well-known sources of Alubia White beans
smoked cheeses, duck,
Antique siphon bottles on sale at the market in Plaza Dorrego,
San Telmo, Buenos Aires.
A-Z Guide to Argentine Foods
Key to Authors' Ratings
Normal
y' Worth a try
* ... de Olivas Olive oil
Something special
A Quechua origin , ottcttü
A la ..., dl ... Indicates the
style of preparation. ln this
guide, such terms are listed
according to the style. For
example, see "Cruz, a 7a"
on page 31.
Abadejo Pollack, Pink cus-
keel. A less flavorful fish
than hake (Merluza) but
cooked the same.
Aderezo A general term
for a dressing, such as sctlsa
golf.
Adobo A general term for
a style of marinade that is
sometimes dry and rubbed
on meat before cooking.
More liquid versions afe
used to tenderi ze and
flavor meat, fish, or vegeta-
bles by marinating for
22
Dorrec
some hours or days. Also
see page 105.
Aceite Oii
... de maíz Corn oil
Aceitunas Olives
Acelgas Swiss charcl
Acerola Thc frr¡it of'¿r tree
found in thc higlr l'araná
river basi n. Sornt't i lnes
called thc clrt'l'l'y ol the
Antilles, it is vcly lrigh in
vitamin (..
Achicoria ( .ll it'oI v
Achuras'l'lrt' gt'nt'l'¿rl tcrm
used for tllt' vist t'r'a or offal
of cattlc, sltt't'¡r, ¡rorl.., and
goats. lt t'nt'onr lr¿rsrcs lhe
heart, livcr', slrr.¡ll lrrrtl l.rrge
intestincs, t lryrrrtrs, liirlncy,
testicles, ¿lntl stonult ll.
Agridulce Swt't' I -sot¡ r.
Used in rcl'r'r't'llt't, Io tnanV
preparations I rorrr ¡ric'l<les
to sauccs to t,ln¡rirrr.trlas,
whele ¿tt'l ¿rt itl ()l' sour
flavor is ¡r:r ilt'tl w it h a
sweet c()r)lIlol lt'rI l.
Ahumado S rrr o I.. ('rl .
Barilochc ¿urrl Mt'niloza are
pheasant, trout, salmon, Ambrosía
egg custard. A favorite des-
venison, and wild boar.
Ajedrea Savory (the herb).
Ají General term for pep-
pers.
Ajillo, al Cooked in a gar-
lic sauce.
Ajo Garlic
Albahaca Basil
Albóndigas Dumplings if
associated with
a vegetáble
(albóndigcrs de acelgas); oth-
erwise meatballs (of beef if
unstated). In Argentina the
basic tech n iqué has been
adopted l'o use indigenous
materials such as river fish
and ñandú.
Alcaparra Caper
Alcaucil Artichoke
Alcayota See "Cayote" on
page 27.
r' Nfaior Sandwich biscuit
(cookie). See page 17.
Alfeñiques Also known
as
melcocha, these candies of
Arab-Spanish origin are
especially popular in the
l'una. Made oI honey or
cane syrup cooked to the
desired consistence when
they are formed or molded
into shapes, often human
hgures.
Aliñado Similar to an
adobo, an aliñado is an
uncooked dressing or mar-
inade used to dress or Antojo ,Whim, craving; a
flavor roasted or grilled catch-all term sometimes
meats and vegetables, used to indicate specialty
including salads.
Almendra Almond. A dish
prepared almendratlo wiII
be coated with almonds.
Almíbar, en In syrup
A fruit-flavored
sert of the revered Presi-
dent Sarmiento from
whom the name came
because he called it
"ambrosia."
Ananá Pineapple. Attotta is
the Cuaraní name for the
fruit. Named piño by the
lpunish when'they aírived
because it reminded them
o-f the pinecones in Spain,
thus providing the basis
for its English form.
Ananás Variety of melon
Anchoa Anchovy
Anchi A popula r, \'ery
sweet dessert of the North-
west, consisting of a thick
creamy mixture of corn
flour (clrn m(a/), orange or
lemon juice and raisini.
Ancua Toasted corn. Of
ref ers to large grains ol
corn that have been
toasted. Term used in the
9ryo. In the northeast, f/or
de ancut is used to refer to
popcorn. See "Pochoclo"
on page 48.
Anggifa Ee1. The anguila
criolla is a true native of
Argentina and unlike the
European eels, does not
lpend part of its life cycle
in the ocean. Delicious,
especially when smoked.
food items.
Apanado Breaded
Aperitivo Aperi tif when
referring to a drink, other-
wise snack or appetizer.
Apio Celery
23
 Arándano Blueberry
Armado The common
name given to certain
members of the bagres fam-
ily, a fish caught in the
Ríver Plate balin, prized
for its meat, and important
economically.
Arrope Inherited from the
ancient Inca cultttÍe, arro-
pes are fairly thick syrups
bbtained by boiling the
sap of various trees, e.9.,
chañar, or fruits such as
that of the cactus, tunt.
The name also applies to
svru DS obtained f rom
oifre'r fruit such as the
grape, plum and apricot. A
popular dessert, in Salta
and the north in particu-
lar, is " quesillo de cabra con
arrope,t' a mild flavored
white goat cheese with
tuna arrope.
Arroz Rice or rice dishes.
Arroz de vigilia Lenten
rice
y' Arroz con Leche A creamy
rice pudding, served cold,
Iishtlv flavored with
leñron,'usually dusted with
cinnamon.
Artesanal Handcrafted,
prepared using traditional
methods. (e.g., " Quesos
artesanal" indicates farm-
house cheeses.)
Arveja Peas
Atún Tuna. The species
caught in Argentine waters
are:-Albacore, Yellow Fin,
Southern Blueñn and Big
Eye. The Bluef,n and the
Bigeye tunas are recoS-
niZed by thejr reddish col-
ored stéaks. Their smaller
24
relatives, the Yellow Fin
and Albacore tuna have
lishter colored steaks.
Próperly cooked tuna has a
firm consistency, almost
like a pork chop, and is
firmer than the familiar
canned tuna.
Avati A term used in the
Northwest for maize.
Azúcar Sugar
... blanco/común White
sugar
... impalpable Icing sugar
... moreno Brown sugar
B proce5s. Lxcel lent flavol
Bacalao (Austral) South-
ern Cod. A classic white
fish with a pleasingly mild
taste and a semi-firm flesh.
Bagna cauda A hot garlic-
anchovy sauce used for
dipping bread and vegeta-
bles. Brought to the Santa
Fe area by Italian immi-
grants from the Piedmont.
Bagre A species of fresh-
water catfish widely dis-
tributed in the bays, rivers
and lakes of Argentina.
With an oily flesh, it is
considered good eating. lts
members include the
armado.
Baguette Long thin Ioaf
of bread.
Balancho A'paste made
from mistol (a fruit from a
wild bush of the same
name) coated with flour
and dried in the sun.
Banana Banana
li,l [¿tas
y' P,¿N,ata Yam. Oíf l,r,hite or
lr trwn skin and vvhite, *
i,i,rillt vellt)w or pink llesh.
\.lt hough often'referred
to
Irs sr,veet potato, it is not as
swt'et as the sweet potato.
tserenjena Eggplant, aub_
crgine.
Berros Watercress
Bes.ugo Bream (Red) or
Red porgy tpagrus pagrus.).
llas a delicious lean and
flaky flesh but is bony.
Bife A lean cut of beef of yeast-r isen dough
taken from various parts
of
the animal. The most corn-
mon bcin g bife tle costilla,
tle t'ltorizo,-de lomtt, and de
cttctdril.
r'...dechorizo A thick ilafite is believed to come
boneless steak, sirnllar to a frorn their resemblance to
New York Strip steak. the iassels on the cords
Sometimes -offered iiinding the robes worn by
" nlariposa" oL butterfl iecl,
whcre it is splft in hall
betol'e cooking.
... de costilla T-Bone steak
... de lomo Loin steak
Bifes Cordobeses Bone-
less steaks of young beef,
hread.ed, ligh tly iried,
t'oated in beáten-egg and
then fried again.
Bifes a la Criolla Steaks
slowly cooked in a casse-
role with oil, onions, sliced
potatoes, tomatoes, Fep_
pcrs, garlic and parsley-.
Bifes a la Portuguesa
Steaks seasoned with salt
and peppcr, sAuteed over a
slor.t' fire in i;,1, tn which is
then a,:'ided r_;nions and
'rwe,€t lr.ep.pers trr er, icusly
cooked in hLrtlr'r.
Elanco White, as ir-l li¡1r.,,
b!anc:a. .¡\isc¡ us*ci tt¡ indi-
(_tte Ith!tr. .l' ir;,.,ist nleat,
,t ¡tr¿1.,,.
si:t'h as i'1,¡itt'tt
fSoEa :\ f resh-ri'atrr tlsh
foirnil in thtl ie*dcr fil,ers
of tlre River plate, it is
pl'r r,¿lent ¡rcal. the grain
doe ks, .where it feeds on
the grain that falls into the
ivater during the loading
and texture.
