TASTE ARGENTINA: ARGENTINE TANGO

Buenos Aires-sultry, smoky and divine! Tango, steak, and red wine—that trifecta of local passions! In Argentina, dinner might not start until 9:30PM at the earliest, and nightlife begins at midnight.

Menu
Patagonian Lava Lamp
Chorizo Empanadas
Argentine Steak and Chimichurri Sauce or Short Ribs
Dulce de Leche and Fruit

PATAGONIAN LAVA LAMP COCKTAIL
1 jigger licor de melon
1 jigger vodka
¼ jigger jugo de limon

Place all ingredients into a shaker. Mix and strain into a chilled Champagne glass. 
A stuffed savory pastry with Spanish origins, this empanada recipe uses Spanish chorizo, a spicy smoked pork sausage. Sharing he culinary process with a friend in the kitchen over a robust glass of red from Mendoza, take your time creating this Argentine nibble.

CHORIZO EMPANADAS
Prepared in 90 minutes or less.

For the Filling:
¾ cup finely chopped Spanish chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage; 3 oz)

2 tbs olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped 

½ green bell pepper, finely chopped (½ cup)

1 Turkish or ½ bay leaf

1 tsp salt

½ tsp dried oregano, crumbled

½ lbs Yukon Gold (1 large), peeled and cut ½-inch pieces


For the Dough:
2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ tsp salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbs water

⅓ cup ice water

1 tbs distilled white vinegar

For the Filling:
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, cook chorizo in oil and stir for 2 minutes then transfer to a paper towel lined bowl to drain.

Add onions to saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and very soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic, bell peppers, Bay leaf, salt, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers are very soft, about 15 minutes.

Add cut potatoes into onion mixture and cook over moderately low heat, covered, stirring frequently, until potatoes are just barely tender, approximately 12 minutes. Add potato mixture to chorizo and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cool filling to room temperature and discard Bay leaf.

For the Empanada Dough:

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small butter lumps.

In a separate bowl, beat together egg, water, and vinegar with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until just incorporated. Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

Form and bake empanadas:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and form each into a disk.

Keeping remaining pieces covered, roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 5-inch round (about ⅛-inch thick). Spoon about 2 tbs filling onto center and fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Press edges together to seal. Transfer empanada to a baking sheet.

Arrange 12 empanadas on 2 baking sheets. Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash (scrambled egg) and bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.

Chimichurri, a widely popular Argentine herb sauce, is a must with grilled meats! Comprised of a mélange of fresh herbs, olive oil, vinegar and red pepper it's also a staple accompaniment to a variety of other savory dishes and beans.

CLASSIC ARGENTINE STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Prepared in 30 minutes or less plus 1 hour to marinate.

1 cup packed fresh parsley
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs fresh lemon juice, seeds removed
2 tbs chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp dried crushed red pepper
2 one lb pieces of Flank steak, a lean and flavorful flat cut of steak from the hindquarters
1 16oz French bread baguette, cut into 40 thin slices
Additional extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

To make the sauce, pulse the parsley, ¾ cup olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, cumin, one teaspoon salt, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper in a food processor until smooth.

Place meat in large glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush meat with two tbs chimichurri sauce.

Cover steaks and remaining sauce separately and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place bread slices on large baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until just firm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large platter.

Preheat broiler. Transfer meat to rimmed baking sheet and broil until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to cutting board.

Let stand 5 minutes. Cut each steak in half across the grain, slicing thinly at 45-degree-angle.  Cut each half crosswise against grain into 10 slices. Top each bread slice with 1 piece of meat. Spread each with some chimichurri sauce; place on platter.

Spoon remaining sauce into small bowl and place in center of platter. Serve warm or let stand up to 2 hours at room temperature. Serves 8.

Grilled ribs go particularly well with bean salad or creamy polenta.

TIRA DE ASADO: ARGENTINEAN GRILLED SHORT RIBS
Prepared in 45 minutes or less.

6 cross-cut short ribs (als known as flanken), 3-inches thick
Coarse sea salt

Dry the short ribs with a paper towel then sprinkle coarse sea salt on all sides. Allow the ribs to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat broiler or grill pan.

If using a charcoal grill, build a fire with mesquite charcoal, or light a gas grill on high. Place a bowl of tepid water beside the grill. Let the grill heat 15 minutes.

If using charcoal, push the heated charcoal to the sides using a small fireplace shovel or stick, to regulate the heat to medium. If using a gas grill, turn it down to medium heat.

Next, lay the short ribs bone-side down and let cook for approximately 20 minutes for 3-inch ribs, less for thinner ribs. When small pools, of juice begin to surface on the meat, use tongs to turn them to one meat side and continue grilling for another 5 minutes; then turn to the other meat side for about 5 minutes more, depending on preferred doneness.

Argentinean short ribs are usually cooked to medium well.

Serve immediately with grilled bread and chimichurri sauce. Serves 4.

CREAMY POLENTA
Prepared in 35 minutes or less.

4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ stick at room temperature
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Salt and fresh white pepper to taste

Bring 4 cups of water and one teaspoon of salt to a boil in a heavy large non-stick saucepan.

Gradually whisk in the polenta until mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is tender, thickened and creamy; stirring often for approximately 30 minutes.

Stir in butter and grated cheese. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground white pepper. Serve immediately serves 4.

Option: Cornmeal cooks faster than polenta, so if replacing the polenta with cornmeal, cook it about half as long.

Dulce de leche is a favorite sweet in most South American countries. It can be eaten as a dessert, as part of a dessert, atop butter cookies, cake fillings, as candy or by the spoonful!

DULCE DE LECHE
Prepared in 45 minutes or less.

2 14oz can sweetened condensed milk 

1 tbs vanilla extract
Fresh fruit and butter cookies of choice

In a double boiler, bring the condensed milk to a boil.

Add vanilla extract, being sure to stir the milk with a whisk until it's completely incorporated.

Cook on low until it turns into caramel, stirring every 15 minutes. It should have a rich tan or brown color and smooth texture when done, approximately 3 -4 hours. With a wooden spoon, beat to make sure the mixture is smooth before transferring to a bowl.

Refrigerate. Serve with a platter of fresh fruit and butter cookies.  Yields a little less than 2 cups.