Final Presentation: Italian Biscotti May 10, 2012

I decided to use this recipe to share with the class for our presentation today. They look so good!

One thing that was different about making them for the class was that I had to cut them smaller to make enough to share with everyone. They kept falling apart, but I was able to salvage most of them.

-Jenny

Georgian/Russian: Peroshki May 9, 2012

Ingredients:

•  1 onions, diced
•  1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
•  2 cups all-purpose flour
•  1/8 teaspoon salt
•  1 egg, beaten
•  1/2 cup cold water, or as needed
•  Oil

Directions:

To Make Meat Mixture: Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook onions, beef and add salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes and break down meat with fork. 5 minutes before removing from heat add cilantro and parsley and mix the ingredients. After removing from heat put in a container and put it in the refrigerator because the meat needs to be cold before adding to the dough.

To Make Dough: In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and egg and mix well. Stir in water, a little bit at a time, until dough is stiff. Knead dough for 2 to 4 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness with a rolling pin. With a glass or cookie cutter, cut out rounds about 3 inches in diameter.

Add a teaspoon of meat to each round dough and put one side on other and press down on edges to seal and lightly roll in hands.

In a skillet add enough oil to fry.

Fry the peroshkis make sure to turn it often so the sides dont burn. When dough is cooked remove from heat and serve.

Story:

My favorite snack, I remeber growing up every friday we would have dinner as a family with my grandparents and my grandmother would bring peroshkis out on a beautiful silver tray and once me and my cousins put our hands on it, it would be gone in seconds. It brings back some speciel memories!

Salvadorian: Platanos Fritos May 7, 2012

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe plantains, peeled, cut in half crosswise, then lengthwise
• Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Heat about 1/2-inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the plantains, a few pieces at a time, and saute until golden browned. Turn and saute the other side.
2. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the rest of the plantains. Sprinkle with a little salt serve hot.

Variations:

• The plantain can be sliced in round circles.
• Top the plantains with a little brown sugar.
• Other possible garnishes are crumbled queso fresco, grated parmesan cheese, sour cream or seasoned tomato sauce.

Story:

This is a typical saturday or sunday breakfast for my dad. For a healthier version of the plantain he puts it in the toaster oven for about 30 minutes.

Salvadorian Lunch and Trying New Things May 5, 2012

Today I went out to lunch with my parents, and we decided to eat Salvadorian food. Although I chose to share Italian food as my culture for this project, only half of my family culture comes from there. I am also half El Salvadorian. My parents have been together for many years, practically growing up with each other, and eating lots of each other’s cultural foods. My mom and I have been talking a lot lately about Italian food for this project, and when I began telling her about the Salvadorian food I tried, she began telling me all of her favorites. When we got to the restaurant, La Santaneca on Mission Street, we ordered all of their favorites.

Pupusas

Yuca Frita Con Chicharron

Platanos Con Frijoles Y Crema

Tamal De Elote Con Crema

Everything was so good that we almost forgot to take pictures! I can’t believe I never ate half of these foods before. My favorite was the pupusas and the platanos. I also loved the yuca frita. Whenever I go to Salvadorian restaurants I always go straight for the pupusas. I was glad to try something new and learn more about this half of my culture. Talking with Glenda helped to open up my interests about Salvadorian culture, and learning more about my dad’s culture has been a great experience.

-Jenny

Spices and Herbs May 2, 2012

One of the most significant things I learned about the different cuisines in our project is all the different kinds spices and herbs our cultures use. It has been really cool to realize that just by using a different herb, a whole new flavor emerges from the same old food I always eat. At the grocery store, I have found myself wandering to the aisle where they keep the spices. I could just stare at all the different kinds and think about what it is, or how it would make a certain food taste. I’ve also been buying different herbs than the usual parsley, basil, and rosemary. Maka introduced me to Dill. It has been great using dill on the vegetables I always cook and getting a new flavor. Afghan and Pakistani foods use spices that are completely different than anything that Italian or Salvadorian food would have in it. Trying all of these different spices and herbs have broadened my thinking, and my taste buds. I will continue to cook and experiment with these new found herbs and spices from around the world.

-Jenny

Salvadorian: Tamal de Elote May 1, 2012

Ingredients:

• 12-15 corn husk for wrapping
• 1/4 cup lard
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups masa harina (flour)
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2-3 ears corn on the cob

Directions:

1. Add the cornhusks to a large pot. Pour boiling water over them and let them soak for at least 30 minutes to make them pliable.
2. Add the lard, butter and baking powder to a food processor or mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Cut enough corn kernels off the cobs to make about 2 cups. Scrape the cobs with a knife to get all their milk. Add the corn kernels and their milk to the food processor and pulse until fairly smooth but still a little chunky
4. In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina, salt and warm water and knead to form a pliable mass. Pulse a little bit at a time into the corn and lard mixture until smooth.
5. Drain the cornhusks and wipe dry. Lay out a husk with the pointed end up and add about 1/4 cup dough to the center. Fold in each side to cover the dough. Then fold up the bottom husk. Finally fold down the pointed top and insert it into the bottom to make a package. Tie the tamal with strings if needed. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
6. Set up a steamer and steam the tamales for 30-45 minutes. Remove and serve hot with a little cream poured over the top.

Story:

Tamales de Elote are a traditional breakfast meal. My grandmother adds refried beans to the tamales sometimes just to give it a different flavor. One of my favorite traditional breakfast foods.

Salvadorian: Pastel de Tres Leches April 30, 2012

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup, or 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup sweetened, condensed milk
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk

Whipped Cream Frosting

• 1 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree, and grease and flour an 8×11-inch baking pan.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, allowing each one to get incorporated before adding the next. Finally add the vanilla and continue beating until foamy.
4. Remove the bowl from mixer and fold in the sifted flour until is well incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 30 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
6. Pierce cake all over with a fork, toothpick or skewer. Mix the whole, sweetened, condensed, and evaporated milk together and pour the mixture over the whole cake.
7. Refrigerate cake for anywhere from 6 to 8 hours, or until liquid is completely absorbed and cake is well chilled.
8. Beat the cream, sugar and vanilla together until the cream holds soft peaks. Frost the cake with the whipped cream and serve.

Variations:

Substitute coconut milk for the whole milk if you like. Scatter the frosting with coconut flakes.

Substitute 1/2 cup rum for half the whole milk for a pastel with a punch.

If you would like a layer cake, divided the batter between 2 prepared, round cake pans. For layer cakes, you can add a fruit filling between the layers. Try pineapple filling peaches, bananas or any fruit that suits your fancy.

Story:

I’m not a big fan of cake, but I do like to bake. So I make this Pastel de tres Leches a lot for my parents and younger brothers. I like to see how much they enjoy it!