Central American Peasaant Food

Pupusa

Pupusa     Serving: 8 pupusas

2 cups of masa harina (I believe that is just corn flour for the dough, sometimes called corn masa flour)
1 cup of Water
1 cup of Filling (you can use cheese, shredded pork, bacon, beans or even minced jalapeno peppers)

1.In a large bowl, mix together the masa and water and knead well.
2.Knead in more water, one tablespoonful at a time, if needed to make a moist, yet firm dough. It should not crack at the edges when you press down on it.
3.Set aside to rest 5-10 minutes.
4.Roll dough into a log and cut into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
5.Press a hole in each ball with your thumb. Put about 1 tablespoon of desired filling into each ball and fold the dough over to
completely enclose it.
6.Press the ball out with your palms to form a disc. Be careful that the filling doesn't spill out.
7.Place the dough between plastic wrap. Roll it out with a rolling pin to about 6" wide and 1/8-1/4" thick.
8.Heat a skillet over high heat.
9.Cook each pupusa for about 1-2 minutes on each side till lightly browned and blistered.

Pupusa 5 cups masa harina flour (Again look for corn masa flour)
Water, about 4 cups
2 to 3 cans (8oz) refried beans
3 cups grated mozzarella or other soft white cheese
Shredded pork (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)
1 medium green chile cored of seeds and diced fine (optional)
Vegetable or olive oil

In large mixing bowl, stir water into masa until dough forms a ball that can be handled. Use more or less water if necessary.

Into another bowl, empty the refried beans.

In another bowl, place the grated cheese.

Divide dough into 25 or so pieces.

Roll each into a ball and flatten between the palms of your hands to about 1/2 inch thick.

Put a spoonful of beans and a small handful of cheese into the center of each pupusa, and enclose dough firmly around it.

Flatten again, keeping the filling inside.

If you are using the chile pepper, pork and cumin, they can be mixed into the refried beans beforehand.

Heat a heavy, wide-bottomed or flat skillet until hot, brush with oil.

Cook pupusas on each side for 4 to 5 minutes until golden-brown.

Note: You should be able to find corn masa flour for pupusas at the grocery store.

Scandinavian Peasant Dishes

Scandinavian-Style Rice Porridge
Swedish Peasant Bread
Stewed Spinach, Fried Potatoes, Eggs and Frankfurters
Swedish Pancakes
Øllebrød (Danish Beer and Bread Soup)
runkålssuppe (Danish Cabbage Soup (Brown)

Scandinavian-Style Rice Porridge Yield 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 Min Cook Time: 1 Hr 45 Min

   Porridge has a long history in Norway. In fact, it is the country's oldest warm dish, a mainstay of peasant diets since Viking times until the advent of the potato in the 1850s. Porridge was also considered a festive food, served most often at special occasions, or for Christmas. It could be 'risengrynsgrot,' a creamy rice porridge, or 'rommegrot,' a mixture of finely ground flour cooked in sour cream and topped with a generous amount of golden butter. Norwegian-American immigrants brought their own versions of the dish to America.

8 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed to remove seeds, discarding pods

1/2 gallon whole milk

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 TB unsalted butter, or amount desired

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Using a rolling pin, crush the cardamom seeds until very fine. Place the cardamom, milk, rice, and butter into a deep, heavy pan. While slowly stirring the milk mixture, cook over medium heat for 90 minutes. Lower the heat if necessary to prevent the milk from boiling or overheating. Stir in the sugar, and continue cooking until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes more.Pour the rice mixture into a serving bowl. Place 3 tablespoons butter on top, and allow to melt. Dust with cinnamon. Serve warm or cold.

