Nicaraguan Gallo Pinto

Simple Latin Beans and Rice Side Dish

Gallo pinto, literally translated as painted rooster, is simply a mixture of rice and beans

Serves 4

Country: Nicaragua

3 cups rice, cooked

1 pound black beans, picked through and washed

1 small onion cut in half

2 ribs celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 green bell pepper, cored and seeded

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon  thyme,

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Vinegarette

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon chilli pepper flakes

Soak the beans in a large heavy pot covered by at least three inches of water overnight.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam.

Reduce the heat and gently simmer the beans, covered, until tender, 1 hour. Add water to keep beans covered.

Season with salt and pepper during last ten minutes of cooking. Drain the beans, remove and discard the vegetables and bay leaf.  Prepare vinaigrette with the olive oil, lime juice, oregano, garlic powder, pepper flakes and salt and pepper; beat together and mix with the drained beans and serve as a side dish over the cooked rice.

Onion Smothered Steak (Bistec Encebollado)

Serves 4

Country:Nicaragua

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

1 tsp. Adobo recipe below

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/4 cup lime juice

4 4oz chuck steak

2 tbsp. corn oil

4 large onions, sliced very thin

Preheat 300°F

Mix garlic, black pepper, adobo, oregano and vinegar together and rub into steak. Add lime juice cover and let braise in the oven for 90 minutes at 300°F

Heat oil in skillet on low, cook onions until barely cooked add any meat juices from steaks and let the liquid simmer off.

Serve steaks smothered in the onions.

Adobo Seasoning

This seasoning is used often in Latin dishes

makes 7 tablespoons

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

In a bowl, stir together the salt, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Store in a sealed jar in a cool, dark place.

Spinach cakes (Torrejas De Espinaca)

A nice bright flat bread liven up a dinner or lunch plate

Makes 8 3” cakes

Origin: Latin America

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups spinach, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

3 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup corn flour

1/2 cup milk

salt & pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Add spinach, onion, flour, nutmeg, baking powder, salt & pepper to a bowl.

In a small bowl beat milk and eggs together then add to the spinach mixture and combine until the batter is uniform.

Heat a non-stick skillet add some oil and spoon the batter into hot pan and cook on both sides until golden brown. Keep warm until serving. Pass the butter.

Greek Stuffed Pork Loin (Hirino Gemisto) γεμιστό χοιρινό

Greek Stuffed Pork Loin (Hirino Gemisto) γεμιστό χοιρινό

Hirino Gemisto is pork loin stuffed with vegetables, garlic and a few dried herbs and served with Ladolemono a delicious lemon and olive oil sauce.

Recipe By     :Ellen M. Ennis Davis
Source:  "Pooka's What's for Dinner: Gluten Free with Attitude"
Copyright:  "http://pookaswhatsfordinnergluttenfree.blogspot.ca/"
Serving Size  : 6   
Cuisine:  "Protien Entrees"
Categories    : Gluten Free, Greek, International, Pork

1 boneless loin of pork (about 3 lbs)

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

2 cups spinach chopped

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, peeled and diced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Ladolemono (recipe below)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

With a sharp knife, prepare the pork loin. You can ask the butcher to butterfly your pork loin for you while you wait. But if you don’t have a butcher but by your meat from a grocery store like me, don’t despair. It’s not really that difficult to do it yourself.

See“Culminate : quick ideas for better eating” How to butterfly a pork loin for stuffing (See link for instructions with diagrams)

1.     Start with a boneless pork loin; lay it on the cutting board. If it’s tied, release the strings that bind it.

2.     Begin at one end of the roast. About an inch from the cutting board, cut a horizontal incision, about an inch deep.

3.     As you cut from one end of the loin to the other, pull back the meat.

4.     Once you’ve cut the entire length of the loin, return to the top and cut deeper into the loin, while pushing away with your free hand, as if you’re unfurling a paper towel.

5.     Each time you’ll want to cut in no more than an inch.

6.     Repeat until you’ve cut the entire length of the loin.

7.     Eventually the loin will lie flat.

8.     Your pork loin is now ready for stuffing and rolling.

long open cut in the middle of the meat without separating it completely. Lay it open flat.

Combine the Ladolemono(recipe below), bell pepper, spinach, onion, carrot, eggs, garlic, parsley, and oregano in a bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper, then spread the stuffing in the center. Roll the meat into a long shape and tie the loin firmly at regular intervals with kitchen string.

