Dish of the Day: Chilean Chacarero

July 26, 2010 12:11 pm

One of my favorite ways to experience foreign culture and cuisine when traveling is eating like the locals do— which means exploring restaurants off the beaten path, food shops, outdoor markets and of course, sampling the street food. I haven't made it down to South America just yet, but New York being the holy land of food vendors, snack trucks and culinary expos, I had the opportunity to taste a traditional Chilean street food favorite at last month's Fancy Food Show: The Chacarero.

Chacarero comes from the word chacra, which means "vegetable garden" because this classic South American sandwich is plump with fresh avocado, tomato, banana chili peppers and green beans, along with beef tenderloin marinated in Merken-infused olive oil. Chef Pilar Rodriguez likes to add red onions and fresh greens to hers for extra color and crunch. Tip: Merken is an aromatic, hot spice from the Araucanía region in southern Chile.

Food bloggers, show us your culinary prowess and come up with a unique recipe featuring at least one Chilean ingredient for a chance to win a 7-day trip to this fabulous country. Hurry, the contest ends July 31st! For inspiration, check out our hands-on sandwich making video with Chef Pilar Rodriguez.

Photo credit: Behind the Burner

� Written by Mona Buehler

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Tags : Chile, Chacarero, Pilar Rodrigez, Flavors of Chile, Merken, Avocado, Banana Chili Peppers, Green Beans, Mona Buehler