Bolanchao Srnall baked
halls of rnistol. (See Balan-
cho).
Bolas de balls fraile Friecl
lighily clusted in sugar,"oi
(,t'rman origin, in Árg"n-
tina generafly filled rlith
dulce de leche. Lite¡allv
translated Monks Balts, thé
s(ltne ntonks.
Bolitos de anise Small
sweL't anise flavored bis_
cuits, of Arab origin, that
are gcnerally eatcn while
drin king nráte, especjallv
in Tucumán and Santiagó
dei fl,ste¡ro.
Bonito A variety of tuna.
Bróculi Broccoli
Brotes Sprouts, brotes tie
sola.
Brótola fhe Argentine fish
l,trtíto.l.n, (uro¡tltici.s
brt¡si liensls) or Brázilian
25
I
 (.odling is sometimes con-
ILrsed with the brótola de
roc-o, (Pltycis phycis). Both
havc a white mild flavored
flaky flesh when cooked.
Budín Pudding, loaf cake,
or pie. The very loosely
used term is applied to
such a diverse set of prepa-
rations as buclín inglés,
budín chocolate, budín de
porr, bttdín de olcauciles,
and budírt de chr¡clo.
* Budín de choclo Corn
pudding. See "Budín de
Choclo al Caramelo" on
page 108.
Buñuelos Fried puf f s.
Made from flour or
mashed potatoes. Can be
sweet or savory, depending
on other ingredients. The
savory verslons are Sener-
ally called croquetas.
Buseca A dish of Italian
origin using tripe and veg-
etables in a tomato sauce,
related to a guiso de mon-
dortgo.
Butifarra A white fresh
pork sausage; originally
from Catalunya.
c a soup.
Caballa Mackerel, this
fish's flesh is fatty, rich-
flavored, moist, and is
often cooked with acidic
flavorings such as lemon
or tomato.
Caballo,a "On horse-
back, " such as bife de cho-
rizo a cnballo, a preparation
that means it will be
served topped with a fried
e88.
Cabra Goat. There are sev-
eral regions in Argentina,
26
particularly the Cuyo, in
which the goat is more
common than cattle and
its meat, chivito, appears
on menus at least as often
as beef.
Caburé A cake resembling
the chipá.
Calabaza In Argentina
this is generally used to
refer to only one type of
squash, the anco. See
"ZapalIo" on page 53.
Calafate Blue, intensely
flavored berries from a
thorny Patagonian bush,
used in jellies, preserves,
ice cream, and liqueurs.
'Iwo different plants with
similar fruit share the com-
mon name. Although
some consider the plant a
type of "barberry", it is
unique to Chile and
Argentina.
Calamar Squid, several
different varieties sold.
Calamarete Small squid,
usually served fried whole.
Caldo Broth
Caldillo Vegetables cooked
in a meat broth; some-
thing closer to a stew than
Camarón Shrimp
Canela Cinnamon
Cangrejo rojo Deep sea
red crab
Caipirinha The name for a
popular Brazilian drink, it
is often displayed in mar-
kets identifying the limes
used to make the drink.
See page 67.
Caquís Small red fruit
from a tree of Japanese ori-
gin with mild sweet pulp,
pampas, it is hunted for its
savory meat and skin.
* Carre ahumado Smoked
pork loin.
Cáscara The outet cover-
ing or skin; meaning rind
of citrus fruits, shells of
nuts and skin of potatoes.
Casera Home-made. This
Carbonada
term is never used on com-
rr scd in jellies and pre- mercially prepared prod-
s('t'ves. ucts. Thus, for example,
Caracoles General term flan caser¡z indicates it was
I o r sea snails such as made on premises.
wlrelks. /Cayote Fig leaf gourd,
r' Carbonada A stew origi- usually found as dulce de
rurting in Chile, Perú añd cayote, pieces in sugar
tlrc region of the River syrup.
l'late. Contains beef, corn Caz6n Variety of shark; a
on the cob, pumpkin, veg- shellfish eater, it is reputed
ctables, sugar, vinegar, rai- for its excellent flavor.
sins, peaches (in season), Cazuela Casserole.
.r nd a few regional
totrches. Cazuela Argentina A stew
of chickpeas, chicken, corn
Cardamomo Cardamom. (maize), vegetables and
Carne Meat IICC.
Carne vacuna Beef Cebiche See "Seviche" on
y' Carne cortada a cuchillo page 51.
Meat which has been cut Cebolla Onion
lry knife. Used in reference Cebolla de verdeo Spring
to the meat in empanadas
to indicate that it is not
onion.
ground meat (hamburger Cebolleta verde Scallion,
r n cat). small green onion.
Carpaccio Very thinly Cebollino Chive
sliced rare roast beef Cebollito Chive
tlressed with lemon juice, * Centolla Snow crab,
olive oil and capers. Usage southern king crab. While
ol term has been expanded there are several excellent
to include other very preparations, a serving of
thinly sliced food items, plain cen tolla cannot be
such as salmon, marrows surpassed.
(ztrcchini), and aubergines
(cgg plants). Centollon Spider crab
CarpinchoThe largest Cereza Cherry. Eaten
rodent in the world, it fresh or used in pies and
rcsembles a deer in appear- other desserts.
¿rnce. Widely established Ceviche See "Seviche" on
in the Northeast and wet page 51.
27
 stluashes are dried in this Chistorra A lean, slightly
tnaf-Iner. smoked link pork sausage
Chico/a Small. A fre- colored and flavored with
t ¡ trcntly encountered term, sweet paprika; of Basque
in such queries as whether oIlgrn.
1,tlLI want "un chico," smail Chivito The meat of a
or un grande,large young goat; with a bone
l]l]::t"" structure similar to a lamb,
* Chimichurri An Argentine both are normallv cooked
rnarinade, also used as a the same way.Éowerrer,
tlrcssing or salsa for grilled chivitos have less fat and
nrcats. Recipes vary widely, are often not as tender.
sorne being more piquant -
In areas close to the border
A live centolla being displayed on a tour boat in Ushuaia.
tlran others. See recipe on with Uruguay, " Chivito"
¡rage 106.
may refer to a sandwich
Champiñón Common fresh meat rather than Chinchulínes The second
similar to a lomito, con-
white mushroom. charqui. sisting of a thin slice of
¡rortion of the small intes- meat, with lettuce and
Champiñón marrón Com- Chatre Flat hoilow baked tine of beef. A common tomato between halves of
mon brown mushroom. biscuits (coctkies), usually ( ornponent of an asado. a large roll.
Chanfaina A type of stew dusted with sugar or Choclo Corn
incorporating onions, spread with dulce de leche.
tomatoes and peppers and Chaucha de vainilla Choclo troceado Corn on
usually hearts and livers, Vanilla bean
the cob cut into small
normaily of goats or lamb pieces. This is a common
with regional variations. Chauchas Green beans form of adding corn to
There is a Patagonian ver- (used by itself it usually dishes.
sion made with fish. means flat green beans). Choclo desgranado Corn
Charqui Also Chauchas rollizas String
written beans. cut from the cob.
" charque," this dried beef is Choique Small ñandú.
the local version of the Chaya A typical stew of Chipás. Found in the steppes of
South African biltong, the the Patagonia made of Chipá 'l'he bread ot l']ara- Patagonia and in the high
Italian bresaola and the ñandú or guanaco. ruay and the provinces of meters. Andes plains up to 4000
jerky of the U.S. Found Chernia Stone Bass. Medi- (.orrientes and Misiones.
mainly in the Northeast, tcrranean Sea Bass; a flaky Made with manioc flour, * Choripan The Argentine
the most usual wav it is and relativelv firm ter- ( orn flour, egg, fat, and version of a sausage in a
eaten is as a charquitán. A tured ñsh thai has a mild ;rlrnost always cheese. roll, consisting of a cho-
traditional pre-Colombian but distinctive flavor that rizo, generally sliced in
Peruvian and Bolivian is highly púzed. Chipá-guazú A casserole half, placed in a crusty roll
preparation. of glated corn, fat, and of appropriate size, nor-
Chicharrón Small bits of rnilk, well mixed and
Charquicán A stew which crisp fat left over after ren- lr¡rked. mally dressed with chimi-
includes onions, vegetable dering pork or beef fat. churri or mustard,
marrows (zucchinis), car- Sometimes used as a
Chirimoya Thre Chirimoya although some add lettuce
rots, potatoes, garlic and a flavoring ingredient in pan
()r' Custard Apple is a and tomato. Vendors sell-
medley of herbs. It is de campo, tortas and biZco- strange looking fruit, with ing choripan can be found
claimed that the best char- chos.
rr light green, scaly looking in parks and near football
qui and charquicán is to be cxterior that conceals a stadiums, popular events
Chichoca Slices of fruit or lLrsciously sweet pulp best
found in Salta. If encoun- vegetables dried in the and festivals.
tered in a restaurant out- c¿rten with a spoon; its
sun. In the North peppers, large black seeds are easily Chorizo A thick fresh link
side of the Northwest, it is tomatoes, egg plants and sausage containing pork
probably prepared using cliscarded.
and beef. Argentine chori-
28 29

Choripan
zos are very different from
those of the same name
encountered in Spain or
Mexico. They have very
few herbs or spices.
