Rellenos de Coliflor Recipe - El Salvador:
Rellenos de Coliflor - or cauliflower fritters in tomato sauce—is a traditional dish from El Salvador. It is a vegetarian dish where cauliflower is battered and fried until golden and crispy, then served with tomato sauce.
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
3-4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon flour
Vegetable oil for frying, enough to cover the cauliflower pieces
1 cup of water
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 green chili pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder
Salt to taste
Instructions:
In a large pot, boil cauliflower until tender, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add flour to the egg yolks and mix until just blended. In a large bowl, fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Add the cauliflower and coat entirely.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil until very hot. Add the pieces of coated cauliflower and fry until golden brown all over. Remove and set aside.
In a large pot, add water, tomatoes, chili pepper and onion and stir to combine. Add the vegetable bouillon powder. Heat to a simmer. Add the cauliflower and continue simmering for 3 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Cheese Empanadas with Beans - Colombia:
Ingredients:
Empanadas
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon salt
12 oz queso fresco or farmer’s cheese, shredded
4 Tablespoon fair trade olive oil
Beans:
2 16-oz cans of kidney beans, drained
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
Cilantro (for garnish)
Empanadas: Mix the flour, shortening, baking powder and salted water in a medium-sized bowl. Knead until combined. On a floured surface, form dough into a roll. Cut into 6-8 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Place about a tablespoon of cheese on one half of the circle and fold the other half of the dough over the cheese, making sure to seal the cheese inside.
Add oil to a large pan and heat until very hot. Place one empanada in the pan. Once the bottom is browned, turn over to cook the other side. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
Beans: In a separate pan, sauté the onion and bell pepper with oil. Add the beans and cumin until warm. Garnish with cilantro.
Makes 6‒8 empanadas.
The above recipes are provided by the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl program.