Chilean Food....Potatoes "Pastel " and Celery, Walnut, Avocado Salad

I have to admit that even though I am Chilean, I don't cook often Chilean food. To be honest, I am leaned towards Mediterranean, Indian and Asian food......I love spices!

My daughter love spinach; therefore, I have to be creative in order to cook with it, and not repeat dishes. I remember this dish as very Chilean, even though is make with meat, I substitute it with spinach and sprouts.

Pastel de Papas

1.5 kg of potatoes
400 grams of baby spinach
200 grams of sprouts (I produce them at home)
2 onions (chopped)
Boiled eggs
Pitted black olives
Raisins
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Parmiggiano cheese to garnish and grate it

Peel the potatoes, cook and mashed them as you will do "mash potatoes". Season it as your taste.

Wash the baby spinach and sprouts, chopped them.

In a pot, place olive oil and heat it. Sautee the onions until they are translucent. Season it with salt and cumin. I like it with a lot of cumin. Add the spinach, and sprouts. Cook them well.

For this dish, I use the typical Chilean clay pots.

Place a level of mash potatoes

Place the sautee spinach, a piece of boiled egg, an olive, two raisins

Cover with mash potatoes

Put some parmiggiano cheese, and heat it in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes until you have a crusty top. ENJOY!

Celery, Walnut, Avocado Salad

This is a salad that I like very much. It was typical for New Year's Eve..

I made it for St Valentines because the ingredients are good for the heart!

You can modify the quantities at your taste

7 sticks of celery (I use the heart of the celery because is soft)
1 avocado (big and ripe)
A hand of walnuts (chopped)
1 lemon
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Wash and cut the celery. Place it in a bowl, and season it with salt, pepper, lemon, and olive oil. Set aside for 3 minutes.

Wash the avocado, peel it, and cut in cubes. Add it to the celery along with the walnuts. Correct it for salt, lemon, and olive oil. ENJOY!