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Shredded Beef Arepas with Black Beans and Cilantro Sauce This doesn’t look good, but I can promise you it’s one of the best things I’ve made.  Takes about an hour and a half all-up, if you soak the beans overnight they don’t take long to cook (or just replace with a can of beans), and the beef is dead simple. You’ll need this recipe for black beans, as well as a half dozen arepas.  Serves 4. Ingredients (beef): 1lb flank steak, or some other fatty cut, sliced in 1 inch strips 1 orange, quartered 1 small onion, diced finely 3 cloves of garlic 1-2 chilis 1 tsp cinnamon 500ml beef stock Olive oil and salt Sear the steak in an oven proof dish with a bit of olive oil.  Mash the chili and garlic with a healthy amount of salt in a mortar and pestle. Once the steak is brown and caramelized, add the onion, cinnamon, orange, and garlic/chili combo.  Cook, stirring up any brown bits stuck to the pan, for 5 minutes.  Add the stock and bring to a simmer before covering tightly and baking at 225C / 400F for an hour. Remove lid, shred beef with a fork, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 more minutes to get some crispy bits. Ingredients (cilantro sauce): 1/2 bunch of cilantro (coriander) 1 small clove of garlic 1 chili Juice of 1 lime 1/8 cup of mayo Purée and serve on top with fresh tomato and feta cheese.

Shredded Beef Arepas with Black Beans and Cilantro Sauce

This doesn’t look good, but I can promise you it’s one of the best things I’ve made.  Takes about an hour and a half all-up, if you soak the beans overnight they don’t take long to cook (or just replace with a can of beans), and the beef is dead simple.

You’ll need this recipe for black beans, as well as a half dozen arepas.  Serves 4.

Ingredients (beef):

  • 1lb flank steak, or some other fatty cut, sliced in 1 inch strips
  • 1 orange, quartered
  • 1 small onion, diced finely
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1-2 chilis
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 500ml beef stock
  • Olive oil and salt

Sear the steak in an oven proof dish with a bit of olive oil.  Mash the chili and garlic with a healthy amount of salt in a mortar and pestle. Once the steak is brown and caramelized, add the onion, cinnamon, orange, and garlic/chili combo.  Cook, stirring up any brown bits stuck to the pan, for 5 minutes.  Add the stock and bring to a simmer before covering tightly and baking at 225C / 400F for an hour.

Remove lid, shred beef with a fork, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 10 more minutes to get some crispy bits.

Ingredients (cilantro sauce):

  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro (coriander)
  • 1 small clove of garlic
  • 1 chili
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/8 cup of mayo

Purée and serve on top with fresh tomato and feta cheese.

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Arepa topped with Mango Salsa, Avocado, and Seared Scallops I promise, no more arepa posts for a little while!  I actually was trying to make tortillas and couldn’t quite work it out, so I flattened the arepa (I think that makes it Columbian?) and topped it with a fresh salsa, avocado and seared scallops.  The scallops I seasoned with salt and pepper and then pan seared in a bit of olive oil for about 3 minutes on each side. Ingredients (mango salsa): 1 mango, diced 2 tomatoes, diced 2 green onions, diced 1 chili, some of all of seeds removed, and finely diced Juice of 1 lime 3/4 cup chopped coriander Salt to taste Combine and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Serve without juices on the arepa so it doesn’t get too soggy.

Arepa topped with Mango Salsa, Avocado, and Seared Scallops

I promise, no more arepa posts for a little while!  I actually was trying to make tortillas and couldn’t quite work it out, so I flattened the arepa (I think that makes it Columbian?) and topped it with a fresh salsa, avocado and seared scallops.  The scallops I seasoned with salt and pepper and then pan seared in a bit of olive oil for about 3 minutes on each side.

Ingredients (mango salsa):

  • 1 mango, diced
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • 1 chili, some of all of seeds removed, and finely diced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3/4 cup chopped coriander
  • Salt to taste

Combine and let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Serve without juices on the arepa so it doesn’t get too soggy.

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San Choi Bao This.  This should have been amazing.  I had san choi bao at the Urban Food Market when I went, far too long ago, and the lovely Tim sent me the recipe.  I probably should have just followed it.  Instead, I found a can of bean sprout and a can of bamboo shoots that I bought six months ago, and decided to add to the dish (why?!).  Not that it was bad, but it wasn’t what I was hoping for.  So instead of posting a recipe (that’s not mine), I’m just going to say to check out Tim’s recipe collection and try some of it for yourself.  And check out the Urban Food Market if you’re in Sydney!

San Choi Bao

This.  This should have been amazing.  I had san choi bao at the Urban Food Market when I went, far too long ago, and the lovely Tim sent me the recipe.  I probably should have just followed it.  Instead, I found a can of bean sprout and a can of bamboo shoots that I bought six months ago, and decided to add to the dish (why?!).  Not that it was bad, but it wasn’t what I was hoping for.  So instead of posting a recipe (that’s not mine), I’m just going to say to check out Tim’s recipe collection and try some of it for yourself.  And check out the Urban Food Market if you’re in Sydney!

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Roasted Tomato and Mango Salsa This weekend I’ll show you how to make some proper Mexican food.  I haven’t found anything in Sydney that has really lived up to whatever standards I have for Mexican, so why not just make it at home? Double the number of tomatoes and leave out the mango if you want “regular” salsa (adapted from One Particular Kitchen). Ingredients: 4 tomatoes, cut in half 1 mango, cut in half-ish (stay close to the pit and create two halves, skin on, and just eat the rest) 3 bullseye chilies (or less if you don’t like that much spice) 1 big green chili (I don’t know what it was… sorry!  I don’t think it was terribly spicy) 1 onion, skin removed and cut in half 3 garlic cloves, skin on and woody end cut off 1/2 bunch of cilantro/coriander Juice of half a lime Salt Lay out the tomato and mango, skin side down, on a tray, with the peppers, onion and garlic.  I slow roasted mine since I had things in the oven on low, but I would say 20-30 minutes at 200C / 375F, until everything’s getting golden on top. Cool off (you may need to refrigerate), and then remove the skin from the mango and garlic.  Blend with the rest of the ingredients, and eat.

Roasted Tomato and Mango Salsa

This weekend I’ll show you how to make some proper Mexican food.  I haven’t found anything in Sydney that has really lived up to whatever standards I have for Mexican, so why not just make it at home?

Double the number of tomatoes and leave out the mango if you want “regular” salsa (adapted from One Particular Kitchen).

Ingredients:

  • 4 tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 mango, cut in half-ish (stay close to the pit and create two halves, skin on, and just eat the rest)
  • 3 bullseye chilies (or less if you don’t like that much spice)
  • 1 big green chili (I don’t know what it was… sorry!  I don’t think it was terribly spicy)
  • 1 onion, skin removed and cut in half
  • 3 garlic cloves, skin on and woody end cut off
  • 1/2 bunch of cilantro/coriander
  • Juice of half a lime
  • Salt

Lay out the tomato and mango, skin side down, on a tray, with the peppers, onion and garlic.  I slow roasted mine since I had things in the oven on low, but I would say 20-30 minutes at 200C / 375F, until everything’s getting golden on top.

Cool off (you may need to refrigerate), and then remove the skin from the mango and garlic.  Blend with the rest of the ingredients, and eat.

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