Versión en Español Chilean American sauce, or “salsa americana,” is a chunky relish made from dill pickles, pickled pearl onions, and pickled carrots, pulsed together until coarse rather than blended smooth. Unlike the creamy sauces sold under similar names elsewhere, this Chilean version stands out for its rustic, crunchy texture. It’s an essential condiment in Chilean cooking, used to top hot dogs, grilled sandwiches, and salads, and since it’s entirely plant-based, it fits vegan and…
Versión en Español Pickled nalca is an innovative yet traditional way to preserve nalca stalks once the short harvest season ends, turning a wild native plant into a tangy, crunchy condiment that keeps for months in the pantry. Nalca (Gunnera tinctoria) is a giant native herb from southern Chile, and its tart, refreshing stalk is normally eaten fresh in curanto or salads, but pickling it in brine, vinegar, or wine lets you enjoy it year-round.…
Versión en Español Mongolian chicken is a dish of Asian origin, originally made with chicken breast marinated in soy sauce and rice wine, that has become very popular in the West with a somewhat simplified process based on ingredient availability, while staying just as delicious. In Chile it’s a weeknight favorite, built around a glossy soy-based sauce that clings to bite-sized chicken and scallions, almost always served alongside fried rice. How to Make Mongolian Chicken?…
Versión en Español Chilean zucchini loaf, or “budin de zapallo italiano,” is a savory baked dish that turns summer zucchini into a soft, custardy loaf bound with soaked bread, cheese, and a light onion sofrito. It works equally well as a light main dish or a side, and it’s especially popular in spring and summer when zucchini is at its best. The texture can be rustic, with roughly chopped zucchini, or smooth and silky if…
Versión en Español Maqui coffee is a traditional preparation that has been made for hundreds of years in southern Chile, today kept alive in only a few places, most notably the town of Tiruú. It is not coffee at all, but dried and toasted maqui berries ground and steeped like coffee grounds, producing a bittersweet drink that can be served hot or cold. In the past, maqui coffee was drunk by farm workers during breaks…
Versión en Español Chilean berlines are a fried or baked yeast dough, similar to a doughnut, filled with pastry cream, manjar, or fruit jam after cooking. The dough is soft and slightly sweet, and once fried until golden it puffs up enough to hold a generous amount of filling. They descend directly from the German “Berliner”, brought to Latin America by 19th-century immigrants, and are now a staple of Chilean home baking and bakery counters.…