SOUTH AMERICAN Cuisine

Hello ladies and gents welcome to another great south american cuisine post which is all about

ARGENTINA

Argentine cuisine is described as a cultural blending of Mediterranean influences (such as those created by Italian and Spanish populations) with and very small inflows (mainly in border areas), Indigenous, within the wide scope of agricultural products that are abundant in the country. Argentine annual consumption of beef has averaged 100 kg (220 lbs) per capita, approaching 180 kg (396 lbs) per capita during the 19th century; consumption averaged 67.7 kg (149 lbs) in 2007. Beyond asado (the Argentine barbecue), no other dish more genuinely matches the national identity. Nevertheless, the country's vast area, and its cultural diversity, have led to a local cuisine of various dishes. The great immigratory waves consequently imprinted a large influence in the Argentine cuisine, after all Argentina was the second country in the world with the most immigrants with 6.6 million, only second to the United States with 27 million, and ahead of other immigratory receptor countries such as Canada, Brazil, Australia, etc.

ASADO

INSTRUCCIONS
1 (4 pound) beef chuck roast, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, crushed
1 (5 ounce) jar pitted Manzanilla olives
1 onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup ketchup
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
4 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon corn flour (optional)
1 teaspoon water (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the diced onion and garlic in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion and garlic to a 6-quart pot. Individually brown the beef chunks on all sides in the skillet and place in the pot.
3.  Add the tomatoes, crushed peppercorns, olives with their juice, quartered onion, bay leaves, and bouillon cubes to the pot; bring to a boil. Stir the ketchup into the mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.
4. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside. Add the red bell pepper to the mixture and continue simmering another 30 minutes.
5. While the mixture continues to simmer, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Cook the potatoes in the oil until golden brown; immediately add to the simmering mixture.
6. Slice the meat against the grain and add to the pot; stir. Cook together another 5 minutes before serving. If the sauce is too thin, mix the corn flour and water together and stir into the sauce to thicken.