While the United States is often perceived as being the capital of beef consumption, it actually comes in at #4 on the list on a per capita basis. So, where can beef lovers travel to if they are really looking to step their beef game up? Check out these top three countries.

Uruguay

Uruguay leads the world in beef consumption, and it’s easy to see why. This small South American country has a huge cow farming industry, and social outings and get-togethers often focus on the churrasco, a big beef barbeque that is considered to be a Uruguayan cultural hallmark.

Argentina

Uruguay’s bigger neighbor, Argentina, comes in at second on the list. Argentina shares a similar pattern of bovine agriculture and the famous churrasco social tradition with Uruguay, as citizens of both countries absolutely love digging into plates of freshly-grilled beef ribs or steaks.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong might surprise you at #3 on this list, but this small island that belongs to China, but has a distinct culture and governmental system loves its beef. Beef curry and beef noodles are traditional cow-centric fare here, but you’ll also find lots of high-quality steakhouses in the city.

The post Love Beef? Travel to These Countries! appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 oz lard or butter
• 750 g all-purpose flour

For the filling

• 1 cup diced onion
• 4 garlic cloves mashed to a paste
• 1 lb beef chuck, cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• large pinch cayenne
• lard or olive oil
• 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2 sliced hard-cooked eggs
• 2 oz diced chorizo
• beef or chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Mix 4 oz lard, 2 cups boiling water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Mix everything together.

Start adding the flour slowly and knead it for 1 to 2 minutes. Leave the dough in the fridge for 1 hour.

In the meantime season the beef with salt and pepper.

Get a skillet and add 3 tablespoons lard. When it’s hot, include the beef and cook it for 5 minutes.

Next, add the chorizo and onions and cook for 10 more minutes. Pour in the marjoram, potatoes, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes before you add the pimenton, tomato paste, a cup of broth, and cayenne.

Wait for the mixture to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Include the scallions and you can set the filling aside.

To make the beef empanadas get 1-oz pieces from the dough and roll them into 4 1/2-inch circles.

Add 2 tablespoons of filling in each one then cover the dough by pressing the edges.

Set the oven to 375 F degrees and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

The post Argentine Beef Empanadas Are Super-Tasty appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

If so, this person was probably enjoying mate, which is a traditional South American beverage that is particularly popular and beloved in the countries of the Southern Cone region: Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, and some parts of Brazil.

Mate is a drink which is brewed from the leaves of the yerba mate shrub. The indigenous Guaraní and Tupí communities in what is now Paraguay were the first people to use the leaves from this shrub to make what is now known as mate.

The dried leaves from the plant are chopped and ground up into a powdery mixture and then placed in a pot along with hot, but never boiling, water, and the beverage steeps in a way that is very similar to tea.

After a few minutes of brewing time, the beverage is ready to drink. The traditional vessel for mate is a gourd-shaped vase, and people drink it through a straw which contains a filter so that the powdery dried leaves aren’t drunk.

While many people think that mate is bitter and tough to drink, others would simply say that it is an acquired taste, much like coffee. Its high caffeine content and levels of antioxidants are raved about by the many enthusiasts of the beverage.

Have you ever tried mate? What did you think?

The post Mate, South America’s Favorite Hot Beverage appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

While the United States is often perceived as being the capital of beef consumption, it actually comes in at #4 on the list on a per capita basis. So, where can beef lovers travel to if they are really looking to step their beef game up? Check out these top three countries.

Uruguay

Uruguay leads the world in beef consumption, and it’s easy to see why. This small South American country has a huge cow farming industry, and social outings and get-togethers often focus on the churrasco, a big beef barbeque that is considered to be a Uruguayan cultural hallmark.

Argentina

Uruguay’s bigger neighbor, Argentina, comes in at second on the list. Argentina shares a similar pattern of bovine agriculture and the famous churrasco social tradition with Uruguay, as citizens of both countries absolutely love digging into plates of freshly-grilled beef ribs or steaks.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong might surprise you at #3 on this list, but this small island that belongs to China, but has a distinct culture and governmental system loves its beef. Beef curry and beef noodles are traditional cow-centric fare here, but you’ll also find lots of high-quality steakhouses in the city.

The post Love Beef? Travel to These Countries! appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 oz lard or butter
• 750 g all-purpose flour

For the filling

• 1 cup diced onion
• 4 garlic cloves mashed to a paste
• 1 lb beef chuck, cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• large pinch cayenne
• lard or olive oil
• 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2 sliced hard-cooked eggs
• 2 oz diced chorizo
• beef or chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Mix 4 oz lard, 2 cups boiling water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Mix everything together.

Start adding the flour slowly and knead it for 1 to 2 minutes. Leave the dough in the fridge for 1 hour.

In the meantime season the beef with salt and pepper.

Get a skillet and add 3 tablespoons lard. When it’s hot, include the beef and cook it for 5 minutes.

Next, add the chorizo and onions and cook for 10 more minutes. Pour in the marjoram, potatoes, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes before you add the pimenton, tomato paste, a cup of broth, and cayenne.

Wait for the mixture to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Include the scallions and you can set the filling aside.

To make the beef empanadas get 1-oz pieces from the dough and roll them into 4 1/2-inch circles.

Add 2 tablespoons of filling in each one then cover the dough by pressing the edges.

Set the oven to 375 F degrees and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

The post Argentine Beef Empanadas Are Super-Tasty appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

If so, this person was probably enjoying mate, which is a traditional South American beverage that is particularly popular and beloved in the countries of the Southern Cone region: Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, and some parts of Brazil.

Mate is a drink which is brewed from the leaves of the yerba mate shrub. The indigenous Guaraní and Tupí communities in what is now Paraguay were the first people to use the leaves from this shrub to make what is now known as mate.

The dried leaves from the plant are chopped and ground up into a powdery mixture and then placed in a pot along with hot, but never boiling, water, and the beverage steeps in a way that is very similar to tea.

After a few minutes of brewing time, the beverage is ready to drink. The traditional vessel for mate is a gourd-shaped vase, and people drink it through a straw which contains a filter so that the powdery dried leaves aren’t drunk.

While many people think that mate is bitter and tough to drink, others would simply say that it is an acquired taste, much like coffee. Its high caffeine content and levels of antioxidants are raved about by the many enthusiasts of the beverage.

Have you ever tried mate? What did you think?

The post Mate, South America’s Favorite Hot Beverage appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.