Milanesas

I once read years ago (I don’t remember where, probably some high school history book) that the people of Milan were rather wealthy and apparently liked to show off their prosperity by colouring everything gold. Even their food. I have no idea if the story has any truth behind it, but it sounds good to me.
“A la Milanese” now usually refers to dishes which are gilded or resemble gold. Risotto Milanese is one of the first which comes to my mind. One of its ingredients is saffron, which lends the golden touch. Another form of “a la Milanese” is food which has been coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden.
So what does this have to do with South American food?
Milanesas, as it is known in Latin America, refers to sliced meat, which is coated with egg and breadcrumbs, and fried in oil until golden. The meat is flavoured with a generous amount of finely chopped garlic and parsley before being crumbed. I’m not totally certain where this particular dish gets it name but there does seem to be a resemblance between Milanesas and the classic term a la Milanese. My sources tell me that Argentina does have the largest population of Italians outside of Italy (thanks Ilva), so perhaps there is a relationship?
While beef is commonly used, chicken is popular too. If using beef, a prime cut like fillet or rump will be appropriate. I like to use thigh fillets when it comes to chicken, although my mother preferred breast fillets. Personal preference, I guess.
In keeping with the South American liking of large serves of meat, milanesas can be quite large (the size of a dinner plate sometimes). I prefer my food in smaller serves, so the milanesas I prepare at home are somewhat modest in size compared to those found traditionally in other peoples homes and restaurants.
My mother always served beef milanesas with carrot puree. Chicken milanesas where served with potato puree. A tomato salad makes a great accompaniment to either.

Components
500g sliced beef or boneless, skinless chicken (free range)
2 eggs, lightly beaten (free range)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Dried, fine breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Process
If using beef make sure you have selected slices which are free of sinew and about 5mm thick. Chicken thighs need to be flattened to an even thickness (I use a rolling pin to bash them into shape).
Combine the chosen meat, garlic, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for about 15 minutes.
Take each piece of meat, allowing the excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
Dip the meat into a plate of breadcrumbs. Use the heel of your hand to press the breadcrumbs firmly into the meat. Repeat until all the meat is crumbed.
Discard the excess egg. The meat at this stage can be refrigerated.
Shallow fry the milanesas in oil until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve warm with lemon wedges, ideal for two people.

Let Them Eat.... Alfajores!

I have been very unorganized of late, and it was quite by accident that I stumbled across the Latin American festival today in Melbourne. I just couldn’t help buying a boxful of traditional dulce de leche filled pastries to gorge myself on.
Let them eat…alfajores, I say!

So I did.

Slow Shanks (with Lemon & Spices)

I haven’t been around lately (just in case you haven’t noticed). Not only from the food “blogosphere” but mentally and physically too. Various reasons have slowed my world down. It’s been a time of reflection rather than a time of action. A moment to think. Or just read. But I can’t do that forever (as much as the introvert inside me wants to). It is time to wake up and smell the roses. Or smell the coffee, as some would say…


I am finding this family food topic more challenging than I initially thought. Growing up, we probably ate chicken 3 or 4 times a week. On those days we didn’t eat chicken we ate beef. Sometimes there was lamb. There wasn’t much variety when it came to meat in my family. But that’s okay. Now that I’m a big boy and I am free to make my own choices, and I do prefer to eat other animals than the fore mentioned ones.
My way of overcoming the lack of variety is by putting a twist on the old. In this particular recipe I have kept the flavours close to the original so as to not lose the unique nature of the dish but I have changed the cut of meat. Leg of lamb has been substituted with lamb shanks, thus altering the cooking technique from roasting to slow cooking.
Which is good, by the way, because I haven’t had much luck with lamb this spring. I have roasted various cuts, from various sources, but the lamb always turns out tough. It hasn’t made a difference either if I’ve cooked the lamb pinkish, or more well done. Something to do with the Australian drought perhaps? Thirsty animals with de-hydrated meat? Who knows…?
One thing I do know is that lamb shanks are absolutely delicious slow-cooked this way (thirsty animals or not). The flesh becoming absolutely sticky, tender and full bodied in flavour. An abundant use of lemon, pungent garlic, oregano and the aromatic spices is addictive. The aromas that assault the senses are amazing. Not to mention totally mouth-watering and divine.

Components
2 lamb shanks
1 lemon, juiced and zest juliennned
2 garlic cloves (or more), cut into slivers
1 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
Nutmeg and black pepper, freshly grated
A pinch chili, powder or flakes
Sea salt

Process
Heat the oven to 150c. Pierce the lamb shanks with a sharp knife, here and there. Fill the incisions with garlic slivers. Make certain that they are pushed deeply into the meat, so that they will melt and perfume the meat as it cooks. Place the shanks into a covered ceramic baking dish. Use a baking dish just large enough to fit the lamb shanks without too much space. If you don’t have a covered baking dish, a roasting pan with a couple of layers of tightly sealed foil will suffice. The result however, will be superior if you use a heavy, lidded baking dish.
Drizzle the lemon juice over the shanks.
Sprinkle the salt, oregano & spices over the lamb and rub the shanks ensuring they are well coated.
Sprinkle half the lemon zest over the shanks and cover the dish with its lid (or foil).
Place into the oven for about 2 hours. They are ready when the shanks have become golden and meltingly tender. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes or so. Sprinkle over the remaining lemon zest and cover with the lid for 1 minute. The residual heat will help to release the citrus aroma from the lemon zest. Serve straight from the baking dish, with plenty of bread to mop up the sticky juices. This dish goes well with roasted or steamed asparagus.
Serves 2.

