September 2010 Posts (34)

Feeling like meat and potatoes? Try this shepherd's pie for that classic combination.



Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1½ lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into…

Peru has a large variety of ají (hot peppers), which vary in color, size, shape and flavor. They have been used in Peru for several thousand years, since Pre-Incan times, and every region has its own type.



My family and I love to cook with ají – it always brings a special flavor to my dishes and immediately takes me back to when I was growing up in Peru. I remember my mom cooking most of her dishes with ají amarillo and…

Sometimes the simplest meals are the tastiest as the people from Extremadura claim. This autonomous region in Spain still remains the "undiscovered" community. Even many Spaniards who are savvy and proud of their country and heritage are unfamiliar with the area, other than what is stated in history books. It’s one of the country's most sparsely populated regions and there was no major…

Part of my childhood was spent in Venezuela. What a beautiful country and what beautiful memories. When my friend, Alex, who now lives in Florida, asked that I recreate his favorite dessert ... I said yes right away.

I own a softcover cookbook that was given to me by my Venezuelan sister-in-law when I was last there in 1991. "Dulceria Criolla" by Emma de Barboza. I adapted…

When crisp mornings arrive and temperatures start to dip at night, it's time for Chile Colorado! This is not your classic "Texas" chili (note the spelling difference) with its tomato base (and no beans). Chile Colorado translates to red chile sauce and that's just what it is, with its color derived from a blend of dried chiles. When you see this on a Mexican or Tex-Mex menu, it's served con carne. I've added stew beef chunks to…

Recipe courtesy of our friend Puerto Rican chef Cielito Rosado.

Yields 10-12 servings



Ingredients:



1 lb corn meal, extra fine

½ teaspoon baking…

Tamales, to me, are a food made with family, infused as much with spice and flavor as with the love and labor that is put into them. That said, these tamales, made with tamale flour, are simpler than you'd think. Here in Southern California, tamales can be found in a Mexican restaurant on every corner, but that fact made them no less impressive to the huge group that enjoyed…

Perfect for a day at the park or the beach.

Servings: 6-8





Ingredients:…

This is Mexican street food at its finest. Anytime I visit El Paso or Mexico the craving of Elote en Vaso steps into high gear. Now anytime…

Continuing the celebration of Mexican flavors, here is another offering, with a bit of tradition from this side of the border, too.



Servings: 8



Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1½ hours



Ingredients:

2½ lbs. boneless beef chuck pot roast

3 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided…

 …

By Sarah Menkedick



Champandongo is ugly. It is one of those foods that is impossible to make look delectable and stunning, even with the aid of a professional photographer. From above, from below, from the side, it looks like a massive culinary failure.



So the impact when it tastes phenomenal is all that much greater. The homely mound of meat, tortillas, molé and cheese is a complex wonder on the palate. It's no surprise that Tita in…

Alfajores, made in Peru as far back as Colonial times, are always present at my friends’ and family’s gatherings. These butter cookies are filled with manjar blanco (Peruvian for dulce de leche), and are the signature dessert at all my events. I always rely on my mom to make them – she has her own secrets for making the perfect Alfajor.



This recipe takes a little bit of time to make, but the reward is worth it.…