Swedish Peasant Bread   Makes 2 loaves

For scalding mixture:
1 cup boiling water
2 tsp salt
3 ounces whole wheat flour
3 ounces rye flour

For dough:
3/4 cup warm water (105º to 115º F)
2 tsp white vinegar
1/3 cup (4 ounces) light corn syrup
4 1/4 tsp active-dry yeast
2 TB honey
4 TB butter, room temperature
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground fennel
4 ounces whole wheat flour (about 1 cup), plus extra for dusting loaves
1 pound unbleached bread flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 egg, lightly beaten for an egg wash

1.  To make the scalding mixture, whisk together the salt and the two flours in a heat-safe bowl.  Pour the boiling water over and mix until smooth.  Cover and let stand for 1 hour.

2.  To make the dough, combine the warm water, vinegar, and corn syrup in the bowl of a stand mixer, until the corn syrup has dissolved.  Add the yeast, stir to combine, and let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the scalding mixture, honey, butter, cumin, and fennel.

3.  Reserving a few ounces of the bread flour, add the remainder and the whole wheat flour, and mix with the dough hook for about 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping the bowl if necessary.  Adjust the consistency with the reserved bread flour as needed; the dough should be just barely sticky, but should clear the sides of the bowl.  Knead until smooth, about 2 to 4 minutes more.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

4.  Divide the dough in half.  Gently knead and roll each half into a round ball.  Using the side of your hand (like a karate chop), press down into the center of one ball.  With a sawing back-and-forth motion, roll the loaf under your hand until you have almost divided the two halves.  You should end up with two smaller rounds, connected with a little strand of dough.  Repeat with the other round.

5.  Brush the loaves with egg wash and dust liberally with whole wheat flour.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Using a sharp serrated knife, decoratively slash each loaf.  Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

6.  Bake at 375º F for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove to a rack and let cool.

Notes:
1.  I can’t vouch for it, but I imagine the scalding mixture (after it’s cooled to room temperature) could be left to sit overnight, refrigerated.  All that could happen is the flavors become more complex, right?  Maybe?

2.  If possible, grind your own fennel and cumin seeds, rather than using the pre-ground stuff.  The oils and flavor compounds are much fresher that way; I find pre-ground spices a bit dull and flat.  (Whole seeds are usually cheaper, too, if you can buy them in bulk.  Whole Foods, anyone?)

3.  When shaping the loaves in step 4, don’t be afraid to really almost divide the dough in half.  The strand of dough connecting the two round halves can be as thick as just a couple of fingers; remember, it will puff up as it rises.

Stewed Spinach, Fried Potatoes, Eggs and Frankfurters  Serves 2

4 large potatoes
butter
olive oil
salt
white pepper
sugar
flour
milk
nutmeg
frozen chopped spinach
eggs
frankfurters

Peel the potatoes and cut into small dices. Fry in plenty of butter and oilve oil on medium heat until they’re done. Season with salt, white pepper and 2 pinches of sugar (very important and the key to perfect fried potatoes). Make a roux of butter and flour, add milk (warm milk makes it quicker), stir the whole time and let it thicken. Season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Add as much frozen chopped spinach as you think is good (I used about 400 g for 750 ml milk). Let the spinach heat up. Fry eggs and frankfurters and serve with the potatoes and spinach-bechamel.

Swedish Pancakes Prep Time: 30 mins Total Time: 40 mins

3 large eggs

1 cup milk

2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1 tsp Baking Powder

5 TB flour

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

Allow eggs and milk to rise to room temperature.

Beat eggs until frothy; slowly add milk.

Blend in each ingredient separately.

Add the flour 1 tablespoons at a time; add the butter last. (Batter will be thin and may contain lumps- not to worry!) Heat griddle or skillet on medium to med –low heat.

Add a small amount of butter and swirl around.

Pour batter onto the hot griddle by the tablespoonful; turn pancakes when they become bubbly.

Cook until golden and remove to plate.

Note: You may keep stacks warm in the oven on low while you cook a bunch of these up.

