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Cheryl’s Recipe Corner
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Pupusas and Curtido
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Description
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Pupusas are El Salvadorian stuffed corn cakes served with curtido and salsa roja. They are typically filled with melty cheese, pickled jalapeño and roasted squash, but the filling options are endless! And the Curtido is a form of pickled coleslaw! I grew up enjoying these with my dad, so making them is a trip down memory lane! It’s dinner tonight, once the show is over!
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Ingredients (Curtido)
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1/2 head of cabbage, (2 cups of shredded cabbage)
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1 medium carrot, grated
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1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, (if you can’t find Mexican oregano, use Italian!)
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1 cup hot water
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1 cup apple cider vinegar
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon granulated sugar
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Ingredients (Papusa Dough)
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3 cups (11.8 ounces/334g) masa harina , (such as maseca)
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2 teaspoons kosher salt
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2 3/4 cup cold water, (from the faucet is fine)
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Ingredients (Papusa Filling)
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2 cups (7.5 ounces) shredded mozzarella, (or Oaxacan cheese or any other melty cheese)
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1/2 cup pickled jalapeño peppers, diced
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1/2 cup diced roasted butternut squash
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1 cup water (for hands)
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2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil (for hands)
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Directions (Curtido)
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To a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots and Mexican oregano. In a measuring cup, stir together the hot water, vinegar, salt and sugar; pour it over the cabbage/carrot mixture. Allow it to come to room temperature and then cover it with plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge for at least 4 hours and preferably a day before serving.
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Directions (Papusa Dough)
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the masa harina and salt. Pour in the cold water and using a spatula, stir the masa until mostly combined. Then, using your hands, mix the dough until a very soft dough forms. The dough will be very soft. This is totally okay; this means a delicious pupusa is on the way! I found it easiest to use a 2 ounce ice cream scoop and scoop out the masa into balls onto a piece of parchment. You could also do this with your hands but be sure to make the water/oil mixture above and coat your hands with it first.
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Directions (Papusas)
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Add the water to a measuring cup and pour in the oil (you can eyeball this). Lightly dip your hands in the water/oil mixture, making sure your palm are evenly coated. This will make it so the masa doesn’t stick to your hands. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. I like to place the pupusas in the oven while I make the rest of the pupusas so they can stay warm and melty. I placed a cooling rack atop a baking sheet and placed it in the oven. Working one at a time, flatten the balls gently until they’re about 1/2-inch thick discs. Place a tablespoon or two of mozzarella cheese, a small bit of diced jalapeño and squash into the center and wrap the dough around the filling creating a half moon shape. Pinch the edges to seal it completely. And then pat the dough gently, flattening it and alternating hands until it reaches about 1/4-inch thick and about 4-inches in diameter. Feel free to re-grease your hands as needed. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Meanwhile, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of neutral oil and brush the surface with a silicon brush. Add the pupusas to the pan, fitting two to three at time. Don’t be shy to break out another cast iron skillet (if you own it). Cook each pupusa for 4 to 6 minutes per side and then transfer to the baking sheet in the oven. Repeat this process until you’ve worked your way through all of the pupusas.
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Directions (Serving)
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Serve the pupusas with the curtido, wedges of lime and salsa.
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Tips and Tricks
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Cookie scoops are your friend! Use a 2 ounce cookie scoop to divide the dough into balls. It makes it super quick and easy and ensures they are close to the same size. Make sure your hands are always oiled. This dough is super sticky and the oil helps so much! While forming the pupusas, if a tear appears, simply pinch the masa shut. Also if a bit of cheese leaks out of the pupusa while cooking it, that’ll be delicious and make a bit of a cheese chip. Let gravity be your friend. When you move the ball of masa from palm to palm, gravity will help make it get a bit flatter. Each time you move it from palm to palm, you should be gently flattening it. When you’re done forming each pupusa, place them on a piece of parchment. You can use a plate or cutting board, just be sure to grease it with a bit of oil so the formed pupusas don’t stick. If you don’t own a large griddle and want to keep the pupusas warm while you work your way through cooking them, use your oven. Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet and stick it in a 200 degree F oven. As you finish cooking the Pupusa’s, transfer them to the oven to keep them warm.
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Cheryl’s Mixed Drink Corner
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El Salvador
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Description
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Take a vacation with this great drink!
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Ingredients
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1-1/2 oz gold rum
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1/2 oz Lime Juice
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1 tsp grenadine syrup
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3/4 oz Hazelnut liqueur (example: Frangelico)
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Directions
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Mix, shake, stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
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Refresco de Ensalada
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Ingredients
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1 x 850g can pineapple slices in 100% pineapple juice
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1 mango, peeled
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3 oranges
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2 Granny Smith apples
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Juice of 1 lemon
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6 cups cold water
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1/3 cup sugar
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1/2 tsp. salt
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(Rum or Vodka, if desired)
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?Directions
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Put the lemon juice into a large mixing bowl or punchbowl. Dice the apples into small pieces. Stir the diced apple into the lemon juice as you go along, to stop the pieces from browning. Peel the mango. Dice the flesh. Add to the bowl. Open the can of pineapple. Pour the juice into the bowl. Dice the pineapple slices and add to the bowl. Squeeze the juice of 2 oranges, pour into the bowl. Dice the remaining orange and add it to the bowl. Transfer the contents of the fruit and liquid to a large pitcher or a punchbowl, it does make a large quantity. Add 6 cups of water. Add the sugar and salt. Stir. You can drink this immediately, but it tastes best if you put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, and even better if you can wait until the next day. Serve cold.
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Russ’s Drink Corner
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Evan Williams Square 6 High Rye Whiskey
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Description
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Square 6 High Rye is the second Square 6 product produced exclusively at the artisanal distillery located at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in downtown Louisville. The whiskey uses a new rye mashbill that differentiates itself from Heaven Hill’s traditional rye 51/35/14 mashbill. It’s the company’s first product to be designated a high-rye rye whiskey. The rye joins the company’s Square 6 Bourbon which is also distilled at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Evan Williams states that artisanal distiller Jodie Filiatreau distills one barrel of American Whiskey per day at the downtown Louisville experience location.
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Details
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Mashbill: 63% rye, 24% corn, 13% malted barley
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Region: Louisville, Kentucky
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Proof: 95 (47.5% ABV)
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Color: Light copper
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Nose: Rye grain, wintergreen, light oak, anise, earthy damp forest, paper
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Taste: Dry oak, Rye spice, aromatic spiced vanilla, pine, petrichor
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Finish: Pine, rye spice, leather, hint of tobacco, oak and grain
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Price: $80 (750ml)
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Rating: 86
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Bill’s Whatever Corner
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Headframe Spirits Kelley
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Distiller’s Select American Single Malt Whiskey (5 Year)
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Proof: 130 (65% ABV)
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