Chimichurri

Following on from my previous post, I thought I’d write about Chimichurri.
Chimichurri is the condiment that is traditionally served with beef asado and chorizo in Argentina and Uruguay. Sometimes it is used to marinate pork and chicken before grilling, but it is more commonly used as a condiment for barbequed meats.

The closest equivalent to Chimichurri that I can think of is Italy’s Salsa Verde. The proportions are slightly different however. Chimichurri is more assertive than Salsa Verde, the vinegar dominating somewhat, which is important as many of the traditional meats used for asado are rather fatty. The sharpness of Chimichurri balances the greasiness of the barbequed meat and chorizo.
I use a Spanish sherry vinegar- it is incredibly sharp and does the job superbly. You can use red wine vinegar but you will need to adjust the quantities to get the right balance of flavours. Garlic is crucial too, but I use less than my grandmother or mother would both use. I’m not particularly fond of raw garlic. I can think of many other things I would rather smell of (Chanel, Dior or Gaultier). But by all means, if you like garlic odours seeping from your bodily pores, add as much as you like! At least you will keep the vampires from attacking during the night…

Components
250ml extra virgin olive oil (use a soft grassy oil, rather than an assertive peppery oil)
60ml Spanish sherry vinegar (more or less)
60ml water
1 tsp Spanish paprika (sweet, not smoked)
1 tsp ground cumin
A pinch ground chili
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 large bunch parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
Sea salt
Fresh black and white pepper

Process
Combine all the ingredients.

Check the flavours, adding more vinegar, garlic etc to suit your palate.
Allow to sit for at least an hour to allow the flavours to blend.

Chimichurri keeps well, refrigerated, stored in a glass jar. Just remember to shake the mixture before serving, as it has a tendency to separate upon standing. Chimichurri is best at room temperature before serving.

Meltingly Tender Asado (Slow Roasted)

“Asado” is the South American word for meat barbequed on a grill over hot coals. The most popular cut of meat to grill for asado is beef rib. Morcilla (blood sausage), chorizo (spicy beef and pork sausage), spatchcocked chicken, and suckling pigs can make an appearance from time to time, depending on the occasion. Asado is traditionally served with Chimichurri (herb & vinegar sauce) and Tomato Salsa. I will post recipes for both condiments tomorrow and the day after.
The alpha male traditionally grills the asado and the women organize the condiments and salads. As I am (insert sarcastic gay accent) so butch and masculine, you can probably figure out which task I assumed when I lived at home.
I wouldn’t have the slightest clue how to light a fire, heat coals or stand by an outdoor barbeque with tongs in hand turning pieces of beef ribs and sausages. Maybe one day my father will teach me how to be a “real” man…
Actually I don’t even like eating asado. I find the traditional Argentine cut of beef ribs unappetizing- too much fat, too much gristle, too much bone and not enough tender meat. But Argentines and Uruguayans love it. So who am I to argue with millions of fanatical South Americans over their beloved national barbeque?
My version, I must admit, is more “Domestic God” than “Gaucho”. I prefer to slow roast my beef ribs in the oven- the result being meltingly tender, slightly sticky meat. My father’s head will probably spin like Linda Blair’s in “The Exorcist” when he reads this. But even though my method is not traditional, I promise it is marvelously tasty.
For this recipe try to find a butcher who cuts ribs the Argentine way- that is cut crosswise, across the bone rather than along the bone (see the picture below).

Components
Per person
1/2 kilo Argentine style beef ribs
Sea salt
Olive oil

Process
Heat the oven to 150c.
Season the ribs with salt and drizzle with a touch of oil.
Place the ribs into a baking dish. I use a ceramic dish with a lid. The ribs should fit closely.
Cover the dish with its lid and slow roast for 2 hours. The ribs will be tender (almost be falling from the bones, but not, if that makes sense) and well coloured. If you find the meat hasn’t sufficiently browned, turn the oven to the highest setting and allow the meat to colour and crisp a little.
Serve with Ensalada rusa, Chimichurri and Tomato Salsa.

