Arepitas con jalea de tomate y coriandro (Grilled arepitas & tomato coriander jam) from Colombiana: A Rediscovery of Recipes and Rituals from the Soul of Colombia.
Find the recipe for Arepitas con jalea de tomate y coriandro (Grilled arepitas & tomato coriander jam) below.
Makes 30 mini arepas
Often associated just with breakfast, these charred and steamy two-bite arepas, slathered with sweet and savory jam, are a delicious appetizer. Serve them on a tray with the jam on the side.
Ingredients for the arepas:
Arepa dough (see page 00)
Canola oil
Directions for the arepas:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Form 30 balls with the dough and then flatten each ball with your hands, smoothing the edges with your fingers. Each arepita should be around 1/2 inch thick. Place the small arepitas on the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil or a coating of cooking spray in a large cast-iron grill pan over medium heat. Add the arepitas to the pan without overcrowding (about 10), and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until they are cooked through and have nice golden brown lines. Use a spatula to turn them over. Set aside on a baking sheet and place in the warm oven. Repeat, adding 2 tablespoons of oil per batch.
Tomato Coriander Jam
My life changed the day I tasted the tomato magic made by Paula Wolfert for her cookbook The Food of Morocco, which I styled in Marrakesh back in 2011. Her sweet, jammy tomato compote was so simple, yet so addictive. I adapted Wolfert’s recipe by exchanging Middle Eastern spices for achiote and coriander seeds—the seeds sprinkled on top of the steaming golden arepas.
Makes 1 Cup
Ingredients for the tomato coriander jam:
1 (14-ounce) can peeled canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon achiote powder or sweet paprika
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons coriander seeds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions for the tomato coriander jam:
In a food processor or blender, combine the canned tomatoes and the juice with the achiote powder, garlic cloves, coriander seeds, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Puree until smooth.
Transfer to a wide, heavy-bottom saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, stirring often, until the tomato mixture reduces to a thick jam, 25 to 30 minutes.
Let the mixture cool completely, then pour into a clean glass jar with a lid. The jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
To serve, top the arepitas with 1 teaspoon of the jam and arrange on a serving platter. Alternatively, place the jam into a decorative bowl and serve alongside the arepitas.
From the book COLOMBIANA by Mariana Velásquez. Copyright © 2021 by Mariana Velásquez. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission. Photos by Gentl & Hyers
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