I woke up this morning to Riley’s little “I’m awake!” noise. Initially, I was not thrilled about getting out of bed. With all that has been going on with our house lately (which I’ll explain momentarily) I just wanted to stay snuggled under the covers in my flannel pajamas. So, I slowly pushed away the warm blankets, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, and looked out the window to see what the morning light would bring for the day. I had to blink a couple of times because there was a white, fluffy substance weighing down the leaves on the tree outside the window.

It can’t be…

Is it?

It is!

SNOW!!!

I immediately perked up, rushed to Riley’s room and exclaimed, “It snowed!” He was excited too, although I’m sure he didn’t know exactly why. I carried him to the window and showed him the snowy leaves, our cars blanketed in white, and the flakes that were floating around in the gentle morning breeze. It was amazing.

As I mentioned, things have been a little stressful with our house. Moving is hard. Moving from one country to another is harder. Moving from one country to another while renovating a house is the hardest. Add a baby into the mix and it becomes a whole new kind of difficult. Riley has been wonderful, though. He just goes with it. What a blessing.

We attempted to spend our first night in our home last Saturday night. Nothing was going very smoothly, but we were trudging through. We were willing to deal with the lights that wouldn’t turn on in our bedroom, the fact that we would be sleeping on a mattress on the floor, and the mess that was lingering from random projects around the house. But when I walked in front of the washer and dryer and felt like my feet were stepping on pillows rather than hardwood…well, that was just not going to work.

It turns out that our washing machine had been leaking for about a week straight. The leak originated from the connection in the wall, dripping slowly under the floor boards until it had soaked the wood causing them to buckle and curl. In a way, it’s lucky we were there to see it that night rather than letting it go another day or even two before realizing what had happened. We ended up pulling the floor boards up to allow everything to dry out. Then, at 11:30pm, we moved back to my in-laws house.

No, that was not at all what we had planned.

Now, a week later, we have replaced the floor, put tile under the washer and dryer instead of wood, and things seem to be looking up. I’m banging my head against wood right now just to make sure I don’t jinx anything.

If all goes as planned, tonight will be the night that we move in.

In the midst of all that has happened, the snow this morning really lifted my spirits. Others may not feel the same, but my heart always leaps out of my chest with joy when I see that beautiful white stuff. What can I say? I’m a true Minnesota girl. And maybe also a Colorado girl…?

I was able to find some time to take a few photos at our house this week. There is a perfect spot near the back doors where the light is beautifully diffused. The jars of jam that I took photos of here may seem out of place on a snowy October morning, but maybe some of you still have fresh peaches available to you. If so, I hope these photos inspire you to trap some of that summer sun in a jar to open and share in the cold winter months ahead.

Hopefully I’ll be back with more positive updates about our move soon! It’s been a long wait but it will all be worth it in the end. Right?

I remember when my Grandma Smith taught me to make fried chicken. I must have been about 13 or 14 at the time and my family was in the middle of one of our annual trips to Cookeville, Tennessee. At my young age, I was not fully aware of how much I loved cooking, although the signs had been pretty obvious throughout my life (filming my own cooking show and putting together a tea party from my Anne of Green Gables cookbook are two examples). My Grandma walked me through each step she took. I can’t remember all of them, and I wish I had the foresight to write down everything she said, word for word. I wish it would have been possible to write down the words in a way that depicted her sweet southern drawl and the gentle way that she showed me how to pat the chicken dry and dredge each piece lightly. I was shocked to find out that my Grandma was able to make crispy, delicious fried chicken using only flour, salt and pepper.

Fried chicken wasn’t the only thing we enjoyed during our summertime visits to Tennessee. Fried green tomatoes, biscuits and gravy, soup beans, and fried okra were all common foods found at the table. While I was visiting my mom in Minnesota a few weeks ago, she made fried okra and it was delicious. Okra tends to be slimy on the inside, but frying it in small pieces creates a mask with a crunchy cornmeal coating. Okra is a relatively popular vegetable in Japan, so when we lived in Tokyo and I found some beautiful okra at the grocery store, I would make it like this. Simple, satisfying comfort food. It doesn’t get any better.

