Chile Forum

I thought I would open a dedicated Thanksgiving cooking thread, as cooking a traditional thanksgiving meal in Chile seems to pose special challenges in Chile. Most of the challenges are logistical in nature, such as finding cranberries or certain spices at certain stores. Some of the challenges are finding substitutes for things that are simply not available in Chile, such as pumpkin for pumpkin pie.

Please feel free to post your recipes, tips, tricks, and general plans for thanksgiving in Chile this year.

A couple of links from previous years threads:
topic2086-30.html

Don't forget Vicky doing it the hard way as usual:
http://www.allchile.net/chilephotos/thu ... p?album=63

What I am really looking for is the squash recipe we use as a substitute for pumpkin pie in Chile. It really taste better than pumpkin. I know it is on the forum somewhere. If anyone comes across it, please post the link.

Anyone know if any active US oriented expat group in Mendoza, Argentina will be holding a feast? That time coincides with a visa run for me .

EE.UU., you might e-write these people: http://www.mendozaexpats.org/index.htm . Although the feast might turn out to be rather . . . commercial.

Nah, glad THIS FORUM is not like them. Thanks anyways.

BTW, when are you moving to Chile?

eeuunikkeiexpat wrote:Nah, glad THIS FORUM is not like them.

De acuerdo. Mendoza appears to be one place (among many? I couldn't say) not improved by American emigration. A shame, really, as it's a very pretty province.

eeuunikkeiexpat wrote:. . . . when are you moving to Chile?

Next year, Lord willing. Early? Late? Still uncertain. Will try to PM you soon.

You want Thanksgiving recipes? OK, this one is a "must have" at the Thanksgiving table at our house. It goes perfectly with mashed potatoes and roast turkey. I know all the ingredients are available in Chile.

Baked Onions

Peel and slice white or yellow onions, separate into rings and fit as many as you can into a casserole dish with a tight fitting lid (they will shrink). Top with one cube of real butter. Sprinkle on a little salt and black pepper.

Put the casserole into the oven and bake for hours. I've also made this in the crock pot. It works well, except take the lid off for the last half hour or so to let some of the juice evaporate. (or better yet, save the juice and use it in your broth for the turkey soup)

Sounds yum Oregon, I do a variation of that with whole garlic cloves, beef stock and vino blanco. I love onions!

We had a great Thanksgiving party at my house last year. I found that the orange zapallo camote was an excellent substitute for pumpkin in the pies. You can also use butternut squash if you can find any at the supermarket this time of year. Just cook chunks of it in a little water until it gets soft enough to puree. You can make lots and freeze it to use in pumpkin breads etc. too.

one of our friends who travels frequently to the states brought back canned cranberries:
Jo's Cranberry Sauce

[Jo says] I'm not totally sure about the exact proportions since I just sort of made it up as I went along but this should get you pretty close.  The trick is to add things that will counter the sweetness of all that high fructose corn syrup in the canned sauce.

3 cans cranberry sauce
2-3 green apples cut in small pieces
dried cranberries and/or golden raisins soaked in orange juice (the kind with no extra sugar)  ~ 1 cup together
2/3 cup vinegar (white wine or apple or mandarin orange)
1 teas. grated fresh ginger
1/2 teas. ground cinnamon
1/4 teas. ground allspice

Bring all ingredients to a a boil then lower heat and simmer until sauces thickens close to the original cranberry sauce consistency.


Best cranberry sauce ever!

Another friend used zapallo camote instead of sweet potatoes. He had to add extra sweetening (he mentioned i think honey, brown sugar and maple syrup) along with the traditional marshmallows) but it was really good.

All the usual spices I use can be found at Jumbo, even allspice.

I've bought Ocean Spray Canberries here, in Jumbo La Dehesa. Makes a great dip for deep fried brie...

Have to look for fresh turkeys here. They exist here as I have seen a few in the neighborhood.

Also fresh cranberries. I know Cran Chile is around 80 km or so south of Temuco, but they probably export theirs. But I will have to check with them.

Cran Chile
Km.771 Ruta 5 Sur Lanco, Chile
http://www.cranchile.com/

Anyone know of a Thanksgiving gathering happening in Santiago on Thursday? One that's public or open to new ex-pats in town?