Serve with butter, Swedish lingonberry or Swedish strawberry preserve and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Øllebrød (Danish Beer and Bread Soup)   Serves 6

½ pound whole wheat bread

½ pound pumpernickel bread

4½ cups water

4½ cups dark beer or ale

6 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick cinnamon -- 1" long

¼ lemon, peel only

Soak breads in water overnight (covered). When ready to make soup, cook covered over low heat, stirring frequently, until a thick paste. Add remaining ingredients and boil a few minutes.

Serving Ideas : Spoonful of cream or whipped cream in each bowl.

Brunkålssuppe (Danish Cabbage Soup (Brown) - Serves 6

1 cabbage

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons butter

2 quarts stock

Salt

Peppercorns

Cut the cabbage finely and fry brown in the butter and sugar, which must be done very slowly, so as not to burn it. For this process nearly an hour is needed. Once the cabbage has become a nice brown color, the warm stock is poured over, the peppercorns are added and, if the color is not quite brown enough, a few drops of browning. Cover the saucepan with a lid. The soup requires a further 2 hours of boiling before it is ready.

Ashkenazi Peasant Food

Sweet and Sour Fish

Copped Goose Liver

Pickled Meat

Kugel

Braided Challah Bread

Cholent

Gefilte Fish

Holishkes

Knishes

Matzo Balls

Tzimmes
Potato Latkes

Matzo Balls - Yield: 17 - 20 matzo balls.
Matzo is the classic accompaniment to a Passover meal. Many cooks swear that the secret to good matzo balls is to keep the pot covered until they are almost done.

•                1 cup matzo meal

•                1/2 cup seltzer

•                4 eggs, at room temperature

•                2 tablespoons shortening, at room temperature see note

•                Salt and black pepper to taste

METHOD - In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a fork. Stir in seltzer, shortening, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add matzo meal and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

When ready to use, wet hands and form into 1 inch balls.

Drop into chicken soup. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until done.

Sweet Carrot Tzimmes 

1 large onion

1.5 kilo boneless silverside of beef

2 B vegetable oil

6 large carrots

1 lemon

5 medium sweet potatoes

16 dried prunes

Boiling water

Zest and juice of one orange

3 TB runny honey

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1½ tablespoons brown sugar

1½ TB plain flour

2 cm fresh ginger

Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350°

Stage One

Slice the onion finely.

Brown the onion gently and seal the meat on all sides in a heavy frying pan on top of the stove.

Transfer the onions and meat into an oven dish with lid.

Stage Two

Wash the carrots. Either scrape off any blemishes or peel if preferred and slice into thick coins.

The lemon must be thinly sliced.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks.

The prunes must be quartered.

Peel the ginger and chop into very small pieces.

Place the sliced carrots, lemon, sweet potatoes, ginger and prunes around the beef in the oven dish. Add salt and pepper if required.

Stage Three

Mix 475 ml of boiling water with the orange juice and honey.

Add the brown sugar to the flour.

Add the sugar/flour mixture to the orange juice and honey.

Add enough plain boiling water to this mixture. Stir well to make a syrupy

mixture. Pour over the carrots and add sufficient boiling water to cover all ingredients.

Cover and cook for four hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 30

minutes. The meat should be well browned and the carrots cooked thoroughly.

Variations: Substitute either chicken pieces or a whole chicken instead of the beef. Lamb is another favorite. In some homes the Tzimmes is cooked without any meat or fried onions and served as an accompaniment to fish. Try mopping up the gravy with home baked bagels.

What is "Peasant Food?"

     Peasants are known as a class of people who toil on the land. They are usually made up of small farmers and tenants, sharecroppers, farmhands and other laborers on the land where they form the main labor force in agriculture and horticulture. Peasants had to learn to utilize what they could grow or gather from the land or the sea, and then use inventive methods to cook it. Peasants didn't have the luxury to import or to buy fancy ingredients. Often, peasant fare would be considered extremely healthy by today's standards. Animal products were scarcely used and in most cases and beans and grains were used as protein sources.

