Do you like crazy? 5 recipes to savor this delicacy from the Chilean coast

Before consuming locomotives, the first thing to know is which prohibitions affect them and at what time of the year. Well, let’s start by clarifying that right now – July 2023 – in Chile there is an “extractive ban” in effect until December 31, 2025 . This means that the extraction of the concholepas concholepas (its scientific name) is banned on all coasts of the country by 2026.

There is however an exception: where the capture of the loco is authorized is done in management zones delimited by the authority, zones where an extraction quota and a minimum size in force are guaranteed, which are also reserved for fishermen. artisanal.

Thus, the locomotives extracted under these conditions from the Atacama to Magallanes cannot be less than 10 centimeters in size. As for those coming from the management areas between Arica and Parinacota and Antofagasta, they cannot be less than 9 centimeters.

In addition to the extractive ban, there is a “biological ban”, which prohibits the extraction of loco throughout the national territory, regardless of its size and including management areas, which is applied between January 1 and June 30 between Arica and Parinacota and O’Higgins, and from September 1 to January 31 between Maule and Aysén.

Why are there closed seasons? Because currently, according to Sernapesca, the species is in a state of overexploitation, which threatens its ability to reproduce and therefore to preserve itself. This requires zealously limiting its extraction and supervising its marketing, to prevent it from coming from illegal manipulation of the product.

In summary, it is possible to obtain locomotives in Chile throughout the year, but respecting the closed seasons, checking their size, always buying in established stores and, very important, requiring the corresponding certificates if we have any doubts about the origin of the locomotives. the locomotives we acquire.

Until 20 or more years ago, the only way to get locomotives was raw. That is to say, barely chipped. This obviously implied that in addition to washing them well and cooking them, they had to be beaten beforehand so that they were soft for consumption.

Fortunately, things have changed and now, for the low price, it is possible to get already beaten raw boobies. However, it is also very common to get them already breaded and cooked, both in frozen form and in canned jars. And both modalities are quite convenient.

What is not highly recommended is the purchase of frozen raw locomotives, as we will not know their true caliber until they are cooked, in which case we may end up with the unpleasant surprise that they are very, very small.

There are also canned locomotives, but they are usually smaller and a bit more expensive than the other options. In general, they are a good option to take as a gift abroad: in this case, they are very practical and above all comfortable to carry.

If we buy fresh locomotives, it is better to cook them the same day and eat them in one or two more days, at most. If we buy frozen nuts, they can easily spend about three months in the freezer. But once thawed, you should treat them the same as fresh nuts.

In the case of those that are canned (glass jar or cans), while they are closed, their duration will depend on the indications described on the container. But once opened, it’s the same: a few days in the fridge and goodbye.

The latter seems obvious but it never hurts to say: unless they are in an unopened container, or stored in the freezer, locomotives should always be kept in the fridge.

Less famous than other recipes, the truth is that the Locos Consommé is almost a secret to those who cook this product. Years ago, when the full work of locos was done at home, including cooking, it was traditional for lunch to start with a loco consommé and then move on to a starter and main course, always using the same product as the main ingredient.

But of course, now that locomotives are usually bought already baked, things have changed. Even so, it’s still a good idea to prepare this consommé.

As? Very easy: if the locomotives are purchased frozen, when thawing them you must be careful not to lose the water you throw away during this process. Then, it is necessary to filter the loco well, because all this liquid will be used to prepare the broth.

In the case of canned locos (glass jar), you have to try the juice in which they come. If you don’t have too much salt, the entire contents can be used perfectly. If it is very salty, use half, after having drained them well, and complete the other half with water.

Nothing else? Of course: heat the crazy broth in a pot and add a little grated carrot. When boiling, add angel hair noodles or rice, and once cooked it’s ready. The salt is rectified if necessary then when serving on each plate add a little freshly chopped coriander and a raw egg that is beaten with a fork.

The most classic presentation of the locos is probably that of a strong entrance, accompanied by mayonnaise and a good quantity of green sauce at the disposal of each guest. To that I would add a good bed of fresh lettuce and nothing else.

The rest is known: crazy cooked and cold. Ready. But since it is important to be clear about the concepts, here are the recipes for mayonnaise and green sauce, which never hurt.

Homemade mayonnaise

—250 cc miracle oil (1 glass)

-1 egg

-Salt

1. Break the egg and incorporate all its contents into a glass or plastic jar that is taller than wide.
2. Add a pinch of salt.
3. Add the oil and immediately start mixing everything with a blender until you get the consistency of mayonnaise.

Green sauce

—1 white onion

—1/2 bunch cilantro (clean and dry)

—Salt, lemon and marvelous oil

1. Peel the onion and cut it into squares, as small as possible, then put them in a bowl.
2. Chop the cilantro, stems included, as finely as possible and add to the bowl.
3. Season with salt and lemon to taste plus a drizzle of oil.
4. Mix well, leave to stand for about five minutes and the sauce is ready to use.

If you want to get out of the habit a little, a way as different as it is good to consume locos is in the form of carpaccio. For this, the locos are finely cut, we hope with a mandolin, and placed on a plate on which we have previously put a thin layer of olive oil. Then it is decorated with pitted green olives and cherry tomatoes, and dressed with a citrus vinaigrette, the recipe of which follows.

garlic lemonade

—1 finely minced garlic clove

—3 lemons

—Salt and olive oil

1. Finely chop the garlic, squeeze the three lemons and add both to a bowl with a pinch of salt.
2. Add the olive oil little by little and at the same time beat manually, until the mixture is emulsified.
3. Rectify the salt if necessary and season the carpaccio with this vinaigrette.

Take some cold cooked locomotives, cut them into very small cubes and put them in a bowl. Add the finely chopped coriander and green chilli, as well as a few tablespoons of mayonnaise. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Mix well, then fill in some peeled and pitted avocados, as if it were a queen avocado. They won’t regret it.

Finally, a classic of our kitchen, but unfortunately it is very difficult to find it well prepared, especially where the breadcrumbs are not abused. Here is a recipe for four people, simple but always satisfying.

suck crazy

—2 cups cold cooked locos, cut into very small cubes

—200 grams of chanco cheese cut into cubes of about 2×2 cm.

—3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

—1 cup of breadcrumbs

—2 cups heavy cream

—Salt, pepper, butter, merquén, olive oil and grated parmesan

1. In a large bowl, put the cream of milk with the breadcrumbs, mix well and let stand for one hour.
2. When the time is up, preheat the oven to high, add the locos to the bowl plus a pinch of salt and pepper, merquén to taste and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Stir to mix everything well.
3. Butter four small basins—ideally clay or suitable for the oven—and serve them with the mixture of cream, breadcrumbs and locos. Then evenly distribute the cheese cubes and egg quarters in each basin, ensuring that all the elements are immersed in the creamy mixture. Finally, top each container with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and place in a strong oven, on high heat or broiler, for twenty minutes.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of July 4, 2023. Values ​​and availability are subject to change.