I’m not much for frying chicken these days. I’m not sure why, but it just doesn’t seem to fit into our life and food style very often. But that image of learning the process with my Grandma is something I will always cherish. At least I can always turn to an easy recipe like this to bring me back to those hot summer days with my southern grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Fried Okra

4 servings

From Entertaining with Southern Living by Margaret Chason Agnew

1 pound fresh okra

2 eggs, beaten

3 to 5 drops hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

vegetable oil

Wash the okra and drain it well. You can also use a paper towel to help dry it completely. Trim ends and stems, then cut into 1/2 inch slices. Combine the egg and hot sauce in a bowl. Add the okra and toss to coat. Combine cornmeal, salt and pepper in another bowl. Stir well. Dredge the okra in the cornmeal mixture. Deep fry the okra in oil that has reached 375 degrees F. It should take about 5 minutes for the okra to fry completely. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the okra out and transfer it to a paper towl-lined plate.

One of the biggest things I missed about home when I lived in Tokyo (and now living in Denver) were evenings spent on my parents’ deck, looking out at the soft summer light kissing each blade of green grass and casting shadows across the fields as the sun set. That will always be one of the most peaceful visions I can conjure in my mind. Of course, we never just sit on the deck. There is usually some kind of food or drink present on the table, along with usually pleasant conversation being tossed back and forth. This time of year, the meal is typically rounded out with a plate of corn on the cob. In Minnesota, if you aren’t eating corn on the cob this time of year, you must be at least a little nuts. Sweet, crisp, and juicy kernels drenched in butter is the perfect way to close out the summer season.

If you’re a corn on the cob lover, head over to Cup of Jo today to see my post for corn on the cob with herb butter. Trust me when I say that this is, in fact, the best corn on the cob you’ll ever have.

As for regularly scheduled blog posts, I’ll be getting back into that with a brand new post updating you on all I’ve been up to this summer. Check back here on Friday and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Brad and I had a rare date night on Sunday. We took advantage of our time alone to say goodbye to the area of Tokyo we have called home for the past 4 years. It was nice to stroll down the side streets lined with shops and restaurants, talking about how our first year seemed like such a long time ago. I think we were both surprised at how at home we ended up feeling in Tokyo. Saying goodbye is and will be difficult, but this was the perfect evening from start to finish. First, we toasted to all the changes coming up with champagne along the Tama River. Then, we went to a local izakaya where we enjoyed some miso crab (um, yum) before heading to the main event: ramen. We finished up with a little cup of gelato (chocolate + cappuccino for me). Then came the food coma.

Needless to say, after all of that rich food I needed to refuel this week with some healthier choices. While on a walk with Callie the dog, I passed the produce vending machine near our apartment and saw the most beautiful carrots. Most of the carrots we find here are huge. I mean, really gigantic. But these were small and sweet-looking with the greens still attached (I love that). So, I put in my 200¥, turned the nob to the compartment where they sat waiting patiently to be purchased, and toted them home.

I decided not to do anything fancy with them. Instead, I washed and peeled them immediately and ate them with some creamy miso dip. The sweet carrots with the salty, umami bite of the miso made a perfect snack.

Between organizing our things for the voyage across the Pacific and being a stay-at-home mom, my head is constantly spinning with endless lists of things that need to get done. Fortunately, making this snack was not complicated or time consuming. It was, however, one of the few things I have actually made in our little kitchen lately. Instead of spending a lot of time making my favorite foods during our last 2 1/2 (what?!?) weeks in Tokyo, we have been focusing on going out as much as possible. When I thought about it, I realized that even in Denver I will be able to make most of the things I do here. But our favorite dumpling place? Nope, not in Denver. Speaking of which…I should probably walk down there for a visit this afternoon…

My last few posts here in Tokyo will hopefully include a lot of photos documenting our last meals in Japan, along with at least one post featuring a strawberry short cake I made yesterday.

Then, on June 12, it’s on to new adventures for the Tokyo Terrace household!

Creamy Miso Dip

Serves 3-4 (makes just over 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup mayo (for a healthier version, try using plain yogurt. The flavor will be slightly different, but still tasty!)

3 tablespoons miso paste (I used red miso, but white works as well)

Mix mayo and miso together. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Chestnuts have never been a familiar food to me. Basically, I was only familiar with the song…you know, “chestnuts roasting on and open fire….”, and that’s where the relationship ended. When we moved to Tokyo, I had no idea we would be surrounded by so many chestnuts this time of year. Sometimes you can find vendors roasting them, which is always a treat. Buying a paper bag filled with steaming hot chestnuts on a cold, cloudy day is absolute perfection. The nutty smell wafts up from the bag and at least gives the illusion that you are warming up from the inside out. Scooping out the soft flesh and taking that first bite is an incredibly satisfying and comforting moment.

