Arepas with Black Beans and Guasacaca

In case you were wondering, I am not an edible arrangement kind of person.  If you did gift me one, I wouldn't be mad.  I would probably think  you read this and were playing a joke on me.  But then there is a chance that you were being serious, in which case, I probably would just pretend I liked it.  But honestly, I think that is the most ridiculous successful business out there.  I don't like my food to be shaped into objects.  Plus, those arrangements are weird.

Speaking of gifts, this was Scot's birthday dinner this year.  After returning from a trip to Puerto Rico, we were inspired to have a latin-ish meal.  Yes, I know arepas and tamales are not Puerto Rican.  But the whole time we were in Puerto Rico, Scot kept expressing his desire for corn based goodies.

I don't recommend this particular menu unless you want to be in the kitchen for 10 hours and eat dinner at 11 pm.  But it was delicious.  In addition, I made some cupcakes:

They were ridiculously good.  I used this recipe from smitten kitchen.  I did 1/3 of the cake recipe, and halved the marshmallow filling and chocolate ganache.  It was the perfect amount for 12 cupcakes.  These photos were taken right after I filled and frosted them.  But they taste best if they are refrigerated and the ganache hardens.  I should say: they taste AMAZING after that happens.  The best way to fill is to cut out a little piece out of the top and put in some of the marshmallow filling (or even better, use a piping bag).  Then spoon over some ganache, chill and serve.  I also tried filling with ganache and topping with the marshmallow frosting, but I prefer the opposite way.  The last change I made was I used all bittersweet chocolate.  This was for Scot after all.

Yes, these are basically hostess cupcakes that take two hours to make.

Back to the arepas.  Scot did say, "this is my favorite thing I have ever eaten".  I am pretty sure that isn't the first time he has said that.  If you have never gotten the opportunity to try arepas at a Venezuelan/Colombian restaurant or in SA, you must make these at home.  They really aren't hard to make.  The arepa itself is incredibly straight forward and simple.  With the sauce and the filling, it is a lot of different things going on, but each component individually is very easy.  Also, the guasacaca sauce can be made ahead of time.  And arepas can be filled with whatever you want: meat (shredded, cubed), any cheese, seafood, beans, a chicken salad type thing, chiles, sweet potatoes, plantains, etc.

Arepas with Black Beans and Guasacaca

adapted from use real butter

2 cups harina PAN

2 1/2 cups warm water


1 tsp salt


2-3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

more oil for cooking

avocado, sliced


14.5 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp of pureed chipotles in adobo

salt

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded


guasacaca (see below)

Place the harina in a large bowl and add the warm water, salt, and vegetable oil (we used 3 tablespoons). Gently fold the mixture together until the moisture is roughly evenly distributed. Set the dough aside for at least ten minutes. The longer, the better. Meanwhile you can make the guasacaca (see below). When the dough has sat long enough, mix it together with your hands and moosh out any lumps between your fingers. Make sure it is uniformly mixed. Begin to form patties approximately 1/2-inch thick and 4-5 inches in diameter. You want them to have a uniform surface (avoid cracks) and to be relatively even in thickness. Using a paper towel or brush, apply a thin layer of vegetable oil on a flat pan like a cast iron skillet or something flat (NOT a non-stick pan). Set over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place a few patties (like 3 or however many will fit without crowding) on the surface. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on your heat and pan) until the bottoms begin to crackle and pop. Check the bottoms for doneness – when they are lightly golden, flip them over. After another 5 to 10 minutes, check the bottoms for doneness. They should be lightly golden and when you tap the arepa, it should be slightly springy. Remove from heat. If you are making a lot, you can keep the cooked arepas in a baking dish in a low oven (like 250°F) until you are ready to serve.   This recipe makes 6 five-inch arepas. 

In the mean time, place the black beans, pureed chipotles in adobo, salt, pepper and some water in a wide skillet over medium high heat.  Cook until all the water evaporates and until beans reach desired texture.  Add water and repeat as need.  Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Slice the top half of an arepa open along the seam with a butter knife. Carefully scrape out some of the moist filling from the entire interior (you can save it to eat later with butter). When the arepa is hollowed out, fill it with avocado, black beans, cheese, and guasacaca.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 45 min., Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Guasacaca (guacamole salsa)


1 onion, peeled, topped, and cut into eighths


1 avocado, peeled and pitted


2-3 tablespoons of white or rice wine vinegar (more if necessary)


1 cloves of garlic

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and cored


2 cups fresh parsley


2 cups fresh cilantro
salt to taste


3 tbsp vegetable oil

Place the onion, avocado, vinegar, garlic, and jalapeño in a blender (or food processor) and purée until smooth. Add the parsley and cilantro and purée until smooth. If it is too dry and won’t blend, add more vinegar and push it toward the blade with a spoon or a spatula between pulses. Add salt to taste and then add the oil last.


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foodforscot Ratings:


Shanon (taste):  9/10
Scot (taste):  10/10
Effort:  5/5
Dishwashing Effort:  5/5

Ajiaco (Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup)

WANTED: an in-state little sister to peel all the ping-pong-sized red potatoes I bought for this dish.  What was I thinking?  I'll tell ya what I was thinking, I forgot I needed to peel the potatoes at the moment of picking out this grocery purchase.  It was like the scene in Pretty Woman..."slippery little suckers".  It was borderline miserable, but I got through it!

