Caldo de Costilla/Beef Rib Soup
2 pounds bone-in beef rib, preferrably and cut into 8 2-inch chunks
4 whole scallions plus more garnish
½ cup cilantro, leaves and stems, chopped, plus more for garnish
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2-inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled
2-3 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks (optional)
1 chicken bullion cube (optional)

In a large heavy pot, combine first six ingredients with 8 cups of water. Bring to a high simmer over medium heat then cook until the beef is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the potatoes, carrots and bullion cube in using and return to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove whole scallions and ginger.

To serve, the beef can be left on the bone or cut into pieces. Add a portion of beef and vegetables to each bowl then ladle in broth. Garnish with more chopped scallions and cilantro. Serve with arepas in the morning or white rices for dinner.

Serves 4.

On a completely seperate note, there was some unsettling news in the New York Times about the future of Colombian Arabica crops due to climate change and the effects of quinoa’s growing popularity (which I’d included in my own round-up) on Bolivian communities where it’s cultivated.  Also in the Times, there was a great profile on Mexican chef Javier Plasencia in Josh Kun’s Master of a New Tijuana.  Closer to home, Eater reported Gonzalez y Gonzalez is still holding it’s own.  Initially, edged out of their Broadway/Houston corner by Chipotle, their landlord has divided the restaurant space in two so that both restaurants can co-exist side by side.  I haven’t been there in years, but I used to go often when I first moved to NYC and the sign always made me nostalgic, especially since Bayamo, the Chinese-Cuban place with the giant dragon that faced it, is long gone.  Still, some change is good and I was excited to read that Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio is bringing his chain La Mar Cebicheria to the flatiron district. On the art front, I caught the lastest installation of Cuban artists Los Carpinteros on its last day at the Sean Kelly Gallery in Chelsea which you can still see here.  If you’re in Miami this weekend, you still might catch Pablo Cano’s cake box tribute to Havana’s Ladies in White at the Kelley Roy Gallery. 

While it seems like I’ve been away for a few days, I was actually in Mexico so this blog was never far from my thoughts. Tired of waitng for spring to come, I decided to fly to it instead and was rewarded to jacaranda trees in full bloom. Back in New York where it’s still snowing in what I can only hope is an elaborate April Fool’s joke, I’ve been trying to desperately to hold on to the colors ever since. I have a lot to unpack so I’ll be posting more in the next few days.

For my third and final try, I was out of cans but in the specialty shop geography of gentrified Brooklyn, organic dried coconuts were more accessible than canned coconut milk.  I had also come across heated debates about the superiority of freshly expressed coconut milk.  Deciding it was worth a little extra work, I got out the hammer to chop and grate coconuts for a few cups of milk. Taking no chances this time, I brought the fresh coconut milk and water to a simmer then added the rice and left it at the lowest possible setting, checking it often.  After a 15 minutes the tell tale holes appeared on the surface.  Subtle and deep, the coconut flavor infused the rice without weighing it down.

Needing some fish to justify the side, I considered a pan-Asian curry–almond blend but my friend Catalina pared it down for me instead – trucha frita and patacones.  I didn’t want the trout battered and deep fried so I followed another friend’s suggestion to just drizzle it with olive oil, salt and pepper then add it to a hot pan until it was crisp on both side and just cooked through, saving the frying for the patacones  (aka tosotones).  A sun and seawater meal just when I needed a few extra minutes of light at the end of the day.

Arroz con Coco/Coconut Rice
It can also be made with just with coconut milk or titoté, coconut milk that’s been boiled down and caramelized, toasted coconut and raisins are optional.

1 1/2 cups fresh or canned coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups long-grain white rice

1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)

Bring coconut milk, water, sugar and salt to a boil.  Immediately add rice and return to a high simmer.  Partially cover and lower heat to medium low until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand covered, about 5 minutes.*  Fluff with  a fork.

Serve with fried fish and patacones.

Note:  If using, add the raisins to the rice here.

Colombian chef Rafael Palomino was inspired by a trip to Mexico to make this party appetizer that’s cured with tequila and ripe pears then quickly sliced up for guests.  I’d never seen tequila-cured salmon before so I knew that if I wanted to try it, I had to do it myself.  The original recipe called for well over a pound of salmon, so I cut it down to make just enough for individual tartines.  As usual, I went to Fish Tales on Court Street.  Taking their advice on the amount of salt, weight, and time I’d need for a smaller cut, I got the assurance to go it alone.  I was nervous when I removed the brine that I’d taken it out too soon (just under 24 hours), but it sliced cleanly and was butter smooth.  Topped with the mango relish over a loaf of pumpernickel smeared with crème fraîche, it was a great light lunch.  Completely worth a trip to the “gravlax section” of the salmon stream.

Tequila-Cured Salmon Gravlax
Adapted from Viva la Vida: Festive Recipes for Entertaining Latin Style by Rafael Palomino, Arlen Gargagliano, and Susie Cushner.

