Chilean Cuisine

Chilean cuisine stems mainly from the combination of traditional Spanish cuisine, Chilean Indigenous culture and local ingredients, with later important influences from other European cuisines, particularly from Germany, Italy and France. The food tradition and recipes in Chile are notable for the variety of flavours and ingredients, with the country’s diverse geography and climate hosting a wide range of agricultural produce, fruits and vegetables. The long coastline and the peoples' relationship with the Pacific Ocean add an immense array of seafood products to Chilean cuisine, with the country's waters home to unique species of fish, molluscs, crustaceans and algae, thanks to the oxygen-rich water carried in by the Humboldt Current. Chile is also one of the world’s largest producers of wine and many Chilean recipes are enhanced and accompanied by local wines.

Olives: Although originating in Europe, olives from Azapa in Arica, are considered a variety of their own, typical of the dry northern region, and are widely recognized in Chile.

Cherimoya or Chirimoya: this fruit native to the subtropical regions of the Andes mountains is widely consumed and produced.

Maize: Known in Chile and Peru as choclo, and in some English-speaking countries as corn, maize was the staple diet that prospered in the empires of the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas. It was also cultivated using varying techniques by the Atacameño people of northern Chile. Through trade and travel, maize was brought to and eventually embraced by the Mapuche, who began using it in their own preparations. It should be noted that Chilean choclo is a different variety of maize than that known elsewhere. It originated in Peru and is distinguishable by its very large kernels, which are tougher than North American corn, and its savoury, somewhat nutty flavour.

Lúcuma: A subtropical fruit of Andean origin, native to Peru and Chile, lúcuma is grown in southern Ecuador and the northern coast of Chile. The fruit is very nutritious, having high levels of carotene and vitamin B3. Lúcuma is exported all over the world and is an popular flavour for desserts and ice cream.

Murta or Murtilla: an endemic shrub native to southern Chile. The Mapuche name is uñi, and Spanish names include Murta and Murtilla (“little myrtle”); it is also sometimes known as “Chilean guava”. It was used by the Mapuche before the arrival of the Spaniards. It is used in the preparation of jams and liquor.

Potato: Featured heavily in dishes such as cazuela, the potato native to the Americas was widely grown in Chiloé Archipelago. It is a fundamental product in a wide array of dishes, and is originally from the island of Chiloé in southern Chile.

Quinoa: grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds, quinoa originated in the Peruvian Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for 6,000 years. Varieties of quinoa are grown in Concepción and Temuco.

Nalca or Pangue: The Chilean rhubarb is a plant species native to southern Chile. Its leaves are used in the preparation of curanto and the stems in salad, as fruit or in preserves.

Avocado: Palta, as it is called in Chile, has been consumed since pre-Hispanic times. The Chilean variety is called Negra de la Cruz (“La Cruz Black”) after the town of La Cruz in the Valparaíso Region, the main producer; it is also called Prada or Vicencio.

Aji Verde (Green Chili): One of the most common varieties in Chile; called green chile because it is consumed before his maturation.

Chilean cuisine recipes:

Empanadas

Grilled Sea Bass

Fried Empanadas

Flan II

Chilean Empanada

Pisco Sour

Cazuela de Vaca (Beef and Pumpkin Stew)

Chilean-Style Sopaipillas

Pisco Sour II

Pollo Arvejado (Galician Chicken)

Lemon Pisco Sour

Vaina

Chilean Cocktail

Humitas Chilenas

Piscola