Category: Flavours

Chilean holiday special: bread

September 14, 2015

 

Pan amasado with pebre.
Pan amasado with pebre.

Pan amasado is a mainstay of Chilean cuisine. These are delicious and rather heavy bread rolls which are served with the famous pebre in many restaurants and at special events, like Chile’s Independence Day celebrations in September each year. Thank you to Mercedes Hernández Urbina and Kerry Dudman for sharing their recipes and to Loreto Fuchslocher Arancibia for helping me try the recipes out.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg of plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • ¾ cup of melted lard, shortening or olive oil (I used vegetable shortening for this recipe)
  • 38g fresh yeast (you could use a small pack of dried yeast)
  • Lukewarm water.
Kneading the dough
Kneading the dough

Preparation

Put the flour in a bowl.

Put the yeast in a little lukewarm water so it melts.

Do the same with the salt, but in a separate container – it’s not a good idea to mix it directly with the yeast.

Make a hollow in the centre of the bowl of flour and add the warm melted shortening and salt.

Mix a little, then add the yeast mix.

Add one cup of lukewarm water.

Start to unite the ingredients in the bowl, adding tepid water a little at the time until the consistency is sticking to your hands a little and starting to form a dough.

Transfer the dough to the surface where you will knead it.

 

And kneading it some more.
And kneading it some more.
The dough after kneading
The dough after kneading

Work hard with the dough, kneading it energetically until it is a smooth, wrinkle-free dough.

Cover with a dry cloth and leave to rise for around 30-45 minutes.

After 30 minutes, turn on the oven to a medium heat.

When the dough is ready, divide it into the number of bread rolls you want and shape them however you like. We made 14 rolls, some round and some long and thin.

Bread rolls ready for the oven.
Bread rolls ready for the oven.

Put the rolls onto a baking sheet.

Perforate each one three times with a fork, making sure it goes all the way through.

Brush egg onto each roll so it will go golden and put the tray into the oven.

Start checking on the rolls after about 30 minutes. They may need another 10 to 15 minutes, but it’s best to keep an eye on them. They will be ready when they make a hollow sound when you tap them or if you put a knife into the centre of one of them and it comes out clean.

Turn off the oven and leave the door open. Leave the rolls to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a serving plate.

You might also be interested in the following recipes:

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Chile Holiday special: Celery and avocado salad

September 13, 2015
Loreto Fuchslocher holding celery.
Friend and neighbour Loreto Fuchslocher holding Chilean celery.

I never liked celery in the UK, finding it dull and tasteless. However, the celery in Chile is a whole different product. It grows enormous, is in its natural green state instead of that unnatural white we are used to and it has heaps of flavour.  This salad is a very satisfying pairing of two very classic Chilean ingredients.

Ingredients

2-3 stems of celery

1-2 ripe avocadoes

Salt

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Avocado
Avocado

Preparation

Chop the celery sticks into short sticks, removing any stringy bits.

Peel the avocadoes, chop in half and remove the stone, then cut into similar sized pieces.

Add salt, lemon juice and olive oil to taste.

Serve immediately.

You might also be interested in the following recipes:

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Chile holiday special: Cherimoya alegre
Cherimoya alegre
Cherimoya alegre

What a wonderful fruit this is!  Get one at its peak of ripeness and it is truly divine.  This simple dessert could win any taste competition against much more elaborate confections.

Ripe whole cherimoya
Ripe whole cherimoya
Peeling the cherimoya
Peeling the cherimoya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 large cherimoya

2 oranges

Removing the seeds
Removing the seeds

Preparation

Peel the cherimoya.

Remove the seeds. I do this with my fingers but you can also do it with a knife.  Either way, you end up with tiny pieces of juicy fruit in a bowl.

Squeeze the juice from the oranges over the cherimoya.

Leave to cool in the fridge.

Serve.

You might also be interested in the following recipes:

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A sparkling toast to the weekend

September 10, 2015

spring has sprungHow has your week been? I, for one, am very glad that the weekend is almost here! Spring has arrived in Chile – the sky is blue, the lizards have come out of hibernation, the birds are vocal and the garden is alive with colour.  This photo shows Hazel just soaking up the sunshine in our front yard.

Of course, for anyone in the Northern Hemisphere, there will be a touch of autumn in the air and the new academic year will be getting going. Either way, the arrival of the weekend is worth celebrating in style.

So how about a glass of fizz to get the weekend off to a good start?

For a good, reliable sparkling, you can’t go far wrong with Undurraga Brut Royal. Nice and fresh and goes with whatever you like, alone or with food.

For something a little different, check out Estelado by Miguel Torres.  Made with the País grape, it’s a salmon pink and delights the taste buds. My friends and I can always find a good excuse to taste sparkling wine and Estelado always ranks highly.

