Get a taste of the holiday atmosphere of Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, by serving a tasty dish on your plate at home. CATA – the Central America and Dominican Republic Tourist Board – has selected eight recipes that are very easy to prepare in your own kitchen and that will give you a taste of this region. Cassava, black and red beans, peanuts, rice, chili, avocado, cocoa, pineapple or coconut are typical basic ingredients of Central America and Dominican cuisine. Specialties include Chimole from Belize; sancocho from Panama; pupusas from El Salvador; fried fish with Honduran plantains and pickles; enchiladas from Guatemala; picadillo de papa from Costa Rica; Nicaraguan baho or La Bandera from Dominican Republic, all simple recipes that can be easily made at home.
Chimole – Belize
The gastronomy of Belize is an explosion of flavors due to the influence of the many nationalities that you can enjoy there. finds. Chimole is a type of stew, similar to a soup, of Mayan origin and very popular in this country. It is made with a mixture of spices including “Black Recado”, which gives the dish a smoky taste.
Preparation: Discard the cores and seeds of 10 red peppers and roast them until they start to blister slightly black, then let them rest in a bowl of water. Grind in a spice grinder some cloves, a few allspice grains ((all spice), 1 tablespoon annatto seeds and half a teaspoon cumin. Mix in a blender 5 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, half a tablespoon pepper, a pinch salt, the ingredients of a spice grinder and the roasted peppers Mix all ingredients to a black paste/soup and serve with hard-boiled eggs to taste.
Enchiladas – Guatemala
Compared to the classic enchilada from Mexico, these Guatemalans stand out for the harmonious taste created by the combination of lettuce, beets, onions, tomato sauce, fresh parsley, eggs and cheese. The secret is in arranging all the ingredients correctly on the corn tortilla.
Preparation: Start with a lettuce leaf, on which a vegetable mixture of your choice should be placed, onion and beets should in any case not be missing. Meat lovers can add small pieces of sliced beef or chicken and (to taste) a little tomato sauce. Place a sliced hard-boiled egg, some hard cheese and chopped coriander on top of the enchilada.
Pupusas – El Salvador
The ultimate street food from El Salvador is pupusas – these stuffed tortillas are easy to prepare and very tasty .
Preparation: You need corn flour, in a bowl mix 150 g flour and 75 g water. Knead the dough and cut or make round shapes out of it. We fill this with a little cheese, bean paste and pork (Chicharrón). Now close the filled doughs, put a frying pan on the gas, grease lightly and cook each tortilla until the dough is well cooked on both sides.
Fried fish with plantain slices and pickles – Honduras
It is one of the most traditional and most cooked dishes in the country, much appreciated for its juiciness and crisp texture. Particularly popular in the north, due to the abundance of fish in the area, it is usually served with banana slices, pickles, chismol spices and cabbage.
Preparation: Season the fish (in Honduras they often use mojarra, tilapia is a good alternative) with salt, thyme, oregano, pepper to taste and chicken stock. Place the flour in a deep bowl and coat the fish in it. Brown it in a pan with the hot oil on both sides. Cut banana slices (preferably plantain) into inch thick slices and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. The pickle can be mixed with many vegetables, but one of the most characteristic is the one with red onion and cabbage. Pour 1 cup of water, a little sugar, 2 spoons of white vinegar and 2 bay leaves into a deep saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add 2 red onions and slivered cabbage (chili or a chilli if desired) and remove the pan from the heat, place in another with water and ice to cool the ingredients quickly. The pickle mix can be kept in the refrigerator and will keep refrigerated for up to three months.
Baho – Nicaragua
Baho (vaho) is a mix of meat, plantain and cassava. This recipe does take some time to make, but meat lovers will love it.
Preparation: Marinate 1 kg mincemeat with 1 chopped onion, salt, 2/3 cloves garlic and 1 cup orange juice; Let it rest for 24 hours. Cut another onion into wedges, 1 kg cassava and 3 bananas into thin slices. Place banana leaves on the bottom and side of a frying pan, so that some of the leaves stick up around the edges. Place the cassava and banana slices alternately on the leaves. In the center place the meat, about 500 g diced tomatoes, half a red bell pepper and the other half green bell pepper and onions. Close the leaves, add 1 1/2 cups of water and cook over medium heat for about 2 hours; then lower the heat and cook for another 2 hours. If the water evaporates, add more. Cut into slices and serve on a banana leaf. As a finishing touch, don't forget the 'cortido' salad, made from cabbage and tomato salad, flavored with vinegar and lemon or lime juice.
Picadillo de Papa – Costa Rica
The potato is an essential ingredient of the basic diet of many countries in Latin America. In Costa Rica there are several recipes for making Picadillo de Papa (potatoes with minced meat) and they are very easy to prepare.
Preparation: Heat the olive oil in a thick pan, add 300 grams minced beef, 4 slices bacon, half chopped onion, 150 grams chopped bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and chopped coriander. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink. Add 1 kg of diced potatoes along with a glass of water and oregano. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes). Add some coriander and let it sit for a few more minutes. It is recommended to serve it warm with tortillas.
Sancocho – Panama
Sancocho is a typical Panamanian meal soup/broth in which the protagonists are chicken and potatoes.
Preparation: Put 1.5 kg of chicken in a saucepan and cover with water:cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add 1 kg diced potatoes, about 400 g cassava and simmer for 45 minutes. Then add a finely chopped onion, a diced green bell pepper, coriander, a few cloves of garlic, a pinch of salt and a pinch of oregano. Cook again for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes before serving with white rice.
La bandera Dominicana- Dominican Republic
Bandera literally means flag and is a popular lunch dish for residents of the Dominican Republic. This dish reflects the tricolor flag of the Dominican Republic (white, red and blue) that is brought to the table. White is represented by rice, red by beans and, with some poetic imagination, represents meat (chicken or braised beef) blue.
Preparation: Season the meat with (ranch) spice mix, soup, olives and a little juice, a dash of vinegar, garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, add the onion, bell pepper and let it marinate for an hour.
In a pan, heat the oil and add the sugar, keep swirling until it dissolves, add the meat and fry until the meat is golden brown, add the juice of the marinade to the meat and a little water to prevent it from turning burns. Add the remaining ingredients (tomato, onion and chili). Add more or less water to make a smooth sauce. Beans:Heat 4 tablespoons of oil. Add the pork and fry for a while. Add the oregano, onion, chili, sautéed tomato, celery, garlic and herbs. Stir and add two tablespoons of water. When the water has almost evaporated, add the cube of meat stock. Then add the beans and three cups of water. Stir frequently until a creamy consistency is reached. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste. Rice:cook as desired.
