Comidas Ricas -- Food in Copan

This post is simply a listing of some favorite foods from Copan, so that I might attempt to recreate them once I settle into a place with a kitchen of my own. Generous thanks to Carla and my host family for helping me puzzle out ingredients for some of these items.

Baleadas
Served anytime of the day as a meal or a snack. My favorite version in Copan was from Pupuseria Mary, near Commercial Chillys. The ones served at Cafe Welchez were also quite good, as were those from Cafe Picame. (Actually, it's pretty hard to mess up a baleada but we certainly made a good effort to taste and compare all the different variations. Nearly every day, in fact.)

A giant flour tortilla spread on one side wth frijoles (refried beans), then topped with cream, and a sprinkle of hard white cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and grill both sides until everything is toasty, then serve with escaveche vegetables on the side. For an extra special treat, add scrambled eggs inside and serve with sliced avocados.

Frijoles
Served with every meal in some form. At Carla's house, we always had red beans -- but some families had black beans served much the same way. At the beginning of the week there was a pot of frijoles enteros, or whole cooked beans. Some might be mixed in with a rice-n-beans dish, or simply served by the scoop as a side dish. As the week progressed, the same pot of beans would be cooked more and more. At mid-week we had pureed beans that would be reheated for the meals, and later more water could be added for a kind of bean soup. My favorite was the refried bean paste, followed by the rice-n-beans dish called Casamiento. I expect to keep a pot of beans on hand all the time once I'm in my own kitchen again.

Casamiento (rice and beans casserole)
Served for special occasions at Carla's house. It includes a slightly different mix of ingredients depending on what's in the fridge.

Saute julienned onions and bell peppers. Cook and drain chorizo or other sausage. Stir sausage and vegetables together with cooked white rice, whole beans, a bit of margarine, black pepper, consomme powder (chicken bouillon), mayonnaise, and soy sauce. Once combined and heated through, stir in shredded mozzarella cheese. Serve with escaveche vegetables on the side.

Escaviche Vegetables
A staple condiment that is always on the table. At times I recall seeing it on the table in Mexican restaurants in the US, but thee version I remember from the states was always overcooked and over pickled. This is a fresh version that fit appropriately at every meal. The ingredients change based on what's in season.

Julienne or chop vegetables to bite-sized pieces: carrots, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, jalapeno peppers. Quickly blanch vegetables for a duration appropriate to the variety (beans first, then carrots, then cauliflower and broccoli), Do not blanch the onions or jalapenos. Mix all prepared vegetables in a large bowl with thyme, salt, vinegar, oregano, bay leaf, and a bit of salad oil. Let it set for awhile for the flavors to soak in before serving.

Anafre (bean dip)
Served at the fancier restaurants as an appetizer. My favorite version in Copan was from Pupuseria Mary, near Commercial Chillys. The dish is a melty concoction of beans, onions, bell peppers, melty cheese and cooked chorizo pureed together and served in a crock over smoldering embers. The best versino has a bit of cream drizzled over the top and is served with thick fried flour tortilla chips.

Plantanos (fried plantains)
A staple served with most meals, ripe plantains are sliced on the diagonal and fried in a bit of oil on the stovetop, or baked in the oven with a touch of oil.

Tortillas de maiz (corn tortillas)
Always served warm and generally made fresh the same day, every meal is served with these wonderful tasty starchy round things. They are only marginally related to the corn tortillas you find in the supermarkets in the USA. I'm hoping I'll be able to find a local Latin American vendor for fresh-made tortillas in whichever city I land in after all this.

Chile Picante de Carla
The everyday raw picante sauce served at Carla's house. Puree together garlic, cilantro, onions vinegar, jalapenos, salt and black pepper.

Liquados
My afternoon refreshment on hot days. A licuado is a sort of fruit shake, with nothing in it except perfectly ripe fresh fruit, a touch of sugar and either water or milk blended together with a bit of ice. My favorite variety was pineapple and cantaloupe with water.

Maya Frozen
A dangerously tasty concoction that would be difficult to make at home, but is worth a mention on my Copaneco favorite foods list. The best version is served at Cafe Welchez. Blend together coffee granita (sort of a coffee-n-cream flavored slushee) with ice cream, a shot of espresso and chocolate cookie. Pour into a tall milkshake glass with chocolate sauce drizzled over the inside. Top with whipped cream, more chocolate drizzle, and a cherry. Serve with a straw. (And don't forget the little napkin-apron wrapped around the glass.)