ARGENTINA AND PARAGUAY

OLD FRIENDS

My great friend Helga Marie Winkler moved to Paraguay after school, and I am thrilled she did. Their empanadas are amongst the finest in the world. One Easter we took a road trip from Asunción to the Foz do Iguaçu falls, a breathtaking waterfall of epic proportions occupying a triangle of land between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. At the junction of the mighty Iguaçu river lies the infamous city of Ciudad del Este, said to be the source of all counterfeit goods, drug deals and money laundering in South America. It seems life is so laid-back in this part of the world that you don’t even need a passport to cross the border.

We were stuck in the car for a good three hours while waiting for our turn to run the bridge. I watched with amusement as a father and son wheeled 17 television sets to the middle of the bridge in a wheelbarrow, and then dropped them to a friend waiting in a boat below. Customs officials just lay back, slouching in their modified deck chairs, swatting flies while they watched.

It did not take long for the hawkers to realise that the passenger in the silver Golf had long blonde hair. In Paraguay that means only one thing: tourist. They swarmed around the car, trying to sell us everything from ladies’ underwear to coat hangers and drugs. Eventually I was so fed up with the lot I bought a few empanadas from an old lady to make her go away. What a culinary surprise it turned out to be – palm hearts in béchamel with Gruyère cheese. They were the best empanadas I have ever tasted.

Eventually, realising that the hawkers would not leave us in peace, Helga Marie asked me to put a paper packet over my head. We crossed the border without incident and drove the last 200 kilometres to Foz incognito.

Little Paraguay pies (Empanadas)

I simply fell in love with empanadas and decided that South America is worth the trip if only to eat these little pies. We braved a riot in downtown Asunción to get to the local café renowned for the best empanadas in town. The police, in full riot gear, simply stared in disbelief as Helga Marie, my mom and I strolled amongst them in search of our perfect pie.

Pastry

Filling

  1. To make the pastry, sift the flour, salt and baking powder directly into the bowl of your food processor. Add the lard and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the lukewarm milk and mix until the dough just comes together. Remove and gently press into a smooth ball. Cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut out round shapes using a large scone cutter or small saucer as a guide. The size is a matter of preference. The pastry is sufficient to cut 10 rounds about 12 cm in diameter.
  2. To make the filling, mix the béchamel sauce, mozzarella, seasonings, ham, eggs and chives together. Place a large tablespoon of mixture onto the centre of each pastry circle. Brush the rim with beaten egg. Fold the pastry circle in half to form a crescent shape. Press the edges firmly together with a fork. Brush with more beaten egg. Continue until you have used up all the filling and pastry.
  3. To bake, preheat the oven to 230 °C or 240 °C. Brush the empanadas with the beaten egg and bake for 10–12 minutes or until golden brown. Otherwise deep-fry in moderately hot oil for 2–3 minutes in total or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper towel.

VARIATIONS

  1. Use 250 ml (1 C) thick béchamel made from 50 g butter, 60 ml (1⁄4 C) cake flour, 125 ml (1⁄2 C) fresh cream and 125 ml (1⁄2 C) milk as a base. Add any of the following combinations:

Makes 10 small empanadas.

TIPS

• Empanada pastry should not be overworked. The pastry is mixed only until it comes together and requires minimal kneading. Empanadas from Argentina and Paraguay can be baked or fried. The pastry on the outside should be golden brown and crisp and the inside soft.

• Canned palm hearts may be a little challenging to find, but try any good speciality delicatessen. They are produced en masse in South America and do from time to time land up on our shelves. Drain and rinse under cold running water to get rid of the metallic taste or brine. Alternatively, use artichoke hearts, which are readily available and can be purchased in cans or marinated in olive oil.

• Remember to make the white sauce as thick and creamy as possible.

Chimichurri sauce

The best steak I’ve ever eaten was in Asunción in a little restaurant that shared its premises with a scrapyard. The proprietor had been at it for more than 30 years and the place was a legend in town. Patrons were seated outside at rickety tables, with candles flickering inside old oil tins. The setting was more like a second-hand car boot sale than an eatery. Broken bits of cutlery and crockery hung from every available space and several three-legged dogs lay sleeping in the moonlight while the barman, with that smile and ‘gold tooth look’ of drug dealer fame, mixed drinks.

  1. Mix all the ingredients together and liquidise. Spoon the mixture into a sterilised glass jar and store for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Makes 1 small jar.

TIP

Traditionally this sauce is served with almost all steak dishes in Argentina and Paraguay, but it goes just as well with chicken or pork. Don’t be shy with the garlic and even a little chopped chilli. There are as many variations and family recipes as there are secrets – and this is mine, hastily scribbled on a serviette by candlelight. For a thinner sauce, add 80 ml (1⁄3 C) water.

