Argentine Alfajores - South American Sandwich Cookies

 

 This year, Allison has been doing a "Study Abroad" in Argentina and of course we were all excited to visit her.   Jenn was the first to go and when she came back she brought us some alfajores - a sweet snack that is as common in much of South America as Oreos are here - but a lot more delicious than a mass produced sandwich cookie.  Often served with a cup of cafe con leche (coffee with milk) these caramel filled treats are found everywhere:  individually wrapped in the little kiosk stores found on every street, in large packages in markets, in bakeries, and in cafes.  My favorite comes from a chain coffee shop named Havanah.  It is a chocolate alfajor dipped in white lemony chocolate.  Allison's favorites are the shortbread like variety rolled in shredded coconut.  When we went to see her this March, one of the places she took us was Libreria de Avila, Buenos Aires' oldest bookstore.  There I found a modern book, Cocineros Argentinos, filled with recipes from the Argentine version of Food Network.  I converted the two recipes listed below by changing grams into cups. Due to differences between US and Argentine flour, sugar, and butter - I wouldn't say these produce absolute athentic alfajores! However, they still taste very yummy and are just fabulous with a cup of coffee with milk!

Ingredients for Vanilla "Shortbread" Alfajores                    Ingredients for Chocolate Alfajores

1 3/4 cup corn starch                                                                  3/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup flour                                                                                    1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder                                                         1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup butter                                                                                  1 1/4 cup butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar                                                         1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks                                                               2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla                                                                     1/4 cup honey                                
1/2 teaspoon salt

Also needed is a can or two of prepared dulce de leche such as Nestle brand, a bit of powdered sugar, some shredded coconut, and a pound each of semi- sweet and white chocolate to melt and cover the sandwich cookies in. (I have used baking bars as well as just candy coating squares.)  Also nice is a pinch of lemon zest for the melted white chocolate and orange zest for the semi-sweet.

 

Directions for Both Types of Alfajores

Cream the butter and the sugar together.  Beat the eggs in one at a time.  Mix in any other liquid ingredient such as honey or vanilla if called for.  Then stir in the dry ingredients.

The dough will be soft and glossy. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour.

Flour a wooden board or other surface to roll the dough out on.  Don't be afraid to use as much flour as you need - this dough is sticky!  And - it really doesn't even show up after baking - even on the chocolate ones.  Use a rolling pin to flatten it out or even your well floured hands; it's a bit difficult!

Roll the dough out to a little less than 1/4 inch thick, and use a small glass to cut out disks.
Place each disk on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8 to 9 minutes. Don't let the "shortbread" cookies get brown.  Allow them to cool.

Then dress them up a bit with the dulce de leche, coconut, powdered sugar, and chocolates.

Pipe the dulce de leche filling on a cookie with a cake decorator or fill up a plastic baggie with dulche de leche and cut off one corner to squeeze it out, then top it with another cookie.

 

 

 

 

 

Sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar of top of a  chocolate alfajor or ...

 

 

 

Roll the side of a shortbread alfajor in shredded coconut.  The dulce de leche filling will make the coconut stick to the sides.

Place the semi-sweet and white chocolate in individual microwave safe bowls and one at a time microwave it for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave again if necessary for 15 seconds.
Stir until completely melted. If using, stir the lemon zest in the white chocolate and the orange zest in the semi-sweet chocolate.

Dip the alfajor in the chocolate and allow the access to drip off.  Using a couple of forks helps to maintain control of the cookie!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Esto es Jenn, Allison, y de Allison novio Lucas. Están en uno de los muchos cafés de Buenos Aires.

