I went to the super pig, or in good Chilean, me fui al super chancho.
What?
Me fui (I went) al (to the) super (super) chancho (pig)
or better said: I overdid it. The addition of the super means I really overdid it. Practical application, to tell a friend they overdid it: te fuiste al chancho.
I let the fridge get bare, a very sad state of affairs, with little more than mixed vegetable pickle (get yourself to Harry’s Minimarket on Manuel Montt norte if you don’t know what I’m talking about, other Indian goodies also available), a kilo-sized jar of dijon mustard (Jumbo, Alto Las Condes), Chinese hot pepper garlic sauce (China House Market, rio de janiero con antonia lopez de bello), some Quillayes plain yogurt (makes excellent greek yogurt when strained) and some cooked porotos pallares (cooked butter beans).
So I did the downtown Chilean equivalent of going to the supermarket hungry. I went to the Vega with a bare larder. No pic of the haul today, as I’ve already started cooking, but here’s what I admit to buying:
1 kilo lemons
2 kilos oranges
1/2 kilo limon sutil
1/2 kilo limon de pica
ginger
cilantro
2 ears corn
1 kilo spinach
3 heart-shaped red peppers
5 eggplants
1 kilo potatoes
1 bunch leeks
1/4 kilo arugula
1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1 kilo brussel sprouts
cherry tomatoes
see what I mean? I also bought green olives stuffed with pimentos, almonds and popcorn for popping.
And pictured above is today’s lunch. Pasta with butter beans, garlic, olive oil, hot pepper and wilted spinach, and halved cherry tomatoes, sprinkled with reggianato I got from Quesos Arturito. I may need my head examined, and I may run all over the city to pick up my nibbles, but at least lunch will be tasty.
Here’s a bonus picture, and a Chilean food hint.
Chilean “pasta with beans” (but no garlic, cheese, spinach or tomatoes) is called “porotos con riendas” (literally, beans with reins). People consider it wholesome, homey, cheapish, unadventurous food, but if you’re looking for something substantial and cheap, check it out. Disclaimer: have never had it! Disclaimer 2, that’s iPadography you’re looking at. It’s what I had on hand.
The bowl is from Pomaire, but more on that soon. Along with pretty, pretty pictures.
yay pretty pomaire bowls, yay pretty foreign tablecloth, yay to no animal parts in pasta, yay to all over town shopping for snacks, and yay yay for super chancho! [i just googled images for super chancho…weird]
are they like the ones of Super Pollo? I know Super Cerdo is a brand. I have a notebook they were giving away at the Ñam festival this year. I should cover that. Thanks for commenting! You should publish your zany circuit of ingredient-procuring!
I’ve always avoided anything done by Chileans to pasta, but I do love me some porotos granados. Your salad looks fantastic! And I love the five eggplants. I’m always like, “five eggplants for a luka!” and then I get home and I’m like, “wtf did I buy five eggplants for??”
Porotos granados are awesome. And the eggplants were 5 for luka, but Mandita (see below) sent me this (looks) great recipe (she recommends skipping buttermilk) http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Eggplant-with-Buttermilk-Sauce-365110 so that was part of the impulse purchase. I make a lot of eggplant dip (like baba ganouj but without the tahini generally), and also bake, toss with tomatoes and balsamic and olive oil as a salad. Can report that food was v. tasty!
You’ve never had porotos con riendas? How is that even possible? A vegetarian in Chile for all these years and you’ve never tried the most classic of all Chilean vegetarian dishes? it’s actually pretty tasty. I even invented a deconstructed version once without realizing it… Served spaghetti topped with black beans and squash and was pretty pleased with myself until all the Chileans in the room just looked at me weird for (1) being pleased with myself and (2) not mixing it all together.
Just realized why you haven’t tried it. It’s soupy… and I know how you feel about wet food…
Yummy looking lunch you’ve got there BTW!
I told Mandi yesterday that I don’t like strange mashy food made by unknown people. Usually if it shows up, much like the lentils, I have expect a longaniza to show up with it. I’d usually choose a salad, bread and pebre instead, and eat when I get home. But someday I’ll give it a try. Under duress, most likely!
I recognized that bowl right away!
As always, should have bought more. Now I feel bad for my regular greda bowls. These are superior. How are your pigs doing? still got all their legs?