Feast on a Dish from the Southern Cone

I must confess that Chile has been on my mind lately. Not the food. The distant string bean-shaped country where I spent my study abroad. Maybe it’s because I’ve taken up Latin dancing again. Maybe it’s because I’ve been serving up my Chilean favorites at my parties and my guests have been, well, eating them up.

One of them, DCFUD’s own Mad Rambler Jason, encouraged me to take on a daunting culinary task (at least for me): write out the recipes for my Latin creations. One of my specialties has always been tomaticán, a traditional, spicy Chilean dish. Tomaticán –and just about any other Chilean dish – is often paired with pisco sour, a concoction made with pisco, the Chilean national drink. I’ve come up with my own twist for both food and drink and am printing them the first time for DCFudies.

PORTER SIRLOIN TOMATICAN
(makes six - eight servings)

• 17 Roma tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes (approximately 28 oz.)
• 3 cans of whole kernel corn (approximately 15 oz)
• 1 heaping tbsp pepper.
• 3 large yellow onions (chopped)
• 1 ¾ lb of porter sirloin steak (chopped)

Start by tossing the chopped tomatoes in a large pot. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and pepper. Tomaticán is supposed to be hot and spicy. So if you don’t get enough of a hot foot when tasting it, add more pepper to your liking. Let the tomatoes simmer on medium for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn and onions. Let the pot simmer for about five more minutes and continue to stir. Add the chopped sirloin and lower the temperature to low. Heat the tomaticán for 15 minutes (or until the sirloin is cooked), then remove from the stove. Voila … now it’s onto the pisco sour.

PISCO SOUR MAPUCHE
(makes eight servings)

The Mapuche were known to the Spaniards as the fierce Indian tribe that inhabited Chile during the Age of Discovery. The Mapuche more than gave the Spaniards a run for their money, they held them off and the Europeans never defeated them. You could say the Mapuche really gave the Iberians a kick in the – well you get the idea. This drink is a homage of sorts to the Mapuche, who still may be found in Central and Southern Chile. Most people make pisco with lemon juice. I make it with lime. Before you get grossed out by the idea of using egg whites in a drink just remember that it’s not much different idea than eggnog. If the thought of putting raw eggs in your drink grosses you out. Then use Egg Beater egg whites like I do).

• 12 oz pisco
• 6 oz limejuice
• 8 tbsp egg white
• 8 tbsp sugar
• 1 lime flavored cherry (per glass of pisco sour Mapuche, after drink is poured.
• 13 chocolate chips.
• 15 ice cubes
• 6 oz Code Red Mountain Dew

To make the drink add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until the ice is chopped and white foam is floating to the top. Pour six to eight ounce of the pisco mix in a glass and add one lime-flavored cherry. You’re all set for a Chilean dinner party. Dinner is usually served close to 8 PM in Chile, but I usually can’t wait that late. Dine when your guests arrive.

This post is by Guest Bogger Jay D. Krasnow. Thanks Jay!