The Daring Cooks March 2011Challenge: ¡Me Encanta Perú! - Ceviche and Papas Rellenas

This month's challenge  was hosted by Kathlyn of Bake like a Ninja . We tackled Peruvian dishes for this month which i enjoyed very much. She gave us the choice to do both Ceviche and Papas Rellanas or do just one . I opted to do both even if at first i was a bit iffy with ceviche. See, ceviche is not new to me, in fact i love, love them. Filipinos call it Kilawin or Kinilaw depending on w/c province you come from. There are two ways to prepare our version one is to add fresh coconut cream and the other one is just like the ceviche. I know that in order for you to make "Kilawin/Ceviche" it is imperative to have FRESH seafood, this is the reason why i was not sure if i could make the ceviche.

But then i thought of sashimi/sushi hhmmm...Yes!Yes! i can make my ceviche using sashimi grade seafood, so off i went to my favorite Japanese market and bought a little of the sashimi stuff, didn't even care about how expensive they were;) My mission was to do the challenge and to fix my craving! I haven't had kilawin/ceviche in yeaarrrssss!!!!  So, Thank You Kathryn for the push!

The Japanese Store i always go to! Clawson, Michigan.

THESE ARE THE SASHIMI SEAFOOD I BOUGHT. A BIT EXPENSIVE BUT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT!

TAKO (OCTOPUS) COOKED

SHIMESABA (MACKEREL)  

HOKKIGAI CLAM (SURF CLAM)

TSUBUGAI CLAM (PEARL CLAM)

THIS BROUGHT ME BACK LOTS OF MEMORIES.

Cheviche de Pescado (Fish Ceviche):


Ingredients

2 lbs. (about 1 kg) firm white fish (scallops or other seafood may be substituted)*
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 chili pepper, minced (I USED THAI BIRD CHILI)
1 cup (240 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (between 8-12 limes)
Fresh juice only, no bottled. Can use lemons in lieu of limes.
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (4 grams) (1/8 oz) fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Garnish: (DIDN'T HAVE THESE, I FIGURED I DON'T HAVE TO SINCE I SERVED MY CEVICHE W/ MY PAPAS)

1 large sweet potato
1 large ear of corn
Lettuce leaves

Directions:

1.Boil sweet potato and corn (separately) if using for garnish. Allow to cool. (Can be done hours or even a day in advance)

2.Wash and trim your fish. Slice into pieces between ½ inch (15 mm) cubes to 2 inch (50mm) pieces, depending on taste.**
3.Place fish in a non-reactive, shallow pan in a thin layer. Season with salt and pepper.
4.Combine lime juice, chili pepper, coriander and garlic. Pour mixture over fish. Stir lightly to expose all the fish to some of the lime juice mixture.
5.Put sliced onion on top of fish as it “cooks”
6.Let fish stand for 10 minutes.*** Lift fish out of the lime juice and plate individual portions ,**** garnishing with lettuce, slices of sweet potato and slices or kernels of corn if using.

* It is important to use high quality, really fresh fish. You can use previously frozen (I’ve been using it because I am too cheap to buy this much sashimi grade fish), but it’s not as good. The better your fish, the better your ceviche.

** The fish is going to “cook” in the lime juice – how thick you make the pieces will determine how much the fish cooks, so keep your own preference in mind when you are cutting the fish up.

PAPAS RELLENAS the other challenge w/c i also love. I loved them that i have to make it twice. Once again...thank you, Kathryn;)

Papas Rellenas (de carne):  DC  Challenge/ Kathryn's recipe


Makes 6
Ingredients

For the dough:

2¼ lb (1 kg) russet potatoes

1 large egg (I USED QUAIL EGGS)

For the filling:

2 tablespoon (30 ml) of a light flavored oil

½ lb (250 grams) ground (minced) beef

6 black olives, pitted and chopped (use more if you love olives)

3 hard boiled large eggs, chopped

1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup (240 ml))

½ cup (120 ml) (90 gm) (3 oz) raisins, soaked in 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water for 10 minutes, then minced

1 finely diced aji pepper (ok to sub jalapeño or other pepper – if you are shy about heat, use less)

2 cloves garlic, minced or passed through a press (if you love garlic, add more)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) (4 gm) (1/8 oz) ground cumin (use more if you like cumin)

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) (2 gm) (1/16 oz) sweet paprika

¼ c. white wine, water or beef stock for deglazing

Salt and pepper to taste




For the final preparation:

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) all-purpose flour
Dash cayenne pepper

Dash salt

1 cup dry (240 ml) (110 gm) (4 oz) or fresh (240 ml) (60 gm) (2 oz) bread crumbs (you can use regular, panko, make your own or use store-bought) (I USED PANKO BREADCRUMBS)


Oil for frying (enough for 2” (50 mm) in a heavy pan like a medium sized dutch oven)

Directions:

In order to save time, you can boil the potatoes, and while they are cooling, you can make the filling. While that is cooling, you can make the potato “dough.” In this way, little time is spent waiting for anything to cool.

For the dough:

1.Boil the potatoes until they pierce easily with a fork. Remove them from the water and cool.

2.Once the potatoes have cooled, peel them and mash them with a potato masher or force them through a potato ricer (preferred).

3.Add egg, salt and pepper and knead “dough” thoroughly to ensure that ingredients are well combined and uniformly distributed.

While the potatoes cool down before finishing the dough, you can make the filling:

1.Gently brown onion and garlic in oil (about 5 minutes).
2.Add the chili pepper and sauté for a couple more minutes.
3.Add ground beef and brown.
4.Add raisins, cumin and paprika and cook briefly (a few seconds).
5.Deglaze the pan with white wine.
6.Add olives and cook for a few moments longer.
7.Add hard boiled eggs and fold in off heat.
8.Allow filling to cool before forming “papas.”

Forming and frying the papas:
1.Use three small bowls to prepare the papas. In one, combine flour, cayenne and salt. In the second, a beaten egg with a tiny bit of water. Put bread crumbs in the third

2.Flour your hands and scoop up 1/6 of the total dough to make a round pancake with your hands. Make a slight indentation in the middle for the filling.

3.Spoon a generous amount of filling into the center and then roll the potato closed, forming a smooth, potato-shaped casing around the filling. Repeat with all dough (you should have about 6 papas).

4.Heat 1 ½ - 2 inches (4 – 5 cm) of oil in a pan to about 350 – 375° F (175 - 190°C).

5.Dip each papa in the three bowls to coat: first roll in flour, then dip in egg, then roll in bread crumbs.

6.Fry the papas (in batches if necessary) about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip once in the middle of frying to brown both sides.


7.Drain on paper towel and store in a 200ºF (95ºC) (gas mark ¼) oven if frying in batches.

8.Serve with salsa criolla (or other sauce of preference) immediately.

PAPAS RELLENAS WITH SALSA CRIOLLA AND SEAFOOD CEVICHE. THESE WAS A PERFECT MEAL!!!!!

SALSA CRIOLLA: MY NEW FAVORITE SALSA ;)


Ingredients

2 medium red onions, cut in half and very thinly sliced (as half-circles)

1/2 chili pepper (your preference)

1 tablespoon vinegar

Juice from 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste



1.Soak the onions in cold salt water for about 10 minutes to remove bitterness. Drain.

2.In a medium bowl, combine the onions with the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper.

3.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the onions to macerate and the flavors to combine