast or chicken (I go to the butcher and have him cut me 'sandwich' slices of a smoked turkey fully cooked)
8. olive oil/ S&P

In a medium heat pan add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil until warm. Cut the 1/2 onion in thing slices and do the same with the pear. Add the onion and pear to the pan, saute until soften. Now, you can caramelize them by adding the 2 tbsp of brown sugar until it is melted. 

In a cookie sheet place the  pizza crust and spread in an uniform way the turkey and brie which I cut in 2x1 inch pieces. Add the caramelized pear and onion and place it in the oven (follow the package instructions for cooking time). ** In the image below I added mushrooms as well before I place in the oven.

You can now place a hand full of arugula in the top and also pine nuts, caramelized pecans or even walnuts for extra crunch. 

Enjoy!

Zucchini Fest

On Wednesday I had a couple, dear friends of mine come for dinner at our place. I decided to cook my grandma's old recipe (which I have been modifying over the years) I hope you enjoy it. 

For vegetarians, just remove the meats and you can replace with firm tofu! taste as good.

Ingredients:

• Zucchini (yellow and green). Depending of the size of the zucchini (6" being an average size) count 1 full zucchini per person (1/2 green, 1/2 yellow)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 of white onion
• 1/2 of carrot
• 2 fresh bacon slices (optional)
• ground beef (1 full cup)
• 1 bay leaf (it gives a good taste to the ground beef)
• 2 shallots 
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup of shaved parmigiano 

In a medium heat pan, add the olive oil and garlic cut in fine pieces. Let is simmer, add the shredded carrot. Make sure everything is cooking evenly, constantly mixing the veggies with a wood spoon.  you can add the salt and pepper now,and ad the half of a onion chopped in tiny pieces and let it cook until the onion starts turning clear. Keep mixing the veggies and add the shallots cut in small pieces. 

Let the veggies simmer on low heat while you cut the bacon in small pieces. Add the bacon and let it release some of its natural oils. After bacon is golden, add the zucchini in triangular pieces. Let it simmer in medium heat now. Remember this vegetable releases a lot of water so leave the pan uncover until you add the ground beef.

As soon as zucchinis are soft, you can add the beef put the lid on the pan.

**You can now warm up your oven at 350 degrees.

In a square glass roaster (square trays are easier for cutting perfect pieces) evenly place the cooked mixture. Whisk the eggs and pour evenly on top of the mixture in the glass roaster ( is okay if whisked eggs do not sit on top of the mixture) Add the shaved parmigiano and  place it in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted on top.

Optional side to serve the zucchini fest

You will need:

• small potatoes
• olive oil
• fresh dill
• sea salt
• fresh pepper

Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes. After cooked,  place in a cookie sheet and cut in halves if desired. Cut small pieces of the fresh dill and sprinkle over the potatoes. Pour a little olive oil on the potatoes, sea salt and pepper and place them in the over underneath the glass roaster while the zucchini dish is cooking.

 

Mini Ravioli Chicken Pesto

The day after I made the pesto, I went to Trader Joe's some items and landed in the pasta isle. I usually get the  orecchiette pasta which is a must for me because you only need to cook a small portion to make a bigger meal. I use this for pasta salads or as a main entree with sauteed tomatoes, peppers and arugula.
This time I got the mini cheese ravioli to go with the pesto and some chicken for protein.

For this recipe you will need (serves 4):

• Mini Cheese Ravioli (or preferred pasta)
• Shitake Mushrooms (it ads great taste to the chicken)
• A chicken breast
• olive oil

Cook the ravioli as indicated in the bag. While the ravioli is cooking, in a medium heat pan add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the chicken breast cut in small pieces. as soon as the chicken begins to cook, add the shitake mushroom in pieces. Season with alt and pepper to your taste,  I didn't because the pesto was already well seasoned. Add a  big wood spoon of pesto (you previously made the day before). You can not add too much or too little, so estimate by coloring of the chicken.

 By the time you already added the pesto to the chicken and it is all cooked, the ravioli should be ready. Drain the water off the pasta and mix with the chicken (I added the ravioli to the pan where I was cooking the chicken) You can do the opposite way as well. Because I wanted to warm up some baguette for dinner I left the pan on 'warm' heat so keep the entree, well..warm.

I found this Garlic & Herb butter at Trader Joe's (yes, love that place) and I highly recommend this for your warm baguette at dinner. 

Pesto (+ quick bruschetta recipe)

About two weeks ago, I bought a basil plant from the farmers market, which it was a great buy!. That plant grew faster than I could use the leaves so I learn to harvest it so it will keep providing leaves for the rest of the summer. What to do with so much basil? Mom told me; "make pesto for your chicken pesto pasta or bruschetta".

...So here is my recipe and you will need;

• 1 cup of fresh basil  
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 green onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. of coconut oil or/ 1 tbsp. of olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 4 little shallots (optional)

In a pan on medium heat add 1 tbsp of coconut oil (or olive oil) until melted. Add the finely cut garlic cloves, until golden. When garlic cloves are golden (not burned) add the shallots and green onion, salt and pepper to taste, and saute.

 When onions and shallots are clear you can add  2 cups of  spinach, let it cook until spinach turn soft. that's it about 2 minutes in medium heat.

When all those veggies are cooked place on a bowl to cool down. In the same pan add the cup of fresh basil on low heat for a few seconds. Don't let basil turn brown! I opted to warm up the basil so it will acquire the taste of the sauteed onions and garlic but you can also mix it  when it is fresh.

As soon as the sauteed veggies are cool down, place them in the blender with 1/2 of a tablespoon of olive oil and blend until veggies turn into a paste. 

**You can refrigerate for about 3 days.

Pesto Bruschetta (Option for your pesto)

You will need:

• 1 baguette
• goat cheese (taste really good with honey goat cheese from Trader Joe's) 
• pine nuts

Slice a baguette on a diagonal about ½-1 inch thick slices. In one side of each slice add a few drops of olive oil and on the other side generously spread goat cheese. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Warm up the over at 450 F (Toast the bread in the top rack in your oven). Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden or the goat cheese is melted. Take off the cooking sheet, let it cool down for 1 minute and spread the pesto and sprinkle some pine nuts.  Enjoy!