With warnings of a harsh winter abounding, this fall`s entertaining calls for a festive, exuberant, let`s-get-away-from-it-all spirit. What`s needed on the party scene in the frosty months ahead are lively conversation, music, libation, food that is flavorful and unfussy: in a pair of words, parties with a ”Latin beat.”
Latin, as in South American, is heating up. Mega-trend-setting chef Wolfgang Puck pointed toward the Southern Hemisphere recently when asked from where the next significant fad foods and recipes will come. Together, the foods of South America represent ”a richly diverse unity,” in cookbook author Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz`s phrase. They tend to be comfort foods, grilled foods flavored with tongue-tingling spices or rich and satisfying stews that contain exotic fruits or produce.
Latin culture is here already. South American literature from authors such as Argentina`s Jorge Luis Borges, Peru`s Mario Vargas Llosa and Colombia`s Gabriel Garcia Marquez is being featured in bookstores. Latin films, directors and actors are increasingly admired in Hollywood, where Argentina`s ”The Official Story” and Brazil`s ”Kiss of the Spider Woman”
have won recent Oscars.
Also in the arts, the show ”Tango Argentino” was a smash hit on Broadway, then toured the country. ”Art of the Fantastic: Latin America, 1920-1987,” just closed at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and now is in New York`s Queens Museum. Next month, a sold-out concert in New York City will celebrate the 25th anniversary of bossa nova, that easy-to-like fusion of jazz and samba music.
A BURGEONING SUBGROUP
Latin people are here, too. A recent survey shows that this country`s Hispanic population is now more than 18 million and growing five times faster than the national average. Central and South American immigrants are the fastest-growing subgroup, though the majority are from Mexico, or of Mexican ancestry. In Chicago, a vital South American population is making its mark. Nearly two dozen clubs and restaurants offer glimpses of the continent`s culture.
Drawing on various cultural elements from those 13 nations, we`ve created a party that, to borrow a phrase from a popular film, looks back to the future. Any one nation has enough food and cultural traditions to inspire an entertaining evening all its own. However, our generic gathering will fuse elements from Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. What`s the most important element of a great party? People. To capture the spirit, the beat, of a Latin party requires something larger than an intimate gathering of just a few friends. Our menu has been devised to feed 12 to 16 revelers, but it could easily be doubled, or tripled, if there`s space for your friends plus the entire cast of ”Evita.”
In Latin America, it`s not uncommon for the host or hosts to rent a mansion or dance hall for their revels. At home, a few suggestions of a Latin setting will do (see Style`s centerspread). The party shouldn`t be confined to a single room. Conversation-about any subject except business-is the true glue that holds Latin parties together, and it should be encouraged. (The traditional social convention of Latin gatherings, in which men and women segregate into separate conversational groupings is fading.)
Music is a must. Records and tapes of Latin tunes abound, or, for live entertainment, hire a Latin guitarist-singer. (If you have the budget for a group, consider having a Chilean pena, two or three musicians performing a soft jazz-folkloric amalgam.) You might even consider hiring a dance instructor to provide group lessons in the rhumba, samba, cha-cha, merengue or tango.
DRESS FOR FUN
Dressing for a Latin party can be fun. No matter how casual the gathering, no one who is dressed up is out of place. ”You can`t be overdressed,” a recent visitor to Rio told us.
Style and class count for a lot. For women, ruffles, which recently made a comeback on the U.S. fashion scene, always are appropriate. Think black, or vivid colors, or a combination. Very high heels, designer shawls and even fans are in order. For men, think back to the presence, bearing and dress of 1930s and `40s movie stars: Elegant, impeccably styled, ”manly” clothes are the ticket.
