South American | Saveur

Chimichurri

Francis Mallmann — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:13 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY VICTORIA GRANOF; PROP STYLING BY DAYNA SEMAN

A saltwater brine prevents fresh herbs from discoloring in this zesty chimichurri, adapted from a recipe in Argentine chef Francis Mallmann’s Seven Fires. The bright condiment pairs beautifully with steak, vegetables, and crunchy bread served straight off the grill.

This recipe first ran alongside a rib eye recipe with Shane Mitchell’s 2013 article, “The Art of the Parilla.”

Yield: 6

Time: 35 minutes

1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup finely chopped fresh oregano
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a small pot, bring the salt and 1 cup water to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
To a small bowl, add the parsley, oregano, garlic, chile flakes, olive oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Stir in the saltwater brine, then let the chimichurri sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Use the chimichurri immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

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Leche de Tigre

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:44 +0000

Matt Taylor-Gross

Literally “tiger’s milk,” this bright and spicy citrus-based marinade is used to cure the fish in classic Peruvian ceviche. This leche de tigre recipe makes a sizable batch; leftovers can be frozen for up to a month to be repurposed in more ceviche, marinades, or even in savory drinks, like our Hair of the Tiger cocktail.

Featured in “The Secrets of Lima’s Cutting Edge Ceviche.“

Yield: 12

Time: 15 minutes

2 cups fresh lime juice
5 oz. firm white fish such as fluke, seabass, flounder, or sole
1 cup fish stock
½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. finely grated fresh peeled ginger
2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro stems
1 tsp. ají limo paste
2½ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
To a high-powered blender, add the lime juice, fish, fish stock, onion, garlic, celery, ginger, cilantro stems, ají limo paste, and ⅔ cup cold water. Blend until the mixture is completely liquefied, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and ⅓ cup ice cubes, then blend until thoroughly combined, 30–60 seconds more.
Strain through the prepared sieve, reserving the liquid and discarding any solids. Cover and refrigerate the leche de tigre until ready to use, up to 1 day, or freeze for up to one month.

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Sopa de Maní (Bolivian Beef and Peanut Soup)

Benjamin Kemper — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 13:00:54 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling Pearl Jones; Prop Styling by Dayna Seman

Welcome to One Pot Bangers, Benjamin Kemper’s weeknight cooking column, where you’ll find our freshest, boldest ideas that require just one pot, skillet, or sheet pan. Busy week? We’ve got you covered with these low-effort, high-reward recipes from around the globe.

If you’ve never heard of Bolivian sopa de maní, or “peanut soup,” you might think it’s in the same gene pool as Taiwanese wedang kacang or West African groundnut stew. But unlike these, the dish’s protagonist is not the peanut but rather fall-apart beef and a vegetable drawer’s-worth of produce. Even so, the peanuts are essential: They thicken the soup while lending it a bass note of umami that will have you going back for seconds.

Though there are as many sopa de maní recipes as there are cooks in Bolivia (not to mention parts of Peru and Argentina), where the dish is a mainstay, the most heavenly version I’ve tasted comes from my friend María Colquehuanca, a La Paz native who’s famous for the dish among her Bolivian family and friends. I love how she browns the dry pasta in oil before tossing it into the peanut-thickened broth, adding yet another layer of nuttiness.

“I got this sopa de maní recipe from my aunt Marina, who comes from Cochabamba,” she told me. “That’s where the peanut fields are, and where the dish is said to have been invented.” María insists that the peanuts be raw and unsalted, and that they be ground to the texture of wet sand. Fried shoestring potatoes or french fries are an optional garnish; they add crunch to an otherwise spoon-soft dish.

Yield: 6

Time: 3 hours

2 lb. cross-cut beef shanks, patted dry with paper towels
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ lb. rigatoni, or any other large pasta
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. sweet paprika
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ cup raw blanched unsalted peanuts, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes and drained
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into long batons (like thick french fries)
¾ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
Coarsely chopped parsley, for garnish
French fries or shoestring potatoes, homemade or store bought, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In a small food processor, pulse the peanuts to the texture of smooth peanut butter and set aside. (Alternatively, pound in a mortar and pestle.)
Season the beef generously with salt and black pepper. To a large pot set over high heat, add the oil. When it’s shimmering and hot, add the beef (in batches if necessary) and cook, turning halfway through cooking, until browned, 8–10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Turn the heat to medium and add the rigatoni. Fry, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
To the empty pot, add the carrot, celery, onion, bell pepper, and turnip and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, cayenne, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Add the reserved beef and peanuts and enough water to cover by ½ inch, then bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a strong simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until a fork slips easily in and out of the meat, 2–2½ hours. Season with salt to taste.
Add the reserved rigatoni, the potatoes, and enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium and simmer until the pasta is nearly al dente, about 8 minutes. Add the peas and continue cooking until the potatoes and pasta are soft, 5–10 minutes more.
To serve, ladle the sopa de maní into bowls and top with parsley and a handful of shoestring potatoes if desired.

