Desideria (Moderator) says on Oct 19, 2005, 10:11:
Colombian dishes in Chicago Colombian Treasures
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Chicago is all the richer for the highly flavored foods of Jaime Moreno's South American homeland
By Robin Mather Jenkins
Tribune staff reporter
October 19, 2005
Jaime Moreno padded around the big kitchen of his Rogers Park home, making ajiaco bogotano, virtually the national soup of his native Colombia. His silver hair was slightly tousled, and his eyes looked sleepy. The elbows were out of his navy-colored zip-front cardigan, clearly one of his favorites. He had made broth from beef neck bones and chicken earlier in the day, and had already shredded the chicken for the soup. Now he was putting the soup together for the second course in a menu of Colombian favorites.
At 77, Moreno has been making ajiaco for more than a half-century.
"I wanted to make an impression on a girl at the University of Illinois," Moreno said. "That was the first time I made this soup."
Moreno's ajiaco tastes like home to him, though he has lived longer in the United States than in Colombia. Some versions of the soup are creamy and very thick; some, like Moreno's, are brothier. All feature sunny discs of corn on the cob, at least two kinds of potatoes, and a weedy herb called guascas.
When immigrants like Moreno come to the United States, many familiar ingredients vanish from their culinary vocabulary. In Moreno's case, it wasn't just guascas; he also missed the tropical fruits and vegetables familiar to him but so strange, in those years, to Americans: sapote and canistel; maranon, cherimoya and many others. Immigrants also change the way the rest of us eat. Their pursuit of their homeland's special ingredients brings those foods to neighborhood supermarkets, where the rest of us can discover them, too.
The guascas, without which ajiaco would not be ajiaco, is a uniquely Colombian ingredient. A member of the aster family, guascas grows wild in Illinois and is considered an invasive weed in Wisconsin, where it's of-ten called Gallant Soldier or quickweed. It's rampant in the United Kingdom, too, where its common name gives a hint of its Andean origins: Peruvian daisy. While the plant grows in many places, only Colombians use it in the soup pot.
When Moreno came to the United States--he came once as a student, then again and stayed in the late '50s--he couldn't find guascas. The fresh leaves (most recipes call for 20 to 25) were out of the question. Even the dried stuff, a poor second, wasn't easy to find.
Without guascas, there could be a delicious soup of potatoes, chicken and corn. But it wouldn't be ajiaco.
Ajiaco is an apt emblem of Colombia. Potatoes are native to the Andes Mountains, which split the western third of the country from the grassy lowlands and tropical rainforests to the east.
Corn, too, is an ancient staple in the region. Mesoamericans cultivated corn, together with beans and squash, more than 2,000 years before Christ, according to "The Colombia Tourist Guide," published by the Colombian Office of Tourism Promotion.
With coastlines on both the Caribbean and the Pacific, and climate zones from tropical to high arid mountain, Colombia offers its residents a rich variety of fish, fruits and vegetables that many Americans know nothing about.
"Colombians are much more focused on fruit than we are," said Moreno's Chicago-born Greek-American wife, Anna. "They like to open a meal with a cool fruit soup or smoothie kind of thing."
Familiar to exotic
But because most of the ingredients in Colombian cuisine are familiar to Americans, Moreno could prepare enough of the food he grew up eating to stay connected to his Colombian roots, Anna said.
The dish of braised flank steak he prepared for the night's main course, for example, called sobrebarriga, contains ingredients familiar to most Americans: onions, celery, garlic, tomatoes, beer, cumin, salt and pep-per. Its cooking technique--browned first, then braised, and then browned again under the broiler--isn't American, however.
Tonight, Moreno would serve it to his guests, accompanied by potatoes. But papas chorreadas, or potatoes in a sauce of whipping cream, mozzarella, onions, cilantro, oregano and cumin, aren't typically American, either. They're extremely rich, and immensely satisfying.
On this night, Moreno was preparing a menu of typical dishes from Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia's capital and his hometown. In addition to the ajiaco, the sobrebarriga and the papas chorreadas, Moreno planned to serve mango puree to begin and arequipe, the traditional Colombian caramel sauce, with mild, soft fresh cheese for dessert. Aguardiente, a sugar-cane liquor flavored with anise, was to be passed with coffee afterward.
It seemed a lot of work, someone suggested, but Moreno demurred. The Morenos love to entertain, said Anna, whose job this night was to set the table. Judging by the speed and ease with which she did so, those party linens and company crystal earn their keep.
"I grew up in a household that was always filled with people," recalled daughter Emily, who lives in Chicago but works in New York. She and her sister, Elvia, remember big dinners and the laughter of friends in the rambling Rogers Park house they grew up in, she said.
There was a sort of routine, their mother said.
"When the girls were young we ate mostly American meals because ethnic food was too time-consuming," said Anna, a social studies and music studies teacher now retired from the Chicago Public Schools. She didn't have time, she said, to dash all over the city trying to find special ingredients for Jaime's Colombian dishes or her own family's Greek favorites. Neither did Jaime, now retired from a career as a structural engineer, yet still an adjunct professor in the school of architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology.