Grilled Caribbean Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Mango Salsa

     At some time or another, just about everyone wishes they had a rich uncle.  My friend Lolie  does and several years ago she shared his generousity with Roy and me.  She and her husband invited us and two other couples to travel to Jamaica and stay - for free - at her uncles's villa there.  The house was fabulous!  Situated on a hillside with a large infinity pool that overlooked the ocean below, it was breathtaking.  The grounds had an abundance of fruit bearing trees and brightly colored hibiscus flowers. A small trickling stream actually meandered through the center of the airy open design of the multiroom home. Yes, it was like being in paradise!  Especially since the house came with a staff to run it:  the laundress delivered our clean and pressed laundry to us on a silver tray, a butler attended to us during meals, and the cook produced scrumptuous dishes for us to sample. The butler would announce "Dinner is served" and we would be seated at a table set with crisp white linens, china, and crystal. The dining room's exterior wall could be opened in order to catch the warm ocean breeze.  It seemed we would linger there quite a wihile.  One of the foods I remember enjoying was meat rubbed with a spicy/savory/sweet blend of spices and then grilled.  My duplication really works well on grilled pork tenderloin and serving it with the tangy black bean mango salsa add a yummy zing!

 

Spice Rub for the Pork Tenderloin

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

2 garlic cloves put through a press or finely minced

Mix all the ingredients together and rub it in to the meat.

Place the tenderloin on a hot grill and then reduce the heat to medium low.  Grill 10 minutes on each side.  Cook to internal temperature of 145 degrees and let it rest for five minutes before slicing.  Serve with Black Bean Mango Salsa.

Black Bean Mango Salsa

1 mango peeled and cubed

4 green onions sliced

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup olive oil

1/6 cup sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine the mango, green onions, red pepper, and black beans in a bowl.  Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together.  Pour over the mango mixture and gently toss.

A Salad and A Side

   

      This year, I'm hosting Easter brunch for Roy's side of the family.  It's got to be easy to do, because everyone is coming over right after church and they will be ready to eat!  For the side, we are going to have asparagus with a drizzle of Zippy Sauce - one of Caroline's favorites.  I'll make the sauce ahead of time and quickly cook the asparagus just before we sit down.  Likewise with my current salad obsession, (it's so refreshing and pretty) -  I'll combine the ingredients, store them in the refrigerator, then whisk up the dressing before church to be put on at the last minute. You can substitute any type berry or any kind of lettuce, but I love the look of the blackberries against the colors in "Baby Spring Mix".  The dressing can be changed up as well - any berry jam will do.

Asparagus with Zippy Sauce

Enough fresh asparagus for your crowd

1 cup mayonnaise

2 hard boiled eggs chopped 

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced onions

1 teaspoon prepared mustard (I use Dijon)

1/4 teaspoon bottled hot sauce (I use Frank's)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Rinse the asparagus and cut the tough ends off.  Use a pan that will be large enough to hold the stalks, fill it with water that will cover them, and bring the water to a boil.  Drop the asparagus into the boiling water, turn the heat down and cook for about four minutes or to desired tenderness.  Meanwhile, mix all the sauce ingredients together.  Drain the asparagus, put into serving dish or on individual plates and drizzle a bit over the sauce over the stalks.

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Spring Salad

For Salad:
One large package of "Baby Spring Mix" ( or baby spinach leaves, etc.)
1 package of fresh berries such a blackberries or raspberries
1 large cucumber, sliced, then slices quartered
3 tangerines, peeled and sections separated
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Rinse and drain the berries. Gently, combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl.

For Dressing:
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup some kind of berry jam such as raspberry - I love Pensey's Raspberry Enlightenment
3 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk all the ingredients together.

A Quiche Alternative - Salmon Loaf

          When I was a kid, sometimes my mom would make tuna pie and frankly, I wasn't that crazy about it.  Later, when I was a young adult, she and I took some cooking classes and one of them taught us how to make a salmon pie for brunch.  It was a bit more glamorous than tuna, but I still didn't think it was special enough to serve for company.  Then I came across a picture of Coulibiac, Russian Salmon Loaf, in my wonderful 1981 Betty Crocker's Intenational Cookbook.  Although I've never followed the Betty Crocker recipe which calls for rice and mushrooms along with fresh salmon, I sure like the impressive way it looks. I have served this at brunches using my salmon pie recipe and premade pie crusts. Another way I cheat a bit a is by using canned salmon, but I think it would almost be just as easy to steam a salmon filet until it flakes with a fork. This tastes best when it is served with Cucumber Dill Sauce - the recipe is included below.