The post Sopa de Maní (Bolivian Beef and Peanut Soup) appeared first on Saveur.

Pisco Sour

Shannon Mustipher — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 17:42:31 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling by Kat Craddock

The pisco sour was one of the first drinks to be codified during the “Golden Age of Cocktails.” In fact, the recipe emerged as a result of a confluence of factors far from the South American spirit’s birthplace.

California boasts a history of wine and brandy production dating back to the 17th century, as well as a deep connection to South and Central American territories once controlled by the Spanish Crown. Gold Rush era San Francisco was a hotbed for cocktail culture, by virtue of the glut of unattached men looking for ways to distract themselves from their arduous work in the mining industry. While the Conquistadors invested in California wine production, spirit distillation was much less widespread; for local high rollers who wished to imbibe, high-quality options were slim.

Pisco—a grape-based distillate whose origins are a topic of debate between Peru and Chile—was suited perfectly to the late 19th century’s emerging “fancy drinks” trend. At turns aromatic and dry, the spirit pairs nicely with various fruits and acids, and was a natural choice for the era’s elevated serves. San Francisco’s Bank Exchange and Billiard Saloon popularized pisco in the 1880s by mixing it with pineapple, lime, and syrup for the enormously popular pisco punch, inspiring imitators throughout the city. Then in the 1920s, the South American liquor garnered its international fame when Victor Vaughn Morris, an American bar owner who’d immigrated to Lima, began serving a pisco-based riff on the whisky sour. Made luxuriously silky via the addition of egg white (like the Ramos gin fizz popularized in New Orleans shortly before), and highly aromatic courtesy of Angostura bitters, a drink this good is virtually impossible to improve upon, which explains why the recipe hasn’t changed in over a century.

Yield: 1

Time: 5 minutes

2 oz. pisco
1 fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. simple syrup
1 large egg white
Angostura bitters, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker, add the pisco, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white. Dry shake for 20 seconds to emulsify, then add the ice and shake well to chill. Strain into a chilled coupe or nick and nora and garnish with 2–3 drops of bitters in a decorative pattern. Serve immediately.

*Note: It is important to point out that Chilean pisco is generally more floral, while Peruvian versions can display more earthy and vegetal notes which I find more suitable for cocktailing. There are four broad styles of Peruvian Pisco: Puro, Aromatico, Acholado, and Mosto Verde. I prefer Acholado for its drier profile, while others may prefer the sweetness of Mosto Verde. The brands Barsol, Porton, and Macchu Pisco will all work nicely in this recipe.

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Colombian Breakfasts Are Underrated—And These Huevos Pericos Are Proof

Benjamin Kemper — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 18:38:52 +0000

Photography by David Malosh; Food Styling by Pearl Jones; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

When I’m nursing a diabolical hangover, La Caleñita—a Colombian bakery a few blocks from my apartment in Madrid—knows just how to sort me out: café con leche, warm guava turnovers, and a heaping plate of huevos pericos. These pillowy scrambled eggs, containing only scallions and fresh tomatoes, amount to what I consider alchemy. How can so few ingredients—ones you likely have in your fridge right now—combine to create so much flavor? It’s no wonder huevos pericos are a Sunday standby in Colombia and Venezuela, even if the dish is little-known abroad. All the more reason, then, to spread the word and give this 10-minute recipe a spin.

Yield: Serves 4

Time: 18 minutes

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped (¼ cup)
3 small plum tomatoes (4 oz.), peeled and finely chopped (1½ cup); see footnote
5 large eggs, beaten
¾ tsp. kosher salt
Warm arepas and hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Instructions

To a medium nonstick skillet set over medium heat, add the oil and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has broken down and released most of its liquid, about 5 minutes more. Add the eggs and salt, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook, using a silicone spatula to stir occasionally, until soft curds form and the pan is nearly dry, 3–4 minutes. Serve immediately with arepas and hot sauce if desired.

