Couch Culture Club - South America

welcome back for week two of our Couch Culture Club

This week we are thinking a little bigger and want to transport you across the incredible continent of South America. With this weeks film “The Motorcycle Diaries” as the inspiration, follow the legendary revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara on his journey from Argentina through Chile, Peru, and Colombia to Venezuela, whilst enjoying a signature empanada dish from Argentina and Brazil’s national cocktail, the caipirinha.

If you’re headed with us this week, we would love to see your photos you can send them to us on Facebook or via email

 
 
week 2 empanadas.jpg

Argentinian empanadas

INGREDIENTS

  • 900 grams beef mince

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 brown onions, diced

  • 2 small capsicums, seeded, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons each;
    ground cumin, paprika, oregano

  • ½ cup pitted green olives

  • 1½ cups chicken stock

  • Frozen puff pastry

METHOD

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large pot over high, add in beef. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leave as much fat in pan as possible.

Reduce heat to medium, add in onion, capsicum and 1 tbsp. oil. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Add cumin, paprika and oregano and cook, about 1 minute. Then add chicken stock and beef, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15-20 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and cover, place in the refrigerator until chilled.

Preheat oven to 190° C and line a baking tray with paper. Let frozen pastry sit at room temperature until soft. When pastry is soft cut into circles, your desired size. Place even amounts of meat filling into the center of each circle, top with 2 olive halves. Brush water around the half of the outer edge. Fold over and pinch edges to seal. Using a fork crimp edges. Place into lined baking tray, spacing apart.

Bake empanadas, rotating tray halfway through, until golden brown and slightly darker around the edges, 25–35 minutes.

 
 
Drink


Brazilian Caipirinha

This drink is the national cocktail of Brazil, made with a purely Brazilian spirit, cachaça!

• Slice 1/2 a lime into 4 cubes. Then muddle them into an old fashion glass with 2 teaspoons of sugar.

  • Add a couple of ice cubes

  • Pour in 60ml of cachaça

  • Stir and serve

     If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of cachaça you can substite for any white rum or even try vodka!

 
 
watch

The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries tells the story of an incredible 8-month journey from Argentina to Peru, undertaken by Ernesto Guevara de la Serna and his friend Alberto Granado. Most commonly known now as “Che" this film tells of the formative experiences that turn Ernesto "Che" Guerva into a famous revolutionary. You can watch it for free on SBS On Demand by Clicking Here

 
Julie ClearyComment