Your party should start late and end late. ”A good party will have people dancing and drinking well past midnight,” a Venezuelan working here reported. ”Then we will all go out for arepas (sandwich snacks) afterwards.” Invitations always are handwritten and often hand-delivered. The guests know that the time on the invitation is only an early warning signal, that they are expected to arrive up to two hours later. (A textbook for executives heading for international postings called ”Managing Cultural Differences”
tells of a trio of punctual U.S. businessmen who arrived at their host`s home for dinner exactly at the appointed hour. He was not there. He was still on the golf course. Embarrassment all around and a serious social gaffe.) It happens here, too. ”When I ask my guests for 7, I know they`ll be here by 9,” our Chicago-dwelling Venezuelan said.
So be sure to make it clear whether your party clock is set to Latin or U.S. time.
A CONTINENTAL BUFFET
Now for the food and drink.
The variety in South American ingredients and techniques is extraordinary, influenced as much by the indigenous ingredients as by different cultural groups. In the north, Colombia produces coffee and some delightful seafood and pork dishes. Venezuelan food reflects both the country`s Spanish colonial heritage and the influence of the Caribbean. On the Pacific coast, Ecuador has its Inca heritage, and Peru 100 varieties of potato and a most complex and exciting cuisine, while Chile has fine wines plus a remarkable array of seafood. In the high elevations of landlocked Bolivia, pepper-spiced soups and stews are very popular. Some date back to the Incas. In the southeast, Argentina`s menus are meat-oriented. The country has drawn culinary inspiration from Spain and, in this century, Italy. There are very good wines there, too. According to Ortiz and others, Brazil has ”the most exuberant and varied” cuisine of all. It draws on native Indian, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and African ingredients and cooking technques.
The other countries-Paraguay, Uruguay, Surinam, Guyana and French Guiana- have worthy culinary specialities as well. But neither dining table nor appetite is large enough to do justice to every cuisine in a single meal.
NIBBLES AND SIPS
At a party in South America, no one rushes to the table. So lots of appetizers and beverages are in order.
The beverages will range from soft drinks and fruit juice through beer and wine to hard liquor. The typical U.S. party sequence of cocktails, wine with dinner and then coffee is not necessarily followed. Someone may start with beer, or fruit juice, and just stick with it. With the exception of a few classics, such as the Pisco sour in Peru or batida de limao in Brazil, complex cocktails are for tourists. Liquors usually are drunk on the rocks or with a mixer.
A good many South American recipes make excellent party food. As Ortiz puts it, ”It isn`t food that is difficult to cook or bristles with complicated techniques. For the most part it is straightforward and easy.”
Our menu emerged after a difficult winnowing process. The final choices were made in consideration of several factors: easily available ingredients, dishes that can be made ahead, need few if any last-minute additions, are served at room temperature or hold up well on a back burner. (Because of possible logistics problems, there is no soup. But there are wonderful soups in every South American nation`s cuisine. Finding a soup, should you wish to include one, will be no problem.)
We suggest you buy several dishes to save time and energy. The ones we indicate are well prepared and available for carryout at restaurants in Chicago and will save you considerable time. Crusty Italian bread will go with the meal very well. The wines are available at major wine stores, and Latin grocers stock such beers as Brahma from Brazil or Latina from Ecuador.
SNACKS WITH A TWIST
For early snacking, we suggest a twist on peanuts and potato chips:
toasted garbanzos and green plantain chips. Think of empanadas as Argentine egg rolls and you`ll realize you should order an ample amount. Peru makes the most intriguing of all ceviche (marinated raw fish) and is the source of the marinated meat recipe and the potato dish as well. The avocado sandwich is Brazilian. All these can be passed or strategically placed for easy nibbling. The more substantial dishes, featuring fish, beef, chicken, rice and a composed salad, are intended to be served buffet-style.
The mariscada is Brazilian, via chef Joyce Goldstein of San Francisco`s Square One restaurant. Not surprisingly, Argentina, famous for its beef, is the source of the stuffed meat roll, matambre, which can be pre-sliced and presented at room temperature. The pastel de choclo is from Bolivia. Our slab of lettuce and tossed green salads are less common in South America than European-style salads composed of several vegetables. Thus, the berenjenas con vainitas. Rice is a staple of the hemisphere, even in potato-rich Peru.