1 8-ounce salmon fillet, pin bones removed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons mint leaves, finely shredded
1 ripe pear, cored and cut into 1/4″ thick slices
1 tablespoon gold tequila
Mango and lime relish (see below)
4 slices pumpernickel, rye or multi-grain bread
4 tablespoons crème fraîche (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place each fillet on a piece of plastic wrap, skin side down.  Cover fillet with salt and blanket with mint, followed by pear slices.  Sprinkle with tequila and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Weight the salmon using a few canned items and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.

Just before serving, unwrap the salmon and remove pears, mint and salt.  Rinse and dry.  To serve, slice on the bias.  Spread each slice of bread with a tablespoon of crème fraîche and top with a few slices of salmon and relish.  Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Mango and Lime Relish

1 mango peeled, cut from pit, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons gold tequila
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 2 limes
6 fresh mint leaves, stacked, rolled, and cut into fine shreds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Pommery of Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine mango and cucumber in a medium bowl and set aside.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and blend well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over mango and cucumber and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to three days.

Makes 2-3 cups.

Willing but unconvinced, I chopped the scallions and garlic and sauteed them in butter.  I added equal parts milk and water and adjusted the seasoning.  While the soup simmered, I toasted some slices of baguette, lightly drizzled with olive oil.  By the time I dropped in the eggs, I was hopeful that I had something other than warmed over milk.  Ladling the soup over chopped cilantro, it came to life.  I set the cooked eggs over the toasted bread so I could break up the yolk slowly, working scallions and fresh herbs into every spoonful.  I was happy to be proven wrong.

Until recently, I saw comfort food as a kind of retreat.  A retreat from everyday anxieties, a retreat from the seasonal-locavore police, a retreat from knowing better but having it anyway because nutrition is the last thing you’re worried about at the moment.  This was different.  More than comforted, I felt restored.  I wasn’t surprised to learn later that Simón Bolívar gave it to his troops.  Associated with nostalgia and looking backward, I’d underestimated comfort food’s ability to get you through what lies ahead.

Changua/Milk Soup with Eggs
Though often served for breakfast, this soup can also be a light lunch or dinner.  The toasted bread can be broken up into the soup or served on the side.  It’s also considered a great cure for hangovers.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
3 large scallions, finely sliced
2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
4 large eggs
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Salt and white pepper

Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat.  Sauté the garlic and scallions until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add milk and water to pot and bring to a high simmer over medium-high heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Break eggs into a small bowl or cup and then drop them, one by one, into the simmering liquid.  Cover and cook the eggs to desired degrees of doneness, about three minutes.  Remove from heat.

Spoon the chopped cilantro into shallow soup bowls or large serving bowl.  Ladle the soup on top.  Place a slice of toasted bread in the center of each bowl and top with the cooked egg.  Garnish with additional cilantro, salt and pepper.

I took advantage of a rainy Sunday to catch up on some reading though, instead of newspaper stacks, I had  bookmarked pages and Google alerts filling up my inbox.  For the New York Times, Jonathan Miles visited Roneria Caracas, a new Brooklyn bar specializing in rum drinks, in The Choices? Rum or Rum and doesn’t miss the whisky while Paola Singer went to western Spain to sample the Dom Pérignon of Iberian ham for In Spain, A Delicacy Rooted in Earth and Tradition. Meanwhile, Patricia Jinich compares Argentine, Colombian, Honduran and Salvadorean chorizo to the Mexican varieties she grew up with in More Chorizo to Love for the Washington Post and there’s a new store and cafe specializing in gourmet Argentinian and Chilean products, Kouzine Delicacies and Wines, open in Miami that I can’t wait to visit.  I love rain delays.

Though I’d love to have homemade rolls every day, I stay away from bread recipes for first thing.  They never seem to rise and bulk up in the time promised.  I wake up early and spend the morning nervously peeking at the dough I lovingly covered in its blanky and placed in a draft free place to no avail.  One hour becomes two and there’s no breakfast in sight.  By the time it’s done, I’m too cranky to really enjoy it.  I didn’t get to sleep in yet the dough enjoyed a leisurely rise.  When I came across pan de yuca or yuca bread in a Miami, I was curious.  A combination of yuca flour (also known as tapioca starch) and cheese, it can be mixed and rolled as quickly as arepas then baked off.  

Searching for online recipes, I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of them before.  Popular at snack stands throughout Latin America, they’re known as pan de queso in Colombia, pão de queijo in Brazil, and chipas in Argentina while a popular food chain sells them with yogurt throughout Ecuador.  Though the dough can be made ahead of time, I started them this morning to see if they were as straightforward as they seemed.  I combined the dry ingredients and added grated mozzarella and two yolks.  Expecting something to go wrong, the mass of crumbly powdered cheese didn’t look like it could ever become a smooth mass.  I considered transferring it to a food processor or starting over, but after adding a little cream and kneading it a few minutes, it quickly took form.  In about twenty minutes, I had warm rolls, crumbly like bread but creamy like cheese.  Mostly, I loved that I could decide to make them in the haze of the early morning then have them right away, no rest required.

Pan de Yuca
Recipe from Ingrid Hoffman for her show Simply Delicioso.

Though I used mozzarella this time, similar recipes also suggest Oaxaca, queso blanco, Parmesan, or Cotija.  While they’re great for breakfast, they’re a perfect any time snack to have with coffee, tea, hot chooclate or as a side dish for lunch or dinner.

