November 2009 Posts (14)

No Tex-Mex Tapas platter would be complete without grilled shrimp. In a medium size, they're another two-bite appetizer that pairs beautifully with sauces and favorite after-work beverages. This recipe calls for my "Fab Five" of Tex-Mex seasonings for a marinade. My dipping sauce utilizes guajillo peppers for their tangy taste and a little heat that builds with each bite. What a pairing! Baked flour tortilla chips add…

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Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican punch served at Christmas and New Years celebrations. The drink is similar to eggnog with rum. This particular recipe does not call for raw eggs. Nor does it call for you to crack open a fresh coconut. It's a very simple…

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Ingredients

(Yield: 1 Sandwich)

6” piece of Cuban Bread

2 ounces of Sliced Roasted Turkey (4-6 slices)

2 ounces of Sliced Sweet Ham (4-6 slices

2 ounces of Swiss Cheese (2-4 slices)

3 slices of sliced dill pickles or more to taste

3 Tablespoons Mustard Mayo

• 1 Tablespoon prepared Mayonnaise

• 2 Tablespoons or more to taste of Dijon Mustard

• ¼ teaspoon fresh Lemon juice

• Pinch of granulated Sugar

Butter if… Continue

Since moving to Miami, my family has adopted two traditions for Thanksgiving: the American celebration, with the turkey, potatoes, corn, etc. and preparing the Hallacas.



Hallacas are THE traditional dish for the holidays in Venezuela. This tamale style food is more than the center of the Christmas table in Venezuela. It is the dish every family finds a way to afford, prepare and enjoy. A Christmas table without hallacas is not a Venezuelan Nochebuena Dinner. No matter how rich or… Continue

LECHON ASADO A LA VARITA



INGREDIENTES

1 lechón joven de 25 libras, listo para cocinar

Aceite con achiote



Adobo:

se machaca y se mezcla en un mortero o pilón:

24 dientes de ajo, pelados

3 cucharadas de orégano entero seco

1/4 taza de sal

1/2 taza de jugo de naranja agria



PREPARACIÓN:

Mezcla los ingredientes del adobo.



Hazle cortes profundos al lechón en el pescuezo, debajo de la mandíbula inferior, en el lomo,… Continue

I’m pretty sure that I could live on Mexican food. I’d give up Italian, Japanese, you name it, if I had to choose one. So imagine my dismay when I think about the holidays, where traditionally “American” fare is served.



Not this year! I’m Latinizing my Thanksgiving with a Mexican-spiced turkey, dry rubbed with chile, garlic, and cumin, complemented with lime and onion. Lime on the outside AND inside keep the turkey moist, and impart even… Continue

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.…

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The first thing that strikes you when you meet Doreen Colondres is her energy and effervescent charm. The rising Miami culinary personality and host of the La Cocina No Muerde website had just returned from a recent media blitz in New York, and she was happy to be back home.



We met for lunch at a swanky, bustling Cuban restaurant in suburbia. Almost apologizing, she explains how… Continue

November and December are known Soup Months in the Pacific Northwest. Typically, a neighborhood soup exchange is planned and I'll find myself reluctantly eating a different bowl of soup each night of the week. These soups resemble the autumn color palette in one way or another; Minestrone, African Peanut, Curried Pumpkin, Clam Chowder, and Lemon Lentil.



Honestly, I'm not really a Soup Guy. However, this changed instantly after being… Continue

The first snow fall arrived in the mountains of Spain last week. With that in mind, many indoor cultural events of the season take place, such as the zarzuela (operetta). This form of unique musical theater has been enjoyed by Spaniards since the 19th century and later in other Spanish-speaking nations.



Now you may be thinking what does an operetta have to do with food?…

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The word chilaquiles sends a tingle down my spine. It sounds like a shiver of excitement and tastes pretty much the same way. This pre-Hispanic dish, whose name actually comes from the Nahuatl word “chilaquilitl” meaning “herbs or greens in chile broth,” is a Mexican breakfast classic.



For Sunday morning breakfasts following Saturday nights out, there is…

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Crimini mushrooms, also known as "baby bellas," are just the right size for hearty tapas. Featuring a nice earthy color with equally robust flavors, they're more rustic than button mushrooms. These perfectly sized appetizers really are young portabellas (portobellos/portobellas) - or as most experts will state, portabellas are just overgrown criminis.



To top them off, I'm…

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This year as a result of the severe economic downturn, people have learned to do more with less. Cutting back has been the name of the game in the kitchen as well. But that doesn’t have to mean that your end product is any less delicious. Learning to cook with what you already have on hand is one of the easiest ways to save some dough.



My recipe for jalapeño spoon bread is a great example of using what you already have to cook a… Continue

Boniato is a member of the potato family, and is popular in a variety of Hispanic cuisines. It is especially a favorite in the Caribbean, and Florida is one of the largest growers of boniato in the world. In markets, it is also sometimes labeled as batata,…

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