Will Travel for Food

Passport & Plate - Venezuelan Brunch

Venezuela | Saturday, February 8, 2014 | 2 photos

Ingredients
For the "Arepas":
Corn flour
Water
Salt

For the "Perico":
Tomato
Onion
Cilantro
Eggs
Salt and Pepper

For the "Caraotas":
Black beans
Linguiça
Cumin
Onions
Red Peppers

 

How to prepare this recipe
You can prepare this brunch by yourself in less than 30 minutes. Don't do that. It will not taste as good. The secret of this recipe is to prepare it with friends or family members.

First, play your favorite music and be ready to have fun. Then, ask each person in your party to perform a task: chop the onions, the peppers and the tomatoes, beat the eggs, chop the linguiça sausage and mix the corn flour with water and salt until it has the consistency of a soft dough.

Start with the black beans, which should have been soaked in water overnight. Stir fry the onions, the peppers and the linguiça sausage until brown. Add the black beans (drained) and the cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste and let simmer in low heat until the rest of the meal is ready.

Next, prepare the arepas. Use a cast iron pan for better results. Make circular flat patties with the dough and brown them on both sides using medium heat until they feel crispy on the outside (they will still be soft on the inside, that is the magic of the arepas!).

Finally, make the "Perico" by stir frying onions and tomato until brown. Add the eggs and scramble everything. Add salt and pepper and serve with chopped cilantro on the side as well as avocado, so each guest can garnish to taste.

Was that easy? Yes, and delicious, and fun!

 

The story behind this recipe
I learned from a young age that food keeps people together. Every Sunday, my father, my mother, my sister and I would go to my grandmother's house to have brunch with the rest of the family. I would immediately go to the kitchen and taste a little bit of everything during all stages of preparation. By repeatedly eating it, I ended up learning how to prepare this brunch. The only reason why I am a good cook is because, above all, I am good eater.

I have lived in Boston away from my parents for more than 7 years, but every time I prepare this delicious Venezuelan brunch I feel back in the Caribbean. Friends from all over the world have tried it, prepared it and loved it! Food eliminates borders and keeps people together!