So, Ajiaco.  I have never been to Colombia, but my red headed, firecracker of a friend, Kim is there right now.  Several weeks ago, she told me all about how delicious this country's famous soup is.  It is often made at home, but lots of restaurants also make it, often as a special.  As soon as I started researching this recipe, I could not wait to make it.  

To summarize, this soup is a starchy, rich, thick potato soup with shredded chicken topped with Aji salsa, sour cream, capers, cilantro and avocado and chunks of corn of the cob floating around.  

Now, traditionally this recipe is not exactly how Ajiaco is made (but well adapted for the US dreamer).  First, the soup has three different kinds of potatoes in it.  One is a starchy Russet.  Another is a red potato.  The third is a waxy yellow potato, but a specific wild variety grown at the high altitude of Colombia called papsas criollas.  They are supposed to break down completely into the soup and help create the thick creamy texture.  The "best" substitution is a Yukon gold, which is what I used.  However, you may be able to find the papas criollas at a Latin market around you.  You can also buy online here or here.  

The second ingredient that is very traditional and very important is an herb called quascas.  It was also not available in Boulder (I checked everywhere).  I read the best substitute was a combination of bay leaves and parsley.  Quascas is often thought of as a weed in many parts of the world.  Someone suggested going to a park and looking for it (weird).  It is also a weed that spreads very quickly, so most people don't like to grow it.  In the US, it is known as "gallant soldier".  Apparently it adds a grassy or weedy taste to the soup, which, to me, seems like something parsley can do.  Kim said she isn't a huge fan when it tastes too weedy.  You can also buy online here or here.

Also, the corn used in Colombia is a little tougher with bigger kernels than the sweet corn we are used to.  Therefore, it is often cooked as long as the potatoes to tenderize the kernels.  US sweet corn is a perfectly fine substitution (maybe even better!) and only needs to be added at the end of the cooking time.  PS:  corn on the cob sucks bad right now.  

Lastly, the recipe I came up with first develops a nice homemade chicken broth with the addition of some tasty vegetables and then adds the potatoes later which simmer until they break down quite a bit.  Then, I whipped out the old immersion blender to give the soup a nice texture.  Traditionally, the soup is cooked forever and the potatoes are broken down by smashing them up against the side of the pot.  That would work just as well, but a little slower and takes more effort.  

The bottom line is that I really love this soup.  Even though it might not be exactly the same as the real Colombian version, having the Aji salsa (which, btw, is delicious...recipe included), capers and all the other toppings really make it delicious.  Plus, I have never had the real thing, so what do I know.  

Thank you to all the others who have already written about Ajiaco.

Ajiaco

For soup:

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

6 quarts of water

1 small bunch of parsley

1 small bunch cilantro

3 bay leaves (traditionally quascas is used instead of the parsley, cilantro and bay leaves)

2 carrots, cut into thirds

2 stalks of celery, cut into thirds

1 large white onion, cut in half

1 leek, cut in half, cleaned well, whites only

6 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tbsp kosher salt

3 ears of corn

3 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes

4 lbs red potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes

4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes (traditionally papas criollas are used, if you can find

them), peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes

kosher salt

black pepper

To serve:

Aji salsa (recipe follows)

Capers, drained

Avocado, diced + lemon/lime juice to avoid browning

Cilantro leaves

Sour cream

Place chicken pieces in large pot or Dutch oven, cover with 6 quarts of water. Bring pot to a boil.

In a cheesecloth tied shut with kitchen twine, put parsley,1 small bunch of cilantro, and bay leaves (or quascas). Once the pot has come to a boil, skim the fat that floats to the top off with a spoon and discard. Continue doing this for about 10 minutes, then add the herbs, carrots, celery, white onion, leek chicken bouillon cubes, and 1 tbsp kosher salt. Bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to let cool. Add corn and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until kernels are tender. Remove from pot and set aside. Remove carrots, celery, onion and leek from the pot and discard.

Add all the potatoes to the pot. If you are prepping as you go (which you should) add them in this order: Russet, red and Yukon (or papas criollas). Bring the pot to a boil, partially covered, reduce to simmer and cook for an hour or longer, until Yukon potatoes are falling apart. Cut ears of corn into thirds and add to the pot after about 30 minutes (also take out the herb bouquet at this time).

While the potatoes are cooking and once the chicken is completely cooled, remove all the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat. Depending on the timing, you might want to throw the shredded chicken into the fridge while the rest of the meal is prepared. Re-warm the chicken carefully/slowly before serving.

Taste soup for seasonings. Add a generous amount of black pepper and adjust salt (you will probably need to add quite a bit more salt, ~1.5 tsp). While the potatoes are cooking, you can smash them against the side of the pot to break up the potatoes and thicken the soup. Alternatively, at the end, you can smooth it out a bit with an immersion blender. Make sure to leave plenty of big chunks of potato, but blend enough to give a nice thick texture to the soup.

To serve the soup, ladle into a big bowl and top with shredded chicken. At the table pass around Aji salsa, capers, avocado, cilantro and sour cream to top the soup.

(Servings: 8-10, Cook time: 3 hrs., Difficulty: Easy)

Aji

from Fine Cooking

4 scallions (white and light green parts only)

1 medium tomato, peeled and seeded

1 small white onion, peeled

2 fresh Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles or 2 fresh hot red chiles, stems and

seeds removed (wear gloves, and don’t touch your eyes)

3 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves

3 Tbs. white vinegar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

In a food processor, pulse all the aji ingredients until they’re finely minced.  Transfer to a serving bowl.

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foodforscot Rating:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  5/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5