I’ve been a little shy of trying to make anything involving chestnuts at home, short of this soup I made a couple years ago. This year, I decided to put on my big girl panties and try something different. Different for me, anyway. After buying a bag of pre-cooked chestnuts (sorry, but at 39 weeks pregnant I just can’t justify putting myself through the stress of trying to roast my own) and letting them sit on the shelf as I tried to come up with some novel way to use them, I finally decided on kurigohan. Kurigohan is Japanese chestnut rice. The rice is cooked with saké, mirin, a touch of sugar and soy sauce. I used my rice cooker, which is a total lifesaver. If you don’t have one, get one. Immediately.

As I meandered around the internet researching various recipes, I noticed that some called for soy sauce and others didn’t. I opted to use soy sauce because it creates this beautiful crust on the bottom of the rice. The layer becomes a little crunchy and full of umami, which the perfect way to enhance the rest of the rice dish. Also, I didn’t actually see recipes that called for sugar, but I wanted to add a touch to bring out the flavor of the chestnuts and to contrast the salty soy flavor.

The result? A steaming hot bowl full of perfect autumn flavors that made the apartment smell wonderful. I decided to experiment, as I tend to do, by adding a non-traditional ingredient that I thought made this dish appropriate for upcoming holiday feasts. I added a handful of dried cranberries to the bowl and it was amazing! The best way to add the cranberries is to just toss them in the rice cooker with the rest of the ingredients for a little pop of tart flavor. Seriously- unbelievable.

If you have a rice cooker and can find either pre-cooked or vacuum packed chestnuts, it takes literally 5 minutes to throw this together (that obviously does not include the wait-time involved while the rice is cooking). You can make it without a rice cooker and by roasting your own chestnuts- take a look at the links below for help with that.

http://kyotofoodie.com/donabe-yakiguri-gohan/

http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/12/kurigohan-japanese-chestnut-rice/

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/1513726-kuri-gohan-chestnut-rice-recipe

http://kanakoskitchen.com/2009/10/27/kurigohan/

Kurigohan

1 cup chestnut pieces

1 1/2 cups short grain rice, washed until the water is clear

2 teaspoons saké

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons mirin

1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1 piece of kombu

In the bowl of a rice cooker, combine the rice, 1 1/2 cups water (equal to the amount of rice), saké, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar and chestnuts. stir gently to combine the ingredients. Place the kombu on top of the rice. Close the rice cooker and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

When the rice is finished cooking, allow it to sit and steam for an extra 5-10 minutes.

Toss with a rice paddle or spatula and spoon into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Yesterday was the first day that truly felt like fall. The air was cool and crisp, the sky was bright blue, and the tell-tale draft that finds its way into our apartment made its first appearance. Some Tokyoites are not pleased with this change, but I am thrilled. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of cooler weather and this year, of all years, had to be warm for an unusually long time. I must say that was poor timing on Mother Nature’s part. Carrying around a baby at 9 months pregnant in unseasonably warm weather is not ideal.

OK, the weather report is over…moving right along…

Are you feeling overwhelmed with all the kabocha recipes I’ve been posting lately? Is it too much? Maybe a little overboard? Hopefully you don’t mind. Some ingredients have so much lovely flavor and versatility, making them worthy of the extra attention. This recipe is one I found on Sprouted Kitchen. Originally it was made with butternut squash, but I find that butternut and kabocha squash are often interchangeable.

If you’ve had a busy day and need something nutritious and easy for dinner, this is the perfect solution. I have served with with roasted chicken, or on its own as the main dish. The flavors are beautiful- nutty garlic and dried herbs combine with the light, crunchy panko bread crumbs to create a flavorful, crunchy contrast to the buttery squash. I used a garlic, red pepper and thyme infused olive oil to coat the squash, but regular olive oil is also just fine.

What makes this dish even better, at least here in Tokyo, is that I can find kabocha squash that has already been cut into the perfect slices. It doesn’t need to be peeled, so I can just take it out of the package and in about 5 minutes have it on a baking dish in the oven. This makes my pregnant feet very pleased.

What are your favorite simple squash recipes? You can never have too many dishes like this in your collection!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the kabocha in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the kabocha into slices about 1/4 inch thick (no need to remove the skin). In a large bowl, toss the kabocha with the olive oil and nutmeg. Transfer to a large baking sheet, making sure the slices have a little breathing room.

In a food processor, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Pulse just enough to combine the ingredients- don’t do this too much because your breadcrumbs will become too fine.

