Black Bean-Chipotle Burgers by Candle 79

Makes 6 to 8 burgers

1 1/2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
1-inch piece of kombu
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt 
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
6 to 8 burger rolls
1 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Avocado slices, for serving (optional)

Put the beans in a saucepan or bowl and add cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Cover and soak for at least 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse. 

Put the beans, kombu, onions, chipotle powder, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper in a large saucepan. Add water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours. Most of the liquid should be absorbed by the beans, but add a bit more water if they seem too dry. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard the kombu and bay leaves.

Meanwhile, put the rice and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat, stir once, cover, and simmer until all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds, paprika, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and season with pepper. Cook the pumpkin seeds, stirring and shaking the pan, until they are lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the rice, beans, and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl. Transfer half of the mixture to a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until smooth, adding the reserved cooking liquid from the beans as needed to keep the mixture moist enough to stick together. Return the mixture to the bowl, mix everything together, and form patties about 31⁄2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. 

To bake the burgers, preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and put the burgers on it. Brush the burgers with oil and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes, turning the burgers halfway through cooking. To pan-fry the burgers, coat a sauté pan with olive oil and heat the pan over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook for about 4 minutes per side. 

To grill the onion slices, lightly brush with olive oil and sauté them in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, 2 minutes per side.

Serve the burgers on toasted burger rolls with the onion slices and avocado slices, if desired.

Reprinted with permission from Candle 79 Cookbook. Photo by Rita Maas.

View article: "The Beautiful Belief of Candle 79."

Toasted Coconut and Macadamia Nut Smoothie

Although there are a few extra steps involved in making this recipe, the results are other-worldly delicious. This is one of my favorite smoothies! Toasting the coconut enhances the flavor, and the coconut ice gives the smoothie a gentle sweetness without adding any refined sugars. In addition to its transcendent flavor, this smoothie also happens to be very beneficial for after exercise, due to the electrolyte-rich coconut water and the restorative and energizing maca root. Taste and believe.

1⁄4 cup dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut
1⁄4 cup unsalted macadamia nuts
2 teaspoons maca powder
1 1⁄2 cups coconut water
2 cups ice made from freezing coconut water in ice cube trays

In a small skillet, toast the coconut over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until golden (about 2 minutes). Transfer immediately to a bowl and let cool. Blend the toasted coconut, macadamia nuts, maca, and coconut water together into a creamy milk base. Once smooth, add the coconut ice and blend until frosty. Makes two 12-ounce servings. 

Reprinted with permission from Superfood Smoothies. Photo by Julie Morris.

View article: "Superfoods to Restore, Revive, Reinvigorate."

Sacha Inchi Buckeyes

Makes about 2 dozen

When I first tasted these with my friend, we instantly locked lit-up eyes—silently communicating the same urgent message of emphatic approval. Buckeye candies are traditionally made with peanuts, but I think they provide a perfect opportunity to take advantage of sacha inchi’s peanut-like flavor—and deliver a daily dose of healthy omega fats, too. These buckeyes taste a lot like peanut butter cups, but are easier to make.

½ cup sacha inchi seeds 
6 tablespoons coconut sugar
2⁄3 cup (packed) soft Medjool dates (about 6 or 7), pits removed
4 tablespoons raw or roasted smooth almond butter
2 tablespoons lucuma powder
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 batch Raw Chocolate or 4.5 ounces of dark chocolate

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the chocolate, and process into a crumbly dough-like consistency. Stop the machine and try rolling a sample 1-inch ball with your palms to make sure the dough is moist enough. The ball should stick together on its own, but still be on the dry side, like a confection. If the dough does not stick, blend in a little water—about a teaspoon at a time—until it’s just moist enough to hold together. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and hand-roll into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on a plate and chill in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes.

Chop the chocolate into little pieces, and melt it into a liquid using a double boiler. (If you’re making a fresh batch of raw chocolate, simply follow the recipe up to the liquid stage and don’t freeze it.) Remove the chilled balls from the freezer. For each buckeye, insert a toothpick into a ball, then dip the ball halfway into the molten chocolate, and remove. Since the chocolate touching the ball will begin to solidify almost immediately, give it a quick second dip to achieve a thicker chocolate layer. Carefully removing the toothpick. Place the buckeye onto a large plate, chocolate side up. Repeat with remaining balls. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes to ensure the chocolate fully hardens, then serve at room temperature.

