Tapado Recipes

TAPADO

Steps:

• Make the Coconut Milk : In a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan bring water to a boil and add coconut. Cook coconut over moderately high heat 2 minutes and remove pan from heat. Let mixture stand, covered, 10 minutes. In a food processor or blender blend coconut mixture until very thick. In a fine sieve set over a bowl strain coconut mixture, pressing hard on solids. Working over bowl, squeeze small handfuls of solids to extract as much milk as possible. Coconut milk keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days or frozen in an airtight container 6 months.
• Peel and thinly slice the onion (1/2 cup).
• Core, seed, and cut the bell pepper into 1/4-inch strips.
• Cut the fish fillets into 2-inch pieces. Peel, rinse, and devein the shrimp.
• Heat the corn oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and red pepper and.
• sauté over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute.
• Add the Coconut Milk, oregano, achiote, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring liquid to a boil and then simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the fish and the shrimp and simmer until seafood is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Peel and cut the banana into 1-inch slices. Cut the tomato into 1-inch dice.
• (3/4 cup) and add it to the soup along with the banana. Simmer the soup.
• until the banana and tomato are just cooked, 5 minutes. (You can cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.).
• To serve reheat the soup if made in advance. Stir in the cilantro.

ARROZ TAPADO (RICE-ON-TOP)

Steps:

• Bring the rice and 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Place the egg into a saucepan, and cover with water by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and let the egg stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the egg under cold running water in the sink. Peel once cold. Chop the egg and set aside in a small bowl.
• Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Deep fry the potato cubes until golden brown, about 5 minutes; drain on paper towels, and set aside.
• Place tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water in a blender, and puree until tomatoes are liquefied (peel and seed first, if desired).
• Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion, garlic, aji chile powder, cumin, black pepper, and oregano until the onion begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes; pour in the pureed tomatoes, and simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring often. Mix in the ground beef and carrots, and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Break the meat up into small chunks as it cooks. Mix in the chopped hard-cooked egg, peas, and peanut butter until thoroughly combined. Finally, gently stir in the cubes of fried potato.
• To assemble the dish, oil a flexible plastic bowl (at least 1 cup size) and press cooked rice into the bottom to fill 1/3 of the bowl. Layer about 3/4 inch of meat mixture over the rice, and top with more cooked rice to fill the bowl. With an oiled hand, gently press on the rice to compact the mixture; place a serving plate on top of the bowl, flip, and turn out the rice and meat-filled form. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Garnish with sprinkles of cilantro, chopped tomato, and dollops of ketchup on each serving.