Ecuador

Ecuador (#8) Llapingachos con Salsa de Mani y Curtido

I discovered this recipe during my search for empanadas.  There are so many You Tube videos for llapingachos and similar cheesed stuffed potato recipes from South America.  I settled on the version from laylita.com.  I boiled three large Yukon golds then mashed them and added diced sauteed onions flavored with achiote powder.  The potatos are shaped into a ball, an indentation is made and filled with cheese.  The ball is then pressed into a patty and browned in oil.  The Salsa de Mani is made with a mixture of peanuts, milk, onions, tomatoes, achiote and red pepper flakes - an unusual combination which is commonly served with the potatoes.  The curtido is simply red onions with a dash of olive oil, lime juice and vinegar.
 http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/04/07/llapingachos-or-stuffed-potato-patties/

Ecuador

Ecuador (#7) Empanadas y Ensalada

This morning I went to my local farmer’s market specifically for fresh Poblanos to make empanadas.  While researching recipes it occurred to me that I could do a blog on empanadas alone because there are so many fillings and variations from all Latin countries.  I chose an Ecuadorian version found on laylita.com.  Her website is filled with amazing recipes.  After roasting fresh chiles in my oven for Cinco de Mayo chile rellenos, I felt like an expert so this recipe for empanadas stuffed with roasted Poblanos and cheese appealed to me.  I used a pre-packaged pie crust dough cut into 3 inch circles, then filled them with a mixture of Monterey Jack, Cotija cheese, diced onions, oregano, and roasted, diced Poblanos.  I served this with a salad made with shredded iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced red onions, radishes, little Zima tomatoes and Cojita cheese.  The dressing was simply a squeeze of lime juice and olive oil.  Coming soon, Laylita's llapingachos (cheese stuffed potatoes) recipe. 

Mexico

Mexico (#6) Chiles Rellenos (Stuffed Chiles)

This was my first time making chiles rellenos and they were surprisingly easy to make.  I looked through various cookbooks, on-line recipes and You Tube videos and found that there was very little variation in the way they're made.  The chiles and cheese varied but the egg batter coating was always egg whites whipped until fluffy then the yolks added and whipped in.  Traditionally poblanos are used but other chiles can be substituted.  I used Anaheims and pasillas since poblanos weren't available, and Monterey Jack cheese.  For the sauce, I boiled tomatillos and Roma tomatoes for 8 minutes then whizzed them in a blender with red onion, garlic, chicken broth, and a sprinkle of oregano, cumin, garlic powder and black pepper.  I added this to sliced onions cooked in oil and let it simmer while I fried the rellenos.  I served this with a green salad drizzled with a cilantro-lime dressing and topped both the salad and the chiles with cotija cheese.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99HnsntJUSU