How To Make Dulce de Lechoza, Venezueal Candied Fruits Dessert Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• a 4-inch cinnamon stick
• 3 1/2 pounds firm papayas (lechoza), peeled, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips

Directions:

1. In a heavy 3-quart saucepan spread 2/3 cup of the sugar, add the cinnamon stick, and top the sugar with half the papaya strips. 
2. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of the remaining sugar on top, add the remaining papaya strips, and top the strips with the remaining 2/3 cup sugar. 
3. Cook the mixture, covered, over moderately low heat, shaking the pan occasionally (do not stir), for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved completely. 
4. Simmer the papaya strips, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until they begin to appear translucent. 
5. Let the mixture cool and chill it, covered, overnight. 
6. The papaya in cinnamon syrup keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 month.

How To Make Venezuela Corn Cake Recipe, "Torta de Jojoto"

Ingredients:

• 1 can sweet corn cream style.
• 3 x eggs (preferably ostrich fetuses).
• 4 oz butter
• 1 oz flour
• vanilla extract
• 8 oz Sugar
• 4 oz milk
• Sugar

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Pour the mixture in a cake pan and place it in the oven at 350 F for one hour.
3. Sprinkle Sugar over the cake.
4. Serve it hot or cold

How to Make Venezuelan Hallacas Recipe

The hallaca (pronounced AH-JAC-KA) is the main Venezuelan Christmas dinner dish. It was created by the slaves during the colony times. They put the left-overs of their master's Christmas festivities in a bit of cornmeal dough, wrapped this with banana leaves and cooked to mix the flavors.

Ingredients

Just some of the ingredients for Hallaca:

• * A whole leg of pork cutting up filthy thinly
• * Two or three roasting hens
• * 1 can of mock duck or 1 packet of tofu marinated pieces.
• * 500g of cooked and mashed new potatoes.
• * 50g of almonds.
• * 4 white onions.
• * 2 red onions.
• 2 carrots, 6 Brussels sprouts, and a handful of green beans (or another similar combination of vegetables).
• 1 can of artichoke hearts.
• 1 can of asparagus.
• 1 can of chickpeas.
• 1 head of garlic.
• 1 packet of mi-cuit (half dried) tomatoes or 1 tube of tomato paste.
• 4 red bell peppers.
• 2 green bell peppers.
• 100g of mixed vine fruit.
• 20 prunes.
• jar of green olives.
• 1 jar of mixed pickles in mustard sauce.
• 1 jar of capers.
• 3 leeks.
• 2 packets of spring onions.
• 1 large bunch of herbs (coriander (cilantro), thyme, parsley, celery).
• 1 Tsp of black peppercorns.
• 1 tsp of coriander seeds.
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds.
• 1 Tsp of annatto seeds (also called "achiote" or "onoto").
• 1 kg of instant polenta meal (coarse corn meal).
• 1 roll of kitchen string.
• 1 kg of banana leaves (for wrapping, not for eating!).
• 250 ml of olive oil.
• 1 vegetable stock cube.
• 1 mushroom stock cube.
• Marmite, soya sauce and chili sauce to season.

Directions:

Leaves:

1. 1. With a damp cloth wipe the banana leaves.
2. 2. Heat the banana leaves with a flame (gas cooker, camping fire, etc). The leaves turn softer and darker, with a distinctive smoky smell.
3. 3. Cut the hard rim without shredding the leaves. Cut in 30 cm segments along the transversal veins.

Polenta dough:

1. In a small pan, warm (at very low heat) 5 Tsp of olive oil with the annatto seeds for 20 minutes. The oil should turn red.
2. In the meantime, fry in a deep pan the spices (cumin, black pepper, and coriander seeds) in 2-3 Tsp of olive oil. Cut the white onions in slices and add to the pan. 
3. Add 5 cups of boiling water. 
4. Add the stock cubes and a Tsp of Marmite to season. 
5. Add the green part of the leeks plus the white part of 2 leeks in 1-inch chunks. 
6. Cut 1 and a half packet of spring onions and add to the pan. 
7. Add all the herbs (keep some parsley to garnish) and the garlic head cut in halves.
8. Simmer this broth for 15 minutes.
9. Put the content of the pan in a food processor and liquidise it.
10. Strain it very well keeping the liquid and discarding the solid waste (may want it to make vegetable cakes, up to you). 
11. Put the broth in a large bowl and add the red oil (previously strained to remove the annatto seeds).
12. 6. Pour the water content of the olive and the caper jars in the bowl. 
13. Add the polenta meal, 1 cup at a time, stirring very well. 
14. The consistency should be smooth. Mix the mashed potatoes with the polenta dough.
15. 7. Make a small test for the consistency of the dough. 
16. Wrap 1 Tsp of dough with a small segment of banana leaf. 
17. Wrap it in aluminum foil and boil it in water for 15 minutes. 
18. If the cooked dough maintain the shape of the banana leaf "package", the dough is OK. If it crumbles or comes out half dissolved in water, then add more polenta meal.
19. If it comes out rock hard, then add more water to the dough.
20. Rectify the salt as well.