Choro Chilean term for
mussels. Sometimes found
on menus in Patagonia.
Chuchoca Corn kernels
dried in the oven or on
heated stones and then
used in cooking such
dishes as locro in the
Northwest.
Chulas Marinated steaks
with sauce.
Chuño Potato flour made
from the naturallv freeze
dried potatoes (chumo)of
the frozen high Andes. The
technique predates the
Incas. The potatoes and
the flour are sold in the
Northwest and in some
markets in Buenos Aires.
Chupe A thick soup of
Peruvian origins with
many variations but is
basically made with meat
and vegetables on hand;
can contain rice or pota-
toes.
Chupín A thick fish or
shellfish stew common in
the Northeast. Made with
pieces of river fish, such as
Boga and Dorado, com-
mon in the River Paraná or
River Uruguay, and onion,
30
tomatoes, red wine and
fresh herbs.
Churrasco A boneless
stea-k, usually of cheap
beef, usually bne or twtr
inches thick.
Churros A type of break-
last lritter of dough
extruded into hot fat br
oil. Although based upon
those popular in Spain, the
Argentine version com-
monly encountered today
is straight, fatter and
invariably filled with dulce
de leche. Normallv eaten
with mate or hot thoco-
late.
Ciboulette Chive
Ciruelo Plum.
Clara (de huevo) Egg
white.
Clara a nieve Beaten egg
whites.
Cochinillo Suckling pig.
While both are suckliñg,-u
cochirtillo is younger
r thah a
Iechón.
Codorniz Quail
Cogollos Hearts of lettuce.
Colación A traditional
sweet of the Cuvo and
Cordoba. It consitts of a
oval concave biscuit, filled
with dulce de leche, and
then covered with a bath
of white sugar.
Coliflor Cauliflower
Comelotodo Snow pea
Come-todo Snow pea
Comino Cumin. A popu-
lar flavoring ingredient-for
Northwestern Argentine
cooking.
Completo Full (breakfast
or sandwich) with ham
and cheese, lnayltc ltoiled
t'gg, added to the ordinary
irrgredients.
Congrio Conger eel.
scrni-fatty fish with a firm,
ll¿rvorful flesh.
Copetín Aperitif; drinks
scrved before a meal.
Cordero Lamb
* Cordero patigonico Lamb
llom Patagonia. Because it
It'ccls on arid pasture land,
it contains little fat. in a
¡ttrrillo, this always means
l'oasted "a la cruz." Tradi-
tionally, such are cooked
lor up to five hours. Also
rrrrtstanding are "guisos" of
"( ot'dero patigonico."
Coriandro Cilantro
Corintos Currants
Cornalito Silverside, a
snl.rll fish similar to smelt.
* Corvina A verv flavorful
st'¿r flsh with a'flakv white
llt'sh, similar to a perch or
tlrtrn'1. 'fhere are two com-
ro n varieties,
rf Co
,\(',!/-rl and Corvina Rubia.
llrc flesh of corvina is
n,ll ite/ sweet, lean and
lirrcly textured.
I Costillar The name given
lo Ihe entire rib section of
,r sicle of meat. Depending
on the size and type of ani-
rrurl,it may be cut into
snlall pieces fol cooking.
t't¡.stillas refers to a portion
t rrt from thre costillar.
I Crema Cream or a creamv
\()Lrp. A dish followed by
" a lrt creftta" indicates
I ( r'camy sauce.
Criadillas Testicle s of a
\'oLlng bull. A traditional
¡rart of an asado in the
country, they have a soft
llavor similar to a sweet-
ll'ead. They are scarce,
expensive and seldom
encountered in restau-
A rants.
Criollo/a, a la In the cre-
ole style, meaning in the
old colonial style. In gen-
eral this means cooked
with, or served with, a
sauce of onions, sweet pep-
pers/ tomatoes, garlic and
parsley.
Croquetas Cloquettes.
The most common are
those of chard, splilach,
fish and rice. Seldom
served as a main dish.
Argenl.ine cloquettes al'e
always mild flavored, well
browned and served with-
out sauce.
rvina
Cordero being roasted a
CTUZ.
a la
Cruz, a la On a cross; used
for meat cooked on a verti-
cal spit where the meat is
held open by a cross bar so
that the spit looks like a
CTOSS.
Cuaresmillo Varietv of late
a peach, usually seivecl as
dulce de cuaresmillo.
Cuajada A mild, very fresh
white cheese; junket; curd.
Cubanitos A sweet con-
sisting of a small tube of
sweet, d.y, crisp thin
31
 l).t\.lty, sinlil¿rr tct that used
rrr it'c crcaln cones, ñlled
with clulce de leche. Fre-
(lu('ntly sold by walking
vt'rr tlers a t fairs, in plaza{,
and street intersectións.
Cuchi A suckling pig, pre-
pared tt ailobo añcf r6áite¿
lvhole in a brick oven. A
tladitional dish for ce¡tain
holidays in the Northeast,
such as 25 July, the Day of
Saint james. See "LecÉón
adobado" on page 37.
Cucurucho lce cream
cone.
Curanto A form of inclige-
nous cooking. A pit is dug
and small pieces of ivooti
are laid down and topperl
with flat stones. The wóod
is burned to coals which
are removed, ieaving the
hot stones. The stonel are
then covered with leaves
of nalca ot maqui, then
meat and vegetables, cov-
ered with more leaves, a
piece of cloth and dirt and
left to rest until the food is
cooked.
Cuis A typq 9f guinea pig.
C)nce raised bv everv lnca
household foi food'much
as chickens were in
Europe. Nowada_vs seldom
to be found on á menu or
in the market.
D ten.
*Dorado A large fresh-
Damascos Apricot
Delicias Del ights. often
used in confilct't'u menus as
a category to group small
sweet items.
32
A simple breakfast of coffee
with medialunas.
Desayuno Breakfast. l,fost
Argentine-s eat a simple
breakfast of coffee or mate
with small pastries, toast
or yogurt.
Descremado/a
Decreamed, milk fat
removed. Commonly
found on containers of
daii'y products such as
milk, yogurt, cream, and
lce cream.
Deshuesado Deboned
Diente de león Dandelion
I y' Empanada A filled pastry
Disco, al or Disco de
Arajo A cooking tech-
nique in which meats are
cooke-d by placing them
on a hot piece of metal
simiiar to a plowing disc.
Don Pedro An ice cream
dessert where scoops of ice
cream in a deep glass are
washed with whiJkev and
topped with whifped
cream. Warnin,g: all toofre-
quent_ly the whiskey is
poured with a heavy hánd.
water fish with whitc', lean
firm flesh, it can cxcced 20
Kg. Prized as a s[)orts lish,
called llrc ti.yr ,i¡'Ilrt' r'ivt'r
for its spirit, lrt¡t l¡lso lil'its
fine eating. ()tltcr names
are pcz ttttttt t'i I 1 ,, ¡ti t'trvti,
lnon(t, ancl tttt¡t ti It t.
Dulces Sweets. A term Entremés Starter or appe-
,,ltt'r loosely apptied to tizer.
,rrrything fíorh' ielliesy Escabeche A marinade
(¡rtlt'tt ), preSerVeS/ sweet
pade with oil, vinegar and
¡lrstes, and candies to herbs.
lruits served in syrup. The
rrrost common are dulce de
It'tlre, de batata and de
nttnúrillo.
Dulce de batata Sweet
¡rot;rto preserves.
y' Dulce de leche Caramel-
izccl milk. See "Dulce de
It't'lle" on page 18.
Dulce de membrillo
( )uince preserves
Durazno Peach
E as a pot roast.
Echalote Shallot.
sinlilar to a turnover.
"l,rnpanada" on page 18.
See
Endivia Endive (Belgian
t'nclive). Sometimes writ-
It't't cttdibia.
Enebro Juniper berry
Eneldo Dill
Ensaimada A sweet roll
st'r'ved for breakfast. Sim -
l¿u' in shape ar:d outlr'. I
irl)pearance to those polti,-
l;lr in Mailorca, Spain, it is
rlifficult to encounter any
that are not filled with
tlttlce de leche.
Ensalada Salad
Entraña Skirt steak, com-
¡larable to the F-rench
onglet.It is sometimes mis-
translated as entrails. It is a
chewy but very flavorful
cut of meat. Some restau-
r¿rnts offer it with or with-
out the piel, or skin.
Escarola Curly endive,
escarole.
Espárrago Asparagus
Espárragos blancos White
asparagus, fresh seldom
available out of season
(Oct.-Nov.).
Espinaca Spinach
Espinazo The beef back-
bone.
Estofado A type of stew
where the meat is eaten
apart from the sauce, such
Estragón Tarragon
F
Factura The collective
name for small sweet past-
ries. Typically Argentines
will breakfast lightly with a
coffee and somé "fáclurus."
Facturas will also be eaten
in the late afternoon with
coffee, mate or tea in an
Argentine version of Tea.