Reprinted with permission from Superfood Smoothies. Photo by Julie Morris.

View article: "Superfoods to Revive, Restore, Reinvigorate."

Cinnamon Tea — Té de Canela

I was very fortunate to grow up with two wonderful and caring grandmothers. My maternal grandmother, Jesusita, passed away when she was 98 years old, and my paternal grandmother, Anita, recently passed away at the age of 92. Just the other day, I was thinking about the incredible lives they lived, and all they experienced. Although they only met each other a couple of times, they had a lot in common, and I have a feeling they would have enjoyed each other's company. Both of their husbands passed away young, and they were left to raise their children alone. They were both strong women, fabulous cooks and very healthy. I was starting to wonder if there was a secret ingredient in common, and then it hit me: cinnamon! Both my grandmothers drank té de canela (cinnamon tea), as well as used the aromatic spice in savory and sweet dishes. After researching, I realized there are surprising health benefits and unique healing abilities associated with this beloved spice. Cinnamon can help lower cholesterol, reduce sugar levels, treat bad breath, protect against heart disease, boost brain activity and help with memory loss, fight yeast infections, treat stomach ulcers, alleviate gas, nausea and indigestion, increase blood circulation, act as a natural diuretic, and more. I especially love drinking té de canela with honey in the colder months, but have also incorporated this spice into my daily cooking and baking. If you’re ready to start taking cinnamon as a natural remedy, I’d highly recommend you add a pinch to your tea or coffee, or sprinkle some on your wheat toast.

6 cups water
2 Mexican cinnamon stick, whole
Honey to taste

Place water and cinnamon in a medium-sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let boil for approximately 3 to 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let steep for an additional 30 minutes, or to taste based on strength desired. Add honey to taste.

Photo by Jeanine Thurston.

View article: "Abeula's Remedios."

Chamomile Tea — Té de Manzanilla

There’s something soothing about chamomile, and it’s not just an oldwives tale. My grandma grew chamomile in her backyard, and she always made me a warm cup of manzanilla if my tummy hurt or before bedtime. I continue to drink chamomile at night to wind down, and when my children have a tummy ache, I make this chamomile tea for them. Even when they were babies, I’d make them some manzanilla sweetened with honey and give it to them in a baby bottle. A warm cup can be just the ticket to calming your child. This is a great tea to drink after dinner, before bedtime. You can either use dried chamomile flowers or chamomile tea pouches. Chamomile is best served hot and is delicious with a bit of honey.

1 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers or chamomile tea pouches
3 cups water
Honey

Bring 3 cups water to a boil, pour in the chamomile, cover and let steep 5 minutes. Strain and serve. Add honey to taste.

Photo by Jeanine Thurston.

View article: "Abuela's Remedios."

Seafood in Fresh Salsa

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Makes 6 servings

1 tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 lemons, juiced
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded, deveined and finely chopped
Coarse salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Adobo Goya, to taste
¼ cup olive oil

1 large octopus
4 fillets of salmon trout
1 large piece of toro, or fatty tuna

Combine all the ingredients through the olive oil, and add condiments to taste. Set aside.

To cook the octopus, defrost completely. In large pot, bring plenty of water, enough to cook the entire octopus, to a boil. Immerse the octopus by the head in the boiling water and immediately remove. Repeat 3 or 5 times, making sure you do it an odd number of times: 3, 5 or 7. Then add the entire octopus to the pot, and let it cook for 40 minutes on low heat. The octopus should be soft, not rubbery. Once it feels like a cooked potato, turn off heat and let it rest in water for 20 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry. 

Cut off the legs of the octopus and grill on hot coals, along with the salmon trout and fatty tuna. Make sure you do not overcook, as fish tends to cook very quickly. 

Place cooked seafood in a platter, along with the prepared salsa. Serve with white rice and salad.

Photos by Pako Dominguez.

View article: At Home with NYC's Top Fish Buyer.