1 cup yuca harina*
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups fresh white cheese (Oaxaca, Mozzarella or Queso Blanco), finely grated
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, coat with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the yuca harina and baking powder.  Stir in the grated cheese and eggs.  Mix well until a ball forms.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead with your hands until smooth.  If the dough still appears too dry, add cream one tablespoon at a time as needed.

Divide into 10 even pieces and roll into balls.  Place at least 1″ apart on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 15-20 minutes until golden.**  Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes.  Serve warm.

*Also known as tapioca starch/almidon de yuca/manioc starch, it’s widely available online or in Latin American markets.  It should not be confused with manioc flour used for farofa which is darker and has a grainier texture.

**I placed them under the broiler for an additional minute to brown evenly.  They will darken quickly under the broiler and should be checked frequently.

I’d always thought they were simply Cuban and decided to try making them after writing about Argentina’s Ñoquis de 29 tradition.  Similar to ñoquis, we add flour to boiled yuca and malanga to form a light dough that’s shaped into figure eights and covered in syrup.  When I went in search of ingredients, the Mexican grocer wrongly told me the piles of yautia weren’t the same as malanga.  The Puerto Rican bodega next door was able to clear up the confusion.  What Cubans call malanga is yautia in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.  Puerto Ricans also have malanga but they’re referring to a different root vegetable (please don’t ask me what because I haven’t gotten that far).  While these buñuelos aren’t the only version, they are classically Cuban and simultaneously from everywhere else.

Buñuelos de Yuca y Malanga
Adapted from Nitza Villapol’s Cocina al Minuto.

For buñuelos:
1 lb yuca
1 lb malanga
1 egg
1 teaspoon, ground anise
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup, unbleached all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil, about 1 1/2 cups if using heavy pot or minimum amount required to fill deep fryer per manufacturer’s instructions

For syrup:
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of lime juice
Zest of one lime
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
1 teaspoon vanilla

Peal and chop yuca and malanga into chunks.   Cover with water and 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer covered an additional 20 minutes till tender.  Force through ricer or food mill into sheet pan while still warm, spreading in an even layer. Cool completely.

Beat together egg, anise, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.  On a lightly floured board, gather pureed vegetables into a mound on sheet pan and form a well in the center.  Pour egg mixture into well, then knead into vegetables. Knead in flour until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with some of flour.

Cut dough into pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface and shape into a figure 8.

In a deep fryer or heavy pot (3 1/2-4 quarts wide), heat oil to 375 degrees.

Carefully add buñuelos to oil 3-4 pieces at a time and fry till golden, turning occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.

Drain directly on cooling rack placed over lined baking sheet or on paper towels.

To make the syrup, combine all ingredients except for vanilla in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cook until it reaches the thread stage (230° F).  Remove from heat and add vanilla while still warm.  Serve with fried buñuelos.

Makes 12-14.

I’ve been going through this week’s New York Times travel section featuring Latin America, specifically  an awakened Chile, colonial Colombia, 36 Hours in Montevideo, Rio hot spots, Peruvian restaurants, and rejuvenated Mazatlán.  Travel exhausts me but its a fun read.

He turned round, and leaning upon his elbow, began to sip his chocolate.  The mellow November sun came streaming into the room.  The sky was bright, and there was a genial warmth in the air.  It was almost like a morning in May.

- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

There are always a few weeks in early Fall where it is colder in my apartment then it is outside.  I leave the house ready to face a brisk New York, early frost and find a mild northern California day instead.  While the season makes up it’s mind, I’ll just live in a bowl of hot chocolate.

Nueva Bogotá Hot Chocolate
This recipe is adapted from James Turback’s Hot Chocolate, a small collection of hot chocolate quotes, recipes, and stories from chocolatiers around the world.  I ordered this book as a last minute add-on to complete an order.  I don’t remember what I ordered it with but this tiny book has become of my favorites.  This recipe comes from Venezuelan chocolatier Michael Antonorsi from Chuao Chocolatier in California, inspired from his time in Colombia.  I’ve always loved the Colombian tradition of mixing cheese and chocolate, especially since there’s a greater variety of farmer’s cheeses available now.  I loved the heat of the chipotle chiles but the cayenne pepper made it burn a little too hotly for me so I made it optional.  If you like the extra heat, definitely include it.

2 cups 2% or whole milk
4 ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate (58.5% cacao), chopped
2 tablespoons grated papelon, panela, pilonzillo, panocha, or firmly packed brown sugar
Pinch of ground cardamon
Pinch of ground chipotle chile
1/2 pinch salt
1/2 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

2 ounces white farmer’s cheese  (queso blanco, queso panella or any farmer’s cheese used for grilling or frying) cut into 1/4″ cubes

In  a small saucepan, combine the chocolate, panela, and spices and set aside.  In a seperate saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer but do not boil.  Add half the milk to the chocolate mixture and beat with a wire whisk until the chocolate is melted.  Add the rest of the milk and heat over medium until hot but not boiling.  Pour into cups and drop in the cheese cubes.  Serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4.