Sprinkle the squash with the bread crumb mixture. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the bread crumbs are a golden brown, about 25 minutes. While the squash cooks, enjoy the beautiful fragrance that fills the kitchen…that’s one of my favorite things about making this dish!

It’s amazing how quickly my mind goes from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas this time of year. The excitement might as well start mid-September because that’s when I have to start using my self-control (of which I have very little) to not listen to Christmas music just yet. It’s been this way for my entire life. My sister and I have both been fans of starting to listen to/sing/play Christmas music together very early in the season. I think we could probably get away with it when we were younger. It’s probably less cute now that we’re all grown up. These days, after Halloween, I allow myself to relax a bit and begin listening to Christmas music that isn’t really Christmas music. You know, the newer releases that are not as traditional as Bing Crosby, for example. Bing should be reserved for falling snowflakes and tree decorating.

It’s a little harder lately to avoid having Christmas music playing in the background because I’m trying to get a number of holiday posts completed before our Little Man arrives at Tokyo Terrace. With only 3 weeks left until the due date, I have to use my time wisely and a little holiday music seems to help the creative flow. So yes, that’s how I’m justifying my ridiculously early listening pleasures.

In an effort to spread the early holiday joy, and with Thanksgiving coming up very quickly (check your calendar- it’s nearly NOVEMBER!) I thought it would be nice to share one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you. This is not exactly what graced our table in years past as my family gathered to enjoy a massive, delicious meal together, but its roots stem from Thanksgiving at my parents’ house. Every year of my life, until moving to Tokyo, the entire extended family would come over and everyone brought their signature contributions. My Aunt Joanne’s pumpkin and apple pies, my grandma’s fruit salad (a shade of mint green and filled with mini-marshmallows) and my mom’s sweet potato casserole, to name a few.

We have hosted Thanksgiving for the past 3 years in Tokyo, which I must say has proven to be the most difficult but also rewarding experience. The logistics of putting together a traditional Thanksgiving meal in Tokyo make for some interesting stories. And the creativity of using the ingredients that are available (no canned yams or pumpkin around here, folks!) can result in both discoveries that are frustrating and entirely satisfying. Recreating my mom’s sweet potato casserole was just such an experience.

Our first year in Tokyo I knew only of the white-fleshed, purple-skinned sweet potatoes that I saw in every grocery store. But I also knew that I couldn’t have white potatoes as the main ingredient in the casserole. Aesthetically it would not be as pleasing. So, I decided to experiment with Japanese kabocha squash. I’ve tried several different methods for cooking the kabocha before putting it in the casserole dish- steaming, roasting and boiling. While each method worked well, I have found that roasting leads to the most satisfying flavor in the squash.

This year, since I’m a little too pregnant to host Thanksgiving (OK, my due date is the day before), I decided to make personal sized casseroles with these mini-kabocha that I found the other day. They are the perfect personal size! You can use orange sweet potatoes (or yams) that have been cut in half in place of the kabocha, but if you’re in Japan I recommend giving this a try. If you don’t have an oven, you can simply steam the squash halves in a bamboo steamer until a knife can be easily inserted into the flesh. To brown the top, simply pop them in the fish oven but keep a close eye on them so you don’t end up with a black, charcoal topping.

What are some of your favorite twists on traditional holiday dishes? I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments below!

Individual Kabocha Casserole

Makes 2 servings

*This recipe is written specifically for individual servings but it is quite simple to multiply. If you are using a larger squash or sweet potatoes/yams, you will need about 2 cups diced to serve approximately 6 people. Prepare the squash/potatoes/yams as desired- steamed or roasted- before adding them to a casserole dish. For the brown sugar-cinnamon topping, you will need about 1 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cinnamon (or to taste- I’m a big fan of cinnamon) and 1/4 cup flour. Otherwise, just follow the cooking steps below!

1 small kabocha or other squash, or a medium sweet potato or yam

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon (or to taste- I’m a big cinnamon fan so I am generous)

1/4 cup course chopped pecans

2 tablespoons flour

1-2 tablespoons butter

Mini-marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the squash in half along the equator and scoop out the seeds. Place it cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the flesh can be pierced with a knife with little resistance. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and pecans in a small bowl.

Turn the squash halves cut side up and sprinkle with the brown sugar/cinnamon/pecan topping. Top with small pieces of butter. Return the squash to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or until the topping is beginning to bubble slightly. Be careful not to leave them unattended for too long, or the nuts will burn.