Note: Plum tomatoes are firm enough that you can usually peel them using a sharp paring knife, but the skins will come off even more easily if you boil the tomatoes for 30–45 seconds.

The post Colombian Breakfasts Are Underrated—And These Huevos Pericos Are Proof appeared first on Saveur.

Roasted Heart of Palm with Romesco Sauce

Megan Zhang — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:58:29 +0000

Photography by David Malosh; Food Styling by Pearl Jones; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

“Heart of palm is one of the most beautiful ingredients,” says chef Dominique Oudin. I’d never tried the delicate white vegetable—harvested from the inner core of certain palm tree varieties—in its fresh form until my most recent visit to Colombia, where the ingredient appears in many dishes. Oudin’s preparation, which he serves on the tasting menu of Sofitel Legend Santa Clara’s Restaurante 1621 (an establishment in Cartagena that marries French techniques with local Colombian ingredients), stuck with me in particular. The thinly sliced heart of palm was coated in a bit of cashew-and-almond cream, served with a dollop of peppery romesco sauce on the side. The tender vegetable’s fresh, grassy flavor made it a perfect canvas for the nutty cream and the zippy, smoky romesco.

When Oudin cooks with the tropical plant, “I don’t want to change the flavor too much,” he explains. He prefers to allow the ingredient’s clean, delicate taste to shine through. “It’s something very special because we can’t find it everywhere in the world,” Oudin adds. Much of the world’s heart of palm is cultivated in Central and South America and Southeast Asia, where the ingredient is part of many cultures’ culinary traditions.

Before going to Colombia, I’d only ever tasted the canned or jarred versions of heart of palm. The fresh variety has a more toothsome texture than the processed stuff, and a more pronounced flavor. Once I returned home, I knew I wanted to try cooking it myself—starting with a riff on Oudin’s dish. Since unsustainable harvesting practices can be detrimental to palm trees, when buying fresh or frozen hearts, it’s important to shop from a producer that sticks to regenerative techniques (Puna Gardens is a good online source that sells the hearts cleaned and ready to use).

When my order arrived in the mail, I sliced the fresh vegetable into sticks, followed Oudin’s en papillote roasting technique, and replaced his cashew-almond cream with a simple sprinkle of toasted nuts. And of course, I had to whip up this classic romesco sauce recipe from SAVEUR’s archives.

Featured in “This Underrated Tropical Ingredient Is About to Be Your New Favorite Meat Replacement,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 2

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the romesco sauce:

2 large red bell peppers (1 lb.)
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 cup blanched almonds
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
¼ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the heart of palm:

1 lb. fresh heart of palm, cut into ½-in.-by-4-in. batons
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. almonds, toasted and coarsely crushed

Instructions

Make the romesco sauce: Preheat the broiler, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the bell peppers and garlic on the lined baking sheet and broil, turning as needed, until the vegetables are blistered all over, 4–8 minutes for the garlic, and 10–15 minutes for the peppers. Transfer the broiled ingredients to a heatproof bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to steam until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
Gently rub the peppers to remove their skins, then remove and discard the stems and seeds; peel the garlic cloves. To a blender, add the roasted vegetables, almonds, olive oil, tomato paste, vinegar, chile flakes, paprika, and ½ cup water. Purée until smooth, then scrape the sauce into a bowl, season with salt and black pepper to taste, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. (If making the sauce ahead of time, romesco keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
Roast the heart of palm: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the hearts with the olive oil and thyme. Season lightly with salt and black pepper; toss to combine. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the hearts neatly in the center of the sheet. Fold the corners of the foil inward to wrap and seal the hearts in a tight pouch. Transfer to the oven and roast until the hearts are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Cool the heart of palm slightly before unwrapping, then transfer them to a platter, sprinkle with crushed almonds, and serve warm with the reserved romesco sauce on the side.

The post Roasted Heart of Palm with Romesco Sauce appeared first on Saveur.

