Recipes

Salvadoran Lutheran Synod

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. Much of the farmland is in the hands of a few landowners. The poor people farm what little bit of land they have, growing corn and beans to help feed their families, and buying rice if they cannot grow it. Sugarcane, pineapples, bananas, avocados and melons grow there, but they would not necessarily be available on a regular basis to the poorer families. Many of the people of El Salvador have led difficult lives over the past several years, sometimes having to leave their villages and seek shelter in refugee camps. Joetta Handrich Schlabach, in the book Extending the table: a world community cookbook, shares several brief stories describing the generosity and creativity of the El Salvadorans even when times have been difficult.

A good meal would be to flavor pinto or black beans with onion, garlic and chili powder, and serve over rice, with the curtido and quesadillas accompanying the main dish, and watermelon for dessert.

Pickled Coleslaw Curtido (kur-TEE-doh) Serves 6 to 8 as salad This recipe calls for pineapple vinegar. The directions for making pineapple vinegar are included, or you can substitute the dressing as described. 1 head cabbage, finely sliced 1 onion, thinly sliced 3 large carrots, grated 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 large radish, grated pinch of oregano 1 small hot pepper, seeded and chopped (optional) oil for frying salt Cover cabbage, carrots and radish with hot (not quite boiling) water, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain well. Place cabbage in a large salad bowl. Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté onion, hot pepper (if used), bell peppers, oregano and salt. Stir into the cabbage mixture, mixing well. Pour 1-1/2 cups pineapple vinegar over the cabbage, stirring well to dress all the vegetables. Pineapple vinegar (1-1/2 cups) (Choose 1) 1) More traditional method: cut up 1 pineapple, peel included. Put in large jar with 1 handful grapes, 1 sliced peach and pinch of oregano. Cover with water, cover jar, and let sit on counter several days. Strain liquid to use in recipe. 2) Substitution: mix 3/4 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup water, pinch of oregano and 1 tablespoon oil. Recipe from Smithsonian Folklife Cookbook by Katherine S. and Thomas M. Kirlin, Smithsonian Institution, 1991, p. 110.