December 6,  2009

One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, MO 63110-1380
Telephone 314.721.0072

In  English Click here

Recetas de hallacas, pasteles y tamales
Aunque los ingredientes básicos sean los mismos (masa de maíz o plátano, hojas de plátano y guiso), cada país tiene su propia manera de preparar esos ricos tamales que pueden acompañar cualquier festividad. Les traemos algunas recetas típicas de varios países latinoamericanos de tamales, humitas, quimbolitos… o como se le llame a este tipo de plato en tu país.

Humitas Argentinas (© FoodPix / Jupiter Images)
Recetas de hallacas, pasteles y tamales
Humitas Argentinas

Receta de Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh
Chef Ejecutiva
www.zinur.com

Ingredientes

- 12 choclos (mazorcas de maíz, jojoto)
- 1 cucharada de grasa (puede ser manteca o mantequilla)
- 1 cebolla picada
- 2 tomates en cubos
- 1 morrón rojo (ají o pimiento) en cubos
- 3 dientes de ajo Picado
- 1 taza de crema de leche
- 1 cucharada de azúcar
- Pizca de sal y de pimienta
- Hilo para Brindar ( Pabilo)
- Mozzarella rayada

Preparación

- Separa las chalas (hojas envoltorios del maíz) de los choclos, ¡guárdalas que se usaran al final!

- Con un cuchillo sacar todos granos de maíz, raspar bien las mazorcas para extraer más sabor y más almidón.
- En una sartén poner una cucharada de grasa. Agregar la cebolla, el morrón, los dientes de ajo y el maíz. Dejar cocinar por 5 minutos y agregar la crema y el azúcar.

- Se revuelve hasta que espese y se procesa la preparación en un procesador eléctrico, para dar mayor consistencia y humedad.

- Reforzar la sal y la pimienta si es necesario.
- Deja enfriar.
- Rellena las chalas con una cucharada de la preparación, agrega la mozzarella y doblar haciendo paquetitos, amarrar o atar con el hilo de brindar. Cuidar de que los paquetitos estén bien cerrados.
- En una olla grande hervir agua y cocinar las humitas por 30 minutos.

Recomendaciones

Las humitas se cocinan mucho mejor si las dejamos congelar primero y se llevan directamente a cocinar al agua hirviendo.
El maíz o jojoto se puede comprar en lata o congelado. Si es en lata, se debe escurrir el líquido excedente. También las chalas se encuentran en la mayoría de mercados latinos.
El rol de la pimienta en esta preparación es fundamental, ayuda a balancear lo dulce del maíz. Es preferible usar pimienta negra y recién molida para reforzar el sabor.
La chef Natalia Penchaszadeh usa hojas de plátano para sus humitas y las llama Hullaquitas (Humitas y Hallaquitas)

En Espanol para MSN latino Click here

In  English Click here

Last Sunday at the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM, we had 464 people enjoying  the activity! Wow! Anyway we were ready with 500 cookies, thanks goodness! Once again I had the honor to present a project, this time the theme was “Art the Glitters, Gleams, and Glows” We decided to go for cookies this time, but really  I did not want to go to the classic cookie decoration, I wanted to present something different and easy.We topped regular sugar cookies, covered in royal glace with chocolates figures, and add colored crystal sugar. For a final touch made them glow with gold and silver powder. It was wonderful to see the glowing expressions on kids and parents faces as the shiny dust covered the dark chocolate.
And again a special “Thank You” for Amanda Muller ,  thank you for making every Sunday especial at the St Louis Art Museum ( Family Program). Thank you also to all the volunteers.For me it is a pleasure participate at the amazing SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM

Here are the recipes:
Sugar Cookies
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cups butter (soft)
1 cup sugar
peel from one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg yolks

Place the flour, sugar and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter and work with your fingers until it gets a sandy texture. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and lemon peel and add the mix to the bowl. Press the dough as if you were making a snowball until all ingredients get together, do not kneed ( if you kneed to much gluten is going to be formed, something you don’t want for this cookies). Place the dough in a plastic bag, close it tightly and let it rest for 20 minutes in the refrigerator, (or longer, even up to a week) . Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to the desired thickness, cut out with cookie cuter (whatever shape your like) and bake for 8-10 min. the edges have to be golden, Let them cool down, decorate, have fun and enjoy.

Royal icing
1 egg white
A sprinkle of lemon juice ( very important if you want a white icing)
1 lb  (¼ kilo) powdered sugar

In a blender add all ingredients and mix at high speed until you can see a nice and stable foam. Turn off the blender and dip a spoon, turn the spoon upside down , the mixture must remain attached to the spoon , otherwise, it’s not ready. This icing is very difficult to store, if you need, put it very tied in a sealed plastic  container and keep for only a few hours. You will need to mix again every time you want to use it.
Decorate the cookies and let them set until the icing hardens.

See Activity ant the SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM 2007

Chef Natalia Penchaszadeh did a chef demostration at Soulard Market in St Louis, representing the Lucas school house

Here are the recipes!