Chipá Anguyá (Yuca and Cheese Fritters)

Marcela Acosta — Fri, 20 May 2022 20:47:06 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart

In the Guaraní language, ‘“anguyá tutú” is the name of a gopher that, to the dismay of many farmers and home gardeners, has an insatiable taste for sweet potatoes and yuca (aka cassava, mandioca, and tapioca). The story goes that one day Marcelina Godoy pulled up her root vegetables only to find them all partially eaten. Unable to sell them, she turned them into bite-size cheesy breads and named the recipe after her garden nemesis. Her granddaughter, cook Marcela Acosta, introduced the family recipe at food fairs across her home province of Corrientes in northeast Argentina, where the dish now has a cult following. Acosta recommends eating these hot, and although they are perfect on their own, try pairing them with a sweet and fruity hot sauce. Time-saving hack: The recipe works wonderfully with leftover cooked sweet potatoes.

Featured in: “This Glorious Root Is Northeast Argentina’s Pantry Staple.”

Yield: makes 33

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 small yuca (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
2 medium yellow or white sweet potatoes (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
½ lb. Tybo cheese (or Monterey Jack), half coarsely shredded, half cut into ½-in. cubes
3½ tbsp. unsalted butter or lard, softened
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs
3¾ cups yuca starch, divided, plus more as needed
Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil, then add the yuca. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until both vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the heat and use a colander to drain (discard the liquid), then spread onto a few layers of paper towels to dry, about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables back to the pot and mash until no lumps remain. Cover loosely and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir the cheese, butter, salt, and eggs into the yuca-potato mixture. Add about half of the yuca starch and stir until no white streaks remain. Lightly dust your work surface with yuca flour, then turn the dough out onto it. Start kneading the dough, adding additional starch by the ½ cup as needed until it has a smooth, relatively dry consistency.
Roll 1½ ounces of the dough into a ping pong-size ball, then place on a work surface and use your palms to roll it into a 5-inch snake. Pinch the ends together to make a teardrop shape and set aside; repeat with the remaining dough.
Into a large pot set over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches and attach a deep-fry thermometer. When the temperature reads 350°F, add enough anguyá to the oil without overcrowding and fry, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and repeat with the remaining anguyá. Serve hot.

The post Chipá Anguyá (Yuca and Cheese Fritters) appeared first on Saveur.

Chipá Guazú (Cheese and Corn Casserole)

Gisela Medina — Fri, 20 May 2022 20:47:03 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAOLA + MURRAY; FOOD STYLING BY JASON SCHREIBER; PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

Corn flour casseroles are enjoyed year round across northeast Argentina and Paraguay, but every spring and summer, when corn is sweet and abundant, this cheesy fresh-corn version becomes a staple. Cook Gisela Wadiana Medina, co-founder of Cocineros del Iberá, a network of more than 100 cooks and food producers across the Argentine province of Corrientes, shares her version: a simple, six-ingredient chipá guazú that lets the sweetness of just-harvested corn shine through.

Featured in: “This Glorious Root Is Northeast Argentina’s Pantry Staple.”

Yield: makes 33

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 small yuca (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
2 medium yellow or white sweet potatoes (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
½ lb. Tybo cheese (or Monterey Jack), half coarsely shredded, half cut into ½-in. cubes
3½ tbsp. unsalted butter or lard, softened
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs
3¾ cups yuca starch, divided, plus more as needed
Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil, then add the yuca. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until both vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the heat and use a colander to drain (discard the liquid), then spread onto a few layers of paper towels to dry, about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables back to the pot and mash until no lumps remain. Cover loosely and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir the cheese, butter, salt, and eggs into the yuca-potato mixture. Add about half of the yuca starch and stir until no white streaks remain. Lightly dust your work surface with yuca flour, then turn the dough out onto it. Start kneading the dough, adding additional starch by the ½ cup as needed until it has a smooth, relatively dry consistency.
Roll 1½ ounces of the dough into a ping pong-size ball, then place on a work surface and use your palms to roll it into a 5-inch snake. Pinch the ends together to make a teardrop shape and set aside; repeat with the remaining dough.
Into a large pot set over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches and attach a deep-fry thermometer. When the temperature reads 350°F, add enough anguyá to the oil without overcrowding and fry, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and repeat with the remaining anguyá. Serve hot.

The post Chipá Guazú (Cheese and Corn Casserole) appeared first on Saveur.

Chipá (Yuca and Cheese Bread)

Romina Esquivel — Fri, 20 May 2022 20:47:00 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart

The word “chipá” (often spelled “chipa”) refers to a family of breads and casseroles made from a combination of mandioca (also known as yuca or tapioca) starch, corn, and cheese. Enjoyed in northeast Argentina and Paraguay, it’s the keystone of a centuries-old food canon that fuses long-standing Guaraní corn dishes with dairy, introduced by Spanish Jesuits. The recipe that follows is the reigning rendition, a simple cheese and yuca bun enjoyed from dawn to dusk, most often alongside a cup of yerba mate.