Rabbit Escabeche

My grandmother recently sent me a handwritten notebook containing family recipes. One of the recipes in that book was for Rabbit Escabeche. For those who don’t know, escabeche is chicken or rabbit (or fish) braised in vinegar and served at room temperature. It is one of those old dishes from when refrigerators did not exist, and people had clever ways of preparing food to keep for later.
Strictly speaking this is not an escabeche, but the flavours comes close. I have played around with the original recipe slightly (I hope my grandmother doesn’t mind). I have kept the aromatics whole, whereas my grandmother cuts them into julienne. I have also changed the cooking technique; my grandmother does the whole thing over the stove, I slow cook mine in a covered dish in the oven. Obviously the stovetop version is quicker but I’m keeping that to do with boneless chicken thighs for a speedy, summer meal.
I must say I am extremely fussy when it comes to vinegar. Vinegars are not all the same, and the only way to find a good one is by trial and error. I’d heard people rave about a certain Spanish wine vinegar, which I reluctantly tried, thinking to myself that it was rather expensive for vinegar. Up until then I’d thought all vinegars where the same, but I now know better, and I now have 13 types of vinegar sitting in the pantry.
The accompanying rice dish is one from Chile. My mother had many Chilean girlfriends when I was a small boy. They were always popping around to have a chat in their native language Spanish. This particular dish was introduced to my mother’s repertoire by one of those friends, and I find it addictive. It is a very simple dish- white rice infused with garlic and green peppers, all cooked in the rice cooker. So simple, but so good. I had become nostalgic when I read about the recipe on Vida's blog the other day, and I just had to make it that night to serve with my braised rabbit.

Components
4 rabbit legs
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
2 carrots, peeled and cut in two pieces.
1 brown onion, peeled and quartered
50ml excellent red wine
50ml excellent white wine vinegar.
1 tsp sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
4 small fresh bay leaves

For the rice
1 cup white, long grain rice
Sea salt
1 garlic clove, crushed but whole
1 green pepper, cut into large chunks
Extra virgin olive oil

Process
Heat the oven to 150c.
Season the rabbit legs with salt and pepper.
Place the rabbit pieces, carrots and onion into a small ceramic baking dish with a lid.
Pour over the wine vinegars and sugar.
Top each rabbit piece with a bay leaf and a piece of garlic. All should be in one layer and fit rather tightly.
Drizzle over a generous amount of olive oil. The oil will help balance the vinegar, and it will lubricate the lean rabbit.
Cover the dish with the lid and place in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the rabbit is tender and lightly golden.
Discard the onion and garlic. Allow to cool in the dish.
Rinse the rice until the water is clear(ish) and place it in the rice cooker.
Add an equal amount of water and a drizzle of oil. Season with salt.
Lay the garlic clove and green pepper pieces on the rice- they should sit on the rice and infuse it with their fragrance as it cooks.
Serve the rabbit and the carrots at room temperature, accompanied by the warm rice and green peppers. Serves 4.

Ensalada Rusa

I had decided to spend Sunday slow braising a rabbit in the oven. However when I realized it would be 30 plus degrees I quickly changed my mind- I did not think it a good idea to have the oven on all day with such warm weather.
Not to worry.
As I’m always prepared when it comes to food (the only area of my life in which I’m prepared), I decided to cook chorizo sausages instead. I served the sausages with Chimichurri sauce and Ensalada Rusa- a very traditional South American combination of dishes and perfect for summer.
Ensalada Rusa translates to Russian Salad from Spanish to English. I was surprised to learn from Mike that the Russians make a similar salad, but it includes diced beetroots (his parents are Russian). Maybe Russian immigrants brought it with them to South America? There is also a salad of the similar name in the repertoire of French haute cuisine, Salade Russe, but it is a much more complicated affair and contains too many ingredients for my liking.
This is probably the most popular salad in my family and is the obligatory accompaniment to barbequed meat (or asado, as it is known).
It is easier enough to prepare but needs attention to a few details for it to be excellent rather than mediocre:

• Make sure to choose waxy potatoes, as they will keep their shape when mixing the salad.
• Chop the carrot and potato into even-shaped dice. Smaller is better than bigger pieces.
• Don’t over cook the potatoes. I like to steam everything so they don’t become waterlogged or lose flavour.
• Be sure to use homemade mayonnaise. I have never tasted shop bought mayonnaise that actually tastes like mayonnaise (they are usually gluey and sweet).
• And finally (my own touch), whilst the potatoes are still warm toss them with a dash of white wine vinegar and olive oil. This simple step will give the salad extra flavour.

I know the world probably doesn’t need another recipe for mayo-smothered potato salad but this is a fine one. It tastes much, much nicer than similar salads you find at the supermarket deli. Besides, I have promised to write about the authentic, traditional foods of my heritage and this collection would not be complete without it.

Components
400g diced waxy potatoes (peeled weight)
200g diced carrots (peeled weight)
100g peas (shelled weight)
30 ml extra virgin olive oil
10 ml excellent quality white wine vinegar
Homemade Mayonnaise (flavoured with white wine vinegar rather than lemon juice)
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper

Process
Place all the vegetables (in one layer) in a steamer. Steam over boiling water until just cooked. You can steam everything separately if you want to catch the exact moment of each vegetable, if you like.
Place the just- cooked vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the combined oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. This non-traditional step gives the salad extra tang, without changing the nature of the dish.
Once the vegetables have cooled and absorbed the oil and vinegar, toss with enough mayonnaise to coat and bind everything. Check the salt, adding more if need be.
Allow to rest a while, or serve straight away. You can garnish with pretty pieces of boiled egg if you are feeling festive.
Enough for 2 – 3 people (or more depending on how many salads you are presenting).