Category: Cooking

Asado for ever ! Buenos Aires, Argentina

Like almost all Argentinians do during the weekend, we yesterday gathered with the family. And we will likely repeat that today ! The family spirit is something strong and serious here. Very similar to what you can experience in Italy. Probably because around 60% of Argentinians do have Italian roots. 
And like every argentinian gathering with family over the weekend, we did an “asado“. Which most of you will translate as BBQ. We bought “lomo” and “carre de cerdo” at a very regular supermarket in Pilar, north of Buenos Aires. Despite a very strong inflation lately ( 25% anticipated for 2010 ) especially on meat, we spent no more then 15USD to feed around 8 people.
The secret to cook meat here in Argentina is to first succeed in preparing your fire. You can count on an excellent charcoal which is not the case in many other countries i have visited. When it turns grey then you can place it below the grill, it will last another good hour. Which is more or less what you will need for the pieces of meat we’ve selected.
Us in Europe we tend to eat meat “bleeding” or “rosé”. Here they almost exclusively prefer it well cooked. Be aware that in most of the restaurants, this is how they will serve it should you not insist to get it “Bien bien jugosa”.
Well, after an hour of cooking and an excellent “espumante” from Luigi Bosca, i could enjoy the best meat i’ve ever had in my life. So did apparently the Argentinian family ! In other words when visiting Argentina, get invited to a local asado ! This will appear more fun, much cheaper and by far much better then in any restaurant. Vivement le week end prochain ! :-)
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Foie gras de canard frais pôelé, vinaigrette d’agrumes à la coriandre

This is nothing related to our adventures here in Argentina. But a dish i love to prepare for my wife, friends and family. I’d like to share my secret recipee with you :

  1. Most important you need a very fresh duck liver. It has to be entire, firm and homogeneous.
  2. 1 grape fruit , 1 orange that you will peel. Then separate and extract with a thin knife all the quarters pulp of both fruits. Once done then slice them into very small pieces.
  3. Put both grapefruit and orange sliced into a bowl. Add olive oil to cover ( a basic not too tasty one is sufficient ), salt and pepper. Taste along the way. Cut some coriander and add it. We’ll call that “vinaigrette d’agrumes”
  4. Cover this “vinaigrette d’agrumes ” preparation with a thin plastic film and keep it in the fridge for an hour.
  5. With a large and pre heated knife, cut obliquely the liver in slices of 2cm thick. 1 slice per person.
  6. Put a bit of salt and pepper on both sides of the slices.
  7. Pre heat your plates in your oven.
  8. Bring a stoven to highest temperature.
  9. Take out your plates from the oven and spread your “vinaigrette d’agrumes” on the edge.
  10. Put your liver slices in the heated stoven without any oil or butter. Cook them no more then 2mn on both sides. When flipping them, take out the fat.
  11. Take them out from stoven. Quickly place them in a a cloth to remove the surface fat. Place the liver in the middle of the plate.
  12. ENJOY !
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