CookingDiva

Thursday, September 20th    6:30–9:00 p.m.    $45

Chef Melissa has an extensive background in food and has trained in the United States, Panama, South America and Asia. She has worked to promote the tropical ingredients of Panama through the development of numerous pastry recipes, as well as cooking classes and a website. Her class will allow us to experience the best of the tropics and guests will learn how to prepare plantains (patacones), green mango and coconut!Guests will enjoy original topical creations that include Patacones with Salsa Chimichurri; Tropical Crab Cakes with Tomato Chutney and Mango Salsa; Flan de Coco y Chocolate served with Panamanian Coffee.  Register online

Whole Foods Market Culinary Center
525 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78703
512.542.2340

Panama Boutique - Select Travels and Treasures

It is called "Chicha de Maiz" (a kind of corn beverage, made with corn sprouts. It is delicious fresh, or add  extra kick by fermenting it a few days).

The mysteriously idyllic, almost lost relationship between "Chicha de Maiz" and Latin Americans has been one of my ongoing quests, no expiration date for this one. I am just really intrigued by the different ways it's prepared in the different Latin American countries. It always puzzles me the fact that people do not prepare it any longer, as they used to do in the long gone days. Would this be an obsession? Maybe.

As human beings we sometimes tend to get on our horses and ride our dreams, likes and dislikes to the maximum, and then...drop them! They are gone for good sometimes. Because of my relationship with food, I have been obsessed with certain dishes, styles and even some "ingredients," many many times.

To give you an example, I confess that long time ago when I was living in México, I prepared and ate a different kind of delicious pancake every morning for 3-4 continuous months...I am not sure why, but I did. One day I quit, and until nowadays I have not managed to cook or eat the evil thing.

Back to the "chicha," I would never get tired of experimenting here and there, just trying to keep the tradition alive. Would you join me?

To keep the gods happy, our brewing sessions were conducted strictly by the women of the kitchen team, at my house.  The men simply looked after the fridge and took care of any "food they could munch on" while we were busy at chicha making. That is a no-no, but you know how men are sometimes when they want to bug out.

From ancient times, in Andean society and other Latin American indigenous groups, participation by men in the brewing process of the chicha is considered bad luck. I totally relate to this thought. They also thought is was pure stupidity, since men are considered to lack the basic skills required to brew good corn wine/beer.

Now the step by step recipe with photos:

This delicious recipe was specially designed for the WHB #95 which we are honored to host from August 6 - 12, 2007. To participate, check the rules for "Weekend Herb Blogging," then write your post and e-mail me your permalink by 3:00 PM Sunday, Utah time.

In this recipe we are featuring culantro, a strong flavored, aromatic herb from Panama.

About this plant: "Culantro" (Eryngium foetidum) is a strong flavored, aromatic herb native from Mexico and Central, and South America. It is cultivated widely all over the world, and it is used extensively in Latin American and Asian cooking. In Panama we use culantro to prepare "Sancocho de Gallina" (Panamanian chicken soup),  different types of rice, tamales, marinades, sauces, etc. In Puerto Rico it is used to prepare beans, asopao, soups, stews, etc.

The "culantro" is also known as: "recao", "long coriander", "ngo-gai", "spiritweed", "black benny", "recao de monte", "false coriander", "Mexican coriander", among many others.

Medicinally, the leaves and roots are used in tea to stimulate appetite, soothe stomach pains, eliminate gases, improve digestion, and as an aphrodisiac!

This recipe is available in English and Spanish.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients: 12 mejillones (mussels), 2 TBS olive oil, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1/4 tsp minced fresh jalapeno or serrano pepper (optional), 16 oz fresh or canned coconut milk, 1 TBS fresh lime juice, salt to taste, 1 TBS chopped "culantro."

Cooking Instructions: Clean mejillones and set aside. Heat oil and saute the onion, garlic, ginger and jalapeno until the onion becomes translucid (do not brown). Add the coconut milk, lime juice and salt. Bring it to a rolling boil and add the clean mussels and culantro. Cover and simmer until mussels are open (aproximately 5 minutes). Serve warm.

Ingredientes para 2 porciones: 12 mejillones, 2 cucharadas de aceite de oliva, 1/2 taza de cebolla picada, 1/2 cucharadita de pasta de ajo, 1/2 cucharadita de pasta de jengibre, 1/4 cucharadita de pasta de jalapeno o aji serrano (opcional), 16 onzas de leche de coco fresca o de lata, 1 cucharada de jugo de lima, sal al gusto, 1 cucharada de culantro picadito.

Procedimiento: limpiar los mejillones y reservar hasta el momento de uso. Calentar el aceite en una sarten y sofreir la cebolla, ajo, jengibre y jalapeno hasta que la cebolla se torne brillante (ser cuidadosos de NO dorar). Agregar la leche de coco, jugo de limon y sal. Bajo fuego medio llevar a punto de ebullicion y seguidamente incorporar los mejillones y el culantro. Tapar y cocinar a fuego lento hasta que los mejillones se abran (5 minutos aproximadamente). Servir caliente.

Other delicious recipes with Culantro:
Black Beand and Rice with Culantro Chimichurri (EN)
Rondon de Pescado al Estilo Bocatoreno. From Kleph's Kitchen (EN)
Sancocho (Panamanian Chicken Soup). From Kleph's Kitchen (EN)
Tamales Panamenos (Panamanian Tamales). From El Amor por la Cocina (ES)