Top with the mini marshmallows (they expand slightly, so don’t go too overboard or they will ooze over the edges- not necessarily a bad thing but it doesn’t look as pretty). Return to the oven for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are a beautiful golden brown.

Serve immediately.

The past couple days in Tokyo have been cool and cloudy. All signs point to fall. Finally.

In Minnesota, fall would be filled with caramel apples, hot cider, and campfires. In Japan, it is filled with hot pots, warm bowls of ramen, and the sweet, nutty scent of sweet potatoes. I’ve rambled on about how much I love the smell of Japanese sweet potatoes before and this year is no different. The only change is that instead of waiting to walk through the doors of the grocery store to find that beautiful aroma, I created it in my own kitchen.

Daigaku imo are probably the closest thing to caramel apples here in Japan. Chunks of sweet potato take the place of the apple, and a combination of sugar and soy sauce coats the outside creating a sticky, crispy, umami coating. Black sesame salt decorates the top beautifully, creating a lovely and festive appetizer for Halloween parties.

This is the perfect fall treat, not only because of the beautiful presentation, but because of the perfect combination of flavors. The sweet, nutty taste of the sweet potato is enhanced by the sweet-salty, toffee-like glaze and sesame salt. You can find daigaku imo (Japanese University Sweet Potatoes) at many of the autumn festivals that occur at various school campuses, as well as food stands around Tokyo but they are just as easy to make in the comfort of your own home. I haven’t tried this yet, but I’d be willing to bet you could use almost any potato or even squash to make this recipe. I’d like to try adding a little cinnamon to the glaze next time, just to mix things up a little and add a little of my own touch. The basic recipe is quite easy and lends itself well to creative license.

I have to thank my facebook followers for a swath of new Japanese recipes to post here. The other day, I asked what readers would like to see here on the site and got some great feedback! Thanks to Lisa for the suggestion to do daigaku imo! If there is anything you would like to see on Tokyo Terrace in the coming days and weeks, feel free to leave suggestions here in the comment section or on my facebook page.

Daigaku Imo

Serves 2-4

Based on a recipe from Just Hungry

1 medium sweet potato (about 1 1/2-2 cups after being cut)

Oil for frying

2 T sesame oil

2 T white sugar

1 T corn syrup (you can also use honey, but this will alter the flavor and texture)

3/4 tsp. soy sauce

Black sesame seeds, lightly toasted and combined with a touch of course sea salt

Clean the sweet potato and remove any stringy bits.  Cut the sweet potato into cubes about an inch or so in size. Place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water.

Meanwhile, combine the oils together in a large saucepan. You should have enough oil to give you just over an inch in the bottom of the pan. Test the oil with one piece of sweet potato that you have dried thoroughly with a paper towel or tea towel. If the oil starts to bubble about 2 seconds after you add the potato, it is ready. While you wait for the oil to heat, carefully and completely dry the sweet potato pieces. Add the sweet potatoes to the oil and fry until golden brown and crisp. This should take no more than 4 or 5 minutes, depending on the exact size of your pieces.

As the potatoes cook, combine the sugar, corn syrup or honey, and soy sauce in a small, heavy saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is heated but not bubbling. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside but within reach while you work with the potatoes.

Remove the potatoes from the oil using a slotted spoon and shake carefully (the oil is HOT!) over the frying pan before transferring them to the pan holding the syrup mixture. Toss immediately to coat all of the potatoes and sprinkle with the sesame seeds/salt. Serve immediately.

When I visited to Argentina a few years ago, I flew from Minneapolis to Dallas to Miami to Buenos Aires. It added up to something like 24 total travel hours and by the time I reached my destination I was completely exhausted. I remember very little about that first day in Buenos Aires aside from my happy reunion with (then boyfriend) Brad at the airport. It took me a couple of days to recover and get some rest, but when I did, I began to fall in love with Argentina- both its people and its food (of course).

Shortly after my arrival, Brad and I traveled to Mar del Plata for a few days, where we enjoyed breakfasts on a sun-filled deck, quiet walks along the beach, and I discovered my love (and I mean love) for café con crema. After a few days, we returned to the faster-paced Buenos Aires for the remainder of my visit. Brad lived with a beautiful host-family who truly adopted him as their own son while he lived there. They were so warm and lovely that I felt as though I could have stayed in their cozy home, complete with a friendly dog and a grandmother who made handmade ravioli every Sunday for the whole family, forever.

I don’t have many photos of my trip because this was before I really got into taking photos. But I remember a lot about it. One thing that sticks out in my mind is of course the food we ate. A couple days ago, we took a little trip down memory lane and made a simple argentine meal of empanadas and choripan with chimichurri.

