Pebre, It's a Chilean Thing

Today I am going to share with you one of my favorite Chilean recipes. Actually, truth be told, it is probably the only Chilean thing that I make. I love so many Chilean dishes but so far I'm content to let Claudio's family cook them and I'll do my part and eat them! I do, however, make a mean pebre.

What is pebre you ask? Well, if I had to compare it to something, I would say it's pretty much like a spicy bruschetta but with cilantro instead of basil. In fact, if cilantro's not your thing I would suggest you stop reading right here because that fragrant herb is one of the stars of this dish.

Below are the ingredients you will need for your pebre. Generally olive oil is used but my Mom bought me this amazing unrefined, organic, cold pressed canola oil and it is just so good so today I used that. Also, if you have real lemons it just adds that much more flavour, but again, use what you've got. Sriracha is not a Chilean thing (they would use ahi) but it really does add some nice flavour and heat. You can get it in a paste or the more common Rooster Sauce.

Chop up 4 or 5 roma tomatos, one small onion, two large garlic cloves and a bunch of cilantro. Add two tablespoons oil and one tablespoon lemon juice. I added two tablespoons of Sriracha but I like it spicy so adjust according to your tastes. Salt and pepper to taste.

These are not exact measurements. You may need a bit more or less oil and lemon juice but it's good to keep the ratio of one part lemon juice to two parts oil. Once you have the right mixture it's better to let it sit for a while to let the flavours mingle. In fact, it's usually tastier the next day but in our house it doesn't generally last that long!

 

You can put pebre on crackers, rice, steak, fish or whatever. My favorite way to eat it though is on fresh french bread (but I didn't have any in the house so I settled for Ritz crackers). Enjoy!