Christmas Eve Salad

This is the time of year when Folks throw office, church, garage, AA, bowling team, study group, etc. POTLUCK parties. That can be a problem if you cannot cook, or if you are too lazy to cook much, and some other fortunate Soul snags the Chips & Dip or Beer & Soda contributions.

This Salad can be your saving grace. You do not have to cook but only prepare the fruit with care and combine carefully. Everyone will think you are a whizbang gourmand. And if you are Vegan, you will have something you can eat. There is more than one way to skin a Potluck.

Happy Holidays! This was the salad served at Christmas Eve Dinner to Stanford-in-Mexico students in 1972. Recipe from Steve and Pilar Stein of Latin Studies.

Ensalada de Noche Buena

4 small Apples, cored and sliced
4 medium Oranges, peeled and separated in sections
3 cups of canned Pineapple, drained
4 small Bananans, sliced
3 tablespoons Sugar
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
Romaine Lettuce leaves
2 cups canned Betts, drained
1/4 cup Peanuts

Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until they are cold. At the moment of serving cover a salad bowl with the Lettuce leaves, mix carefully the Fruits and the Beets, and place the mixture over the Letttuce. Sprinkle Peanuts on top and serve immediately. Serves 12.
Note: Some folks are allergic to peanuts. Serve them salted and roasted as a garnish on the side.

Salsa Criolla - Comida Latina

This recipe comes from a paperback cookbook Comida Latina published by Center for Latin American Studies at Stanford University.

A covered glass bowl of this condiment appears on the table of every restaurant in the Sierras. And you find it on the counter in every kitchen. This recipe came from Helene and Fredrick Kruger of the School of Earth Sciences.

Salsa Criolla from Peru

Onions, Pepper, Salt
Marjoram or Oregano
Ground Yellow Chili Pepper
Fresh Chilis
Bitter Oranges or Lemons
Olive Oil

Cut Onions in this slices and soak in heavily salted water for 10 to 15 minutes. Rub the onions lightly through the fingers to loosen the rings, then rinse in cold clear water and dry. Place onion rings in a china or glass dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and marjoram to taste. Add a pinch or two of ground yellow chili pepper. Cut fresh chilis, without seeds and fiber, into very thin strips. Add to the onions and mix gently. Pour juice of bitter oranges or lemons to barely cover. Set aside for a couple of hours, then add a little olive oil, mix and serve with boiled potatoes, fried fish, salad, etc.

Please Note: Ingredients may be adjusted in amount to suit taste and number of servings. Some add fresh chopped Cilantro or Marjoram to this condiment.

Quindins de YaYa - Comida Latina

Quindins de Yaya is a Brazilian dessert made of grated coconut. It is also the name of a Brazilian song you may recognize. Yaya means "young girl" in a Brazilian dialect.

Here is the song Os Quindins de YaYa  followed by a recipe for this delightful dessert.

I found this recipe in Comida Latina, a cookbook published by Center for Latin American Studies at Stanford University in 1977. It is the simplest version I have found. Another name for these little cakes is Mae Bentas. Recipe courtesy of Rollie E. Poppino.

Ingredients

3 cups grated Coconut

2 cups Sugar

1 tablespoon Flour

6 Egg Whites

10 Egg Yolks

1 teaspoon Salt

Small amount of Sugar and Butter for the muffin tins. 

Separate Eggs. Mix all ingredients. Butter small muffin tins and sprinkle with Sugar. Fill tins 3/4 full. Set muffin tins in a pan of water and place in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

This recipe may also be made as a single cake baked in a mold. Double the baking time but watch cake carefully. Done when a knife comes out clean. Some recipes are flavored further with the addition of Vanilla and/or Cinnamon. You will have fun experimenting, if you like. I like the plain version the best.