August 31, 2010 by Nathalie Herling.

Clay cookware brings out natural flavors of food, so why chose canned and packaged ingredients if there are easy options to make at home? I never really thought of making my own Coconut Milk or Rendering Pork thinking they were too time consuming… but these two videos showed me how simple, more nutritious, food safe and better tasting these homemade steps can be to dramatically improve recipes. Hope you enjoy and feel the excitement I did when I tasted my first batch of  homemade Coconut Milk and Rendered Pork.

First Video stop…. Zarela,  a goddess of cooking! Highly recommend her site, cookbooks and  restaurants. Visit http://www.Zarela.com for a tremendous selection of tips and Latin recipes.  I was so happy to have found her video for Rendering Pork, it was very eye and artery opening… Just imagine doing the pork cooking in a clay casserole, it works great… fabulous for tamale making and any dish that asks for lard.

Many more great videos with Zarela at http://www.youtube.com/zarelamartinez

Also found this super easy and quick way to make Coconut milk at home at www.tropicaltraditions.com . This site also has a rich array of oils and natural foods for sale.



Send me pictures of you making your own coconut milk and rendered pork in clay and I will post! nathalie@creativeclaycooking.com

Happy Clay Cooking!

Nathalie

Posted in technique, videos, latin | No Comments »

December 3, 2009 by Nathalie Herling.

Claypot Canela, Panela, Rum Sauce

This recipe was inspired when I was given about 20 lbs of Colombian Panela!!! What a surprising ingredient to use for cooking sweets. Offers a complex rich almost Maple Syrup/Brown Sugar flavor. This recipe was tested to rave reviews at a Chamba Claypot food demonstration at the Newark, NJ Art Museum.

The Newark Art Museum has a very choice collection and a fabulous Museum Shop full of very heartfelt quality items from around the world (Chamba Cookware available). For clay pottery lovers!!!! the musuem currently is featuring an inspiring exhibition thru Jan 1oth, 100 Masterpieces of Art Pottery, 1880-1930 http://www.newarkmuseum.org/ArtPottery.html .
Claypot Canela, Panela, Rum Sauce

Super easy and great to make in a claypot. I used a smallish oval chamba pot. You could use any shape medium clay pot… I found the Chamba pot cooked the liquid slowly to give this sauce a great texture that was even more intense the following day.

4 cakes of Panela, approx 16 ozs more is fine too (usally hard cakes of boiled down raw sugar cane, resembling brown sugar, Available in Latin,
Carribean and Indian grocery stores. Many different brands and names. Panela, piloncillo,…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panela)
2 Cups of Water
1 Cup of Dark Rum - I used a dark 4 year old, Nicaraguan Rum, Flor de Cana, Excellent and a great value http://www.flordecana.com/ A Delightful Rum to sip while you are cooking this sauce too!
4 sticks of Cinnamon. I prefer the turkish vs the mexican cinnamon since it stays hard in the sauce, not prone to flaking and easier to fish out of the finished syrup.
4 Full Stars of star of anise
Melt the panela with the water, cinammon, star anise and rum. Cook over low heat long enough to reduce the sauce to a nice syrup consistency. About twenty min to half an hour. Keep an eye on your cooking sauce and stir it from time to time to you get a consistance you would like to pour on pancakes. Test the sauce by taking a spoon full and pour it slowly back in the pot. If you like how it looks as a sauce then its ready. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
Pour on cake, cream puffs, ice cream, pancakes. A rich caramelly tasting sauce with a delightful taste.
This also a good sauce to mix or to pour on many other baking treats like cheese cake and pumpkin pie.The whipcream below is magical over Pies and Cakes.
For Creampuffs,
Make a classic Puff and fill with the following whipcream and drizzle the Claypot Canela, Panela Rum Sauce.
Panela, Canela, Rum Whipcream
2 Cups Whipping Cream
1/4 C of cooled Panela, Canela Rum Syrup above.
Mix the syrup into the cream. Whip until you have a nice glossy topping.

 A very memorable flavor.

Posted in desserts, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | No Comments »

October 29, 2009 by Nathalie Herling.

