Category: recipe (page 8 of 11)

November 14, 2016 / 0 Comments

Recipe: No pasta zucchini lasagna | Video

Its true! You can make lasagna with zucchini instead of pasta. I thought I was happy when I learned to make lasagna with small noodles like fusilli, instead of the rectangular pasta that burn my fingers. Yes, I am aware of the existance of precooked pasta that you just have to wet, but I’m still not convinced by it.

Lasaña sin pasta de zapallito italiano

I’m talking about “zoodles”. You know, zucchini noodles. From my understanding, zoodles are zucchinis that have been cut in the shape of noodles. It seems they are a healthy alternative to gluten-free pasta that may be percieved as over processed. I so agree that there is nothing more natural than a vegetable.

Getting back to this recipe, it was inspired by a post for sausage, cheese and basil lasagna recipe from Epicurious. I made the sauce in the same style I make tomato sauce, using twice as much meat and crushed tomatoes, but with pork instead of beef. For the filling, I followed the instructions, which includes a mixture of cheeses and basil. Of this this filling could also just be a white bechamel sauce. For the pasta, you know, just sliced zucchini.

I hope you like it!

Ingredients
Sauce
1 kilo of ground pork or beef
6-8 peeled tomatoes and liquefied
12 oz. / 340 gr. Tomato paste
2-3 bay leaves
3-4 dried mushrooms
1 carrot, peeled and grated
Salt and pepper
Oil

Filling
½ cup packed of basil leaves
15 oz. ricotta cheese (about 1.8 cups)
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 oz.)
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz.)
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Zucchini
3-4 large zucchini

Assembly
1 ball of mozzarella cheese, grated
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Sauce
Salt and pepper the meat, and cook in hot oil. Set it aside.

Fry the onion and garlic, and add the crushed tomatoes.

Add the tomato paste, followed by the grated carrot.

Add bay leaves and mushrooms, and then the meat.

Cook at medium temperature for 60 minutes.

Filling
Blend the basil leaves with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.

Add the egg. Don’t forget the salt and pepper.

Set it aside.

The Zucchini
Peel the zucchinis. Cut them into very thin slices. I used the veggie peeler for this.

Add salt and pepper, and set this aside in a colander.

Assembly
Grease a dish and preheat the oven.

Cover the dish with a layer of meat sauce. Cover it with a layer of zucchini.

Add a layer of filling. Cover it with parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layer of sauce, zucchini, filling and cheese. Cover your last layer with the remaining cheese.

Terminar con una última capa de quesos

Cook the lasagna for 40 minutes at 375°F. Let it cool off before serving. This will allow the sauces and cheese to have a more solid consistancy and not bee too liquid.

You can garnish the lasagna with parmesan cheese and serve it with greens.

Serves 8 large square pieces using a rectangular 3 qt. 8.9” x 13.2” dish.

November 7, 2016 / 0 Comments

Recipe: Tomato sauce with ground beef | Video

In my experience, spaghetti brings families together. It has been a while since I shared my first recipe for tomato sauce with ground beef, but the memory of my grandmother Juanita watching over me as I made it still makes me smile. I hope you try this recipe and video for how I’m making spaghetti sauce nowadays, and that you can share it with your loved ones.

Mmm… Salsa de Tomates con Carne Molida

I am still using the same ingredients, but I am mixing them in in a slightly different way. Also, I favor using tomato paste instead of tomato sauce. The paste seems to gives it a better consistency. How do you like your spaghetti?

Ingredients
1 lb / ½ kilo of ground beef
½ onion, minced or ground
2 cloves of garlic
4-5 peeled and blended tomatoes
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 dried mushrooms, as preferred
Wine, as preferred (optional)
6 oz./170 grams of tomato paste, approx.
1 carrot, peeled and grated
Salt and pepper
Oil
Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Salt and pepper the beef. Cook it in a pot with hot oil. Set it aside.