Place in a roasting pan, brush the roast with Ladolemono then sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes at 450°F and then reduce the heat to 350°F for 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 155°F. remove roast from the oven and let the roast rest covered in foil for 20 minutes.

remove from oven and let rest

After the pork has rested, carve into slices and serve with more Ladolemono.

carve

serve with Ladolemono (recipe below)

Per Serving: 209 Calories; 20g Fat (83.7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 582mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 4 Fat.

Greek Lemon Oil Sauce (Ladolemono)

A versatile Greek olive oil and lemon vinaigrette used on fish, chicken, lamb, dolma, and well just about everything else Greek you can think of.

Makes 3/4 cup

Country: Greece

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried mints leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pinch salt

1 pinch pepper

In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, oregano, salt and pepper. Seal, and shake until well blended. Set aside some for serving with the meal. Shake well before using, as the oil will separate. 

Per Serving : 163 Calories; 18g Fat (96.9% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber;0mg Cholesterol; 22mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 1/2 Fat.

Spinach and Rice (Spanakorizo)

Serves: 8-12

Country: Macedonia

2 cups short grain white or brown rice

1 - 16 ounce package of fresh spinach

1 can diced tomato

1 small onion (diced)

3 tablespoons olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion

1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

salt (to taste)

Rinse rice and spinach. Place spinach in the bottom of a 9 x 11 glass baking dish.

In a frying pan slightly brown the onion. Add diced rice, tomato, oil, lemon, herbs and spices; stir.

Remove from heat, add to the spinach in the glass baking dish, cover with water.

Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven until water is absorbed into rice (about 45 minutes). Serve with Tzatziki Ssauce. 

Tzatziki Ssauce

1 pint greek yogurt

1/2 english cucumber, unpeeled, grated

4 tablespoons salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon dried mint, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

Spoon yogurt into sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter set over bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer drained yogurt to medium bowl and discard liquid.

Sprinkle grated cucumber with salt and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse cucumbers and squeeze out extra moisture. Add all other ingredients together and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Hand Formed Sausages kjebapi (ќебапи)

A spicy hand shaped sausage of ground meat served with yogurt sauce.

Serves: 8-10

Country: Macedonia

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1 medium onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp sweet paprika and a

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

Pinch nutmeg

Mix all the ingredients, except the oil, thoroughly and roll the mixture into little "sausages" about 1 inch by 3 inches. Keep you hands well oiled to keep from sticking; grill or broil until done. Serve with Tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 pint greek yogurt

1/2 english cucumber, unpeeled, grated

4 tablespoons salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon dried mint, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

Spoon yogurt into sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter set over bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer drained yogurt to medium bowl and discard liquid.

Sprinkle grated cucumber with salt and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse cucumbers and squeeze out extra moisture. Add all other ingredients together and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Nacho Cheese Macaroni and Salsa Meatballs

Serves 4

4 cup(s)s rice macaroni

Meatballs:

Makes approx. 20 meatballs

1 large egg

10 gf corn tortillas, whizzed to crumbs in food processor

1/4 cup(s) salsa

2 Tablespoon(s) onion powder
2 Tablespoon(s) chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) garlic powder
1 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
1 teaspoon(s) salt

1 pound lean ground beef

Cheese Sauce:

4 tablespoon(s) margarine

4 tablespoon(s) corn flour

1 teaspoon(s) dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon(s) dried chilli flakes

1 teaspoon hot sauce

2 cup(s) milk

3 cup(s) old cheddar cheese, shredded

Meatballs:

Pre-heat oven to 350° F.

In a mixing bowl, place the egg and beat slightly with a fork.

Add crushed tortilla crumbs, salsa, and seasonings and mix well.

Add the ground beef and mix well with clean fingers.

Make meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place on a greased baking sheet.

Bake meatballs for 30 minutes until brown and fully done.

Meanwhile boil macaroni and strain macaroni, make cheese sauce

Cheese Sauce:

Melt margarine over medium heat, stir in flour, mustard and chilli flakes. Remove from heat and add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Return to heat and bring to a boil, continue to stir until thick. Remove from heat, add hot sauce and stir in the cheese (a little at a time) until it is homogenous.

Mix half of the cheese sauce with the macaroni.

Put the other half in a bowl to serve at the table. Place the meatballs on a serving platter. For each serving place meatballs on macaroni and pour some cheese sauce over the meatballs with extra salsa on the side.