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) can of pink salmon

2 eggs, beaten

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup diced onions

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 package containing 2 premade pie crusts

1 egg and 1 tablespoon water 

Directions

    Drain the can of salmon and remove any skin or bones.  Combine the beaten eggs, milk, diced onions, parsley, dill, basil, salt, and pepper.  Gently stir in the salmon and the diced hard boiled eggs.  Set aside.

     Unroll the premade pie crust and place on a cutting board.  Cut off the "wings" on both sides.

 

      Lay the "rectangle" onto a greased cookie sheet.  Trim the remaining wings so they have two straight sides and attach them to one end of the pie crust by pinching the ends together.  Save and set the trimmings aside.

      Mound the salmon mixture along the length of the pastry to within 1 inch of all the sides.

     Prepare the top crust the same as the bottom, and lay it on top of the salmon mixture.

     Pinch the edges together and seal them with the tines of a fork.  Cut a circle out of the middle top of the loaf to let the steam escape.  Use the left over pieces of pie crust to cut out decorations and place on top.  Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon of water together to make an egg wash.  Brush on the top of the loaf.  Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Cover with foil if it browns to fast.  Cut into slices and serve with Cucumber Dill Sauce

Cucumber Dill Sauce

1/2 of an unpeeled cucumber, seeded and cubed into small pieces

1 tablespoon finely diced white or yellow onion

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

1/2 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dried dill or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, and then lengthwise again.  Scoop out the seeds and cube the cucumber into small pieces.  Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Extra Eggs? Try Dijon Shrimp Egg Salad



   A couple days ago I turned to Pinterest for some Easter inspiration and rediscovered something I pinned last year from the librarian of my old school.  It was a photo of deviled eggs that looked similar to mine above (only even cuter) and said "via mobile apps".  No website was credited so I'm guessing she snapped the picture using her phone while she was at some springtime gathering.  Since there wasn't a recipe attached, I turned to what's actually billed as a shrimp roll filling from the Simple Fresh Southern cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee.  I tweaked the ingredients and proportions just a bit. It's like egg salad that's super pumped up and I thought if I diced the ingredients finely enough, the stuff would taste great stuffed in an egg!  It did - but it's still really great in some crusty French bread along with lettuce and tomato!

Ingredients

For every six hard boiled eggs you use you will need:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

6 medium sized precooked shrimp, tail off and deveined

1 tablespoon finely sliced green onions

1 tablespoon finely diced seeded tomato

1 tablespoon finely diced cooked bacon (optional)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

a bit of carrot and black peppercorns for garnish

Directions

If stuffing the eggs, cut off the top third for the "head". Then make another slice so that the bottom half of the "chick" will equal half of the hard boiled egg.  Carefully scoop out the yolk in both the bottom and middle pieces and put in a bowl.  Chop up the egg white from the middle slice and add it to the bowl.  If you are just making the filling for a sandwich, just chop all the eggs up.

     If you are stuffing the eggs, finely chop the shrimp up and add it to the bowl.  If you are only making sandwich filling, it's nice to keep the shrimp pieces a bit bigger.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Fill the bottom half of the hollowed out hard boiled egg with the mixture and mound it up.  Top with the smaller piece that's left of the egg.  Garnish with the carrot "beak" and black peppercorn "eyes"  or enjoy this egg salad on a toasted roll with lettuce and tomato.

A German Cooking Lesson - Rouladen & Windbeutel - Beef Rolls & Creme Puffs

Christine is one of our family's dearest friends.  Not only was she one of the first people we met when we moved to town 27 years ago, she also babysat two of my daughters while I taught school. She is a warm bundle of infinite patience and love, as well as being a fantastic cook!  I still remember coming into her house to pick up the girls and being treated to the most mouth watering smells coming out of her kitchen.  She generously offered delicious samples and tastes, so I was thrilled when she agreed to teach me a thing or two about German cooking.  Christine was 17 and living in Germany when she met Randy, who was in the U.S. army, at a church social event.  They fell in love, got married, and moved to the United States.  They now have two married sons, four grandsons, and are still sweethearts!  When Christine first moved here, she did not have any of her own family around to teach her how to cook, but successfully taught herself how to make the German dishes she remembered from home.  Her U.S. family and friends benefited from her persistence since she has always been so kind in sharing her cooking with others - like me!  A few days ago we spent a laughter filled afternoon together in the kitchen and the results were just delicious.