Fainá A flat bread of gar-
banzo flour similar tb a
pizza, of Italian (Liguria)
origin. Excellent for those
who are sensitive to glu-
Faisán Pheasant
Fariña Manioc flour or a
mash made with manioc
flour similar to polenta, of
Guaraní origin.
Fiambres Fiambres is the
common term used for
"cold cuts" or cold meat
preparations. Included are
33
 il
cheese sprinkled on top
and browned under á
source of high heat.
Grillé Grilled. Cooked on
agrill.

WW
Grosella Currant
Guaba Guava
Guabiyú The fruit of a tree
that grows in the subtropi-
cal region of Argentina,
A dish of gaznates and Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay
colaciones. and Uruguay. Of a deep,
almost black pulple t'cllor,
a frequent accompaniment it is sweet, slightly acid
to mate. and eaten fresh.
Gallina Hen Guanaco The native
[.rr trrras, left to right, top to bottom: Palito, Manito, Medialuna Gallo Rooster Argentine cameloicl which
rlc nl,rnlcr,r, MoÍtito, Empanadita de hoialdre, Medialuna de Ganso(a) Gander (goose) was a principal source of
(¡(r\(r, l',rnttt'lit<l <lt' lloialdre, and Sacramento' Garbanzo Gar'banzo meat for the incligenous
Argentines. lts use was
lttlo, (SL-Obc' Garnaciones Accompany- supplanted by beef after
t ttltt (' t rtt't rtl
cream " c|n creftta" or c)n
tttttI (t
,lt' , llrltlt'lttt, lttt' ing or side dishes. the arrival of the colonists
, /,.'r, ,i /,t't tt
tlulce de leche.
'ttttt Jt' I'r/t't/ tl ll vittttSrelu, Garrapiñada Caramelized and the subsequent devel-
'Ittt
IiItts tlt' ct't'tltt, and orro' Fondos Bottoms. Nor- nuts. The most common opment of frec- ranging
'llttdo
de Pollo. malty used in connection are peanuts and almonds cattle. Efforts arc Llnclc.r-
Fideos The term used for
witÉ lettuce and arti- but walnuts can be found way to raise gLtanacos
fresh or drY noodles or
chokes. in regions such as Men- commLrrcially for their finc
nasta, but never used for Frambuesa RasPberrY doza where they are wool and the meat.
hlteO pastas; of SPanish- Fritola Fried
grown. Usually sold by Itct¡uiremcnts f'or raisi ng
ambu latory venclors on srrt'h anirnals irre vcry
Arab t mozárabe,t origin. Fuet Thin sPicY cured sau- street corners anc'l plazas, strict. Sec "Ñ¿lndú" oñ
Filete A frllet o1' meat or sage. OriginallY lrom Cata- especially during winter or page 41 . lt is offerecl on
fish. lonia. around Christmas and some estont'irt,s.
Filete a la romano A f,let Frutilla StritwlrcrrY New Years.
of Peierrey or M erluza, Fugazza I'i't,t,;t witl'r onion * Gaznates Pastry cone,
dippeá in egg-flour batter, toppi ng, ('ot'rt'spotlcling to flavored with brandv and
fri'eh in hot oil and served th^e'ltaiiittt /rrt rtt t'ir¡. Some- filled with dulce de ldche.
with lemon wedges and timcs s¡rt'l lt'tl /rr,qrt.ssrt. The Golosina A general term
boiled or mashed Potatoes. vcrsioil witll t'llccse is for sweets or candies.
It is a poPular Argentine callctl I tt,'¡tr t tt'l tt.
dish. Granadero Grenadier, rat
tail f,sh.
Filetto A tomato saucc
used for Pasta ot meats, G Grasa Fat Cuanacos
verv dif férent from thc Grasa de pella Lard. Fine Guavirá (Gabiroba) The
Italian fitetto. Calleta criollo A thin fat extracted from the beef fruit of a tree that grows in
Flan Moulded custard r'()r.llltl t l,lt kt'l lll;rtlc with or pork fat of the kidneys the subtropical region of
* Flan Casero Homemaclc wllt'ltt llorll, ()r'iginallY or the diaphragm muscles. Argentina and BraziI.
custard. Almost alwaYs lt nt.ttlc ill t rrrtttltr ptrl¡rerías; Gratinado f a " Au gratin," Green-yellow skinned fruit
verv qood desert. Ol'tt'rt it s¡l r';tt I lt r I I tc t il it's a nd is used for dishes which have that looks like a small
seríü with whiP¡rt'tl bread crumbs and grated guava. Pulp is sweet and
35
34

high in vitamins. Eaten
fresh or used to make
juices, ices, liqueurs and
sweets.
Guinda A type of cherry
which is less sweet and
more acidic than cerezas.
Used in cooking and as a
base for aguardientes.
Guisadilla A sweet typical
of the Northwest, consist-
ing of a light biscuit, filled
with dulce de leche, dulce de
membrillo, or dulce de
cayote. Also known as que-
sadilla or quisadilla.
Guiso A stew cooked in a
pot for a long time. Gener-
ally based on meats, cere-
als, beans and vegetables.
Typical guisos are locro, and
chupítt.
Guiso carrero One of the
legendary stews prepared
by the gauchos incorporat-
ing a mix of rice, noodles
and charqui, alI of which
could be carried bv the
gaucho for long perióds of
time.
H
Haba Lima bean.
Hamburguesa Ham- y' freshly grat'ed iorn kernels
burger. If listed among the not unlike a corn flour
" platos" do not expect a
hamburger sandwich. It
will be a ground meat
patty served with vegeta-
bles.
Harina Flour.
* Helado Ice cream; see "Ice
Cream" on page 75.
Higo Fig.
Hinojo Fennel.
Hongos Mushrooms.
36
]il
Horno, al Cooked in the
oven.
Horneado/a Baked, as in
"empanadas horneadas."
Huascha Locro A varia-
tion of " locro " which
includes corn, beans and
onion. From the Quechua,
meaning " almost" locro.
Huesillo A sun dried
peach.
Huevos Eggs.
Huevos quimbos
Huevos quimbos A rich
old fashioned dessert of
baked beaten egg yolks in
syrup. Sometimes spelled
"huevos chimbos."
Huevos rellenos Stuffed
y' lamon con melón Slices of
eggs. The most common
preparations involve mix-
ing the yolks with tuna,
parsley, anchovies or some
other ingredient before
refilling the cavity.
. Humita A preparation of
dumpling. Includes
mashed squash in some
areas. See "Humita" on
page 20. Almost always
served en cholo, corn
husks.
t-K
fñame Iltrltrltt, thc true
yam.An inr¡rorlirrrt food
* Langostino a la milanesa
Breaded and lightly sau-
teed prawns. An excep-
tional dish if prepared in
Patagonia using langosti-
nos from the area near
Rawson.
en Laurel, hojas de Bay
leaves
it t'lrr in Corrientes, Mis- Leche Milk
ioncs and Paraguay.
... descremada Reduced
Ingredientes An array of fat (i.e., skimmed milk).
snacks, cheese cubes, etc.
served with drinks (used in ... entero Whole milk
Northwest.) ... ultra pasteurizada Has
undergone ultra high tem-
famón Ham perature pasteuri zation
... cocido Cooked ham
and has a long shelf life if
... crudo Cured ham unopened.
... de York Ham cooked Leche asada A dessert of
on the bone Spanish origin, similar to a
flan.
... Prosciutto lmported
ham cured in the style of Leche quemada A dessert
P.arma, Italy. Very eipen- of Spanish origin, popular
SIVC. in the Northeast, it is a
... Serrano Ham cured in baked custard that once
the style of the Spanish cooked, is cooled, topped
Serrano ham. with ample sugar, then
marked with a hot iron to
caramelize the sugar before
melon served with verv being served.
thin slices of cured ham.
The contrasts of flavors Lechuga Lettuce
and sweet and saltv make ... común Iceberg lettuce
for a delightful wayio start ... cono roble rojo Red
a meal. oak leaf lettuce
Jarabe Syrup ... cono roble verde Oak
fengibre Ginger leaf lettuce
Kinoto Kumquat. Quinoto ... criolla An Argen tine
is a variant. variety similar to romaine.
... mantecosa Butterhead
lettuce.
L
... morada Red leaf lettuce
Langosta Lobster; same ... romana Romaine let-
word is used for grasshop- tuce
pers. Lechón Suckling pig
Langostino Prawn Lechón adobado A lechón
covered with an adobo, for
several hours before being
37
 cooked in a clay oven, fre-
ing flaky fleshed fish
quently one normally used
to bake bread. This Span-
whose drawback is that it
ish colonial preparatión is
is bony, and for the sports
common throughout the fisheíman, difficuit to
Andes. See "Cuchi" on catch.
page 32.
Lenguado Fluke
flounder; a lean white flsh
with firm, delicate flesh.
Although lenguado is
often translated as sole,
the species grouped under
this popular name corre-
spond to the larger flat f,sh
commonly referred to as
plaice or flounder,
Lengua a la vinagreta
Sliced boiled cows tongue,
dressed with a vinaigrétte
consisting of vinegar, oi7,
parsley and other herbs
and spices. A popular prep-
aration.
