Versión en Español Chilean peach jam is a simple but delicious homemade preserve made by macerating fresh peaches in sugar, then simmering them with lemon juice until they break down into a thick, glossy spread. It takes about 90 minutes of prep plus 20 minutes of cooking, and the result is a naturally sweet jam that keeps all year round. One of the advantages of making peach jam at home is the wide variety of…
Versión en Español Smoked Chilote garlic paste is a delicious spread made from a very simple home-smoking technique, ready to use as a base for countless cold or hot preparations. It takes about an hour from start to finish, and the result is a creamy, sweet, smoky paste that keeps in the fridge for two weeks. The recipe is designed to make the most of the generous size of Chilote garlic, but it works just…
Versión en Español Yogurt de pajaritos is the Chilean name for milk kefir, a fermented dairy drink made by combining kefir grains with whole milk and letting it ferment at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. No cooking or heat is required — the result is a tangy, probiotic-rich yogurt that grows thicker and smoother the more active the grains are. Milk kefir is a live culture of probiotic bacteria and yeasts held together…
Versión en Español Shoestring fries, known in Chile as “papas al hilo” or “papas hilo,” are one of the many ways to enjoy fried potatoes, usually served as a lighter appetizer but hugely popular as a topping for hot dogs or hamburgers. Their thin, thread-like cut makes them fry up extra crisp in just a few minutes, and a light sprinkle of sea salt or smoked merkén is often all they need. How to Make…
Versión en Español Chilean tripe and vegetable stew, “guatitas a la jardinera,” is a hearty and traditional countryside dish, an old-fashioned recipe made from beef tripe, unbeatable for sharing with family. Tripe, or “guatitas,” is a very common ingredient across Latin American cooking, easy to prepare with simple ingredients as long as you follow the steps carefully for the best result. How to Make Guatitas a la Jardinera? Guatitas a la jardinera simmers pre-cooked beef…
Versión en Español Chilean roscas or rosquillas are a delicious fried sweet dough ring, perfect for colder days and for sharing their comforting flavor and texture with family or friends over an afternoon “once.” They’re made from a soft, orange-scented dough enriched with milk, butter, and egg, cut into rings, fried until golden, and finished with a coating of granulated sugar. How to Make Fried Roscas? Fried roscas are a simple wheat flour dough enriched…
Versión en Español Gluten-free hojarascas are a practical recipe that stays true to the spirit of traditional Chilean baking, delivering the same crisp, delicate wafers, but adapted for anyone who doesn’t eat gluten. They’re the perfect base for alfajores, chilenitos, and princesas, classics of Chile’s Independence Day celebrations. Hojarascas get their name from their brittle, dry-leaf-like texture, and this version swaps out wheat flour for a blend of rice flour, cornstarch, and chuño (potato starch)…
Versión en Español Chilean mote risotto is a delicious, inventive way to enjoy these cooked, peeled wheat berries, a technique closely tied to Mapuche tradition and later adapted to wheat once it arrived in the Americas. The dish borrows the slow, constant-stirring technique of Italian risotto and applies it to Chile’s own mote, giving a familiar Italian method a distinctly Chilean, native-grain result. How to Make Chilean Mote Risotto? Mote risotto combines traditional Chilean wheat…
Versión en Español Chicken gizzard soup, known in Chile as “sopa de contre,” is a traditional dish made with the chicken’s muscular stomach. This cut stands out for its high protein content and low fat, and turns into a warming, restorative broth once slow-cooked with vegetables, potatoes, and noodles. For a tender bite, it helps to pre-boil the gizzards in water with a splash of vinegar first, since the slow cooking process is what breaks…
Versión en Español Caracoquesos are a comforting, homemade dish, especially popular with kids in Chilean households, made by boiling shell-shaped pasta (conchiglie) and coating it in a creamy cheese sauce. They stand out for their silky texture and the way the shell shape traps the sauce inside each piece, making them a quick, inexpensive, and satisfying meal for any weeknight. How to Make Chilean Caracoquesos? Caracoquesos come together with shell pasta boiled until al dente…