Caramelised onion, olive and goats’ cheese quiche

I once stayed in a magnificent old hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Breakfasts were an absolute treat, with a buffet table laden with cakes, sweet tasting breads and quiches. I am not one for cake in the morning so I was happy to find this quiche, which has since become a firm favourite. The caramel is sweet, complementing the sharp goats’ cheese and salty olives.

HOW DO I BAKE BLIND?

Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Put a large baking tray into the oven to heat up. Roll out the chilled pastry and line the tart tin. Prick well with a fork so that the pastry does not rise up and bubble while baking, and at the same time it will ensure that it cooks evenly. Use a circle of baking paper, not wax paper, slightly larger than the base, scrunch it up into a ball and then smooth out to fit the pan snugly. Fill with raw rice or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180 °C. Remove the paper and rice or beans. Return the pastry base to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. It should be thoroughly cooked before removing it from the oven and continuing with your chosen recipe. Check to see that there are no ‘damp’ places left uncooked. If so, return the dish to the oven for a few minutes. Store used rice or beans in a glass jar for another day.

Pastry

Filling

  1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, sift the flour and salt directly into the bowl of your food processor, add the cold butter and use the chopping blade to process the mixture into fine breadcrumbs. Add the vinegar and ice-cold water with the blade running and process until the mixture just comes together. Remove the mixture from the processor or bowl and press everything into a neat ball without overworking the dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Grease a 25 cm diameter fluted, loose-bottomed tin or quiche dish. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the pastry to the tin and bake blind (see above). Set aside to cool.
  3. To make the filling, set the oven to 180 °C. Place a large baking tray in the oven to preheat.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Sauté the onions and sugar very gently for 8–10 minutes or until the onions are golden and caramelised. Transfer to a mixing bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Add the olives, goats’ cheese, feta and sage. Mix until well combined. Stir in the eggs and cream and season well. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry base.
  5. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven to cool and set completely.
  6. Serve with a green salad.

Serves 6–8.

TIP

This short crust pastry is excellent for sweet or savoury dishes. The recipe can be doubled to make two large or 12 medium tartlets and may be frozen for up to three months. Bake blind and freeze the pastry in the same tins you baked them in. Cover with foil and plastic wrap. To thaw, remove from the freezer and leave to stand in the wrapping on the counter overnight.

Star anise and cinnamon plum preserve

This versatile plum preserve recipe is an absolute must-have for any pantry. It is ideal for serving with cheese platters, cold meats or even as a topping for a grand dessert.

  1. Prick the plum skins all over with a fork to prevent them from bursting. Combine the sugar, apple cider vinegar and water in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to the boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar, then cover and boil rapidly for 5–8 minutes or until the syrup shows signs of thickening slightly. Add the plums and spices. Reduce the heat and continue to boil gently for 10–15 minutes, uncovered, or until the plums are soft and the syrup is thick and glossy. Spoon into hot sterilised jars and seal at once.
  2. Remove the stones from the plums before serving with baked desserts, cheesecakes or ice cream, or even with roast pork, turkey and cheese platters.

Makes 2 medium bottles or 1 very large bottle.

TIPS

• Make sure you prick the skins of the plums very well with a fork before cooking to prevent them from bursting while stewing. Use firm fruit for this preserve, or the skins will disintegrate during prolonged cooking.

• This preserve calls for plums that still have the stones intact. Ensure you use good quality, dark purple plums – no other variety – and remove the stones before you serve.

Pears in red wine with bay leaves, cinnamon and orange

Argentina produces some of the finest oranges and red wines in the world so what better tribute than to combine the two ingredients in one magnificent dish?

  1. Combine the red wine, sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise and orange rind in a mediumsized saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and carefully add the pears so that they stand upright in the saucepan. Cover and simmer gently for 50–60 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a skewer. Turn the pears occasionally to allow the entire pear to come into contact with the red wine. Remove from the heat and transfer the pears from the syrup to a deep serving dish.
  2. Return the syrup to the heat and reduce by boiling until slightly thickened. Remove the whole spices and bay leaves. Add the port and pour the mixture over the pears. Cover and leave to stand for 3–5 hours before serving.
  3. Serve hot or cold with cream, mascarpone or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 4–6.

TIPS

• Use only the best red wine when cooking. I know we all have a bottle of cooking wine in the pantry, but rule of thumb is this: always cook with the same wine you intend to serve with the meal.

• Leftover syrup can be kept in the fridge for a few days and used to stew other fruits such as stoned peaches, figs or plums.

• This dessert can be made up to four days in advance and kept covered in the fridge.