News Americas, SANTIAGO, Chile, Fri. Sept. 23, 2011: Say Chilean cuisine and immediately seafood may dance in your head.
The country’s waters are home to unique species of fish and shellfish such as the Chilean sea bass, loco and picoroco and Chilean food is a combination of Spanish cuisine with traditional Chilean ingredients.
One of the dishes that is truly Chilean is Curanto, a traditional food of Chiloé Archipelago that has spread to the southern areas of Chile and recently Argentina. You can give it a shot at home.
RECIPE
3 green bell peppers, seeded and quartered
l c. parsley chopped
8 onions, peeled and chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
10 boiling potatoes, peeled and coarsely sliced
2 to 3 heads cabbage, with leaves separated
3 Ibs. pork loin, cubed
3 lbs. pork sausage, sliced
2 chickens cut into 8 pieces each
20 large mussels
20 sea scallops
40 clams
20 large prawns
15 blue crabs or soft shell crabs, and any other seafood available
2 quarts white wine
Salt to taste
Use a very large pot.
Spread half the peppers in the bottom of the pot, sprinkle with parsley and salt, follow with onions, garlic, potatoes, and a bit of salt.
Spread the rest of the peppers in the pot, a layer of cabbage leaves, and follow with pork loin, sausage, chicken pieces and some salt.
Follow with seafood and cover with cabbage leaves.
Be sure to salt each layer separately.
Pour wine over the layers.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 to 35 minutes until cabbage is tender.
If needed, add water.
This serves 10 to 12.
