Easy Recipes?

[pitipur]

Hey everyone, since I'm trying to cook a lot while I'm here instead of going out to eat every day and night, I was just wondering if anyone had some relatively simple recipes with ingredients that are easy to find here. I'm really not too sure what people cook here for their every day meals, and there don't seem to be the ingredients for my go-tos at home. Any easy recipes or even just any info on what's common to cook at home here would be great.

Thanks!

 

[nikad]

Average Argentine will cook steak, grilled chicken, roasted meat or chicken, milanesas, burgers, hot dogs, with mashed potatoes, french fries, steamed rice, salads, spaghetti with tomato sauce or pesto, ravioli with tomato sauce, premade pizzas, toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, pork chops, omelette to name a few basics. I am more adventurous, but that is what most people eat here I think. Now I am curious, what kind of stuff would you buy back home for your cooking?

 

[pitipur]

Haha..well, I would do some kind of mexican food a lot -- a good go to was like a mexican casserole - tortillas, refried black beans, tomato, cilantro, onions, peppers, shredded cheese, black olives, salsa or taco sauce -- I guess I'm not sure if you can tortillas, refried black beans here? I made a lot of soups in the Detroit winters when it was freezing for months at a time but seems to warm here, thankfully I did do pasta a lot but I was lazy and bought the sauces in the store and just added vegetables. But I think someone told me you can buy good homemade sauces at the pasta stores around town? My family is from the middle east, so we also have some traditional dishes we make a lot, usually involving rice, with some sort of tomato sauce and vegetable. I think I could maybe still make those here - a favorite one was with potatoes and peas. I also liked to cook a lot at once and then eat the leftovers for a few days because I'm kind of lazy like that And I'm trying not to eat so much meat, but definitely not a vegetarian or anything.

 

[DontMindMe]

Do a stir fry (aka wok). Vey easy and fairly cheap depending on how much stuff you want to add. Cook whatever meat and vegetables you want with some oil, garlic and soy sauce in a large pan. Add cooked rice, stir. I like to add lots of fresh cracked black pepper brought from abroad (you can also find it in town). You can make it as healthy or as unhealthy as you want, or as expensive or as cheap as you want. Play with vegetables that are in season and maybe also play with fresh herbs if you're feeling creative. Or not. The best part about this is that everything can be found at the chino (even brown rice) and your verdulería/carnicería/granja, so no need to run around town.

The last time I made a Mexican casserole in Buenos Aires was in 2010. I remember being really disappointed in the cheese but the rest of it turned out okay. I probably wouldn't waste the time, money or energy on it now. But making your own guac and pico de gallo is definitely still worth it every now and then!

 

[irina]

We eat a lot of stir fries like mentioned above.

I'm from Texas so I make a lot of tex-mex. You can buy overpriced rapiditas, but I make my own tortillas all the time, it's super super easy
http://jazibesrecipes.blogspot.com.ar/2007/07/tortillas-de-harina-flour-tortillas.html

Someone on here once posted that they add lemon to casancrem to make sour cream for salty dishes, I do that for my creamy chicken enchiladas and it works like a charm. You can find cilantro and jalapenos here. Maybe (ok for sure) the cheese is no Monterrey Jack but I'm happy with how my meals turn out!

I also make this Pasta weekly, obsessed. It's much tastier than the usual salsa rosa
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/12/friday-night-dinner-pasta-alla-vodka/

 

[scotttswan]

https://www.google.c...tbs=rcp:1&hl=en

Google Recipies works pretty well. just type in what you have and it comes up with a bunch of suggestions.

 

[Tgore1055]

Well if you like soups, try Lentil soup or Potato Leek soup. It's pretty easy and you can get all the ingredients at a vegetable/fruit stand.

For Lentil soup - 2 1/3 cups of dry lentils washed, 1 big carrot, 1 small/med onion, 1 large tomato, 2 garlic pieces, 8 cups of chicken bouillon broth, salt/pepper & whatever spices you want. Maybe soak the lentils over night to release some of the enzymes that make you fart, but not necessary as dry lentils cook fast.

Cut all the dry ingredients small and sautee with a few table spoons of olive oil, then add the prepared broth and lentils....cook for about an hour. After that, use a stick blender to puree everything together. It makes enough to freeze.

You can find Potato Leek soup on the net.........3 large potatoes, 3 large leeks, 1 carrot, 8.5 cups of chicken broth......Same cooking concept except better with butter instead of olive oil....and only use the bulbs and light green leaves of the leek or it tastes gross (cut away the dark ends). I don't use cream, although most recipes call for it.

 

[French jurist]

A ratatouille is very easy to make (less to pronounce for some...) and that's: healthy, cheap, good cold or hot, tastes even better the next day.

Un recipe which is very similar to the one I use (simple):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-essence-of-emeril/ratatouille-recipe/index.html

 

[Ries]

You can get all the standard middle eastern prepared and fresh foods at the row of stores on Scalabrini Ortiz- including canned goods, fresh hummous and yogurt, pitas, nuts, beans, rice, dates, you name it.

Fresh pasta is one of my standbys- I sometimes buy the standard sauces, and hot rod em, sometimes just make sauces from scratch.

Fresh chicken- in my barrio, there is a guy who sells fresh organic chickens, he is on Guemes and maybe Vidt or so. Legs, breasts, thighs or whole ones, easy to roast, bake, or sautee. Great with fresh veggies from the Bolivians around the corner.

 

[nikad]

Yes, stores that sell fresh pasta sell good sauces by the kilo, you can buy and then store in smaller containers. Or you can just go with the canned sauces - I avoid most processed stuff and cook everything from scratch but that is just freaky me! Also most supermarkets have an area where they sell prepared food. It is never a bad idea to get a roasted chicken, or some quiche, etc. cheaper than restaurants, easier than cooking. Get premade pizzas, freeze them and have some mozzarella cheese, ham and whatever you like on your pizza handy. premade pizzas are much much cheaper than frozen tiny pizzas. I like to prepare my own stir fries. I prefer to use brown rice for a change.