Latins are far less likely than Americans to end a meal with a lavish portion of a rich, elaborate dessert. They eat desserts, but usually at sidewalk cafes or after the theater. Instead, try a mild white cheese (like American munster) served with ate, a fruit paste available here in Latin groceries, or fruit or flan. We envision a dessert mini-buffet featuring marinated fruit, flan and plain pound cake or some cookies such as the coconut-laden brasileiras from guess where.
Brazil also suggests the final, indispensable ingredient of a Latin party: coffee, strong and often quite sweet, served in demitasse cups. Cafezinho, the Brazilians call it.
Don`t let anyone go home without some.
The following menu is inspired by foods native to several Latin American countries. Some recipes have been adapted to make it easier to shop and prepare the food for a large group. Recipes marked with an asterisk may be purchased at some Latin markets and restaurants around Chicago.
For Latin recipes not provided here, consult ”The Book of Latin American Cookery” by Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz (Knopf, 1979, $15), the ”Latin American Cooking” volume of Time-Life`s ”Foods of the World” series or cookbooks that present foods from individual South American countries.
Appetizers: Toasted garbanzos (fried chick-peas); green plantain chips+;
empanadas (meat-filled pastries)+; anticuchos (grilled beef cubes);
chimichurri (spiced parsley sauce)+; ceviche of red snapper and bass+; avocado sandwiches.
Main dishes: Mariscada (shellfish and fish stew); matambre (cold stuffed flank steak)+; pastel de choclo con relleno de pollo (chicken pie with corn topping); arroz blanco (boiled white rice); berenjenas con vainitas (eggplant salad with green beans).
Desserts: Mixed fruit with rum and coconut; individual flans+; cookies or pound cake+.
Beverages: Pisco sours; sangria; Brahma beer (Brazil); Latina beer
(Ecuador); Argentine red wine, such as Trapiche; Chilean white wine, such as Miguel Torres; strong Colombian coffee.
TOASTED GARBANZOS
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
3 cans (16 ounces each) garbanzos (chick-peas)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Drain garbanzos in a strainer. Rinse and pat dry. Transfer to a baking sheet and dry garbanzos in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring them occasionally.
2. Heat oil in a skillet until sizzling stops. Add garbanzos, in two or three batches, depending on size of the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until garbanzos are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and cayenne while still warm. Pass like peanuts, either at room temperature or reheated.
GRILLED BEEF CUBES
12 to 16 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Marinating time: Overnight
Cooking time: 5 minutes
(In Peru, this dish is made with beef heart.)
4 pounds sirloin steak, or two beef hearts, washed and skin removed
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, combine the salt, red pepper flakes, pepper, saffron, garlic, vinegar and water. Add the meat, mix well, cover the bowl and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Heat oven to broil or start a fire in an outdoor grill. Remove meat from marinade and drain. Arrange cubes on skewers or in a hinged grill. Brush with olive oil.
3. Broil or grill meat until cooked rare to medium rare, about 5 minutes. Serve as they are, or with chimichurri sauce as a dip.
OPEN-FACE AVOCADO SANDWICHES
Makes 48
Preparation time: 50 minutes
3/4 cup roasted cashews, unsalted preferred
6 very ripe avocados
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste
12 slices thin dark bread
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place cashews on a baking sheet and dry in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and grind briefly in a food processor or blender. Reserve.
2. Peel and remove pits from avocados. Mash them in a bowl with lemon juice, sugar and Worcestershire. Add ground nuts, reserving 1 tablespoon, salt and pepper to taste. (Recipe may be prepared ahead to this point. Smooth surface of mixture and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.)