The first dish we tackled was Rouladen which is meat rolled around a filling, browned, braised, and served with gravy made from the cooking skillet.  For dessert we made both regular and chocolate creme puffs or German Windbeutels - literally "wind bags"!

Rouladen

Ingredients for 6 to 8 Servings:

Page from Christine's mom's cookbook

2 pounds of  thin sliced  top  round steak
1/2 cup  horseradish mustard
3 to 4 onions, diced
1 cup sliced dill pickles or 8 dill spears
Optional: 8 slices cooked bacon
salt and pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup flour
4 cups of beef broth
2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch
To serve with the rouladen and gravy:
6 to 8 potatoes
1 jar prepared red cabbage
Something to hold the rolls together:
small skewers, metal rings or cooking twine

Directions

Cut the 2 pounds of thin sliced top sirloin into 8 equal pieces.  Spread each piece with 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon chopped onion, 3 or 4 pickle slices (or 1 spear), and shake some salt and pepper over it.

Roll the meat up, starting with the narrower end first.  Hold the roll together with cooking twine or skewers.

On medium high, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet. Place the rolls in the skillet and begin to brown them.  You may have to do this in batches or use two pans.

Sprinkle each roll with a tablespoon of the flour.

When the rolls are browned on the bottom, turn them over so the other side can brown as well.

Pour 2 cups of beef broth over the rolls, cover and let simmer for at least 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.  Check them occasionally and give the sauce a stir to ensure that it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. Add more beef broth if it is needed.  About a half hour before serving, peel and cube the potatoes.  Place them in boiling water and cook them until a fork pierces them easily.  Right before serving, carefully remove the skewers, metal rings, or twine and put the beef rolls on a serving platter. Stir the sauce in the pan making sure that all the yummy bits on the bottom get mixed in.  To thicken the sauce so it becomes gravy, mix 1 cup of the beef broth with the cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Stir it in and continue to cook until the gravy thickens.  Warm up the prepared red cabbage in a pan or microwave and place in serving dish.

Grab a ladle and serve the rouladen with the red cabbage, potatoes, and the gravy.  Enjoy!

Windbeute

Ingredients for 18 small puffs;

1 cup water

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1 cup flour

4 eggs

To add for chocolate creme puffs:

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For filling:

1 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup prepared vanilla pudding

For ganache:

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream, divided

A few tablespoons of confectioners sugar

Directions:

 Put the water and butter into a pan and heat until it boils. Stir to mix the water and butter together.

If you are making schoko windbeutel or chocolate creme puffs, mix the flour, cocoa, and sugar together.

Turn the heat off. Dump all of flour (or flour/cocoa mixture if you are making the chocolate puffs) in at once and quickly stir with a wooden spoon. The mixture will form into a play-dough like ball.

The dough has to cool until it is just barely warm before you can add the eggs.  So use the time to make the chocolate and white chocolate ganache which will top the puffs.  Put each type of chip in its own bowl.  Add 1/4 cup heavy cream to each one, and microwave each separately for thirty seconds.  Stir to combine.  If needed, microwave each a few more seconds. (Christine actually uses a food processor to combine them by heating up the cream by itself, pouring it over the bits, and then processing the mixture.)

When the dough is cool enough, beat the eggs in - one at a time - until well mixed in and dough is glossy.  It is so much easier to do this with a food processor rather than by hand.

Using spoons, drop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Try to make a little "cap" on the top of each one. Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until crisped outside and browned.

Immediately, so they don't get soggy, use a sharp knife to cut the tops almost all the way off. 

While the puffs are cooling whip up the cream with the vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Set half of it aside and fold the other half into the prepared vanilla pudding.  Assemble the windbeute by spooning plain whipped cream into some puffs and the pudding mixture into others. Top each puff with a sprinkle of confectioners sugar or a drizzle of either or both the ganaches.

Two very happy cooks!