South African Peasant Dishes

Mieliepap

Biltong

Melktert
Sosaties
Potjiekos
Koeksisters
Tamatie Bredie
Pampoenmoes
Boeremeisies
Paul Kruger Cake
Mosbolletjies

Mieliepap

This mieliepap recipe tells you how make an old South African favorite that goes well with meat or as a breakfast porridge or cereal.

5 - 6 cups water (½ water, ½ milk for cereal)
1 cup corn flour
½ tsp. salt
1 TB butter (optional, but it makes it taste better)

Boil the water in a pot and add the salt and butter. Slowly stir in the flour with a wok or fork. Turn the heat to medium and wait for your pap to start bubbling. Cover the pot with a lid and let the pap simmer for 30 - 45 minutes. (The longer and slower it steams, the better the taste.)

This can be eaten with milk and sugar for breakfast, or with brown gravy and braaivleis (BBQ'd meat).

Joghurt and Chicken Potjie  Serves 6 – 8 People 

Marinade : 

500 ml Natural Yoghurt 

500 ml Dry White Wine 

10 ml dried Thyme 

10 ml Grated Lemon Peel 

5 ml Fresh Ground Black Pepper 

3 Bay Leaves 

5 ml Dried Tarragon 

Ingredients : 

1 Large Onion ( Finely Chopped ) 

2 kg Chicken Pieces 

2 Green peppers 

300 g Carrots ( Peeled and Sliced ) 

6 Large Potatoes ( Peeled and quartered ) 

100 g Dried Apricots 

200 g Green Beans ( Sliced ) 

150 g Fresh Mushroom ( Sliced ) 

Salt to Taste 

1 Packet Creamy Mushroom Soup Powder ( If Required ) 

Mix all the marinade ingredients , pour over the chicken and marinade for 6 – 8 Hours . 

Heat the pot to very hot . Remove the chicken from the marinade and fry a few pieces at a time with the pepper until golden brown .Arrange the Carrots , Potatoes , Apricots , Green Beans , and mushrooms in layers on top of the meat . Sprinkle them with salt and add the marinade . Replace the lid and simmer slowly for two hours . Should the potjie render to much liquid , it can be thickened with the mushroom soup powder . Mix the soup powder with the gavy and allow to simmer for another 15 minutes.

Pampoenmoes
Pumpkin is one of South Africa's favourite vegetables. Most restaurants serve pumpkin and spinach as vegetable side dishes with main meals and all mothers buy it for their families. There are many ways in which you can serve the great varieties of pumpkin available like butternut squash, herbert squash, "boer" pumpkin or red pumpkin, to mention just a few.

Not all types of pumpkin are in season and therefor available all through the year, so you have to use the one that is in season at a certain time. The most common and quickest way to prepare pumpkin is to boil it in a little bit of water, season lightly with salt and add some cinnamon. Otherwise you can mix the pumpkin with flour, salt and egg and bake "pampoenkoekies" in a little bit of oil, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve warm.

Another favorite recipe from times gone by, a truly traditional South African recipe, is "pampoenmoes". You can either bake this in the oven or boil it in a little bit of water in a saucepan. This is a recipe worth trying:

8 slices of white bread
Butter
Apricot jam
2 cups of pumpkin (1 butternut squash should do. Slice very thinly)
Salt
Sugar
Cinnamon

1. Butter the bread on both sides and spread apricot jam on the side facing up. Place one layer in an oven proof glass dish, jam facing up.

2. Cut the pumpkin thinly, season lightly with salt and place on top of the bread.

3. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the pumpkin.

4. Repeat this until all the pumpkin and bread is used up, finishing with a layer of pumpkin. Dot a few extra clots of butter on the top.

5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour in a pre-heated oven of 180°C

Serve the pumpkin hot with vegetables and maybe a lovely chicken dish, maybe a pie? This is a great dish to try and impress your friends with. It is very easy to make, so try it and see what happens!