But if the Thanksgiving menu of turkey and dressing was American, the Christmas Eve menu was always Colombian, Anna said: empanadas with picadillo, paella, tamales. And Christmas was always with Anna's sister, Irene: "Always a ham, but also spinach pie, beef or lamb, Greek sausages, and three varieties of Greek cheeses and, always, olives."
Easter was easy, she grinned: "Fortunately, American Easter and Greek Easter are on different days."
The need for guascas was solved for many years by the Morenos' annual visits to Colombia. Colombian friends who traveled home, too, could be counted on to bring back specialty ingredients.
Shopping for Colombian menus got easier, Jaime said, when La Unica market, 1515 Devon Ave., opened some 30 years ago. Today, even the once-scarce tropical fruits and vegetables he remembers are easily available. "I even see plantanos [plantains] at the Jewel," he marveled.
Making Chicago home
Jaime, who earned an undergraduate degree at the University of the Andes in Bogota, came to the U.S. to study engineering at the University of Illinois in Urbana. (He earned a master's degree in materials engineering from the University of Illinois in Chicago.) He returned to Colombia, but his brother persuaded him to return to the States to patent a floor structural system.
And then he met Anna--they disagree genially on how and when they met--and settled here permanently.
"Jaime's always had a lot of American friends," Anna said. In that, he's not a typical Colombian, according to The Encyclopedia of Chicago, edited by James R. Grossman, Ann Durkin Keating and Janice L. Reiff.
"For many years, Colombian immigrants socialized almost exclusively among themselves and with Cubans," the encyclopedia noted. "In recent years, however, there has been a noticeable shift toward sociability and intermarriage within a Chicago Latino community less segmented by nationality."
The encyclopedia listed 2000 U.S. census figures of about 11,000 Colombians, but Moreno and others say the figure is much higher--perhaps as high as 50,000. Mostly professionals at first, today's Colombian emigres are just as likely to be blue-collar, according to the encyclopedia.
Colombians began arriving in Chicago around 1950, to escape the civil war known as "La Violencia," or "the violence." Unlike those of other nationalities, the Colombian immigrants scattered across the city, with many moving eventually to Skokie, Evanston and Arlington Heights.
The Morenos are unlikely to leave their Rogers Park home, however. A grand piano anchors one end of the big living room, where the walls--and all the walls on the first floor--are covered with original paintings and Pre-Colombian textiles.
From the dining room, where dinner is over but everyone lingers, in pleasure, at the table, come the low voices and laughter of people completely at ease. It's late now--nearly mid-night--but all present seem reluctant to end the evening.
It is from such simple things as these--good food carefully prepared and the company of friends at a welcoming table--that Jaime Moreno has forged a rich life in his adopted country.
A closer look at Colombian foods
Some Colombian ingredients are unfamiliar to American shoppers. Here's a brief list:
Aguardiente (ah-gwar-dee-EN-tay): An anise-flavored liquor made from sugar cane. It's dry, about 28 percent alcohol. Normally served in very small glasses.
Arequipe (air-eh-KEY-pay): A sweet caramel sauce some-times served over cheese for dessert. Arequipe also can be served over fruit or ice cream, much the same as Mexican dulce de leche.
Cimarron or culantro (sim-MAR-rhone or koo-LAN-tro): Not the same as cilantro or coriander, although it's some-times called "long coriander." The large, two- to four-inch leaves have a pungent scent.
Feijoa (fay-HOE-ah): A small guava shaped like a strawberry. Its white, seedy pulp is slightly sweet.
Lulo (LEW-lo): A round, bright orange fruit about 2 inches in diameter with green pulp. Its flavor is tart and acidic.
Mamey (mah-MAY): A fruit with brown, grainy skin and a large pit; its pulp is orange, fibrous and sweet.
Name (nah-MAY): A tuber, like yuca, with a different flavor. It is sometimes translated as "yam," but it's different from a yam or sweet potato.
Yuca (YOU-kah): Sometimes called cassava or manioc, it's a tuber with thick, brown barklike skin. The fibrous flesh is baked, fried and stewed, and is used as an ingredient in many dishes.
--Robin Mather Jenkins
Where to find ingredients
Most Colombian dishes use ingredients already familiar to most Americans and easily found: chicken, beef and pork; potatoes, corn, tomatoes and peppers; garlic and onions.
For specialty ingredients, including less familiar herbs and many tropical fruits and vegetables, try these markets:
- Armitage Produce, 3334 W. Armitage Ave., 773-486-8133. With a clientele of Central American and Puerto Rican shoppers, Armitage Produce offers a wide variety of tropical tubers (malanga lilia, malanga blanca, yuca and more).
- Cardenas, 3922 N. Sheridan Rd., 773-525-5610. A long-time Chicago standby for Latin American groceries.
- Carniceria Jimenez, 3850 W. Fullerton Ave., 773-278-6769; 4204 W. North Ave., 773-486-5805; 2140 N. Western Ave., 773-235-0999; and 37 S. York Rd., Bensenville, 630-766-0353. Another longtime Chicago favorite, with choice grade meats, a gigantic herb and spice selection and even some cooking equipment.
