Argentine cuisine is not only delicious, but also boasts a wide variety of flavors and ingredients, with meat being the star ingredient; and if you'd like to learn more about the gastronomy of this incredible country.
Breaded
The milanesas in Argentina are the daily bread, literally, since due to the ease of the dish and its delicious flavor, it is eaten almost daily; Although at first glance they give the impression of being a dish without anything special, the truth is that it is quite versatile, since it can be prepared with pork, beef or chicken, adapting to the tastes of each person.
Its preparation consists of submerging the meat cut into fillets, in beaten egg and then passing them through ground bread, to later cook them; They are commonly fried, but there is also the option of cooking them in the oven. Once made, they can be accompanied with mashed potatoes or French fries, also, placing cheese, ham and tomato, we obtain the popular Neapolitan Milanese.
Alfajores
Among the typical foods of Argentina are many sweet flavors, since the people of this country have quite a sweet tooth, and when talking about Argentine desserts, alfajores undoubtedly stand out. They consist of two or more cookies with a sweet filling, dulce de leche being the most common.
This dessert is served in various Latin American countries, and you can even find several companies that prepare them, but if you feel like making them yourself, here's an excellent article with a recipe for cornstarch alfajores.
Dulce de leche
You can't talk about alfajores without mentioning dulce de leche, as this is their star filling, and Argentines love it. It is a sweet, thick sauce, light brown in color, with a texture similar to that of condensed milk, but with a caramel flavor; It is eaten spread on bread, cookies, ice cream, cakes and much more.
Mate
When talking about typical Argentine foods , an honorable mention must be made of mate, as this is the most emblematic drink of the country; whether cold, hot, and even as an ingredient in other drinks, Argentinians love it.
The most common is to prepare an infusion with the fruit or leaves of the yerba mate, and drink it alone, but you can also add milk and there are even other ways to prepare it, such is the case of the cooked mate, either hot or cold. ; Likewise, there is a variant called tereré, which consists of filling half a glass with mate herbs and adding ice water or fruit juice to this.
Due to the high levels of polyphenols, mate has antioxidant power; likewise, it also contains vitamins belonging to group B, the minerals potassium and magnesium, in addition, thanks to the fact that it is rich in xanthines, it has an energizing effect.
Meat empanadas
Another delicious dish that we are going to find in Argentina, are the empanadas, an extremely varied dish, since each region has its own way of preparing them, and it is worth trying them all.
These can be prepared both fried and baked, but the latter are not as crispy; There are different fillings, but corn and meat are the favorites, these being the most common. Empanadas are seasoned with various spices and these can contain onions, olives, bell peppers, potatoes, diced eggs and more.
Creole sausage
Argentinians love to make asados, the local equivalent of American barbecues, so when talking about typical Argentinian food , one cannot fail to mention chorizo criollo; this, unlike other types of chorizo, is not cured and smoked, instead, the meat is prepared with spices and wine, then after no more than 24 hours it is stuffed into casings and cooked immediately.
This is the star ingredient of another delicious dish, the choripán, which is nothing more than a piece of bread stuffed with chorizo; and despite not being so healthy, it is extremely tasty.
Chorizo steak
Argentines love meat, and among their favorites we can find bife de chorizo, a cut of meat that bears no relation to sausage. This cut of meat is obtained from the loin of the animal, to later be sliced into steaks, pieces with a slight triangular shape.
The chorizo steak has a thick layer of fat, which when cooked, gives it an extraordinary flavor, added to this, because it is soft and juicy, it does not require excessive seasoning, with a little coarse salt it will be more than enough. This dish is commonly served with potatoes or salad.
Argentinian Pizza
Perhaps when hearing the word “pizza”, the first thing that comes to mind is Italy, since this is their country of origin, but in Argentina they love pizza so much that the capital is the city with the largest number of pizzerias per inhabitants. , throughout the world; This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the XNUMXth century there was a wave of Italian immigrants to this country.
So, if Italy is the home of pizza, what makes the Argentine version so special? Well, the Argentine pizza dough is prepared with triple zero flour, water, salt, oil and yeast, instead, in Italy, the dough is prepared with three different types of flour and water.
On the other hand, the tomatoes of the Argentine sauce are mixed with oregano and garlic, on the other hand, in the Italian it is integrated raw; In addition, in Argentina the portion of cheese is a little more abundant.
Likewise, these differ in their way of cooking, since in Italy the pizza is cooked for a short time, on a wooden shovel, while in Argentina the pizza is baked in a mold, and is kept a little further away. of fire.
If this information has surprised you, and you would like to know a little more about the history of pizza in Argentina, here we leave you a video where they touch on this topic in depth, we hope it will be of interest to you.