Fry the onion and the garlic. Pour the blended tomatoes.

Add the bay leaves, dried mushrooms, and wine.

Add the tomato paste, followed by the grated carrot.

Add the ground meat and cook for about 40 to 60 minutes.

Serve the sauce over pasta, with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 people.

November 1, 2016 / 0 Comments

Recipe: Peruvian dried potato and meat stew | Video

Criollo Halloween is here! This is Halloween + Creole Song Day (Aka Día de la Canción Criolla), which also falls on October 31 and is a Peruvian holiday to celebrate our Creole culture. This is why this week’s recipe is dedicated to Carapulcra, a stew of dried potatoes and meat, heavily seasoned with chilies and spices. A trivia fact about Carapulcra, did you know it is the oldest Peruvian dish in history?

Carapulcra de tres carnes

Because this is a typical and traditional dish it has many recipe versions and secrets. Let’s call this is a basic recipe, for beginners like me. You can also make it with a single type of meat. If you are in the United States or another location outside of Peru, you may find these ingredients in a Latin supermarket.

Ingredients
½ kilo of boneless pork and diced
½ kilo of boneless beef and cubed
½ kilo of boneless chicken breast and diced
15 oz. / 425 gr. dried potatoes
½ cup finely minced onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Peruvian yellow pepper, to taste – I used one whole, gutless and boiled twice in water
¼ teaspoon Peruvian panca pepper
2-4 cups of chicken broth – I recommend you make 2 liters
¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
½ cup toasted and ground peanuts – you can ground them quickly in the blender
½ cup of sweet wine – I used dry wine
Salt, ground pepper, and cumin, to taste
Oil

Preparation
Toast the dried potato lightly in a pan without oil. Then soak in water for 30 min.

Cook the pork meat in hot oil. Set it meat aside.Repeat this for the beef and chicken.

Fry the onion and garlic in the same oil. Add the Peruvian yellow and panca peppers. Spice with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Add 2 cups of broth. Then add all the meats. Following that add the drained potatoes.

Cook this for about 20 minutes, adding broth or water if it dries. When the potatoes are cooked add the clove, peanuts, and wine.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with white rice. Traditionally, Carapulcra is also served with cooked yucas.

Serves 8 to 10 people.

October 24, 2016 / 0 Comments

Recipe: Peruvian covered rice | Video

They say there’s a first time for everything. This weekend was my first time mountain biking. I didn’t know how to say that in Spanish, but it was the best although now it hurts when I sit.

Following with the subject of trying something new, this week’s recipe is the Peruvian dish known as “arroz tapado” or covered rice (or molded rice with meat filling, rice on top, ground beef and rice, the list goes on). Traditionally, this is made with ground beef but I have twice made it with ground turkey and I really like it. I encourage you to try it, with whichever meat you prefer.

Ingredientes
½ kilo of ground turkey or other
1 onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
¼ cup raisins
3-4 pitted olives, chopped
2-3 hard boiled eggs
2 cups cooked rice, approx.

Preparation
Spice the meat with salt and pepper.

Fry the garlic and onion in oil. Add the meat and let it cook all the way.

Add the raisins and olives. Also, add the chopped eggs.

Place the meat filling mold, between two layers of cooked rice. Unmold onto the dish that it will be served in. You may need pacience for unmolding. Try flat moldes for better results.

Garnish with cilantro and egg slices.

Serves 2-3 people.

October 18, 2016 / 0 Comments

Recipe: Homemade mashed potatoes | Easy to Make | Video

Welcome to my crypt! Just kidding… I am very happy to be nearly recovered from one of the worst flu I’ve ever had. I won’t bore you with my symptoms but I will tell you that it did not cure with margaritas. This week’s recipe is the first of a series of “easy to make” recipes that I want to share with you. I am kicking off with a basic version of homemade mashed potatoes. I learned to make it by watching my mom and I find myself thinking of her when I make it. The ingredients are natural. I hope you like it!