Falling in love with a Chilean woman in the US introduced me to new delights in the other love of my life - food. Food from the Spanish speaking part of the world was sadly lacking in my diet before I met the wife but we soon put that right.
Street Tacos
They might be cheap, simple and they might be available in every street corner in the Spanish speaking side of town but a good street taco hits the spot. I pity the fool who'd trust Taco Bell before the street vendor.
Ceviche
Just thinking about it now makes my mouth water. Probably my wife's mouth too if she is reading this. Ceviche is so very fresh. Very thinly sliced fish, cured by
the citrus of lime and lemon, and is served with crisp red onion. It tastes like summer, well it would if the kids weren't so fussy.
Porotos Granados
I may be seen to have the Mexican job and the brown wife but my bum can not handle beans like a Mexican. That doesn't stop me loving beans. Especially when the wife makes the very Chilean dish Porotos Granados. I'm Scottish so I was brought up with a lot of soups but this sopas is like nothing I had before. Its freshness is indescribable if the person your are talking to hasn't had it. It could be the basil, the coriander (cilantro), the butternut squash, the lima beans or everything combined but I can't ever stop at one bowl of this soup no matter how full I may be.
Lomo Saltado
My first ceviche was a Peruvian ceviche after spending so much time in that restaurant we had to try other dishes. One dish that I had to have just about every time we went there was lomo saltado. It seems a simple enough dish just thin strips of marinated sirloin with tomato, rice and chips but so damn good. Thats the thing about Peruvian food they are simple enough dishes but so damn tasty.
Pantrucas
Probably the first Chilean meal the wife ever made me and quickly went to the top in favourite food lists. Yet another soup, this time instead of being vegan like the Porotos Granados is made largely of minced meat, grated carrot, potatoes, and thin strips of pasta with a very unChilean dose of spicy chilli powder to give it a kick.
Chicharron De Pescado
One of my favorite dishes as a child was scampi. It was the first full adult sized meal I had when I was 3. My mother made the mistake of giving me some off her plate and then I scoffed down the rest. Scampi is just breaded shrimp and Chicharron De Pescado is a similar Peruvian meal that substitutes a mild flavoured light fish for the shrimp.
Tres Leches Cake
Being Scottish I not only have a love of soups but I have a very sweet tooth. One of my favourite dishes in the many Mexican grills around town has got to be the Tres Leches cake. A sponge cake soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. Delicious. I could probably have two or three and a whole lot of strawberries in one sitting.
Now that I am thoroughly hungry I should probably make lunch.