Finally, if you can’t decide if you fancy fizz or not, you could play it safe with one of Chile’s brand new Moscato Frizzante wines, which have just that little bit of sparkle and are relatively low in alcohol. Check out Echeverría’s Moscato Frizzante for a light, refreshing drink perfect for a hot day.  On the sweet side but well balanced, so it comes across as young and fruity rather than sickly sweet.

 

 

 

 

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Chilean Carménère tasting

September 1, 2015

 

A big thank you to my friends Smilja and Audrey for joining me for a special tasting of Chilean Carménère.

The Carménère tasting panel
The Carménère tasting panel Left: Smilja Radosav from the former Yugoslavia; Centre: Helen; Right: Audrey Jeannet from Switzerland.

These were our findings:

De Martino Reserva 347 Vineyards Carménère 2011

Intriguing spice and black pepper mingle with the fruit in this medium-bodied, very pleasurable and easy-to-drink wine.

Undurraga Aliwen Carménère 2012

A nice, well-balanced, easy-drinking wine with red fruit and spices. Astringent tannins but a nice, fruity finish.

Miguel Torres Las Mulas Carménère 2012 (organic wine)

Red fruit, mushrooms and damp earth. Medium-bodied, slightly bitter in the finish.

[Las Mulas is usually a very consistent, pleasant line of wines so perhaps this bottle had been stored incorrectly.]

 

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Koyle wine tasting

August 30, 2015

Tasting led by winemaker Cristóbal Undurraga at Vinoteca in August 2015. These are biodynamic wines.

Cinsault rosé

New, not yet available for sale. A light and refreshing dry wine, perfect for a hot summer’s day.

Savouring Koyle's iconic wine, Auma
Savouring Koyle’s iconic wine, Auma

Carménère 2012, Alto Colchagua

Pleasant, easy-drinking Carménère with upfront spices, such as cloves, followed by a touch of green pepper.  Medium + tannins.  Smooth enough to drink on its own, but would pair well with any red meat.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Alto Colchagua

Contains 10% Cabernet Franc. Another versatile and easy-drinking red. Plenty of black and red fruit, followed by the spices. Medium body, tannins and finish.

Syrah 2012, Alto Colchagua

Another very pleasant wine, a little more intense with interesting notes of meat and gunpowder.

Koyle Royale Carménère 2012

Contains 8% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot. This Carménère packs a punch; black pepper, cassis, cacao and a touch of the farmyard and slight minerality in the nose. Nice ripe tannins, spice, delectable acidity, lovely mouthfeel with just that touch of ashtray.

Koyle Royale Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Intense, fruit first, then the spices (vanilla, cinnamon, a touch of menthol). Lovely mouthfeel, tooth-coating tannins, pleasant acidity, very fresh.

Auma 2010

37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Carménère, 18% Malbec, 13% Syrah and 7% Petit Verdot

What a wine! The first thing that hits you is that perfume coming right out of the glass!  Intense, sweet and hard to define. I asked Cristóbal and he suggested mandarins and violets.  I would add cherry pie with cacao and a touch of liquorice and blueberry. Just smelling this wine is like a feast in itself. In the mouth, smooth, rounded with big smooth tannins, lots of body and fruit and a slightly bitter cacao note, long in the finish.

Auma 2009

33% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carménère, 14% Syrah and 7% Petit Verdot

Quite a different beast.  Intense and powerful with cassis, cherries, cinnamon and that bitter cacao note again.  Delightful wine but pales beside the 2010 vintage.

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Apaltagua wine tasting

Winemaker Pablo Barros presented some Apaltagua’s wines at Vinoteca in July 2015.

Costera Extra Brut sparkling wine, Leyda Valley

Interesting and delightfully refreshing; an affordable sparkling wine made using the in-bottle fermentation method. Nice salinity thanks to the coastal origin of the grapes.

Helen at Koyle tastingSauvignon Blanc Reserva 2014, San Antonio

Nice, chewy Sauvignon Blanc with crisp, apple and chilli acidity and a saline note just begging for some seafood.

Gran Reserva Envero 2013, Colchagua Valley

93% Carménère, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. Upfront vanilla and cinnamon followed by red fruit and blackcurrants with a slight hint of yogurt. Very elegant, ripe tannins, good acidity, creamy with a touch of ashtray in the mouth. This would go beautifully with a juicy steak and peppers.

Tutunjian Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Curicó

Black fruit, blackberries and blackcurrants are followed by vanilla. Smooth is the word for this wine; smooth entry, smooth tannins, pleasing acidity with a nice, smooth finish with a touch of spice. Very drinkable.

Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Maipo

This is a lean, elegant and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of fennel and liquorice in amongst the fruit. High acidity, nicely balanced body, good length. Would work well with a highly flavoured meat dish, such as lamb or game.