Empanadas are wonderful. I’ve posted them before on the site (here). It seems like you are throwing together a million things that don’t make any sense together- ground beef, hard boiled eggs, raisins, green olives- but somehow they come together to form a perfectly flavored pocket wrapped in crispy, flaky crust. This time around, since there were some olive and raisin haters, I omitted those and used dried cranberries instead. This was actually a perfect substitute and added a subtly sweet, tangy flavor to the filling. I bake my empanadas, but if you buy them on the streets of Buenos Aires they will most likely be fried. I find that baking them still creates a delicious crust and prevents the mess of deep frying.

Choripan are sandwiches made with chorizo and french style rolls. These can be eaten as is but are best with the addition of chimichurri sauce, which is similar to a pesto but is made with flat leaf parsley and a few other ingredients one wouldn’t usually find in a traditional pesto. The flavor is bright and fresh and can be used on anything from meat to fish.

For dessert, I made empanadas filled with dulce de leché. I didn’t manage to get many photos of the dessert, so… What’s that? You insist that I make them again and do another post? Well, alright…just for you though!

This meal was great for Brad and I to make together. He was in charge of the choripan and I was maker of empanadas. We served the meal with a nice Malbec (if you haven’t tried it, get to it! It’s the perfect wine for grilled meat and this summer would be a great time to break open a bottle!) and had a great time reminiscing about our trip and sharing the experience with others. And don’t worry- I didn’t have any of the wine.

And last but not least (and this has nothing to do with Argentina) we found out that our little baby is a boy! We had an ultrasound on Wednesday and everything looks beautiful! I’m already completely, head over heels in love.

*I recommend making this dinner with another person just because its so much fun! Make the dough for the empanadas first, since it has to chill for about an hour in the refrigerator. Then, while one person makes the chimichurri sauce, the other makes the filling for the empanadas. Work on filling the empanadas together, or have one person do the filling and the other work on grilling the sausage for the choripan. Just keep in mind that the empanadas take a while to bake, but can be put back in the oven at about 275 degrees F to reheat if you want to do them ahead of time.

Chimichurri Sauce (from Simply Recipes)

1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems

3-4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.

2. Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.

3. Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.

Argentine Empanadas

Makes 1 dozen empanadas

Filling:

2 T olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped (optional if you have olive haters)

1/3 cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

2 boiled eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

black pepper and salt to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, green onion, garlic, raisins and olives. Cook until the onion and garlic are soft and fragrant. Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly. Stir in the soy sauce and water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring the mixture to prevent burning. Season with salt and pepper, transfer the filling to a large bowl and allow to cool while you make the dough. When the filling is cool, stir in the boiled egg.

Dough (adapted from Asian Dumplings cookbook):

2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar or honey

4 tablespoons shortening

5 tablespoons butter, chilled and diced

1 egg yolk (save the white to brush the dough before baking) mixed w/6 tablespoons water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar (if using honey, mix the honey together w/the egg yolk and water.)

Add the shortening and butter and use your fingers to break it into tiny crumbles (very important that this is done well! If you have a food processor, use that…I don’t, so I use what God gave me!)

Add the egg/water/honey mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until the dough comes together in a mass. Ditch the fork and use your hands to gently kneed the dough into a smoothish ball. Don’t do this for too long, just long enough to create a nice ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator when thoroughly chilled. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a thick, small rectangle and cut in half. Working with one half of dough at a time, continue to roll the dough into a larger rectangle until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Using a circular cookie cutter, cut out section of dough and set aside. Do the same with the other half of dough.

Assembly:

Take each cut out circle and roll it out so it is thin, but not so thin you can see through it. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the dough circle and seal the edges. Place the filled empanada on a lined baking sheet. Lightly whisk your reserved egg white. Before placing in the oven, brush the top of each empanada with the egg white.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Choripan

Makes 6-8 sandwiches

4 chorizo links (about the size of a bratwurst)

1 loaf of French bread, cut into 6-8 sections and cut in half like sandwich bread

olive oil

Heat a grill to medium high and cook the chorizo. When it is done, cut the chorizo in half once in the middle, then once lengthwise. Place the chorizo back on the grill, cut side down and grill for another minute or two for nice grill marks.

Brush the cut sides of the bread with olive oil and place them on the grill for about a minute. Transfer the bread and chorizo to a platter. Each place two halves of chorizo on each sandwich and serve with chimichurri sauce.