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Argentinean Asado at the Searles

Saturday, September 9, 2006

7:00 PM

 Note:  A true Argentinean Asado would include all of the following: entrails, Spanish sausages, and blood sausages, classic cuts of meat such as flank steak, short ribs, tenderloin and possibly chicken and grilled provolone cheese.  It would be served over a period of hours, with the host presiding over the grill and the food brought to the table in stages, piping hot.  Empanadas would be enjoyed along with red wine during the cooking process.  Friends and family never approach the cook’s grill with advice.  Each host is proud of his methods. 

 However, since we can’t eat that much meat and generally dislike entrails, etc. in this country, we will have an abbreviated version of an asado.  Even so, take your cholesterol medicine – this is how they eat.  We will purchase things we need at our local Argentine grocery store.  Everyone else gets an easy dish!

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 Empanadas – Judy

 Choripan  (Chorizos  - Stu, fresh baguette – Gary and Linda)

Lomo – Stu

Ensalata mixta – John and Dorothy 

Chimichurri – Al and Lea  

Salsa Criola  – Landis and Bill

 Postre Vigilante con Walnetto – Judy

 Argentine wines – Gary and Linda

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Baked Empanadas with Beef Filling

½ kg lean ground beef

½ c. fine lard or other fat

1 c. chopped scallions

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 medium sweet green pepper, chopped

1 T. chopped garlic and parsley mix

½ t. oregano

½ t. ground cumin

½ t. paprika

1 T. seedless raisins

2 T. chopped green olives

2 large hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Boiling, lightly salted water

Salta brand empanada doughs (frozen from the Argentine grocery on Wilson Blvd.) 

Place ground beef in a deep bowl and while stirring, pour boiling water over it to cover.  Let stand a few minutes, until beef changes color.  Drain and cool.  Heat fat in a deep skillet, fry scallion lightly until it turns a bright green, then add tomatoes, pepper, garlic and parsley and lastly spices.  Mix well.  Let cool, then add raisins, olives, eggs and salt and pepper.  Chill overnight. 

Defrost the dough.  Place a rather abundant amount of filling in the center of each dough, wet borders with water, fold dough over filling so that sides meet, press with fingers to seal, press with tines of fork to seal tightly.  Place on baking sheet and bake in hot oven until lightly browned (10 – 12 minutes).  Serve hot. 

Tips for perfect empanadas:

-         Precooked filling should be totally cold when empanadas are filled.

-         Eggs and olives should be added once the filling is cold, otherwise they will form a puree with the filling

-         Moisten only half of the disk

-         The scalloped edges should be made upwards to avoid the juice from escaping

-         Empanadas should be eaten right after they have been baked

-         Brush them with beaten egg just before baking

-         The oven has to be very hot. 

Other information: 

Sometimes these are served fried.  Two per person as an appetizer, 6 per person as a main meal with salad.  These are a must at all parties.  Fillings vary by region.  Each housewife is sure hers are the best.  Recipes are secret and are passed down to daughters.

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Choripan

 This is a traditional first asado dish, but is nothing more than slow cooked chorizo in fresh, crusty bread – Linda, Gary - get the best fresh baguettes you can find at your local bakery.  We will get the chorizos at the Argentine market.)  Bread is served throughout the meal. 

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Lomo

This is tenderloin.  No asado cook seems to agree on when to salt the meat – before by massaging coarse salt into it, during by brushing the meat with salmuera (salt diluted in water) or after at the table.  The meat is initially seared and then slow cooked.  A single piece of advice to the asado cook (from one of our cookbooks) – never retreat, never get distracted!

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Chimichurri

This is the requirement for an asado.  A bowl of this should be waiting on the table for the meat.  And no, I have no idea what a “spoonful” is so I would say 1 T.  It doesn’t matter as long as the proportions are the same. 

10 garlic cloves

1 spoonful dried oregano

4 bay leaves

2 spoonfuls sweet paprika

1 spoonful thyme

1 spoonful dried basil

1 spoonful chopped parsley

½ spoonful cumin seeds

1 spoonful salt

½ spoonful ground pepper

½ c. oil

¼ c. vinegar

1 c. boiling water

Grind the garlic cloves and mix them with the other ingredients.  Put them all in a bottle and then shake well until mixed.  Chimichurri sauce has to be prepared the day before the asado and kept in the fridge.  (Note:  Trader Joe’s sells this in a jar, but it is AWFUL, don’t waste your money!)

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Salsa Criolla 

This is also served with the meat. 

Dice everything very small and mix with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 onion

1 very good tomato (not hothouse)

½ c. parsley leaves

1 c. oil

½ c. vinegar (cider)

Salt and pepper to taste

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Ensalata Mixta

This is the salad that goes with all asados and will be found everywhere.  A good amount of lettuce, a generous proportion of tomatoes (farmer’s market quality) and not so little thinly sliced onions will always go into it.  There are many who will add bell pepper in thin strips, cucumber thinly sliced, grated carrots, and/or radishes.  Sometimes boiled potatoes or cooked beets are added.  The dressing is always a very simple, slightly sweetened oil and vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper.  One or several kinds of lettuce may be used.  This is always simple, nothing fancy.  Dress salad just before serving. 

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Postre Vigilante

One of the most famous Argentine desserts is the Policeman Dessert.  It is simply a slice of cheese with a slice of quince preserve, often sprinkled with toasted walnuts.  Considered the best dessert for an asado (or fruit salad - but we already know what that tastes like). 

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