Lenteja Lentil
Leverwurst Liverwurst. A
soft, spreadable encased
cooked sausage with
smoked characteristic,
containing pork livers plus
smoked jowls and bacon
ends.
Lima Lime
Limón Lemon
A lechon on display ready to be carved for sonlt'ont,'s tJinner.
3B
Lisa Mullet. A sweet tast-
Loco Abalone
or Locro A type of stew. See
"Locfo" on page 21.
Lomo Loin
Lomo de cerdo Pork loin;
often available
"zhumado," a lightly cured
or smoked form.
Lomito A popular sand-
wich made with a thin
steak grilled and served in
in an appropriately sized
roll of french bread with
sliced tomato, lettuce and
other ingredients.
M llslr is lhe mandubí or man-
Magret (de pato) Duck
breast
Macis Mace
Maicena Cornstarch
Maíz Maize, corn
Maíz pisingallo Dried ker-
nels of maize. Used for
making popcorn or in pre-
* Martineta A Patagonian
¡r,rling other dishes after
irt'ing rehydrated. bird, similar to a quail with
Mandarina Tangerine delicious flavor.
Mandioca Manioc, cassava, Masa The word used for
¡¡tl vucca are some of the dough for bread, pastry for
,rtlrci'names for this plant empanadas and pies, mix-
ivlrich has a long root with ture for cookies, or batter
,r rough brown exterior for crepes.
y' Matambre The cut of beef
,urrl a white interior. Prin-
t i¡rally grown in Misiones, to be found between the
,r ncl to a much lesser hide and the ribs, corre-
as
rlt'gree in Fotmosa, sponding to flank steak
t orrientes and Chaco, the and skirt steak.
root is high in carbohy-
tIr atc's, proteins, calcium
,nrcl vitamin C. It is the
\( )urce of manioc flour and
l,tllioca.
Manduvá Manduba, a
lrcsh-water catf,sh
t'stcemed for its very fine
lllrvor; caught along the
slrrrrc of the Paraná and
lii¿rchos rivers. A similar
,lttt,í.
Slices of Matambre Relleno
Mango Mango with Ensalada Rusa
Maní Peanut
Matambre relleno Stuffed
Manteca Butter flank steak, rolled up and
Mantecol A semi-hard sliced.
swcet made with a paste of Mazamorra Cooked Hom-
gr'ound peanuts and sugar.
iny. Dried hominy is called
I t can be uncoated or "nraíz blanco pisado."
t oated with chocolate. Served sweetened as a des-
,\ lthough the name is sert or unsweetened as a
t r'¿ldemarked by Cadbury,
rll¿lny Argentines make side dish to accompany
meat dishes instead of rice.
tlrcir own version and call
it by the same name. Mbaipí A type of corn-
Manzana Apple
meal mash made with
grated corn, fariña or corn-
Maqui Small round red meai and cheese; of Guar-
lruit, sweet and astrin- aní origin. It can also be
g,cnt, usedin iellies and p.repared in a sweet ver-
l)reserves; of Araucano ori- slon.
gin. Mbutucá A type of sweet
Mara Patagonian hare. tablet made from grated
Not a true rabbit or hare, corn, milk and sugar.
tlrey can weigh as much as
l(r l(los.
39
 7 Mcdialuna,\ppr.opriately
r r¿ut)('rl "ltall-mood,',
( t'('s(ent shaped pastries
art'the most popular in
Argentina. Similar to a
croissant, they are made
with butter, medialunct (le
man.te,ca, or with lard,
medialuna de grasa. Thé
common size is slishtlv
smaller than a stan"dará
croissant and there are
smaller ones. Slightly
larger versions are uíed iá
toasted sandwiches, usu-
ally limited to fillings of
ham and/or cheese.
Mejillónes Mussels
Mejorana Marjoram,
clos.ely related to oregano
which is more wiáelv
available in fresh form.
Melón Melon
Melón persa persian
melon
Membrillo Quince
Merengue Meringue
Merluza Argentine Hake,
Merlttzo Hubbsi. lt
should
be noted that the hake
found in the Southern
Atiantic are different from
their Northern cousins. In
addition, while the British
term for this fish is hake,
the U.S. term is whiting.
All of the merluzds are mii-
flavored and soft textured.
Merluza Austral Southern
Hake
Merluza de Cola Longtail
Hake
Merluza Negra Chilean
Sea Bass, Patagonian Tooth
fish
lllurg Grouper/Argenti ne
Sea Bass. It has verv firm
meaty texture and mild
flavor.
40
thes'e
Milanesa and pure de batata
with lemon for the milanesa.
Miel Horrey. ln Buenos
Aires it is-frequently diff-er-
entiated for the areá of ori-
gen: Sierras de Córdoba,
Buenos Aires, La pamoa.
Ent¡e Ríos, Mendoza a'nd
J
El Chaco. Although there
are varietals based on the
floral source: eucalyptus,
orange, lavender and oth_
ers, these are mostlv
exported and difficulr tó
find in the internal mar-
ket.
Milanesa See page 21.
Milanesa, ala The item
has been dipped in bread
crumbs before frying or
sautéing.
Milanesa a la Napoli ljre-
quently written i nco'rtctir,
as "Milanesa napolit¿rna,
this refers to a breaded
beef cutlet topped with a
slice of cheesé,'ham, and
tomato sauce and grilled
until the cheese mel[s.
Milhojas General term l'or
layered pastry filled with
cream or meringue. Some
verstons are similar to a
single serving Napoleon
whereas others can be the
size of a dinner plate.
Minutas A category seen Moscatel A variety of
on some testaurant menus grape, very sweet. Used in
indicating traditional fast making dessert wines.
foods such as an omelet or Mosqueta A shortened
ntilanesa. form of Rosa Mosqueta
Mollefas A popular part of (see page 50).
tl-re traditional asado, Mostaza Mustard
clemand exceeds supply
and a significant number Mote Yellow corn treated
are imported from the with ashes, washed and
Un ited States, where boiled. From the Quechua
demand is very low. There muti meaning cooked
are two, the molleja de cora- corn. There are several
zórt-the rouncled and mote dishes, such as Mote
more desirable pancreas, Tucumano and Mote con
and molleja de cogote-the huesillo.
thinner thymus. Mozzarella A white cheese
made from the milk of a
Mondongo Tripe; stom-
ach of the cow. búfala or cow according to
an Italian method of pro-
Mora Mulberry. duction.
Morcilla Black pudding; a
Muslo (de pollo) Chicken
thick blood sausage. Based thigh.
on blood, fat and pork,
n¡ith onion, and seasoned
with salt, pepper and nut-
N
rrreg, the morcilla is part of
t lre traditional Argentine
Nabo Turnip. Also used as
¡tttrrillada. implying
a derogative term
Morilla Morel, cypress tree
that someone is clull and
lllushroom. unimaginative.
Morocha An iron pot with Ñaco A basic ingredient
tlr re e legs traditionally for country dwellers in
rrsrcl by the gauchos over a Neuquén. Crains o[ wheat
rryood fire in the countrv-
) are toasted, then milled
sirlc. between stones to obtain a
,
* Morrones asados Roasted type of flour that is stored
with skins in leather bags. This is
rccl peppers
rt'rnoved and cut into sec-
used in the preparation of
Iions. Normally served several dishes. It is com-
tlrcssed with oiive oil. mon to mix the ñaco with
Mortadela Garlicky sau- warm sweetened milk to
sage of Italian (Bologna) eat for breakfast.
origin, very high fat con- Ñame See "Iñame" on
tt'nt, made of ground pork page 36.
;rncl beef with small pieces
Ñandú The South Ameri-
ol fat; some variants have can ostrich, an important
,qrcen olives, others have food source of the indige-
¡rislachios. nous people and early set-
tlers. Now it is a protected
41

A plate of ñoquis.
species. Efforts are under-
way to raise ñand¿í for their
meat, but commercial pro-
duction will take véars
because o[ Argentiné laws
designed to protect endan-
gered species. The small
quantities available on the
market in smoked form
come from animals raised
in Uruguay.
Naranja Orange
Naranja ombligo Navel
orange
Negro/a Black
Niño envuelto A dish of
the pampas in which a
piece of thin meat is rolled Olla Cooking pot
back upon itself with a Olla podrida Traditional
filling of chopped ha rd meat
boiled egg, oniohs, garlic,
parsley and other herbs
and spices.
Níspero Loquat. Loquats
are sometimes known as
'Japanese medlars" but are
of a different family.
Nogada A paste made
trom nuts, bread crumbs,
oil, vinegar and pepper.
Ñoquis Gnocchi. A pasta
normally made of potato
dough, éometimes'incor-
porating spinach. An inex-
pensive dish traditionally
served as a special on thé
42
29th day of the month.
Also useci as a joking re[er-
ence to "ghost employees"
who only show up on that
day to claim the salary for
the work thev did not-do
the 29th beíng- the tradi-
tional payday.