Provolone Cheese
Pizza is not the only Italian dish that has come to Argentina to stay, because among the Italian delicacies that stand out in the country are cheeses, mainly provolone, which gives rise to provoleta; This consists of a wheel of provolone cheese, which is prepared roasted or baked, and is commonly served as an appetizer or snack.
Chimichurri
Typical Argentine dishes are delicious on their own, but in many cases, the locals accompany them with sauces and dressings, among which we find chimichurri; it is a sauce of fairly liquid consistency, which is prepared with: parsley, oregano, garlic, ground chili pepper, vinegar, olive oil and salt.
Wine
If we are talking about Argentina, we cannot talk about food without talking about wines, since this is the main accompaniment of the dishes, especially if it is red. Wine in Argentina has its origin around the year 1562, after the San Juan and Mendoza regions were founded, points from which vineyards from Chile entered, which were later distributed throughout the country.
Currently, along with those already mentioned, the most famous provinces to enjoy a good wine are La Rioja, Salta, Catamarca and Tucumán. For those who are visiting this wonderful country, approaching the wineries is a great way to learn a little more about its history.
Emptiness
It is another cut of meat, which is obtained from the rear lateral area of the beef, and it differs quite a bit from the steak. In this case we have meat that is also juicy and delicious, but with bone and much more fibrous, resulting somewhat tough; likewise, this cut is narrower and a bit uncomfortable when eating.
Likewise, the vacuum is covered by a membrane or skin, which can be removed if desired, but the most common is that it remains, since when cooked it becomes crispy, likewise, the most normal thing is to consume it well cooked, therefore , if you want less done, you have to make it very clear to the cook.
chitterlings
Argentines love to cook meat on the grill, and among the most anticipated delicacies by diners are the "achuras", a term given to the viscera that are prepared on the grill, and chitterlings are part of this group.
The chitterlings are nothing more and nothing less than the intestines of beef or veal; and when the small intestine is presented, it has a shape similar to a braid, on the other hand, in the case of the large intestine, it is filled with the ingredients used for the sausages.
Its consumption is very beneficial, since they contain vitamins A, B and D; in addition to various proteins and minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, selenium, iron and zinc. Even in the past they were said to have healing properties.
locro
When it's cold and you crave a warm meal, among Argentina's typical dishes we find the ideal one: the popular locro criollo, a stew perfect for winter. It has several variations depending on the region where it's prepared. For example, in Neuquén, it's made with corn, while in other places the base is peas.
This traditional recipe, apart from the base of corn or peas, can also include various ingredients such as meat, potatoes and onions, in addition, it is seasoned with various spices, such as cumin and bay leaf.
Locro is a recipe high in fiber and protein, likewise, among its most used ingredients, we find high levels of iron, potassium, magnesium, as well as vitamins A and B.
Sorrentines
As we already mentioned, Argentine cuisine has great Italian influences, and mainly, the pizza recipe has gained great popularity in this part of the world; but, it has not been the only one, since pasta is another widely consumed dish in Argentina, although, not just any type of pasta, since Argentines have a certain weakness for Sorrentines.
These can be compared to ravioli, as sorrentinos are also stuffed pasta, but in this case, they are slightly larger, round in shape rather than square, giving it a bit of a hat-like appearance.
Likewise, the filling of the same can vary, being some cheese and cooked ham, ricotta, to which chopped nuts are added, and there are even caprese sorrentinos.
Faina
Another dish inherited from Italian immigrants is the fainá or farinata, the name by which it is known in Italy; It is a flat and thin cake prepared with chickpea flour, salt, pepper and olive oil. It is commonly served with pizza, but many people do not know why, but today we are going to tell you about it.
According to the director of the Professional School of Pizza Masters, in Argentina, Javier Labaké, this is because:
“When Genoese bakers made pizza, they also made fainá. They used to sell both products in cylindrical containers that they carried to the vicinity of the soccer fields. People were seeing both products together and asking for one of each, so the combination started from this fortuitous association.”
Polenta
Continuing with typical Argentine dishes based on Italian cuisine, we find polenta; a dish prepared from corn, which consists of porridge accompanied by tuco, a sauce made of beef, tomato, onion and grated Parmesan cheese.
This dish is commonly prepared during the coldest months of the year, since it is a food with a high caloric intake, as well as vitamins belonging to the B complex.
Clericot
Finally, we find one of the most consumed drinks during the summer, the clericot; an alcoholic beverage prepared with fruit, quite similar to the sangria of Spain, which is commonly served at mealtimes.
Regardless of whether you are Argentine or from another part of the world, whether you knew about these dishes or not; It is always good to know the data, details and stories of the typical foods of a certain country, as this allows us to delve a little deeper into its history and culture. That said, we hope that this article has been of interest to you.
