It’s Curanto Time Guys. I want to give you all a short explanation of what Curanto is and then I will give you my recipe. Hear it goes.

The ingredients for a traditional Curanto are:

Shellfish – clams, ribbed clams and picorocos a type of giant barnacle.

Meat – cuts of any low cost beef cut.

Potato’s – medium to small size, any type.

Milcao – this is a kind of potato pancake that is cooked in the process.

Chappelle’s – this is a kind of dumpling also cooked in the process.

Vegetables – onions,

Sometimes Fish – white firm meet fish.

Traditional Curanto Recipe:

All of the quantities are not fixed, the idea is that you try include a little bit of every ingredient. First you dig a wide hole in the ground. This hole should be around 50cm in depth and depending on the amount of ingredients the diameter can be from 1 meter to2 or 3 meters in size. First you start a large fire and try to get a lot of heat and coals. Later on top of the hot coals you place a bunch of river stones so that these get very hot (about 30 to 40 minutes). When you notice that the stones are ready you place a layer of nalca leaves (this is a kind of rhubarb leaf) you can also use fix leafs or cabbage leaves. Each layer of ingredients is covered by the leaves and then for the last layer this is covered with wet potato sack cloths and over this chunks of earth with grass. This creates the effect of a giant pressure cooker. You cooking time is relative depending on the amount of ingredients. But usually the cooking time is about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Ok now my version of Curanto but cooked at home in a medium to large Pot or Casserole. For best results cook in a clay pot or casserole. This will give the best results in taste and concentration of all the liquids released from the cooking process.

Chef Rudy’s version of Curanto:

Ingredients:

Beef 200gr. - 300gr. Per person your choice of cut.

Pork- 200gr. Per person also your choice cut.

Sausage – 200gr. Per person also your choice. I prefer a nice white German sausage.

Chicken – 150gr. – 200gr. Per person (breast usually ½ or ¼ per person)

Clams – in the shell (make sure to wash well)

Ribbed mussels – in the shell (make sure to wash well)

Vegetables – onions cut in 8^th, tomatoes diced (1 per person), carrots in slices (one per person), potatoes cut in wedges (on large potato per person).

White wine – enough to reach halve of the preparation. You have to add water enough to reach ¾ of the preparation.

Salt – to taste (I usually do not use salt for this dish) the concentration of the combined flavors from all of the ingredients is superb and needs no salt)

Pepper – this is also to taste (I like to add a bit just so that you get that pepper aroma)

Basel leaf – 3 to 4 Large leaves.

Place all of the ingredients in the above order (as in ingredients list). Turn on your kitchen stove to medium heat and cook covered for 1 hour. Uncover and taste liquid. You should try to evaporate all of the alcohol from the cooked liquid. (should not have that alcohol taste). If the alcohol has evaporated, then cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes more. And that’s it. It’s done. Start to place the ingredients in a deep dish bowl so that you can serve with the cooked liquid. I usually separate all of the cooked ingredients into deep pans and then serve each plate so that I can get the plating that I want my guests to experience.

If you have any questions leave me a comment or write me an email and I will answer ASAP. Enjoy and be warned that this preparation is known to take you strait to bed for a power nap. This is due to the concentrated flavors and nutrients in the preparation. Later you will wake up ready for action and full of energy.

Enjoy.

This one has some shrimp. You can add any sea food product that you wish and create your own unique recipe.

This one is how it looks cooked the traditional way in the ground. but all of the juces are lost. This is a steamed process. great flavor but I prefer my preparation at home.

This is a friends video from a Curanto preparation in Chiloe, Chile.

Hope you enjoy and please post comments.

Take care from Chef Rudy and Family