Nuez moscada Nutmeg,
spice widely used in Arg-en-
tine cooking.
o illc not as creamy as a
Olivos Olives
Olives & Olive Oils
Argentina, the largest
g rowe r of o lives in Latin
America, produces fine
export-standard olive oils;
the highest grade beinq
exlra virgin. Although res--
tauran.ts wil.l p.rovide a pep-
per, oil and vinegar set for
you to dress your salad, the
oil will often not be olive oil
but if you ask for "aceile de
oliv.a,;'it will usually
be
forthcoming.
and vegetable stew.
M?oy variants; one recipe
calls for beef, lamb, por-k,
chicken, quail, sausage,
beans,squash, onioñs,
peppers, and potatoes.
Orégano Oregano
Ostra Oyster .
P r.rnts and markets is the
Pacú A fresh-water fish.
Feeds on fruits along river-
banks of the Paraná and
Bermejo rivers, resulting in
,r swcet flavor; its pink
llt'sll changes to mother of
lrt,;rrl white when cooked.
lllorts underwav to raise
( ( )nt tnercially.
- l'aella A rice dish originat-
irrg from Valencia Spain,
lllt're are many variations.
a \ I t l-r ough the Spanish
theirs with a short-
nr¿rke
¡irained rice, most Argen-
t in c versions are made
rvith long-grained rice and
r t'su lt.
Palmeras A factura con-
s is t i ng of two spirals of
¡rrrl'f pastry, creating the
;rl)l)L.arance of a palm leaf,
rilrrzed with sugar before
lrlrliing cut side up, which
( .u'¿lmelizes the sugar.
\nrall ones are caLled
l,' tlt t tt'rilos.
Palmito Commonlv called
lrt'¿rrt of palm in Énglish,
llrcy are tender shoots of
¡lrlrn that grows in the
rr o rth of Misiones,
,rlthough much of that
solrl in cans comes from
t\r¿z.il. Widely used in
\r',qentine cuisine, they
rvill be found in dishes
srrch as ensalado cle palta
t tur plltnito and palmitos
.,; r tr t i rtarlos. Seldom found
r n lresh form outside of
llrt' area where they grow.
Palometa There are sev-
c I fish commonlv
r'¿r
rt'lcrred to as " Palometa."'
I lrc one most commonly
cn coLrrf tered in restau-
ot can-living, silver-colored
"
lttrlometa pintada."
,rlso the name given to
t'r'¿rl fresh-water fish,
i rr c luding one that is a
nr(,ntber' of the piranha
-"i-- **.i.Tffi
Pan dulce
family. Another
"palotneta" is the ocean-liv-
ing "palometa moteada," of
an intense iridescent blue.
Pafta Avocado. Palta is the
Inca word for avocado.
Widely available and inex-
pensive, avocados are used
extensively in Argentine
cuisine. It appears in the
market in many variants.
One, with a sweet flavor
a and difficult to flnd out-
side of Salta, is the purple
fleshed palta of
San
Lorenzo.
Pamplona Beef, pork or
chicken rolled and tied
around a filling of vegeta-
ble and cheese whiCh is
then grilled and served hot
as one piece. Of Uru-
guayan origen. this is not
to be confused with
matambre relleno. See
"Matambre" on page 39.
Pan (de) General term for
bread. The most popular
breads sold in Argeñtina
are pan francés, de vienna,
de campo, lacteado, and pan
negro. The following terms
It is may be used aloné or in
sev- combinations to further
characterize the bread.
... alargado Long
43
 -.. árabe I'it¿r [lrcacl
... cereal entero Whole
,g lir i rr
... chapata ltalian style
lrrt'¿¡d (ciabatta ); chewy
with strong crust.
... ciabata Spelling varia-
tion of chapata.
... común White bread
... costra Bread crust is
described in terms of grue-
s ís irn a-thick, cr o
c sausages.
suave-smooth, ot parej a-
even.
... criolla More like
shortbread than a loaf of
bread-,this is made of lay-
ers of pastry dough made
with lard or butter.
... de 5 cereales Five cere-
als - used to describe bread
containing the following
cerea ls: mo íz-corn, cebodal
barley, cettlt,tto-rye, lrigo-
wheat, and aveno-oats.
,... de-campo Country
bread. A large round-loaf
with a crisp Crust, like that
which would be obtained
by baking in a large brick
oven once common in the
country.
... de semillas Seeds of
-poppy, q,i t',t so l-
o m a p-ol a
suntlower, litto-tlax,
sésamo-sesante, and trigo-
wheat.
... flautita Long and thin,
iike a flute.
... francés French stvle
bread, normally in a lóng
narrow loaf.
... gris Whole wheat
... integral Whole wheat
... miga esponjosa L ig h t
sandwich bread.
44
.._. miga Bread crumbs,
also used to refer to the
cooked dough in a loaf of
bread. Thui: sandwich de
miga means a sandwich
made with crustless bread.
... molde Baked in a rect-
angular pan or loat, always
precut - sandwich bread.'
... pebete Bread baked in
an elongated shape for
sandwiches for hot dogs or
anfe- c1i sp,
... rallado Bread crumbs
... redondo Round loaf
a ,,rnl(' way, in a bun, with
..-. zepelín Oval shaped
like a zeppelin.
Pan de carne Meat loaf. A
popular preparation of the
pampas, made using the
iess desirable parts oibeef
ground or cut into small
pieces, and mixed with
eggs, bread crumbs, and
fl a.vo.ri ng: bgfore being
baked in a loaf pan.
Pan dulce A sweet bread
containing candied fruits
and nuts, similar to a l)apa Potato. Listed below
Panettone. Although avail-
ability increases with the
approach of Christmas, it
can be found during other
times of the year. Smalt
ones of individual serving
size are sold in some pann-
derías.
Pan deindio A tree-grow-
ing mushroom fouñd in
Patagonia and Tierla del
Fuego.
Pancho The term is used
both for the Argentine ver-
sion of the hot dog and a
sandwich using ft. the
Argentine versibn m()re
closely resembles a Vienna
sausage than the American
hot dog, although they are
l',rrr rle indio growing on a ... Kennebec Has a pale
trcc in Tierra del Fuego.
l,oIll r]onnally served the
iclr lru¡l and inustald, or
',,tlstt ,,q0lf.
l'.rlrcitos Rolls
l'.rnettone A sweet bread
' ( )n t¿rining candied fruit;
,,1 lt¿rlian origin.
1),rnzas Gizzards
l'anqueque Very thin
;,,iir cake, ctepe. English
' nt'akers often confuse it
lr the " tortita" discussed
ri I t
l',rgc 52.
,l'r' the most common
\i r{e 11tine varieties,
,rlthough most stores do
rrot rnark the variety of
¡ro[¡[9.
andina Andean pota-
"
;o(-'S. Always available in
r t'r'tain cotnmunities, such
,rs lhc¡se where Bolivian
rrrr rn igrants live, varieties
o f indigenous potatoes
rlrrlted appearing in other
rnlrrkc'ts in Buenos Aires in
irc Iate 90s, marking a
I
r('sr¡rgence in interest in
rrrrligenous foods.
.. Ballenera White flesh.
I lrc f'ull name is Bonaerense
l,t !iitllt'trcra MAA.
... blanca Washed pota-
toes from Cordoba or Men-
doza; generally from
variety Spunta.
".. Frital INTA White flesh,
excellent fried, very good
boiled or mashed.
... Huinkul Mag Common
variety, recommended for
boiling and mashed pota-
toes.
thin skin, white flesh, very
good fried, also good
boiled or mashed.
... negra Non-washed
potatoes from the South-
east region of Buenos Aires
Province with the typicai
black soils adhered to the
skin.
... Pampeana INTA White
flesh, very good t-roiled or
mashed.
... procesada :Washed
potatoes from the South-
east region of Buenos Aires
Province that imitate the
skin finish of the Cordoba
or Mendoza potatoes with
some powder (soil mix)
added after drying.
... Spunta Yellow fleshed
potato
Pargo Blanco Argentine
Croaker. Lean white meat
that's tender and full-
flavored.
Pargo Rosado Red Snap-
per. Low in fat; flaky white
flesh.
Pasas Dried fruit. Used by
itself means raisins. Others
are pasas de durazno and
pasas de darnasco which are
quite popular among the
Arab immigrants living in
La Rioja, Catamarca, and
Tucumán.
45
 Pascualina An Easter spe-
ciality of Northern Itály
which has been widely
adopted in Argentina. Alsó
called torta pascualina or
torta de Pascuct. Consists of
Andean potatoes in a Boliv-
ian market in Buenos Aires.
1nany layers of fine pastry
layered with a mixtüre of
chard, spinach, arugula,
goat cheese and herbs.
Pasta A general term for
pasta dishes, it also means
paste, e.g., pasta de tomate,
tomato paste or pasta
de
tlientes, tooth pa-te. As a
matter of curious interest,
a reputable Argentine
travel guidebook recom-
mends using pasta tle dulce
de membrillo for emergency
repairs of gasoline-tank
leaks, which occur fre-
quently when traveling
ripian roads.
