Sacred Cow Friday, 23 July 2010 08:42 Written by Florencia Giner

Argentinean cuisine is a mix of the Spanish & Italian cuisines with a heavy touch of French and why not other European cuisines. After all, 80% of the population (or perhaps even more) is Italian or Spanish descendant with other European countries represented as well.

If you are expecting to find ‘burritos’, ‘tacos’, ‘enchiladas’ and ‘nachos’ in your next visit to Argentina, you will be disappointed, those dishes are typical of the Mexican cuisine (one of my favorite’s in the world) BUT they have absolutely nothing to do with Argentinean food.

Most travel guides or travel articles I have come across so far refer about Argentina as the country of the ‘sacred cow’. Yes, cows are sacred to us but not necessary in the way you may be thinking, let’s put it in this way: the ‘vegetarian movement’ is not that popular in Argentina. LOL

The most famous Argentinean dish by far is the ‘Asado’ (Barbeque), typically we like to call it ‘Asadito’ (little BBQ), I guess using a diminutive means that you will be eating less? A typical dialog among friends: ‘let’s have an ‘asadito’ this weekend’. The excuse can range from somebody’s birthday, to an important football game (soccer), because is a holiday or Christmas or just because…

The most important things as that an “Asadito” can be organized with a few days on advance like any other party but also we love to have what a like to call the ‘spontaneous’ Asadito, AKA the last minute thing, when you call up some of your friends a couple of hours in advance and they show up to your place bringing whatever you ask them to bring (honestly those are the best “Asados” ever). The culture of the ‘Asado’ is so strong that we even made a movie about it !!!. Turns out that a few years back the Film School students of the University of Rosario made a great VERY low budget movie (I think using just a videocamera), the title of the movie (of course): “El Asadito”. This movie is basically about what happens in a day that a bunch of friends are having an ‘Asadito’ during New Years Day, what I really enjoyed about this movie is the way the strong culture of friendship we got in Argentina is portrayed and how little things like a Sunday BBQ are part of out ‘national’ culture.

A typical serious ‘asado’ is made with different cuts of beef,  we tend to leave Pork or Veal (that for some crazy reason are more expensive than beef) for special events like Christmas Day or New Years Day BBQ even Independence Day BBQ (July 9th) for example. In regards of chicken, at least in my family we always have chicken as a part of the BBQ (as a secondary meat), because like my mother always says: in case people are on diet or don’t want to eat the other stuff.

Any BBQ will start with a few ‘appetizers’ that can have some times a few ‘empanadas’ (turnovers filled with ground beef) or different kind of sausages: chorizo (standard sausage) & morcilla (blood sausage).

We also like to eat other ‘parts’ of the cow as an appetizer, we call them ‘achuras’, within this category you will find: ‘chinchulines’ (cow intestines), mollejas (sweetbreads or ris): the culinary name for the thymus (throat sweetbread) and sometimes we even have some ‘brochettes’ (Skewers) with either chicken or beef mixed with some veggies.

I know that the idea of eating ‘weird’ cow parts (intestines or sweetbreads) may sound not very appealing to you, trust me they are delicious (specially if you eat them with lemon juice). The only trick they have is that they need to be properly cooked, if overcooked both of them get a rubbery consistence, which is not fun. Any BBQ needs to have their veggies (because not everything is meat in this world), if it is a ‘gentlemen’s’ BBQ you will probably have a little bit a lettuce and one tomato salad (you know men are not all that into their veggies). If it is a more ‘proper’ BBQ, like the ones my mother likes to prepare you will have several salads including some grilled veggies like onions & bell peppers (or capsicum like some of you like to call it). After all this food you should make room for ‘dessert’, I know you are full but if you don’t you will be missing some of this: ‘fruit salad’, this is typically a given not only because is really easy to make but also because is ‘light’ (at least that’s according to my mother), in addition you are probably going to find a cake (typically filled w/ dulce de leche & cream), or ‘flan’ and if it is summer and if you are lucky some ice cream as well. Bottom line, ‘Asados’ are a serious matter in Argentina and you should not take them lightly, and don’t forget: after an “Asado” you should always sleep ‘siesta’, you will need it.

The last thing, that is very important about ‘asados’ is ‘how you cook’ them and ‘how you eat them’. During the time I lived in the US I have eaten plenty ‘asados’ made on a ‘gas’ grill, personally I’m always happy to have an ‘asado’ no matter how it is cooked. Let me tell you nothing in this world compares to the ‘asados’ grilled using the old fashioned charcoal with a little bit a wood the flavor is FAR FAR better, with gas you get a ‘flat’ flavor and with charcoal is just heaven.

Second you should eat your ‘asado’ with only ‘coarse’ salt (you put it on the meat prior to cooking), because simpler the better. If you are looking for a ‘flavor’ punch, nothing better than adding some ‘Chimichurri Sauce’ (see recipe in Cook Directory) on top of your meat right before you eat it. You can made the sauce from scratch (which is a very simple thing to do) but also you can buy it already made in the supermarket (as a sauce or as a mix of herbs that later you will add the liquids).

In addition to our food obsession with cows, we also have a leather obsession as well, from name designers like ‘Chiche Farrace’ to the little shoe stores along Florida pedestrian street going through the stylish yet somehow affordable ‘Prüne’ brand ending in the old money ‘Casa Lopez’, Argentina has tons of leather to offer you, all qualities and all prices but most important with a very stylish design.

So next time you go to Argentina, don’t forget to check out ‘The Sacred Cow"!

Comments 

 

#1 Memories of Argentina — 2010-07-26 18:14

Thank you for writing your entry. It reminded me of the wonderful time my husband and I spent in Argentina. When one becomes immersed in the day-to-day Shanghai "routine", it's quite easy to forget, but your comments about the charcoal asado brought memories such as dancing everyday (and night), learning about Argentinian psychotherapy (Tango!), eating wonderful food and drinking more of the product of Mendoza rather than visiting it, becoming addicted to Mate (I'm always hunting for it; so far only located Bolivian) and empanandas, in addition to our time in Patagonia, flooding back. I will certainly use your Chimichurri Sauce recipe and thanks also for the link to Prüne.

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