If you are looking for Pan de Muertos in New York City go to Don Paco Lopez Panderia http://www.donpacolopez.com/ at 2128 3rd Ave and 116th St.

Wonderful painted windows will help you quickly find this traditional Mexican Bakery.

They have a good offering of three types.

2 were with the classic crossbones one with sesame seeds and powdersugar options, and the flatter child like figure with red sugar. All of these are very tradional shapes and have the egg bread flavor. The child figure is particularly used on altars for Oct 31st when the children are believed to return for sweet treats.

At the bakery they also have a wide variety of Mexican melted sugar skulls in various sizes available.

If you are in Williamsburg, Brooklyn go by Fuego http://jsauli1.web.officelive.com/default.aspx at 249 Grand St.  There you can find a wide selection of El Dia de los Muertos folkart including minatures, Flasks with Calaveras, cool Posada bags, tin hearts, huge skull pillows…. and  just set up a small sugar skull altar with molded sugar skulls in two sizes.

Check out the little photos hidden inside of many. Soon I will be posting how to make Diorama sugar skulls and examples from my Dia de los Muertos cooking workshop.

For Sugar Skull molds, La Sirena www.lasirenanyc.com on 27 E 3rd St in Manhattan has molds for sale and folkart as well. Nice paper cutouts for your altar too.

For the manufacture and full selection of sugar skull molds visit The Mexican Sugar Skull Company http://www.mexicansugarskull.com

Posted in El Dia de los Muertos, desserts, latin, where to buy | No Comments »

April 15, 2009 by Nathalie Herling.

Columbians love soups, every region with its various natural resources has a unique comfort food type of soup. Ajiaco is a delicious classic you would find in the country’s capital city Bogota. It is very simple to make, wonderfully addictive but requires at least one special ingredient to separate it out from most chicken and potato soups, it the herb Guascas. A delightful kind of citrus herb, that grows like a weed, and is sometime called the Valient Soldier!  You can buy it online* or if you are in a Columbian neighborhood any where in the world ask for it in the local stores and delis. They will usually have it.  I also recommend using all the garnishes when serving your soup. The capers, cilantro and cream really offer a fabulous taste treat.

In this picture the Ajiaco is served with the garnishes, rice and some Farmers Cheese Fritters. A very filling meal.

Ajiaco Chicken, Potato, Corn traditional Colombian Soup

2 chicken breasts and 3 large legs - skin removed

3 large cloves of garlic chopped

1 large onion chopped

3 -4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

12 sm yellow potatoes - I like the finger potoatos

3 medium yukon gold cut up in one inch cubes

8 small red potatoes cut in half

 Chopped bunch of cilantro plus 1/4 cup of leaves for garnish

8 T of dried Guascas

 2 T of salt

1 T of Pepper

3 Ears of Corn cut in wheels

10 Cups of a Chicken Broth.

1 Cup of Sour Cream or Mexican Crema if available.

1 Avocado Sliced

1 cut up lime

1/8 cup of capers

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. A classic La Chamba, Colombian clay pot would be idea but any dutch oven or large soup pot will work. Saute the chopped onion and garlic until golden. Remove the onions and save to the side. Next saute and cook the in the same oil/liquid as the onions.  When cooked through re add the cooked onion mixture, chicken broth, spices and herbs. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 mins. Add the cut up potatoes simmer for about 40 min. Add in the wheels of corn. Colombian corn would be added earlier since the traditional corn from this are for this dish would have larger slightly tougher kennels than the tender yellow typically found in the US. Cook the corn in the broth for about 12 - 15 min.

Serve the soup with bowls of the condiments, capers, sour cream, cilantro leaves and the sliced avocado.

Yummy!!!

 * Online Source for Guascas

http://www.amigofoods.com/kigu10gr.html   cool website for all kinds of special ingredients.

Posted in Stove to Table - One Pot Meals, main course, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | 1 Comment »

March 17, 2009 by Nathalie Herling.

Thank you Cheri from Laarsen Associates, http://www.laarsenassociates.com, major importers of Pomaireware from Pomaire, Chile for offered Creative Clay Cooking  this recipe.