Pastafrola A pie believed
Lo be based upon the Aus-
trian Linzer Torte; with a
sweet butter-egg crust
filled with sométhing Patí A fresh-water fish
sweet such as dttlce ie frnm- found in the River Plate
bucsa and topped with a basin. Up to 3 Kg. Also
lattice or enreja¿lo oI the
la+e dough before being
baked.
46
Pastel A past ry shel
which is'filled with a
s?vqry or sweet fiiling. The
shell and filling cán be
baked together or the shell
can be baked before being
ñlled.
... de boda Wedding cake
... de chocolate Choco-
late cake.
... de papas Shepherds
pie. See "Pastel de Papas"
on page 109.
... de pollo Chicken pie
Pastelito Filled pastries;
normally frlled with dulce
dt' membt'illo, de bnlalo, or
de leche, although others
can be used.
Patas Legs.
Patasca A stew prepared
with tripe and pig of lamb
trotters. One version uses
calves feet from which the
meat is scraped before
servlng.
Patay A traditional sweet
of Córdoba and Santiago
del Estero. Prepared usiñg
the beans of the algarrobó
tree, which are ground to
create a paste that is
formed into thin round
disks and dried in brick
ovens.
Patitas de cerdo (cor-
dero) Pigs (lambs) feet
Patitas aliñadas Mari-
nated leg of beef, veal,
pork or lam.b, depending
on context.
Pato Duck
known as bngre p'[ateado
and patí rojizo.
I Pepinillo Cornichon
l', rslelitos
l'.rva A wild bird lesem-
lrlirr,q the f emale of the
,lo csticated turkey
nr
rr lrosc habitat is the forests
,rn tl humid woods of
\tr ¡r'I hern Argentina.
l',tvita Domesticated tur-
l.t'1,. ¡lnlike manv ani-
,,r,ils, the same náme is
ustrl in Argentina for the
rrr,rlc and female, although
tlrt rneat of the male is
, lr it'r and more f,brous.
l'cbete See Pan Pebete.
I'ccarí A wild mammal
rr it h an aspect similar to
t lrt' lruropean jabali (boat)
rrrrl ¡tigs.
I'cchuga Breast
l'cjerrey A relatively slen-
,lt'r fish with white fiaky
llt'sh and a delicate flavor.
\lrtrndant in Argentine
rvirtcrs, there are two fresh-
rr rr lcr subspecies and a
nl¿rilne one.
l'clón Nectarine
l'eludo A type of arma-
tlillo, it is considered very
loocl eating by those who
lir,'r' ir-l the countryside and
rr lre quentiy offered for
r,rlt' ¡rreserved in escabeche
rr ¿rrtesanal markets. Also
r,rllccl piche in some areas.
(small variety of cucumber
used for pickles in France).
Pepino Cucumber
Pepino inglés Long thin
variety of cucumber.
Pera Pear
Perca Perch. This sports
fish is abundant in Argen-
tine waters and its flavor-
ful flaky white flesh is
prized by fishermen. Some-
times referred to as the tru-
cha criolla.
Perdiz Partridge
Perejil Parsley. Most pars-
ley is of the flat leaf variety
frequently referred to as
Italian parsley.
Pescadilla In Argentine
waters, there are two pesca-
ililltts, the pescttlilln de retl
and pescadilla real. Both
belong to the family
Sciaenidae, whose mem-
bers are known as drums
or croakers. The flesh is
lean and flaky when
cooked.
Pez Angel Angelf,sh shalk
Pez EspadaSwordflsh.
Usualiy comes as firm,
boneless steaks with a firm
meaty texture and rich but
miid taste. Color varies
from ivory white to
slightly pink.
Pez Gallo Elephant Fish
Pez Limón Yellow tail,
Amberjack.
Picada Selection of tapas
or little nibbles, served
with beer or wine. Some
can be quite large. A picada
de mariscos, for example
can serve as a meal for two
to four people.
Picante Hot
47
 Pil¡¡r.lrlo¡l l,,r¡rr ik.t
l)ilrrit'¡lt.r I,t,¡l¡lt'r.
l)i¡llicnta de cayena Cay_
('filt('lx,l)l)cr.
Pimiento l)epper, usually
r¡st'cl trt rcfer to s\,veet beil
l)cl)l)er; colnmon varieties
solcl locally are:
... Calahora Mediunt, red
pepper rvith pointed end;
roastcd and packed
this is the -weil in iars
known
pilniento.
... Colorado Large, often
sold in yellow vaiiant.
... Morrón Large, sweet
thick flesh, very good for
salads and roastíni, sold in
green (ilnmature) and red
(mature).
... rojo dulce Red sweet
pepper.
Piña Pineapple. preferred
term in Argeñtina is onsnti.
Pino, !ongo. Bolete, cel)e,
porcini mushroom.
Piñónes Pine nuts. A
flavolful addition to sal- throughout. Served soft,
ads and other dishes.
Pionono A sweet or savorv
rrlled rolled cake. Usecl tó
lefer to the sheet of cake
which can be purchased
ready to use.
y' Pionono de camarones
Savory rolled cake with
prawn .and palmiúo filling,
served in slices.
Pionono de camarones
48
Pirco A stew of bea.ns,
corn, pork bones and
bacon.
Pitanga The fruit of a tree
in the Northcastern for-
ests with manv local
names_: \angapiíí, Suri-
nam Cherrf, g razilian
Cherry, Cayénne Cherrv.
Slnall,-l " aróund, shiny réd
to black fruit with prbmi-
nent lobes. I--lesh is juicy,
with an acid to s'weét
flavor. Can be eaten fresh
or as a preser've.
Pochoclo Popcorn. Argen-
tincs prefer sweetened
form over salted and but-
tered version.
Polaca Sor_rthern Blue
Whiting.
Polenta A dish based on
corn flour (meal) cooked
in water or rnilk. Of ltalian
origin, it is of such wide
use in Argentina that
instant polénta, based on
precooked corn flour, can
be purchased in stores
or
after drying, cut into rect-
angles_ ancl fried or grilled.
In both cases, toppe? with
a sauce/ most commonlvr
tomato or mushroom.
Pollitos bebes Pullets
(young chickens).
Pollo Chicken
... eviserado Gutted
... sin menudos \,Vithout
giblets
Polvo de hornear Baking
powder
Polvorones A traditional
cracker made from wheat
flour, sugar and fat, cookecl
in the oven until drv and
cri¡py. Generally sérved
with tea or rnate.
l'olnelo Grapefruit
l)oroto General term for
Irr';ilt
.. blancos Lima bean
... colorado Red bean
.. negro Black bean
... seca Dried bean
.. soja Soy bean
l)ostres Desserts
I)rovenzal, ala A dish Pre-
t,,ut'd with olive oil, garlic
,rrrtl ¡larsley "in the stYle of
I'l't lvence."
'Puchero The Argentine
r t'r'sion of the Frcnch " Pot
,rrt frtt" or the SPanish
'' r (rr'i Jt¡." A traditional
lroiled meat and vegetable
rlish, cooked slowlY in one
¡rot which is served in two
irl three courses: the broth
,r\ ¿r \oup, followed bY the
r t'r.retables and the meats.
lliis is a filling dish, best
,rn cold days. Sée reciPe on
¡rlge 109.
Puerro Leek
Pulpo Octopus
Puré Mashed or Pureed.
l'ttrc de zctPallo is deserv-
t'tlly served as frequentlY as
l,ttt't; de papas.
a bitter salad green.
Queso Cheese. See
"( llt'cscs" on page 17.
A tYPical
Quesú Cambá
Parasuavan dish that has
expa"nded into the North-
east of Argentina, esPe-
ciallv in Misiones and
northern Corrientes. A
tvoe of stew that uses local
ih'sredients, alwaYs f resh
..,"rn kernels and fresh
cheese. PrePared in claY
pots, it is finished in the
'oven
to brown the toP.
Quibebe A creamY zaPallo
nreoaration PoPular in the
hor'theast arid grazil; with
manv variations, some
spicy, some with meat or
cheese.
Quinua Quinoa; Andean
cereal, very high in Pro-
tein.
Quinoto Kumquat. Kittotc¡
is a variant.
R
Raba Large squid cut into
rings for flying.
Rábano picante Horserad-
ish
Rábano Radish
Radicchio Red chicorY
Radicheta A tYPe of chic-
ory, a small leáf, slightlY
Ramita Stalk
Raya Ray, skate. RaYs Pre-
leí to eaI mollusks, crusta-
ceans and small fish,
which give their flesh a
sweet mitO shellfi sh-like
taste.
Rebanada (de Pan) Slice
(of bread)
Relleno Stuffed
Remolacha Beet
Repollo Cabbage
49
 Repostería Scction in the Argentine continental
sul)crnrarkets dealing with
lral..ing, pastry, and confec-
t ionary.
Repollo Bruselas Brussels
sprouts
Revuelto Scr'ambled eggs.
See "Revuelto Gramajo"
on page 21.
Risotto A creamy textured
rice dish of Northern Ital-
ian origen; there are innu-
melable variations.
Róbalo Sea Bass, Patago-
nian icefish
Rocio de miel Honeydew
Rojo/a Red
Romana, al la The item
has been lightly dipped in
flour before being fried or
sauteed.
