Plantains, long-leafed cilantro, baby corn and creole lime. If you live in Guanacaste and don’t have them in your backyard, your neighbor probably does. If you can’t find them there, don’t worry because the ingredients you need for these recipes are so common in this province that you can buy them in the street.
With Chef’s Daisy Barrantes ‘ help, The Voice of Guanacaste brings you two delicious dishes that are easy to make with local, in-season products. One is a creamy soup that will make you savor every bite and the other is a refreshing ceviche to enjoy on hot days.
Cream of squash with grilled baby corn
This creamy soup has all the right stuff to become a classic on your table. Follow the recipe step by step and taste the perfect combination of flavors from the soft gourd and crunchy, grilled baby corn.
Ingredients:
- 3 small squash (cushaw)
- 2 ears of baby corn
- 1/3 of an onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1/3 a cup of water
- 1/2 a cup of milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon of long-leafed cilantro
- Honey
Preparation:
- Saute the gourd in pieces a pot in with garlic, onion and oregano until it is golden brown.
- When ready, add the ⅓ cup of water, the long-leafed cilantro and cook for 10 minutes.
- When 10 minutes is up, add the half-cup of milk, turmeric, salt, pepper and a splash of honey. You can add half a teaspoon of cornstarch if you want it to thicker.
- Blend the ingredients
- Before serving, put the baby corn in the oven with oil, salt and pepper until it is golden brown.
- Cut the baby corn into slices and add to the soup
Square Plantain Ceviche
Mandarin lime and long-leafed cilantro make burro plantain ceviche a light and refreshing option for summer.Photo: César Arroyo
You can make this recipe easily in a few minutes and you won’t spend more than ¢2,500 ($4.15) on it. Chop, stir, and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 3 square plantains
- 1/3 of a red onion
- 1/4 of a sweet pepper
- 3 or 4 leaves of long-leafed cilantro
- 2 mandarin limes
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 a carrot
Optional:
- “Curubanda” Corn chips. They are made by a small business in Filadelfia and you can buy them at the Canelazul Cafe in Nicoya.
Preparation:
- If you don’t want to end up with black, sticky hands, rub them in a little bit of cooking oil before peeling the plantains.
- Chop the plantains into cubes and cook it in a pot with water and salt to taste. Check it constantly so that it doesn’t overcook and turn mushy. When it’s done, drain it and let it cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, add the plantain to lime juice so that it absorbs flavor. Add thinly sliced onion wedges (so that it cooks in the juice), the chopped long-leafed cilantro, and the sweet pepper and carrots cut into small squares for color.
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