The national dish of Argentina is asados (a variety of barbecued meat) grilled on a parillo (a large grill) that is packed with steaks; ribs; chorizo; mollejas (sweetbread), chinchulines (chitterlings) and morcilla (blood sausage).
Empanadas are Argentina's favorite street food; these stuffed dough pockets are similar to Puerto Rico's empanadilla or a Cornish pasty.
In South America, one of the most important grains is quinoa or quinua in Spanish.
Quinoa originated in South America and in particular the Andes region. This includes the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru.
More than 5,000 years ago, quinoa was the daily diet of the Inca people. It was known as the “Golden Grain of The Andes.”
Widely known around the world as a superfood, today quinoa is recognized for being a nutritionally dense food source and supergrain of the future.
Argentina and Peru produce several different types of quinoa.
Empanadas are Argentina's favorite street food; these stuffed dough pockets are similar to Puerto Rico's empanadilla or a Cornish pasty.
In South America, one of the most important grains is quinoa or quinua in Spanish.
Quinoa originated in South America and in particular the Andes region. This includes the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru.
More than 5,000 years ago, quinoa was the daily diet of the Inca people. It was known as the “Golden Grain of The Andes.”
Widely known around the world as a superfood, today quinoa is recognized for being a nutritionally dense food source and supergrain of the future.
Argentina and Peru produce several different types of quinoa.
Chimichurri 
In Argentina, a small jar of deep-green chimichurri is often the first thing to greet you at your table.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon finely grated or minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
In a medium bowl or jar, combine the parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Add the oil and vinegar* and mix well. Store covered for a couple of days and use before the herbs start to turn brown.
Note: *
Make chimichurri up to 4 days in advance but do not add the vinegar as the acid will brown the green herbs. Bring it to room temperature and add the vinegar a few hours before serving.
Preparation time:10 minutes
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon finely grated or minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
In a medium bowl or jar, combine the parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Add the oil and vinegar* and mix well. Store covered for a couple of days and use before the herbs start to turn brown.
Note: *
Make chimichurri up to 4 days in advance but do not add the vinegar as the acid will brown the green herbs. Bring it to room temperature and add the vinegar a few hours before serving.
Curried quinoa with chickpeas
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time:15 minutes
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock 1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 cups chopped plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1-19 ounce can chick-peas drained and rinsed
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or coriander
1/2 cup chopped green onions
salt and pepper
Bring 2 cups of the stock to boil.
Stir in quinoa, cover and remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. In large nonstick saucepan over medium high heat, heat oil. Stir in tomatoes, stock, curry powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes begin to break up.
Stir in chick-peas; cook until heated through. Combine Quinoa, chick-pea mixture, parsley and green onions.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Stir in quinoa, cover and remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. In large nonstick saucepan over medium high heat, heat oil. Stir in tomatoes, stock, curry powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes begin to break up.
Stir in chick-peas; cook until heated through. Combine Quinoa, chick-pea mixture, parsley and green onions.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Empanadas
The origins of the empanada are not entirely clear, but it seems most likely that they first appeared in Argentina in the kitchens of immigrants from northern Spain, where the dish’s forebear was a larger, double-crusted pie cut into slices.
Once in South America, the empanada — meaning bread-wrapped — continued to evolve from a pie made with dough to individual pockets of pastry crust, often made with animal fat in beef-loving Argentina. The hand-held pies were baked or fried after being filled with whatever was available in the region at the time.
Unbaked empanadas can be made 3 months ahead and kept frozen
Serves: 8
1 lb. ground beef (25% fat)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell peppers, seeded, chopped
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup raisins
1 recipe PIE CRUST (Recipe included)
½ cup pitted green olives (Picholine or Spanish), rinsed well, cut in half lengthwise, divided
Once in South America, the empanada — meaning bread-wrapped — continued to evolve from a pie made with dough to individual pockets of pastry crust, often made with animal fat in beef-loving Argentina. The hand-held pies were baked or fried after being filled with whatever was available in the region at the time.
Unbaked empanadas can be made 3 months ahead and kept frozen
Serves: 8
Preparation time:40 minutes
Cooking time:35 minutes
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divide1 lb. ground beef (25% fat)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell peppers, seeded, chopped
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup raisins
1 recipe PIE CRUST (Recipe included)
½ cup pitted green olives (Picholine or Spanish), rinsed well, cut in half lengthwise, divided
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over high. Cook ground beef, breaking up with a spoon, until browned but not completely cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving as much fat in pan as possible.
Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, chopped, red bell peppers, seeded, chopped, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Add ground cumin, sweet paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add low-sodium chicken stock or broth and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in sugar, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in raisins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Roll the pie crust to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into 5-inch circles. Place 2 Tbsp. filling in the center of each round.
Top with 2 olive halves. Brush water around half of outer edge of each round. Pinch edges to seal.
Using a fork, crimp edges. Transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing 1" apart. Repeat with remaining rounds.
Bake empanadas until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.
Pie crust:
1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
1/2 pound (11/2 cups) shortening
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons cold water
In a large bowl, mix together flour, and shortening.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, vinegar, egg, and water.
Blend all ingredients to form a ball. Add more water if necessary.
Chill dough and use as needed.
Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, chopped, red bell peppers, seeded, chopped, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, stirring, until tender but not browned, 6–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper. Add ground cumin, sweet paprika, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add low-sodium chicken stock or broth and reserved beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in sugar, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 15–20 minutes; taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in raisins. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Roll the pie crust to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into 5-inch circles. Place 2 Tbsp. filling in the center of each round.
Top with 2 olive halves. Brush water around half of outer edge of each round. Pinch edges to seal.
Using a fork, crimp edges. Transfer empanada to a parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing 1" apart. Repeat with remaining rounds.
Bake empanadas until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.
Pie crust:
1 pound (3 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
1/2 pound (11/2 cups) shortening
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons cold water
In a large bowl, mix together flour, and shortening.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, vinegar, egg, and water.
Blend all ingredients to form a ball. Add more water if necessary.
Chill dough and use as needed.