Romero Rosemary
Ropa viejaThinly sliced
beef cooked in a tomato
sauce.
Rosa mosqueta Rose hip,
used in Patagonian pre-
serves and jellies.
Rosada Reddish or rose
Rosca de Reyes Large ring
sweet bread traditionally
served for Reyes, Epiphany.
Of Spanish origin, there
are many variants, some
topped with a sugar glaze,
chopped nuts and fruits.
Roscas Bread roll baked in
the shape of a ring
... relfenas Filled. Roscas
rellenas are customarily
f,lled with marzipan.
Roscón Large ring-shaped
bun, often containing fruit
and nuts.
Rubio Red gunard. A tasty
marine fish caught along
50
shelf.
Rúcula Arugula, a bitter
salad green.
s frequently lemon, served
Salmón de Mar Brazilian
Sand perch. Also sold as
salmótt blanco.
Salmón rosado Salmon.
Farm raised salmon with a
pink flesh similar to that
found in European and
U.S. markets.
Salmonete Red Mullet
Salmuera Brine
Salpicón A vegetable salad
to which some red or
white meat has been
added, dressed with a very
simple mayonnaise, and
served cold or at room
temperature. See recipe on
page 107.
Salsa Sauce. Some sauces
frequently encountered in
stores or on menus are:
... Bolognesa In the style
of Bologn a Italy, a tomato
sauce containing meat.
... Golf A mayonnaise and
ketchup sauce that is very
popular in Argentina.
... Portuguesa A tomato
sauce that includes red
peppers.
... Napolitana A tomato
sauce that contains green
and black olives.
... Puttanesca Similar to
the Napolitana.
... Scrofa A pinkish sauce
based on a filetto sauce
mixed with cream, basil
and cheese.
spinach Sopresata An ltalian-stYle
:':: ;ll; i,,ll,..en cured sausage similar to
'..rlvi,r pepperonl.
Sltg,t
Sorbete con chamPaña A
',.¡¡rrlr,r W¿ttcr melon
popular dessert offering
',,¡rrrlwich de miga Crust- ionsisting of sherbet, most
t, ,', .,,rrrtlwichei made of
rlrurlr sliccd white bread in á tall fulass bathed in
r, rl lr ( otltbinations of champagne.
rlrrrrlr sliced ham, cheese, the sPit.
I , ' nr.lt() or with thin
Spiedo, al On
Ñormallv used for meat
,l'r(',r(ls of tuna or chicken is éooked on a rotat-
l.rrl. A lwaYs two f ull which
,¡
iclles. Often a choice ing spit.
u r( l\\r
,,t ,,intttlt' or triPle will be Stolen German or Nordic
r' .rrl,rl'lt'. Sitnple is a plain- style sweet bread, alwaYs
r, l\r' it'l.t: ri Ple con sists ot cóntains bits of dried or
,, r r f
r lr ct' slices óf bread with candied fruit, sometimes
contains matziPan.
rrr,, l.rvcls of filling.
t,,il (J() llrcam Supreme (de Pollo)
\,rvorin A coastal flsh, Chicken breast
rr rllr ;t strong flavor, high y' Surubí A large fresh-water
rn ()nlcga g"oils-. MostlY fish found iñ the Paraná-
r' \ | ){ ) r'tccl, so seldom seen Urusuav river basin. A
,
'rr ,\r'gcntine menus. merñber'of the bagre fam-
1,.ruco lrlderberrY. ily. Prized for its flavor.
\r'viche Fresh f,sh or
,lrt'lllisll cooked bY the T
,rt liolr tlf the acid in lime
,,r l('il1()n iuice, flavored
rr r I lr va rioús fresh herbs. Tabla de quesos A Plate of
lit licrrccl to originate with mixed cheeses.
tlrt' lncas of Ecuador or Tamal Similar to a
I't'r u, cvery Latin American humita, excePt that it is
r truntrV séems to have its f,lted with a sPiced meat
()\\'n vórsion. Also sPelled and vegetable mixture. See
, t't'it lt( and cebiche. "Hum'íta" on Page 2O'
alwaYs served
shiitake mush- Almost
chala (in corn husks).
en
)'i,,lLn"
Tapa In Argentina, taPa.is
\obrasada A soft, fattY
lrcrlr red pork sausage, sea- uséd to refer to the readY-
',on('(l with PaPrika. Intro- to-use rounds of PastlY
,l rrt ccl bi SPa-nish sold in stores as a labor-
rrrr rtt igrants from Mallorca. saving convenience for
makinlg pies, emPanadas
\opa Soup and coCktail-sized empana-
\opa ParaguaYa. Not a das. Onlv in SPanish res-
',r rrrl) irt all, this is a creamY taurants ánd bars is it used
,,,rir f'lour casserole dish. in the Spanish sense as a
\olt(t tt0rteña ls a similar collective term for little
tlislt.
51
 things to eat with your
drink.
Tarta The terms pastel and
torta are confusing and too
frequently loosely used, to
the point one is never cer-
Torta galesa A dark spicy l,rrt lr¿rs a disagreeable
cake with candied fruit cre- ,,rlor'; t'ittcn fresh or Pre-
.r'lVt'(1.
ated by the Welsh settlers
in Patagonia. There is no I lrrl.tr, untable SPread,
similar cake in Wales. Also ,tlr{',r(l.rlrlc (of jam or other
known as Tortct negra ¡ ',
rl lt'tl Irrixes.)

tain what is exactly offered galesa. I lv,r ( ir.t¡te

on the menu. Strictly
speaking, a tarta is a large
pastel or cake with a sweet
or savory filling. See "Pas-
tel" on page 46.
Tiburón Shark
Tira de asado Strip of ribs,
usually served as a small
portion cut from that strip.
Tocino de Cielo.
Tocino de Cielo A rich,
very sweet dessert made
from egg yolks and sugar,
with a consistency similar
to flan. The name meaning
heavenly bacon comes
from its resemblance to a
slab of bacon due to the
caramelized sugar on top.
A traditional dessert of the
Northwest, of Spanish ori-
gin.
Tomate Tomato
Tomaticán A tomato and
vegetable stew.
Tomillo Thyme
Torta A cake, usually
round.
Torta frita
Fried dough,
similar to the Mexican
sopaipilla.
52
Tortita Breakfast pancake.
See "Panqueque" on
page 45.
Tostado/a Literally, toast.
When term is used in com-
bination with " queso,
jamon, etc., refers to
toasted sandwich, nor-
mally of thin slices of pan
de miga. This is such a pop-
ular request that common
usage is to call for a tostado
or tostado mixto to order a
toasted ham and cheese
sandwich.
Tostones Thick slices of
bread topped with a com-
bination of ingredients.
Similar to a bruscheta.
Traviata A flat, mild
flavored crisp biscuit, often
used as a canape base for
spreading soft cheeses or
pates.
Triolet Trio of little snack
crackers served with
drinks.
Trucha Trout
Tuco Tomato sauce for
pastas or meats
Turrón A soft candy very
similar to the Italian nou-
gat.
U Yr.rr'¡as
Ubajay The yellow globu-
lar fruit of a tree in the
humid subtropical forests
of Argentina, Brazil, Uru-
guay and Paraguay. Edible
V
V,¡<rrno/a Bovine (adiec-
rrr r'), ¡rcrtaining to cattle.
V,¡i¡ra de vainilla Vanilla
lrr',tll
V.rinilla Vanilla
vr.r(leo, al Cooked or
,r'r\'('(l with a sauce con-
t.r r r r ing green onions.
Vtrrluras Vegetables
Vi,r¡rda Sandwich/box
lurrt lt
Vir.ira Scallops. Sold in the
lrt'll , t'ttteri, on the half
,lrt'll, tnedia valva, or
.r,¡llt)pst cayos.
Vir¡ilante A dessert of fresh
,, líitt' cheese with a fruit
t,r('\('r'v(] , normally quince
'tttt'ntlttilltL
but others
Such
.t', ltttlttld, cayote and honeY
,rr',rlst) used.
Vizcacha A small animal
',rnril¿lr to a prairie dog, but
rr, r'r'l¿ttion. Considered to
lrt'V('r'y succulent.
Violeta Violet
Y closel! resembles vegetable
(de huevo) Egg
t , rll'
Yr,¡r'¡as ouemadas A rich
r lls\t'rt'clf the Northwest
lr,rrt'rl on egg Yolks and
.'il1lill'-
Yor_¡ur Yclgttt't
of " zaPallos"
Bags
Yogur natural Natural
yogurt
Yopará A dish containing
char(1ue, hominY, bea ns,
man'ioó, bataias and
on10n.
Yuca Yucca
as
Z
Zanahoria Carrot
Zaoallo General term used
foi squash. EncomPasses
pumpt<ins and hard win-
ter squashes.
... anco Butternut squash,
most common varietY sold
... coreano Similar to
anco
Long, more
... larqo
marrow, zúcchini or
courgettes.
... redondo Globe squash,
or round vegetable marrow
or zucchin-i. Also called
Zapallito.
Zarzamora BlackberrY
Zarzaparrilla SarsaParilla
53