Citrus Spinach Salad ( 2 servings )

2 lb spinach
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
¼ cup goat cheese
1 Garlic clove
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped Nuts
1 tangerine
1 orange

In a bowl place the mayonnaise, sour cream, orange marmalade, salt and pepper
Peel the orange and tangerine and separate into slices.
Add half of the citrus dressing and mix.
To enhance the flavor of the goat cheese peel and chop a garlic clove, add the garlic to the goat cheese. Add salt (goat cheese often come with salt) and pepper. Mix by hand until the consistency is smooth and frothy
Add the spinach, half of the goat cheese and walnuts. Toss, put the salad into the dishes and decorate with the rest of citrus and goat cheese.

Beef Tenderloin and Chimichurri (6 servings )
2 lb tenderloin
1 red onion
2 table spoon of olive oil.

Remove the fat of the tenderloin (using a knife with flexible tip), separate the fillet Mignon and cut into medallions. In a flat surface sprinkle black pepper and roll the medallions, the pepper will stick to the sides; this will help to enhance the flavor without burning the pepper.
In a hot skillet, add oil, cook the medallions on both sides until golden brown. In the same skillet add the onions. Once cooked add salt and top with the onions and the chimichurri

Chimichurri
1 cup of Olive oil
½ cup of Oregano
2 tablespoons of chopped Garlic
2 Tablespoons of chopped Onions
¼ Cup of Vinegar (very important)
¼ white wine

Combine all ingredients in a jar ( glass one is better)
Set for a week in the refrigerator, and it will be ready.
Creamy Polenta

2 cups Polenta
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup extra milk
1 stick Butter
2 cubes bouillon
2 otz. Fresh arugula

In a saucepan add milk, bullion cubes and half butter stick. Boil.
Sprinkle the polenta and mix until the first bubble appears. Turn off the heat and add extra milk and butter. Stir, add the arugula and serve.

Note: The polenta; (instant polenta) cooks in 2 -3 minutes
(traditional) cooks in 20-25 minutes

Salmon and fresh vegetables. ( 4 servings )

1salmon
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 olive oil
1 zucchinis
1 eggplant
1 portobello mushroom
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 Red onions
Salt pepper

With a knife with flexible edge, remove the salmon skin. Remember to press the skin rather than meat. Cut into portions. Add salt and pepper.

In a flat surface add flour for breading the fish on both sides; this prevents the fish sticking to the skillet, and help to golden brown faster, remember that fish cook quickly.
In a hot skillet add oil and golden brown fish on both sides.

Cut all vegetables. Put them in a bowl, add salt, pepper and 1 / 4 rate oil. In a hot skillet add the vegetables and brown, keep in mind that eggplants will absorb the oil, so we should cook them separately. The veggies go so well in the grill.
Idea for portobellos: In a bowl add soy sauce and chopped garlic, cover and let rest for one hour, then cook them in the grill for about 4 minutes.

8 cups of Flour
3 tablespoons of dry yeast
1 &1/2 packs (each pack is 125gr) of Butter
1 cup of olive oil
2 cups of Milk
1 cup of Water
2 tablespoons of Sugar
2 tablespoons of Salt
1 cup of sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1 sliced onion
Salt
Pepper

In a hot pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the onion slices and a pinch of salt, when the onions turn golden add the tomatoes and the rosemary, cook for three more minutes, add a pinch of pepper and set aside

~Turn on the oven and set it at 350F (180°C).
Warm the milk together with water and butter (when the butter starts to melt remove from the fire) and add the rest of the olive oil (be careful, if it gets too hot it will kill the good old yeast bugs). In a large bowl place the warm liquid and add the yeast and sugar; with a wooden spoon stir until the yeast dissolves. Place the flour in a large bowl, add the liquid mixture and knead, add the sundry tomatoes preparation. Kneed until the dough forms a single piece. - Spray oil in a bowl, put the dough in it; cover with a clean dry cloth or with plastic wrap and let rise until it doubles its size. Prepare a baking pan with baking paper. When the dough is ready shape as you wish. Let it rise again to double size.
- Bake the bread until golden , 30’ to 35 minutes.

Farm style bread

8 cups of Flour
3 tablespoon of dry yeast
3 packs (375gr) of Butter
2 cups of Milk
1 cup of Water
2 tablespoon Sugar
2 tablespoon of Salt

~Turn on the oven and set it at 350F (180°C). Warm the milk together with water and butter (when the butter starts to melt remove from the fire). In a large bowl place the warm liquid and add the yeast and sugar; with a wood spoon stir until the yeast dissolves. Place the flour in a large bowl, add the liquid mixture and knead until the dough forms a single piece. - Spray oil in a bowl, put the dough in it; cover with a clean dry cloth or with plastic wrap and let rise until it doubles its size. Prepare a baking pan with baking paper. When the dough is ready shape a ball. Let it rise again to double size.
- Bake the bread until golden , 30’ to 35 minutes.