Featured in: “This Glorious Root Is Northeast Argentina’s Pantry Staple.”

Yield: makes 33

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 small yuca (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
2 medium yellow or white sweet potatoes (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
½ lb. Tybo cheese (or Monterey Jack), half coarsely shredded, half cut into ½-in. cubes
3½ tbsp. unsalted butter or lard, softened
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs
3¾ cups yuca starch, divided, plus more as needed
Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil, then add the yuca. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until both vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the heat and use a colander to drain (discard the liquid), then spread onto a few layers of paper towels to dry, about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables back to the pot and mash until no lumps remain. Cover loosely and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir the cheese, butter, salt, and eggs into the yuca-potato mixture. Add about half of the yuca starch and stir until no white streaks remain. Lightly dust your work surface with yuca flour, then turn the dough out onto it. Start kneading the dough, adding additional starch by the ½ cup as needed until it has a smooth, relatively dry consistency.
Roll 1½ ounces of the dough into a ping pong-size ball, then place on a work surface and use your palms to roll it into a 5-inch snake. Pinch the ends together to make a teardrop shape and set aside; repeat with the remaining dough.
Into a large pot set over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches and attach a deep-fry thermometer. When the temperature reads 350°F, add enough anguyá to the oil without overcrowding and fry, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and repeat with the remaining anguyá. Serve hot.

Note: Formed chipá dough can be frozen for up to two months. Bake straight from the freezer, adding about 3 minutes to the cooking time.

The post Chipá (Yuca and Cheese Bread) appeared first on Saveur.

El Quijote Sangria

Brian Evans — Wed, 18 May 2022 16:33:02 +0000

Photography by Eric Medsker

On the ground floor of Manhattan’s iconic Hotel Chelsea, neighborhood barflies—including many of New York City’s great creative minds—have long holed up in the kitchy El Quijote bar. Alongside massive helpings of lobster, paella, and chorizo, pitchers of vibrant red sangria were by far the drink pairing of choice from the time the restaurant opened in 1930 until it shuttered in 2018.

This spring, the beloved El Quijote reopened, now under new management, and bar manager Brian Evans felt it was important to honor the establishment’s storied history with a similar sangria recipe, albeit refreshed and updated for the contemporary palate. His recipe starts with a base of light and fruity garnacha wine, which he spikes with Spanish brandy and Bonanto, a bitter, white-wine-based aperitif flavored with 30 Mediterranean botanicals, sweet cherry, and orange peel. A few drops of store-bought balsamic reduction and a splash of cinnamon syrup enhances the sweetness, body, and complexity of the iced cocktail. Evans batches the drink out by the gallon ahead of time, and just before serving, he transfers the mix into a pitcher of ice and fresh, sliced citrus, then tops everything off with lemon juice and a froth of effervescent Cava. The result is at once thoroughly retro and deliciously current.

Featured in “Pitcher-Perfect Sangria Recipes to Sip Through All Season.”

Yield: makes 33

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 small yuca (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
2 medium yellow or white sweet potatoes (1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
½ lb. Tybo cheese (or Monterey Jack), half coarsely shredded, half cut into ½-in. cubes
3½ tbsp. unsalted butter or lard, softened
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs
3¾ cups yuca starch, divided, plus more as needed
Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil, then add the yuca. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook until both vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the heat and use a colander to drain (discard the liquid), then spread onto a few layers of paper towels to dry, about 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetables back to the pot and mash until no lumps remain. Cover loosely and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir the cheese, butter, salt, and eggs into the yuca-potato mixture. Add about half of the yuca starch and stir until no white streaks remain. Lightly dust your work surface with yuca flour, then turn the dough out onto it. Start kneading the dough, adding additional starch by the ½ cup as needed until it has a smooth, relatively dry consistency.
Roll 1½ ounces of the dough into a ping pong-size ball, then place on a work surface and use your palms to roll it into a 5-inch snake. Pinch the ends together to make a teardrop shape and set aside; repeat with the remaining dough.
Into a large pot set over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches and attach a deep-fry thermometer. When the temperature reads 350°F, add enough anguyá to the oil without overcrowding and fry, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and repeat with the remaining anguyá. Serve hot.

The post El Quijote Sangria appeared first on Saveur.