3. Cut crusts from bread. Spread avocado mixture on bread, sprinkle with reserved cashews, then cut each slice into quarters. Arrange on a platter and cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
JOYCE GOLDSTEIN`S MARISCADA
12 servings
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 to 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 can (15 ounces) coconut milk or 1 can (8 ounces) coconut cream
1 can (16 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
Pinch saffron threads, steeped in 1/4 cup warm water
6 cups fish stock, or 3 cups clam juice and 3 cups water
1/4 cup lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
36 clams or mussels, well scrubbed (optional)
2 pounds cod or whitefish, cut in chunks
48 medium shrimp
24 sea scallops, cut in half
1/4 cup toasted coconut
1. Heat oil in a large casserole. Add onions and green peppers and cook over low heat until soft. Add garlic, minced jalapeno and ground coriander. Cook until garlic begins to brown, then add coconut milk, tomatoes, saffron and fish stock. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. (Recipe may be made ahead to this point. Let broth cool; cover and refrigerate.)
2. Add lime juice, cilantro and salt and pepper to taste to hot broth. Bring to a simmer.
3. Add optional clams to broth. After 3 minutes, add cod chunks. After 3 minutes, add shrimp and scallops. Cook only until shrimp turn pink.
4. Serve in bowls, over rice if desired. Garnish each portion with a sprinkling of toasted coconut.
CHICKEN PIE WITH CORN TOPPING
12 to 16 servings
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
3 large roasting chickens (about 3 1/2 pounds each)
6 cups chicken stock or broth
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium onions, finely chopped
1 can (1 pound) Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup seedless raisins, soaked in cold water until soft
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
24 pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and chopped
8 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen, thawed
1 cup butter, or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup lard
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
8 eggs
Paprika
1. Cut each chicken into 8 or 10 serving pieces. Place them in a pot or large casserole and pour in the stock. Add water or white wine as needed to cover the pieces. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, then cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until pieces are tender. Let chicken cool in the liquid.
2. Remove skin from chicken and discard. Pull meat from bones and cut it into small pieces. Reserve. Strain stock and refrigerate or freeze it.
3. Clean the pot. Return it to stove and heat oil with onions. When onions are soft, add tomatoes and cook at a boil until excess liquid has evaporated. Stir in chicken, salt, cinnamon, raisins, chopped eggs and chopped olives. Reserve, or cover and refrigerate until ready to finish recipe.
4. In a food processor or blender, puree corn kernels. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. When it stops sizzling, add corn, sugar and salt. Lower the heat and stir in the eggs, one by one. Stir and cook only until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
5. Lightly oil or butter two 2-quart souffle molds. Line the bottoms and sides of both molds with one-third of the corn mixture. Divide the chicken mixture between the molds, then top with remaining corn mixture. (Recipe may be prepared ahead to this point. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until 30 minutes before cooking.)
6. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake on rack set in middle of the oven 50 to 60 minutes, or until topping is firm and golden brown. Serve from the molds.
MIXED FRUIT WITH RUM
12 to 16 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
6 bananas, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
6 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned, the sections cut in half
3 ripe papayas, peeled, pitted and cubed
1/2 cup granulated brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1. Combine fruits in a large bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice and rum. Toss until well mixed. Taste and add additional sugar or lemon juice as desired. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate or keep in a cool place until ready to serve.
2. Present garnished with toasted coconut. Offer sugar cookies or pound cake at the same time. –
HAVE IT CATERED
The following restaurants will prepare foods-usually anything on the menu-in quantities for parties if given at least four days` notice:
El Criollo, 1706 W. Fullerton Ave., 549-3373. Empanadas (beef), churrasco, chimichurri and flan, among other items.
El Gaucho, 2856 N. Clark St., 549-0707. Empanadas of meat, potatoes, vegetables or ham, chimichurri, matambre and flan.
El Inca, 514 Main St., Evanston, 328-3200. Empanadas (ground beef), flan and ceviche.
La Llama, 3811 N. Ashland Ave., 327-7756. Stuffed potatoes, ceviches (six kinds), paella and other seafood dishes.
Rinconcito Sudamericano, 1954 W. Armitage Ave., 489-3126.
