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From my Venezuelan Cooking Blog [click for more instructional photos on how to make Empanadas]

 

Empanadas are like Venezuelan hot pockets or calzones. We usually serve them as appetizers (small ones), or as a main dish with delicious fillings and dipping sauces. Empanada fillings are as varied as Arepa fillings, and we use some of the same fillings that we use in Arepas as well.   The most common and easy to prepare are cheese empanadas, and they are the most popular amongst kids. We also have exquisite ones like lobster, or Cazón (small shark), and common ones like ground…

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From my Venezuelan Cooking Blog  [Read More About Plantains]

 

Sweet or Caramelized Plantains are delicious.  We usually serve them either as a side, yes a side, or as dessert.

 

Ingredients

- 1 Ripe plantain

- ¾ Cup vegetable oil (for frying)

- ½ Cup Water

- 2 Tbsp. Sugar

- 1 Tsp. Cinnamon Powder

 …

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From my Venezuelan Cooking Blog [Read More About Plantains]







Oven baked plantain is one of my favorite ways to eat plantains. My grandmother used to serve it as a side for lunch with butter and Queso Blanco on top. This recipe uses ripe or overripe plantains, which will turn very sweet and soft while in the oven and with a golden outside that might be a bit crispy depending on how long you cook it. You can serve it plain, with butter, with Queso Blanco, or anything else you can come up with.



Ingredients

- 1 Ripe or overripe plantain

- Butter

- Wax Paper /…

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From My Venezuelan Cooking Blog [Read More About Plantains]

 

 

Tajadas are slices of plantains that are fried.   They are served usually as a side, and they are also used to make other dishes like plantain desserts.   They are also a part of the traditional Venezuelan dish, the “Pabellón Criollo”.

 

Ingredients

 - 1 Ripe/yellow plantain

- 1 Cup vegetable oil - or as needed (for frying)

- Paper…

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From My Venezuelan Cooking Blog [Read More About Plantains]

 

Tostones are one of my favorite ways to eat plantains.   It is also one of the most common ways to eat unripe plantains, and easy to make as well.   Because they use green plantains, the texture of Tostones is dry and hard, and their flavor is salty.   The simplest way to serve these plantains is sprinkled with salt, but you can treat them as appetizers, like little disk-dish for other toppings such as cheese, mojo, salsa, Guasacaca, salads, butter, lemon juice and much more.   Usually they are served as a side dish in other Venezuelan dishes with sprinkled salt on top.   Then as you eat the rest of your shredded beef, rice, black beans, avocado or such, you can use them as a cracker to pick up other main components of your…

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From my Venezuelan Cooking Blog

Now that you have the recipes for Guasacaca, Salsa Verde and Fresh Salsa; you can have yourself a Venezuelan Taco Night.   Tacos are CLEARLY not Venezuelan.   They are Mexican, in case you didn’t know.   However, we Venezuelans do like tacos.   Unfortunately, we do not have Taco Bell in Venezuela, so most families just make their own.   My mom made the best tacos ever, and it was a treat for…

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From My Blog:Venezuelan Cooking



My mother-in-law makes the most delicious salsa I’ve ever had.   Salsa is not really a Venezuelan tradition, and neither is spicy food, just for your information.   However, her salsa is now part of my Taco Night menu (Coming Soon).

Ingredients



4 Cups fresh tomatoes, chopped

½ Cup Onion, chopped

2-4 Jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1-4 oz canned sweet corn

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Pinch of salt and Pepper

1 Baggy of Equal or Splenda





Preparation



Simply finely chop all ingredients, very small, (except the corn), and combine them in a bowl.   Add salt and pepper to taste and the baggy of sugar.   Serve at…

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From my  Venezuelan Cooking Blog





So, one night my cousin tells me I have to try this “guasacaca”, and then she says it has no avocados. This is why I am telling you we Venezuelans call every green sauce “Guasacaca”. However, as I have explained before, this is not true. I have already given you the recipe for Guasacaca, and this green sauce is not it. For starters, it has no avocados!



I know there are some similar green sauces that we Venezuelans call “Mojo” (Mo-ho). This is also NOT a Mojo, because it contains mayonnaise.  Therefore I have nothing else to call it but green sauce (Salsa Verde). Although, I my friend came up with a more clever name, she tasted it, then savored it, she thought about it, and then she said, “It’s like a Mexican Ranch”.



I have tried this Salsa Verde both on top of grilled skirt steak and inside tacos, and it is delicious with both. I have yet to try… Continue

(Check out this recipe and more on my Venezuelan Cooking Blog)



This is my own version of the Venezuelan Guasacaca, which I created by modifying my mom’s recipe a bit more to my liking.   I don’t follow my own recipe every time, because I usually eyeball all the ingredients, or what we Venezuelans call “al ojo porciento”.   I usually put like double the amount of avocadoes, because well… I love avocados.   For this reason my Guasacaca never tastes the same, but every one seems to always love it.   I think the thing that makes or breaks a Guasacaca is the freshness of the ingredients.   I usually buy all the ingredients the same day or the day before I have to make it.   I also make it right before all the guests arrive… and sometimes even while the guests are arriving or already there (in true Venezuelan fashion… late).   I like getting the ingredients at a place where I know they have the freshest produce,… Continue

(Check out this recipe and much more on my Venezuelan Cooking Blog)



Arepas are very easy to prepare.   First, you will need a few basic things.









Next, you… Continue