Indonesian Peasant Food

Nasi Goreng

Gado Gado (Vegan or Veg)
Mee Goreng
Satay Ayam

Nasi Goreng  (Fried Rice)  Servings 4

1 1/2 cups  Long grain white rice

1/2 pound Small shrimp

1/2 pound Boneless smoked pork shoulder (or ham) 

1 medium sized Boneless chicken breast

5 tablespoons Peanut (or other veg.) oil

2 large Eggs

1/2 cup Thickly sliced white onions 

1 tsp Shrimp paste 

1 tsp Soy sauce 

1 tsp Finely minced garlic 

1/2 tsp Ground cumin 

1/2 tsp Ground turmeric

1/2 tsp Ground coriander seeds

5 TB Thinly sliced green chili peppers

1/4 cup Diced unpeeled cucumbers

Cook the rice (according to package directions) the day before proceeding to step 2. When it has cooled, refrigerate it.

Remove the rice from the refrigerator 2 hours before beginning step 3.

Shell and devein the shrimp. Cut the smoked pork into 1 centimeter (or 1/3 inch) cubes and the chicken breast into 1 1/2 centimeter (or 1/2 inch) cubes.

Heat 60 milliliters or 4 tablespoons of the oil in a very large skillet over moderate heat.

Beat the eggs. Add them to the hot oil, tilt the skillet so that the eggs form a thin pancake, and fry until the eggs are set. With a slotted spatula, transfer the egg pancake to paper towels; pat it dry. Slice it into long thin shreds and reserve them for step 10.

Fry the pork in the hot oil for 1 minute, constantly stirring and tossing it. Add the chicken and fry the mixture for 1 minute, constantly stirring and tossing it. Add the shrimp and fry the mixture for 3 minutes, constantly stirring and tossing it. Transfer the mixture to a warm platter.

Add and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Reduce the heat to low to moderate. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Stir frequently.

Add to the onions the shrimp paste, soy sauce, garlic, cumin, turmeric, coriander seeds, and 50 milliliters (3 tablespoons) of the chili peppers. Quickly stir the mixture. Promptly add the rice. Gently break up any rice clumps. Stir in two thirds of the shrimp, pork, and chicken.

Raise the heat to moderate and constantly stir and toss the mixture in the pan for 2 minutes.

On a warm serving platter, mound the rice mixture in the shape of a volcano. Artistically garnish it with the shredded egg, arranging the pieces vertically on the slope of the "volcano." Also decorate the mound with the diced cucumbers and the reserved shrimp, pork, chicken, and chili peppers. Serve immediately.


Gado Gado  (Indonesian vegetable salad with peanut sauce)  4 to 6 servings
Gado gado is a very popular salad in Indonesia and has many regional variations. At its base though, it is a composed salad of cooked and raw vegetables either topped or tossed with a peanut sauce. Gado gado is an excellent addition to a buffet or rijsttafel.

• 1 cup Mung beans

• 2 Carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds 

• 1 Cup Green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths

• 2 Potato, peeled and cubed

• 2 Cups Romaine lettuce, outer leaves kept whole, remainer shredded

• 1 Cucumbers, peeled, seeds removed, cut into half moons 

• 2 - 3 Tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 2 - 3 Hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges 

• 10 - 12 Krupuk (shrimp crackers) (optional)

• 1 Sambul kacang (peanut sauce)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Have another large pot of cold water close by. Add the sprouts and boil them for 10-15 seconds. Remove the sprouts from the water with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the cold water. Drain, squeeze dry and set aside. Repeat this process with the carrots, green beans and potatoes.

2. Lay the outer whole leaves of the Romaine lettuce on a large platter to form a base. Spread the shredded lettuce over the base.

3. Layer the blanched, drained vegetables over the shredded lettuce. Garnish the platter with the cucumbers wedges, tomatoes, egg and krupuk crackers.

