All over the world, there are hundreds of cultures and traditions that people celebrate. But the one universal language that we all understand and appreciate is food. Hispanic Heritage month starts on September 15th and we’re taking this opportunity to experience and taste yummy Latino dishes. Here are our favorite Hispanic entrees and desserts to start the month off with a bang.
Entrée – Pambazos (Mexico)
The Mexican pambazo cracks the code for a delicious sandwich that’s jam packed with everything you’d possibly want – chorizo, potatoes, beans and bread (and veggies, I guess). Once the veggies are sautéed and the meat is cooked, you throw it all together on a tasty bread roll.
Ingredients:
– 2 cups of water
– 4 guajillo peppers, deveined
– 1 ancho pepper, deveined
– 2 garlic cloves
– 1 small white onion, divided
– 3 medium white potatoes, cooked and diced
– 5 oz. of Mexican chorizo
– 1 ½ tsp of salt
– 4 bread rolls
– Iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
– Cream to taste
– Canola or vegetable oil
Steps:
1. Heat the two cups of water. Turn the heat off when it begins to boil, add the guajillo peppers, ancho peppers, garlic and 1/2 the onion. Cover and let soak for 20 minutes.
2. While the peppers soak, chop the other half of the onion into thin pieces. Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and fry the onions for 3 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat then add the potatoes, half a teaspoon of salt and stir until the potatoes are covered in chorizo. Set aside.
3. Pour the peppers, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and a cup of the water in which they were cooked into a blender and mix until you have a thick sauce. Empty into a wide container.
4. Add 4 tablespoons of oil to a pan.
5. Take one roll and cut it in half, but don’t let it come apart entirely. Submerge in the sauce and immediately fry in the hot oil, one minute on each side.
6. Remove from the oil, spread refried beans on half of the surface, fill with chorizo potatoes, and cover with lettuce and cream to taste. Serve immediately.
7. Repeat until you’re done with the rolls.
8. Enjoy!
Dessert – Churros (Mexico)
You gotta finish off your dinner in style with a classic sweet and crunchy treat – so let’s have churros! These delicious cinnamon sugar snacks are a great dessert and perfect for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Interested? Check out this great recipe.
Entree – Empanadas (Colombia)
Who’s down for a cooking challenge? Colombian empanadas are so tasty. They can be time consuming but are totally worth the work. An empanada looks like a closed taco and contains a mixture of meat, veggies and seasonings. Here is an empanada recipe that’s to die for.
Dessert – Arroz con Leche (Colombia)
Didn’t know rice could be used as a dessert? You may be surprised, but Colombian rice pudding is both a simple and sweet dessert (especially with sweetened condensed milk, yum).
*Quick tip – instead of cooking the rice, let it soak overnight so it gets soft to become the perfect dessert consistency 😊
Ingredients:
– (6 to 8 servings )
– 1 cup long-grain white rice, washed
– 4 cinnamon sticks
– 2 cups water
– 4 cups milk
– Pinch salt
– 2 tablespoon butter
– 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
– 1 cup of sugar
– 1 (12 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
Directions:
1. In a small pot, add water and cinnamon sticks, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside water and discard cinnamon sticks.
2. Place the rice and the cinnamon water in a large saucepan, over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add salt, butter, vanilla extract, 2 cups of milk, and sugar. Stir well to mix and cook uncovered for approximately 15 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the remaining milk and condensed milk. Stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the rice pudding thickens to desired consistency.
5. Stir well and remove from heat, and let it cool at room temperature. The consistency should be very creamy. Refrigerate for a least 1 hour or overnight.
Entree – Ropa Vieja (Cuba)
Behold, the traditional meal of Cuba – Ropa Vieja! The name literally translates to “old clothes” but that’s mainly because the dish is messy yet delicious – so best to wear old clothes when eating it. This entrée is a combination of ingredients ranging from meat to veggies to seasoning – here is a great recipe!
Dessert – Fruta Bomba (Cuba)
Interested in making a dessert that’s quick, sweet and to the point? Fruta Bomba is a great dessert – it’s a fancy, and delicious, way of eating papaya. With only a few ingredients and steps, you’ll be enjoying this dish in no time.
Ingredients:
– 1 5-lb. papaya
– 4 cups sugar
– Peel from 1 lime
– 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Instructions:
1. Cut papaya in half lengthwise, then scoop out and discard seeds. Peel papaya with a sharp knife, cut into 1″–2″ chunks, and put into a large bowl. Set bowl aside.
2. Combine sugar, lime peel, and 4 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Using the back of a knife, scrape seeds from the vanilla bean and add pod and seeds to pan. Cover and boil over medium-high heat, swirling pan once or twice, until sugar dissolves, 4–5 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla pod and lime peel. Pour syrup over prepared papaya and set aside to cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Refrigerated fruit in syrup will keep for several days.