- La Unica, 1515 W. Devon Ave., 773-274-7788. One of Chicago's oldest Central American markets, La Unica has been a Devon Avenue landmark for more than 30 years.
- Amigo Foods, a Web vendor, sells a variety of ingredients for many Latin American cuisines, including Colombian; store.amigofoods.com.
--R.M.J.
Want to know more?
Find out more about Colombian cooking with the following sources. One well-regarded book is "Secrets of Colombian Cooking" (Hippocrene Books, $24.95), by Patricia McCausland-Gallo, a native of Barranquilla, Colombia, who now lives in Panama City, Panama. The book covers all regions of the diverse country. McCausland-Gallo is professionally trained as a chef and baker; her recipes are well-written and easy to follow. The book includes a glossary of ingredients.
Another lovely coffee-table book, now out of print, is "Taste of Colombia" (Villegas Editores, 2001), by Benjamin Villegas and Antonio Montana. The book is illustrated with intoxicating photos, the text is informative and the recipes are sound. Copies of the book occasionally may be found at used booksellers, including amazon.com, abebooks.com and alibris.com for $55 to $60.
-- R.M.J.
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Weaving flavors
Cilantro soup (Sopa de cilantro)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Cooling time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 -inch slices
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 cup cold water
1 8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sour cream, chopped jalapeno peppers, mozzerella cheese cubes, croutons or fried tortilla squares, optional
1. Heat 1 can of the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add zucchini. Cover; cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 15 minutes; add cilantro. Puree in blender or food processor, adding a little more broth if needed for a smooth consistency. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in zucchini mixture, remaining chicken broth, cornstarch mixture, hot sauce and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together, about 10 minutes. Serve in large bowls with optional garnishes.
Nutrition information per serving:
62 calories, 55% of calories from fat, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 659 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber
Potatoes in sauce (Papas chorreadas)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
8 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
5 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 8 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Heat to a boil over high heat. Cover; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large platter. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add tomatoes and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, cilantro, salt, oregano, cumin and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. Pour over potatoes.
Nutrition information per serving:
275 calories, 35% of calories from fat, 11 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 38 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 251 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
Colombian flank steak (Sobrebarriga)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Marinating time: 12 hours
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
2 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat
8 to 10 cloves garlic, minced
4 small tomatoes, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups water
1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1. Combine the flank steak, garlic, tomatoes, celery, onion, vegetable oil, 1 1/2teaspoons of the salt and pepper to taste in a food storage bag; seal. Refrigerate 12 hours.
2. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the marinade from the food storage bag to a Dutch oven; heat over medium-high heat. Reserve remaining marinade. Add flank steak to Dutch oven; cook, turning occasionally, to brown meat, about 2 minutes per side. Add remaining marinade, water and beer. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover; cook 1 hour.
3. Add cumin and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cover; cook until meat is fork-tender, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter; top with vegetables and sauce from the Dutch oven.
Nutrition information per serving:
320 calories, 50% of calories from fat, 17 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 857 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Bogata's chicken and potato soup (Ajiaco)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
- Guascas, a popular Colombian herb that is hard to find in U.S. markets, gives ajiaco its distinctive flavor. Shop for it at La Unica on Devon Avenue or go online to store.amigofoods.com. Have your butcher cut the neck bones for you.
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
1 pound beef neck bones, cut in pieces
2 quarts cold water
1 large onion, halved
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried guascas, optional
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 8 teaspoon each: ground cumin, thyme
4 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 pound small yellow potatoes, such as Yukon gold, halved
3 ears of corn, cut into 2-inch rounds
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed
1. Place the chicken and neck bones in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Heat to a boil over high heat. Add onion, bay leaf, guascas, salt, pepper, cumin and thyme. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter; reserve broth in the Dutch oven. Discard onion and neck bones. Remove chicken meat from bones; cut meat into strips. Set aside.
2. Heat broth to a boil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add potatoes. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Mash potatoes against the side of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon until the soup is thick and fairly smooth. Add corn and chicken; cook, uncovered 5-10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pit, peel and thinly slice avocados. Pour 1 tablespoon of the cream and 1 teaspoon of the capers into each of 6 soup bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls; float avocado slices on top.
Nutrition information per serving:
722 calories, 35% of calories from fat, 28 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 207 mg cholesterol, 47 g carbohydrates, 69 g protein, 1,454 mg sodium, 6 g fiber
Fried plantains (Patacones)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes per batch
Yield: 4 servings
- Look for the banana-like plantains in some large supermarkets and in Latin food stores.
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large green plantains, peeled, cut into 1-inch slices
1 teaspoon salt
Heat oil in a saucepan or large skillet. Fry plantain slices in batches until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels; press slices flat. Return slices to hot oil; fry until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Sprinkle with salt; serve hot.
Nutrition information per serving:
393 calories, 30% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 71 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 590 mg sodium, 5 g fiber
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A look at the series
Kickoff
Slovenia
Tanzania
Brazil
Japan
Colombia
To read all of the articles in the series, go to chicagotribune.com/weaving
Copyright (c) 2005, Chicago Tribune
"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)
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