Fillings:

1. 1. Grill peppers: Rub olive oil in two red bell peppers and grill them.
2. 2. Remove the skin and seeds and cut in 1cm wide strips.
3. 3. Put them apart in a small bowl.

Sauce:

1. 1. Slice two red onions. Chop the rest of the spring onions and a leek.
2. 2. Stir fry quickly.
3. 3. Liquidise the mi-cuit tomatoes, two red peppers and two green peppers and add to the stir fry onions and leek. Stir for a minute.
4. 4. Add soya sauce, chili sauce and ground cumin to season. Add some cooking wine if you want. Let it simmer for another minute.
5. 5. Add some wheat or corn flour to thicken. Put the sauce apart in a bowl.

Small bowls:

1. 1. Vegetables: shred the carrots and Brussels sprouts, mix with the green beans, chopped. 
2. Put them apart in a bowl.
3. 2. Soak the vine fruit in cooking wine or replacement. 
4. Put it apart in a small bowl.
5. 4. Soak prunes in cooking wine or replacement. 
6. Put in a small bowl.
7. 5. Drain chickpeas and put them apart in a small bowl.
8. 7. Put pickles apart in a small bowl.
9. 8. Blanch and toast the almonds, and put them apart in a small bowl.
10. 10. Drain and chop the mock duck into 1cm cubes and put them in a small bowl.
11. 11. Put the olives apart in a small bowl.
12. 12. Put the capers apart in a small bowl.
13. 13. Drain the artichoke hearts, cut in quarters and put them in a small bowl.
14. 14. Drain the asparagus and put it in a plate.

Hallaca

Wrapping the hallaca:

1. 1. Cut a 35 cm long piece of aluminum foil and put it over the table. Cover with a banana leaf, the transversal veins along the horizontal axis. Rub oil on front face of the banana leaf. Put a bit more than half a ladle of dough in the centre of the leaf. Extend with a spoon to cover a 14cm-diameter circle.
2. 2. Put 1 Tsp of Sauce in the middle. Put 1½ Tsp of shredded vegetables over the sauce. Put 2 olives and 2 capers, one on each corner of the dough. Keep placing the rest of the fillings as in a collage: 1 tsp. of vine fruit, 1 prune, 2 tsp. of pickles, 1 Tsp of chickpeas, 3 cubes of mock duck, 1 asparagus, 2 strips of grill pepper and some leaves of parsley.
3. 3. Wrap this with the banana leaf (not against the veins). Fold the foil to seal the ends of the banana leaf packet. Then, fold the foil to wrap the whole packet. Tie it with kitchen string. Repeat for the rest of the dough (see diagrams below).
4. 4. Boil the hallacas covered in water for 20-30 minutes. You may have to do this in batches unless you have a huge cauldron. Drain the hallacas and let them cool for 10 hours. Put them in the fridge or freezer. Heat the hallacas in boiling water, simmering for 10 minutes before eat them.

How To Make Venezuela Flan Caraqueño Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 c. sugar, to caramelize pan
• 1/4 lb. blanched almonds
• 13 soda crackers
• 8 eggs, yolks and whites blended
• 2 oz. butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 qt. milk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a heavy 3-quart saucepan spread 2/3 cup of the sugar, add the cinnamon stick, and top the sugar with half the papaya strips.
2. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of the remaining sugar on top, add the remaining papaya strips, and top the strips with the remaining 2/3 cup sugar.
3. Cook the mixture, covered, over moderately low heat, shaking the pan occasionally (do not stir), for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved completely. 
4. Simmer the papaya strips, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until they begin to appear translucent. 
5. Let the mixture cool and chill it, covered, overnight. 
6. The papaya in cinnamon syrup keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 month.

How To Make Venezuelan Cachapas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tender corn kernels, fresh or canned (if canned, drain liquid)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon ice-cold water
• Oil or butter for frying
• White cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Put the corn kernels, salt, sugar, and egg in a blender and process for several seconds to make a thick, gruel-like mixture. Remove to a bowl. 
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in the 1 tablespoon cold water, and then stir into the corn mixture.
3. Heat approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons oil or butter in a skillet, coating the bottom completely. 
4. Drop 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture into the hot skillet, to make a 4- to 5-inch round pancake. 
5. Cook over low-medium heat for 1 minute, until the edges of the pancake brown and bubbles form on the surface.
6. Flip the cake over and cook for another minute. 
7. Add more oil or butter to the skillet and make the remaining cachapas. 
8. Drain cakes onto paper towels and serve hot with a hunk of fresh white cheese, if desired.