4. Pour the sambal kacang over the vegetables and serve.

Variations

• The vegetables can be all mixed together or even served in separate little piles. The sauce can likewise be poured over all, mixed in or served in a bowl on the side for individual diners to dip into as they like.

• The vegetables listed above are those most commonly used for gado gado, but you can use whatever you like. Other common additions: cauliflower; snow peas, spinach or other greens, cubed and fried tofu or tempeh.

• The firmer vegetables are usually blanched or steamed, but they can also be served raw.

• Garnish with toasted sesame seeds or fried onions if you like.

• Gado gado is usually served cold or at room temperature, but it is sometimes heated a little in an oven before serving.

• Pasembor: a very similar salad served in Malaysia. It usually includes shredded turnip and either fish or shrimp fritters.

Sambal Kacang (Indonesian peanut sauce) Makes about 1 1/2 cups

This famous Indonesian peanut sauce is pronounced "sahm-bal kah-CHANG." Another name for it is bumbu satay. Serve with satay ayam, or gado gado.

1 Cup Natural peanut butter

3/4 Cup Water

2 TB Soy sauce 

2 tsp Sambal oelek (chile paste) , or minced hot chiles

1 TB Brown sugar

1/2 tsp Turmeric

Salt -- to taste

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Variations

Substitute coconut milk for some of the water if you like.

Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon shrimp paste.

Squeeze in the juice of one lemon or two limes if you like. Or add 1 tablespoon tamarind paste.

MEE GORENG

Cooking OIl

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

3 tablespoons of chili paste or to taste (recipe below)

1 lb of Yellow Noodles (rinsed)

3 pieces of dried bean curds (cut into pieces)

1 potato (boiled, peeled, and sliced)

2 eggs

4 squids (cleaned and cut into rings)

A handful of bean sprouts

1 stalk of spring onion (cut into small pieces for garnishing purposes)

2 red chilies (sliced for garnishing purposes)

1 lime (cut into wedges)

Sauces:

2 tablespoon of soy sauce

2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce or kecap manis

3 tablespoon of tomato ketchup

Sugar and salt to taste

Chili Paste:

        Blend 10 dried red chilies in a food processor. Add some water and some oil to blend well. Heat the wok and “tumis” (stir fry) the paste until the oil separates from paste. Set aside.

        Heat the wok and pour in the cooking oil. Add garlic, 3 tablespoons of chili paste, sliced potatoes, bean curb pieces, and squids. Stir fry until fragrant. Add yellow noodles and sauces and continue stirring. Set the noodles to the side of the wok.

        Add some cooking oil and then crack the eggs. Scramble the eggs and mix in with the noodles. Add in the bean sprouts and quick stir for another 1 minute. Serve hot and garnish with chopped spring onions and sliced red chilies. Squeeze some lime juice over the noodles before eating.

Satay Ayam  (Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce)

3 to 4 servings as entree; 6 to 8 servings as appetizer

Satay is a great Indonesian street food that has become popular throughout southeast Asia,

especially Singapore and Malaysia. Most often made with chicken, beef or lamb, satay is commonly

served with sambal kacang, a spicy peanut sauce, and acar ketimun, a simple cucumber pickle.

Sometimes spelled sate, sateh or saté.

 • Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into long strips -- 1 pound

 • Galangal or ginger, minced -- 2 teaspoons

 • Brown sugar -- 2 teaspoons

 • Soy sauce -- 1 tablespoon

 • Coconut milk -- 2 tablespoons

 • Red curry paste (optional) -- 1 teaspoon

 • Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon

 • Oil -- 1 tablespoon

 • Sambal kacang(peanut sauce) -- 1 recipe

 1. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients exept for the sambal kacang. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

 2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread the strips on bamboo skewers.

 3. Grill the chicken over hot coals until just cooked through. Serve with sambal kacang as a dipping sauce.

Variations

 • Satay Daging: Substitute strips of beef or lamb for the chicken.

Moroccan Peasant Food

Couscous - Semolina with meat/veggies