Tutunjuan Entrevalles

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Carménère, 12% Syrah, 10% Malbec, from different wine regions. Raspberries, blueberries and currants combine with liquorice and cinnamon in an elegant and smooth fruity wine with firm tannins and high acidity.  Cries out for a rich lamb dish.

Apaltagua Grial 2009, Colchagua

Inky Carménère with an expressive nose featuring plums, blackcurrants, black pepper, chilli and liquorice. Smooth and well-rounded with elegant tannins, a vegetal touch and a hint of ashtray. This wine will hold its own with spicy dishes, as well as a well-seasoned red meat dish.

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Emiliana Organic Vineyards wine tasting
Cheers!
Cheers!

Emiliana tasting at the winery, part of the tour

Adobe Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Casablanca

Very pale and shiny. Apples and maracuyas. Good acidity, light-bodied, well-balanced. Refreshing and pleasant.

Novas Viognier 2013, Casablanca

Shiny, light yellow. Nose of melon, honey, white flowers, lychees, banana. Unctuous, slightly oily hint, sweet touch, chewy, high acidity and good finish.  Slight pneumatic hint again in the aftertaste.

Novas Carménère-Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013, Colchagua

Medium purple in colour. Nice fruity nose features raspberry jam, plums, cherries, some black pepper and green peppers, a touch of cinnamon and vanilla. Medium tannins, nice and smooth, high acidity, medium + alcohol, peppery, medium finish.

Coyam 2011, Colchagua

38% Syrah, 31% Carménère, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec, 1% Mourvèdre

Medium + intensity, reddish purple. Complex nose reveals cassis, blackberries, plums, cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of smoke. Smooth tannins, medium+ alcohol, good body, good acidity, medium finish.  Nice, elegant wine.

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Carne Mechada: Braised stuffed beef in tomato sauce

August 14, 2015

You know those dishes so ingrained into local culinary culture that everyone will swear that their own recipe is the right one, such as paella in Spain or pumpkin pie in the States? Well, here in Chile, one such dish is Carne Mechada, a piece of stewing beef stuffed with vegetables and slowly braised in liquid until it almost melts in your mouth. We’re talking serious comfort food.

Well, this is the way I make it.

Ingredients

1 kilo of beef (any braising cut)

1 large onion, diced

Half a red pepper, diced

5 cloves of garlic, sliced

2 carrots, cut lengthways into thick sticks

2 kilos of tomatoes, skinned and chopped.

Lots of fresh Mediterranean herbs, whatever you have to hand.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

  • First use a large, sharp knife to make holes in the meat.
  • Stuff these holes with the carrot and garlic.
  • Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan.
  • Cook the onion until translucent.
  • Remove and put to one side.
  • Turn up the heat, put the piece of meat into the pan and brown it on all sides. Then add the fried onion, the red pepper, chopped tomatoes and herbs.
  • Top up with water until the meat is covered with liquid.
  • Put on the lid and leave to simmer over a low heat for an hour or so, checking every once in a while.
  • When the meat is cooked through, remove the lid and continue to simmer.  The meat will become really tender and the sauce thicker and more concentrated.
  • When the sauce has reduced and thickened or you’ve run out of patience, season to taste.
  • Remove the meat from the pot, slice it, then return the slices to the hot sauce.
  • Serve with pasta.

Carne mechada is even better one or two days after it is cooked.

This dish pairs beautifully with any characterful, fruity Chilean red wine, especially ones with medium to high acidity, like Carignan. You could try Indomita Gran Reserva Carignan 2013. For more information about Chilean Carignan, check out my article Vigno: the renaissance of Chilean Carignan.

 

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Casas del Bosque wine tasting

August 13, 2015
Tasting time!
Tasting time!

Pequeñas Producciones Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Casablanca

Clear, light, almost translucent. Fruity nose dominated by grapefruit, maracuya, apple and a touch of green chilli pepper with a floral hint. Good acidity in the mouth, citrus but not like sucking a sour lemon, well-rounded, with good body and relatively long in the finish.

Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2013, Casablanca

Shiny yellow. Oak aromas mingled with bananas, pineapple and red apple.  Good body, a bit oily, high alcohol, good acidity, that hint of oil in the mouth.

Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2013, Casablanca

Light purple; classic nose of strawberry flavoured toffee with hints of chocolate and vanilla.  Dry, high acidity, slightly astringent tannins, good alcohol and fruit.

Gran Reserva Syrah 2012, Casablanca

Classic inky purple colour. Nose of blackcurrant cordial with olives, black pepper and a hint of leather. Strong, tannic with high acidity, good body, almost chewy.  Potential to evolve a little more.

Gran Bosque Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Maipo

Intense purple with good legs. Expressive nose featuring blackcurrants, blackberries, cherries, sweet spices, such as cinnamon and cloves. A sweet, chewy, elegant wine with smooth tannins, high alcohol and well-integrated acidity.  I think this would benefit from more ageing.

This tasting was part of the premium tour at the winery in June 2015.

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