“This is a meal in a meal.  When the kids were small and we went skiing, there was nothing better than to come home to a carbonada with all the goodness of protein and veggies.  I would make it the night before and just reheat with a slice of good crusty bread to soak up all the juice. Also, it is an easy meal when a large group of friends or  relatives are going to stop by.  As my mother always said, you can always throw another cup of water into it! ” Cheri
 

Carbonada-Chilean Vegetable Beef Soup 

Olive oil to sauté

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 ¾ lbs. chuck roast, finely diced in 1” cubes

1 large carrot, diced in 1” cubes

½ onion, diced in 1” cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch oregano

Paprika

2 quarts boiling water

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced in 1” cubes

½ lb. green beans, sliced lengthwise

1 cup fresh green peas

3 heaping tbls non-parboiled rice

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch oregano

Paprika 

Heat the oil in a large pot. Season the meat with the salt and pepper. Saute until brown.

Drain the liquid.   Add the onion, garlic, oregano, paprika and continue sautéing.  Add the boiling water and simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.  Then add the potatoes, green beans, fresh peas and rice.  Continue cooking another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.   

This is the pot I am going to try making this soup in the next couple of days. SirenaNathalie.  Thanks again Cheri for the recipe.

Posted in Stove to Table - One Pot Meals, Pomaireware, latin, recipes | 3 Comments »

February 25, 2008 by Nathalie Herling.

This clay Pig Pot from Chilebecame this party dish inspiration. You can bake and go straight to the table. People will love the Pigging out theme and great flavor. Taco Dip-Based on the classic Layered Taco Dip Casserole.

Bean Layer:

One can of Black and one can of pinto beans

1 onion chopped and sauteed

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of Mexican Oregano

 and 1 teaspoon of dried epazote

1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few shakes of ground pepper

1/4 C of fresh cilantro

1 plum tomato chopped

Rinse and drain the beans. Place them in a bowl, add half of the sauteed onions and tomato to the beans and spices. Mash the beans a little. Kind of half mash. And make this the first layer of your casserole.

Salsa Layer

1/2 a Cup of Salsa of your choice (you could use a bottled or make up a fresh Salsa). I recommend a mild one so you don’t burn people from enjoying this dip.

Tortilla chip layer

3 handfuls of tortilla chips.

about two to three big handfuls of crushed up tortilla chips. I didn’t pulverize mine but made them into pieces about the size of a nickel. I use blue corn tortilla chips.

Cheese and Jalapeno Layer

1 C of grated Cheddar Cheese

Half a chopped Jalapeno

Sprinkle the Cheddar Cheese on top of the chips add a few chopped Jalapenos.

Pepper layer

Roast 3 cloves of chopped garlic in olive oil. Or if you have some roasted Garlic around.

1 Green pepper chopped

Add 1 chopped green pepper or the equivalent of a yellow, red and green pepper mixed. My grocery store slices them and offers a medley for around 99 cents that is great for this.  Mix in the same pan you roasted the garlic and remaining sauteed onions. Cook a few minutes to get the peppers to wilt a little and flavors blend.

Olive Layer

1/2 a Can of Pitted Black Olives

Take a half a can of pitted black olives or a small can of sliced black olives and put this over the pepper layer. If the olives are pitted whole cut into slices.

Second Cheese Layer

1/2 a Cup of Grated Cheddar

1/2 a Cup of Monterrey Jack

Sprinkle on top 

Put the cassarole in the over at 350 degrees for 35 min.

Remove from oven and coat with:

Sour Cream Layer

1 cup to 1.5 cups of sour cream

2 t cumin

1 t Mexican Oregano crushed

2 t chili powder

salt and pepper

Take a half a large container of Sour Cream and and add 2 t of cumin, 1 t of Mexican Oregano, 2 t of chili powder, some salt and pepper and mix.

Cover the top of the hot Taco Layers with this seasoned sour cream.

Guacamole Layer

See other recipe, mid way down page.

In the mean time make a Guacamole with at least 2 Avocados. Blending in a food processor is a good way to get a nice silky consistency for this recipe.

Take the Guacamole and carefully put in the middle of the sour-cream and spread around trying not to disturb the Sour Cream too much. I like to leave a rim of sour cream around the guacamole layer.

Fresh Garnish Layer

1/4 a Cup of Chopped Cilantro leaves

1/2 a green pepper chopped or a mix of red, green and yellow peppers if available.

2 green onions with the white parts chopped

1/4 Cup of sliced black olives

Mix all these 4 ingredients and sprinkle over the top.

Serve with a spoon and a big bowl of Tortilla Chips for dipping or just adding to the yummy mixture.

You can also make this with meat by cooking up some ground beef, add traditional taco seasonings and half an onion. Chipotle seasoned pieces of chicken can also make this more of meat eaters meal.

Time for everyone to Pig Out and they will!!

Posted in appetizers, Pomaireware, latin, recipes | 2 Comments »

February 24, 2008 by Nathalie Herling.

Really easy to make and great with cocktails, particularly your favorite Margarita or serve as an appetizer to a tropical dinner. Fried Green Bananas, topped with Guacamole and dusted with Mexican Cheese.

For your Banana Boat bottom

2 Large Green Bananas

2 cloves of minced Garlic

Oil for Frying

Cut the ends of the Green bananas off. Then run a knife slice through on side of the banana peal. Just the peal. Green bananas can be a little hard to peal but try to keep the peal from getting into too small of pieces when you take it off the banana, we will use the peal later.

Slice the banana into one inch slices. Fry both sides of the banana slices in a light coating of oil for about 1 to 2 min to make them more tender. I used a La Chamba lipped plate or a baking pan would work. 

Once the banana started to soften, remove it from the pan and put it between 2 pieces of the on the inside of the banana peel and with the palm of your hand press down gently to flatten the banana slice to about 1/4 of an inch. You could use a wooden banana press for this too but I like using the peel the most. 

Add the garlic to your oil and You should be able to gently remove the little flattened banana “pancake” back to the oil for crisping. Make about 16 or 20 from your two bananas.

You now have a little banana chip as a base for your guacamole.

If you have the time and want to be a little fancy, take the banana chips right when they come out of the oil from crisping and with small muffin cups, gentle push on the banana chips to mold to the shape of the muffin cups to make little banana cups… or boats.

Make your favorite Guacamole blend or here is mine

1 large or 2 small avocados

A plum tomato chopped

half a jalapeno minced

1/4 of an onion minced

half to all of a lime juice

1/8 of a cup of minced cilantro

dash of cumin

2 teaspoons of my favorite hot sauce (not that much a fan of Tabasco but could work).

Salt and pepper to taste

Mash the avocado up and add all the rest mix.

Put a dollop of the Guacamole on the top of each Banana Chip and dust with Queso Cotijo Anejo. I find this cheese to taste the best and be an important topping to this appetizer with its salty almost parmesan like quality. Seems to bring all the topping and bottom together really well.

Serve immediately. Particularly if you have the Margaritas ready. Check out these Cranberry Margaritas.  Salud!

Posted in appetizers, vegetarian recipes, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | 1 Comment »

February 23, 2008 by Nathalie Herling.

A Columbian woman who was very excited to see me using clay bowls from her country told me about an egg dish she remembered eating as a child in a black clay bowl just like this. Had to try. Since I only had a brief description I have kind of made them the way I thought I would like them and if anyone knows the real way please share.

This is a fun creative way to make eggs and I have included two different ways.

I gathered all my incredients

Sliced tomatoes

Graded Mozzerela

Crumbly salty Mexican Cheese

Cilantro

Fresh Oregano

Sliced Jalepeno

Slices of cooked sausage (I used Kalebasa)

Minced Garlic

Salsa

Avocado

1 Teaspoon of Olive Oil per bowl

Coated the inside of a La Chamba bowl

Go wild layering in any order…

How I made my unmolded egg dome, I built a ring of thinly sliced tomatoes with a jalepeno in the middle. Then I carefully poured an unbroken egg yoke and whites in the very center for a pretty unmolded presentation. then put layers of avacados, salsa, sausage, mozzeralla, sprinkling a herbs, salt and pepper.

Put in an pre heat 325 oven. Start checking in about 25 min to see if the cheese looks melted. The egg at the bottom will get quite cooked if you leave it in for 35 min.

You could serve the eggs in the bowl or you could run a knife around the edge of the eggs.  Invert the bowl on a plate and the eggs unmolded easily. Put some herbs around it and serve.

Sorry about the fuzzy pictures…

Posted in brunch, latin, la chamba cookware | No Comments »

February 20, 2008 by Nathalie Herling.

My first opportunity to get to cook in a Chilean Clay Pot from Pomaire region of Chile. Fairtrade and Lead free, like the La Chamba cookware from Columbia you can cook with it on the stove, oven and microwave.

This charming chicken pot seems perfect for cooking chicken with root vegetables.  Most Latin cookware requires no special pre-treatment or soaking before cooking.

1 onion sliced

1 cut up some chicken thighs, bones can be removed your preference.

3 cloves of garlic

2 orange carrots and one large yellow carrot (if available).

2 stalks of celery sliced.

1 burdock root

1 turnip

6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 C white wine

1 T Pepper

1 teaspoon of salt

2 twigs of Fresh Oregano if available, 1 teaspoon of dried Mexican or Traditional Oregano if not.

1/2 a cup of chopped cilantro.

Slice one onion and your chicken. I recommend darker cuts of chicken since they will not dry out like a lean chicken breast in the 40 mins. of cooking the roots.

Saute the onions and chicken in about 3 table of olive oil. You will not need much, just enough to lightly coat the pan and brown your meat and onions.

Add 3 chopped cloves of Garlic to the sauteing mixture.

Add 6 cups of chicken broth and 1/4 of white wine.

Take the oregano, cilantro, pepper and salt (optional) and add to the broth.

Next add sliced carrots. I used orange and yellow carrots. The Yellow ones were denser and offered a non carrot impression.  Slice and add the celery.

I don’t peal my Burdock root since the skin is suppose to be very nutritious. I lightly shaved away any larger extending roots, cleaned well, chopped off the ends and sliced into thin pieces.

Peal and cut up a turnip. add to the broth mixture.

Cook covered for 40 mins and let the liquid reduce and vegetables cook.

Classic simple chicken stew.

For additional information about Pomaireware visit Laarsen Associates a large US wholesaler of Chilean cookware. Wonderful selection of animal cookware. Rumor is we can expect to see many more recipes from this friendly husband and wife team as she is working on a cookbook!

http://www.laarsenassociates.com/main.sc

Very cute and beautiful to cook and serve straight to the table.  Looking forward to making a Chicken in Mole in this pot next!!!

Posted in Pomaireware, latin, recipes | No Comments »

December 3, 2007 by Nathalie Herling.

Sweet Christmas Tamales

1 C of Raisons
1/3 C of Rum

2/3 C of softened butter
2 C of Tamale Masa
1 T Vanilla
2 T Rum
1/4 Sugar
1 t of Baking Powder
1 t of Salt
2 C Lukewarm Water
1/2 t of Ground Cinnamon

1/2 C of Pecan pieces

18 to 20 corn husks

Put the Raisins in a sauce pan and heat until plump up in the 1/3 C of Rum, about 3 min. Let cool. The raisins will absorb up most of Rum.

In a large bowl combine the butter, masa, vanilla, rum, sugar, cinnamon, and water.
Mix on Medium for 5 min. Let sit for 5 min.

Take a corn husk and put a thin coating of masa on the husk. Do not put it on the pointed tip but make like a square rectangular of thinly applied dough. You can also put a 2 T flattened glob in the center is another technique. I have started using a masa spreader. If you are going to make tamales regularly this under $10 investment is pretty cool.
Spread out all your Masa Dough on the corn husks.

In the center of each husk spread about one T of rum raisins. And about 3 broken up pecan halves.

Fold the husk the way you like. Tie is you like but if you fold and turn up right you will not necessary need to tie. Since these are considered Holiday tamales you might want to tie to tear off a piece of the husk and tie around to look like a present.
Put the little packages standing upright in a steamer for 1 hour.

Be-careful removing not to disturb the husk packages too much or to get hurt by the steam.

Let cool and serve.

For a fancy dessert you can accompany these with ice cream or a sauce of chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, tamarine or brown sugar sauce.

Posted in desserts, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | No Comments »