uExpress.com: Cookbook Nook by Peter D. Franklin -- (03/28/2004) PUFFED EGGS WITH SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES

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03/28/2004

PUFFED EGGS WITH SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES

The late, great chef Felipe Rojas-Lombardi described South American cuisine as "rich and lively, fun to make, and delicious to eat." He made that clear in his classic cookbook, "The Art of South American Cooking" (HarperCollins), published two days after his death in 1991.

However, South American cuisine remains largely unexplored by North American cooks, in part because the literature is skimpy. Two recent cookbooks that help alleviate the dearth are "The South American Table: The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking From Patagonia to Rio de Janeiro" by Maria Baez Kijac (Harvard Common Press, $19.95 paperback), and "The Latin American Kitchen" by Elisabeth Luard (Laurel Glen, $27.95).

Kijac, who lives in Illinois now but was born in Ecuador, admits that South American cuisine "remains one of the world's best-kept secrets." After 15 years researching and writing her book, she shares many "secrets" in the intriguing historical and culinary notes that accompany virtually all 450 recipes. Many of these flavorful dishes are multifaceted, combining the influences of the native Indians with those of Spain, Portugal and Africa.

A few of Kijac's recipes are complex or require ingredients not easily obtained. One example is the Purple Corn and Berry Soup, a ritual dish that has its roots in the days of the ancient Incas. Others are not exactly mainstream fare in the United States, such as Cau-Cau, which is tripe, a South American delicacy, or Lingua com Passas, or Beef Tongue With Raisin Sauce. In the main, though, her selections are easily prepared in any kitchen.

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Worth exploring are her Puffed Eggs With Shrimp and Vegetables, Pork Loin Stuffed With Prunes and Apples, Lobster and Potato Salad, Paraguayan Carrot and Cheese Soup, and, if you are up to dealing with more than 30 ingredients, the Ecuadorian Easter Salt Cod and Vegetable Stew, serving 10 to 12.

Even if you don't prepare a single recipe, "The South American Table" offers a fascinating learning experience.

More colorful yet less illuminating is "The Latin American Kitchen." It is divided into chapters that highlight more than 80 prime ingredients found in South American cuisine. Most of the ingredients are familiar items, but some of the fruits in particular are not so well known. Among these are sapote, the skin and seeds of which can be toxic; the mamee apple that is rarely exported; and the Barbados cherry that "looks like a cherry, tastes like a raspberry, and develops a sharp, green apple flavor when cooked."

Luard, who grew up in Latin America, has gathered some 200 regional recipes to accompany a text that explores in considerable detail the prime ingredients. How each is grown, stored, tastes and cooked is examined by the author. Two recipes follow each, such as Barbecued Corn and Fresh Corn Dumplings for corn, a paella with peppers and greens and an Angel Cake for amaranth, and so forth.

In "The Latin American Kitchen," Elisabeth Luard attributes this unusual soup to southern Chile where the araucaria, or monkey-puzzle tree, grows on the slopes of the Andes. The tree, which has a remarkable life span of some 1,500 years, produces cones and the pine nuts within. Any pine nuts may be used in this recipe.

(Locro con Pinones)

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced

About 2 1/2 quarts bone stock or water

1 large clove garlic, chopped

2 small onions, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

1 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

Cilantro or scallions

In a roomy pan, cook the potatoes in the stock or water with salt, garlic and onion for about 30 minutes, until completely mushy. Mash roughly (don't blend in food processor).

Meanwhile, lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan, stir in the garlic, and crush the mixture if using plain water, leave whole if using stock. Stir this aromatic panful in the soup and simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve in hot bowls with sprigs of cilantro or scallions.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

"The South American Table" serves up "this lovely dish ... for brunch." A versatile Brazilian specialty, the main ingredient can be shrimp, sausage, fish, crabmeat, hearts of palm or dried cod, author Maria Baez Kijac writes.

(Frigideira de Camarao)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dende (see Note)

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Juice of 1 lime

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk

4 large eggs

1 medium-size ripe but firm tomato, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced

(Note: Dende is palm oil. Although there is no substitute that produces its unique flavor, olive oil may be used instead.)

In a medium-size skillet, heat the olive oil and dende together over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic paste, cilantro and parsley and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and shrimp and cook for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk and cook until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a shallow 4-cup baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs until they are foamy and have increased in volume. Mix the eggs with the shrimp. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and decorate the top with the tomato. Bake until spongy but not dry (it should look moist), 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately, with rice if you wish.

Makes 4 servings.