Brazilian Chuck Roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (3 pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
1 1/2 cups strong coffee
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1 onion, peeled and sliced thick
4 small potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Heat oil in a heavy, 4-quart saucepan.
Add chuck roast; brown on
all sides.
Add coffee, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme.
Arrange
onion slices on top of meat.
Cook over high heat until boiling,
stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 1
hour.

Add potatoes; continue to cook until meat and potatoes are
tender.
Remove meat and vegetables from pan juices; keep warm.

Blend flour with water to dissolve flour; stir into pan juices.
Cook over medium-high heat until thickened, stirring
constantly.

Slice meat and serve with pan gravy and vegetables.

Moqueca de Camarao (Shrimp Stew - Brazil)

2 tablespoons dende (palm) oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 pounds fresh medium size prawns, shelled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 fresh red cayenne pepper
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

Heat the oil, and stir fry the onion until golden brown.
Add the
garlic and prawns.
Stir fry for about 3 minutes.

Add the salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, parsley, pepper, cayenne
and coconut milk.
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
If you want to add
fish to the moqueca, use sea bass, cut in small pieces, and cook it
together with the coconut milk.

Platanos al Horno (Baked Plantains - Guatemala)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 ripe plantains, with black skins
2 tablespoons butter

Mix sugar and cinnamon together.

Peel the plantains and split them open lengthwise but do not cut
completely through.
Sprinkle them inside and out with the sugar
mixture.
Cut dabs of butter into the slits.
Coat a baking dish with
butter and add the plantains.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30
minutes until soft and brown.

Serve warm with fresh cream and honey.

Verduras en Escabeche (Pickled Vegetables - Guatemala)

5 jalapeño chiles, each about 2 inches long
1 tablespoon corn oil
2 cups diagonal 1/8-inch thick slices carrots
1 pound cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
1 cup sliced onion
5 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup cider or white vinegar

Fry the chile peppers in the oil for 2 minutes to soften the
skins.
Remove the chiles, slice them open vertically, and remove
seeds and fibers.
Set aside.

Blanch the carrots, cauliflower, onion and garlic separately in
boiling water for 2 minutes.
Drain well and mix them all together.
Put them into a glass jar or stone crock.

Mix the thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt and sugar in the
vinegar.
Pour this over the vegetables and mix well.
Allow the
escabeche to marinate for 1 day or more before using.
The pickle
can be refrigerated or stored at room temperature in a cool
place.

Caramel Flan Brasileiro

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can milk
1 egg
Dash of vanilla extract
Several heaping tablespoon granulated sugar

Pour sweetened condensed milk into a blender.
Fill the empty can
with milk and add that to the blender.
Add egg and vanilla extract.
Blend until well mixed.

Meanwhile, cook sugar in a pan, rotating the pan occasionally to
avoid burning the sugar.
When the sugar is a golden caramel color,
pour it into a metal ring mold.
Pour in the mixture from the
blender, and bake at about 300 to 350 degrees F with the ring mold
pan in a larger pan of water so that the water comes up about
halfway on the outside of the ring mold.
Bake until the top of the
flan starts to turn golden and a knife inserted into the flan comes
out clean…a little over an hour.

Costa Rican Marinade

1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped, or
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients in shallow non-metal dish or resealable
plastic bag.
Add up to 3 pounds chicken, pork or beef, turning to
coat with marinade.
Cover dish or seal bag and refrigerate, turning
meat occasionally, at least 8 hours but no longer than 24
hours.

Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade.
Grill meat as
desired.

Yield: 8 servings

Per Serving: 15 Calories; 1g Fat (60.7% calories from fat);
trace Protein;2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg
Cholesterol; 95mg Sodium

Exchanges: 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat