Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month has finally started, and I am so excited to whip up some of my favorite Latin cuisine dishes to celebrate! While I realize they are not authentic, it’s the 2nd best thing!

Now, for those of you who are not aware of what Hispanic Heritage Month is and represents, I’m here to give you a crash course.

From September 15th through October 15th (accurately in September), most of the Latin American countries fought and achieved their independence. It’s during this time that we pay respect to the heritage by celebrating those ancestors that fought for their country’s future. This observation started 1968 and is now celebrated by millions of Latin Americans in the US today.

For today’s menu, I’ll be making a recipe from Guatemala and Mexico, but knowing me I’ll be celebrating all month and bombarding you with amazing Latin recipes, so stay tuned!

Pollo en Leche

This recipe has a lot of ingredients, but it makes up for it in flavor and timing! This recipe is quite quick to make and goes great with fried plantains.

Ingredients needed:

2 tablespoons of Kelapo Ghee (or you can use olive oil)

2 lbs of chicken breast (boneless and skinless)

Salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

¼ teaspoon of annatto seeds

1 large onion (finely diced)

3 jalapenos (seeded and finely diced)

1 habanero (finely minced)

½ red bell pepper (cut into strips)

4 garlic cloves (minced)

¼ teaspoon of black pepper

½ teaspoon of ground cumin

½ teaspoon of crushed coriander seeds

½ teaspoon of salt

2 cans (13.5 oz) of coconut milk

¼ cup of minced cilantro

Start by first making the chicken breast. Once you cut them up in pieces, add the Kelapo Ghee (1 tablespoon or more if needed) to a pan and then the chicken. Sprinkle the salt and pepper to taste and cook over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown making sure to turn it over to cook on all sides. Once the chicken is finished cooking, place the chicken to the side. Using the same pan, add the rest of the ghee and reduce the heat to medium-low. Once the pan heats up a bit, add the annatto to cook for 1 minute (or 1 minute and a half max) and then remove from pan. Add in the onions and peppers to the pan and let cook for about a couple minutes until the veggies start to soften. Next, add the spices and minced garlic into the same pan. Once the spices have cooked together for a minute then return the cooked chicken back to the pot. Stir everything together so all flavors have blended and add the coconut milk right after. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, and taste to check for flavors. If you need to add more seasoning to adjust the flavoring, go for it! I believe there is no specific measurement for spices when it comes to Latin dishes. Once cooked,

Carne Asada

Ingredients needed

1 tablespoon of Kelapo Ghee

1 onion (peeled and chopped)

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 lbs. of chuck steak (thinly sliced)

3 large Roma tomatoes (chopped)

1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and minced)

1 cup of beef broth

2 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

On a wide skillet, add the Kelapo Ghee over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add in the onions and minced garlic. Cook until the onions have softened up. If you need to add a bit more ghee, that is fine. Next, add in the beef and cook until it has lightly browned. Next, add the chopped tomatoes and cook. Once the tomatoes have cooked a bit (4 to 5 minutes). Using the back of a spoon, begin to smash them until the tomatoes have softened and release the juice. Then, to the same skillet add the beef broth and let it simmer as you continuously stir. In that same skillet, add the chili peppers and stir. After everything is in the skillet, cover up the skillet and decrease the heat to low. Let the meat simmer and cook for about 45 minutes. Once the meat has become tender, add in the potatoes and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. Finally, season with salt and pepper, and serve with flour tortillas or white rice!

Help us celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing authentic recipes we should try in the comments below!

Peace, love and Kelapo

Gabriella

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