Makes 8 to 9 cachapas.

How To Make Venezuela Chicken Soup (Sancocho de Gallina) Recipe

Ingredients:

• chicken stock (1 and 1/2 qts.)
• 1 yucca, peeled and cut into 1"x1"x1" pieces.
• 2 plaintains, peeled, halved, and sliced into thirds longitudinally.
• 2 red potatoes, peeling optional, cut into chunks.
• 3 whole chicken breast, skinned and quartered with bones left on.
• juice from two lemons
• cumin, 1 tsp
• scallions, 1 bunch
• cilantro, 1 bunch
• roux (2 T all-purpose flour and 2 T buter, mixed and microwaved for 30 seconds into a yellowish sludge)
• salt and pepper.

Instructions:

1. In one cup of chicken stock, simmer scallions, cilantro, and cumin for a few minutes. 
2. Set it aside till cool, then process it into a smooth, green-colored flavoring element to be added to the final soup. 
3. In the remaining 1 and 1/4 quarts of chicken stock, simmer the quartered, skinned chicken breasts. 
4. Particulate scum which floats off the chicken breasts as they start to cook may be skimmed off with a ladle, and discarded. 
5. The chicken will take about an hour to cook. 
6. As the chicken starts to simmer, add cut-up, peeled yucca, and cut-up potatoes. 
7. You may continue to skim off scum after the yucca and potatoes are in the soup. 
8. About a half hour from completion time, add cut-up plaintains. 
9. Plaintains are more delicate, and require less cooking time that other elements of the soup. 
10. 10 minutes before completion time, add the processed scallions-cilantro-cumin, and the juice from 2 lemons. Add roux to "bind" the soup, stirring to mix it well. 
11. Make sure the potatoes and yucca are cooked to softness, and examine a piece of chicken to check for doneness. 
12. If overcooked, the yucca, potato, and plaintain disintegrate, but their rich flavors remain. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Venezuelan Pabellón Criollo Recipe

Ingredients:

• 900g/2lb Lean Steak, (Sirloin or Rump) about 12mm/½ - inch thick
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onions, chopped
• 1 teasp finely chopped Garlic
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin chopped Tomatoes
• ½ teasp Ground Cumin
• 1 teasp Salt

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and garlic and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and transparent.
2. Add the tomatoes, cumin and salt, mix well, reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato juices evaporate and the sauce becomes thick.
3. 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, preheat the grill to hot, place the steak on the grill pan and cook under the grill for 5 minute on each side.
4. Remove from the grill and cut into pieces about 12mm/ ½ -inch long and 6mm/ ¼ -inch wide then add the strips of beef to the sauce, mixing well.

Traditionally served with plantains, black beans and rice.

More Recipes:

How to make Arepas, a Venezuelan Corncakes Recipe

Arepas (corncakes) are fried or baked corn pancakes, either plain or with a filling and most Venezuelans eat them as part of their daily diet in place of bread. They are one of the national dishes of Venezuela and there are many food stands or small restaurants called Areperas, which specialise in the making of these small delights.

Ingrediens:

• Pre-cooked cornmeal (see notes) -- 2 cups
• Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon
• Boiling water -- 3 cups
• Oil -- 3 tablespoons

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal and salt. Pour in 2 1/2 cups of the boiling water and mix with a wooden spoon to form a mass. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Using wetted hands, form balls of dough out of about 1/4 cup of dough and press to form a cake about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. If the dough cracks at the edges, mix in a little more water and then form the cakes.
3. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the patties, a few at a time, to form a light brown crust on one side, 5-6 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side.
4. When all the patties have been browned, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they sound lightly hollow when tapped. Serve immediately.

Variations:

• To make filled arepas, split them in half when finished and scoop out a little of the soft dough filling. Stuff with your chosen filling.
• Arepa de Pabellón: shredded, seasoned meat and black beans.
• Reina Pepeada: chopped chicken, avocado, and mayonnaise mashed together.
• Arepa de Dominó: black beans and crumbled white cheese.
• Arepa de Perico: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions.
• Columbian Arepas: make smaller and thicker and don't bake. Top with butter and melted cheese.
• Other possible fillings: grated white or cheddar cheese; guasacaca, ham and cheese, hard-boiled quails eggs.
• The sautéing step is sometimes skipped and the arepas are simply baked. In the countryside arepas are often cooked on the grill.
• Small arepas can be made and served as appetizers with garnishes on top instead of inside. Or they can be eaten as small biscuits.
• Sometimes a little sugar is mixed in with the dough to form sweet arepas (arepas dulces).