Shrimp Ceviche by Dominic Martinez

Makes 1-2 portions.

4 ounces orange juice
4 ounces lime juice
6 to 8 16/20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pinches cumin, toasted
Half of an avocado, medium dice
3 tablespoons cucumber, deseeded, medium dice
1 tablespoons red bell pepper, deseeded, medium dice
1 teaspoon jalapeno with seeds, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients, and enjoy!

View article: Who Will Be Ceviche King of NYC?

Corvina Ceviche by Eric Ramirez

Makes 1 portion.

2 teaspoons garlic
1 tablespoon white onion
1 tablespoon celery
Pinch of ginger
6.5 ounces lime Juice
4 cilantro stems
Pinch of habanero or thai chile
1 ounce white fish
2.5 ounces ice
6.5 ounces fumet
Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients lightly in the blender. Once everything comes together strain through a fine strainer. Reserve juices and refrigerate. This is the leche de tigre for the ceviche. 

4 ounces golden corvina or wild striped bass
2 ounces leche de tigre (see above)
1/2 ounce red onion
Pinch chopped cilantro
1/2 ounce sweet potato, medium dice
Pinch finely chopped habanero chile

Cut corvina into ½ inch cubes and refrigerate. You can use the scraps for leche de tigre, above. Prepare leche de tigre (see above) and refrigerate until ready to use. Thinly shave red onion and submerge in ice cold water for 30 seconds. This will make the red onion nice and crisp and will take some of the bite off. Drain red onion and place in a bowl with paper towel. Take a small to medium sized sweet potato and bake on a bed of salt at 350F until tender. Let the sweet potato cool and then cut into medium sized cubes. Take 1 habanero and split and half. Take seeds and veins out. (Make sure to use gloves when handling.) Cut habanero into thin strips. Then turn habanero clockwise ¼ of the way and cut into a very small dice. Take 1 gram of cleaned cilantro leaves and chop with a very sharp knife to avoid bruising. All ingredients, when done, should be placed in small containers in an orderly fashion and refrigerated.

The ceviche that you’re about to prepare must be very cold. Take 4 ounces of the cubed corvina and place into a stainless steel bowl that is set on ice. Lightly season the corvina with salt and a squeeze of fresh lime. Add habanero, cilantro and shaved red onions. Mix once or twice. Then add leche de tigre and mix again. Adjust seasoning with salt. Take a bowl that has been refrigerated and serve the corvina along with the juices. Garnish with cubed sweet potatoes. 

View article: Who Will Be Ceviche King of NYC?

Salmon Anticuchos by Miguel Aguilar

Makes 4 portions.

1 pound fresh salmon fillet
1 tabelspoon capers
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
4 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoon huacatay paste
5 large limes, juiced
1 teaspoon yellow aji paste
2 teaspoon soy sauce
White Peruvian corn, shelled
Salt and pepper to taste
8 Bamboo skewers
2 teaspoons olive oil 

Cut salmon into 1-inch cubes and thread 4 pieces of salmon onto each skewer. There should be enough for 8 kebabs, or 4 portions. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine lime juice, mayonnaise, soy sauce, capers, yellow aji paste, huacatay paste and chopped cilantro. Mix until ingredients are well incorporated into a silky sauce.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and cook skewers for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from heat and place on a large platter.

Pour sauce over the kebabs and serve with shelled corn sprinkled on top.

View article: Who Will Be Ceviche King of NYC?

Red Snapper Ceviche by Alex Ureña

Makes 6 portions.

4 cups carrot juice 
3 cups orange juice 
2 ounces sliced ginger, peeled
2 habanero peppers
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped 

Combine everything in a pot, and allow to boil for 5 to 8 minutes. Puree in a blender, strain and allow to cool. 

1.5 pounds red snapper filet, without skin, thinly sliced 
1.5 cups lime juice 
¼ cup olive oil 
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced 
1 cup scallion, thinly sliced 
1 cup carrot, julienned and blanched
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped 
2 grapefruits, segmented 

Mix together the oil and lime juice. Add the snapper. Add the vegetables, fruit and carrot sauce. Plate the mixture in deep bowl or martini glass.

View article: Who Will Be Ceviche King of NYC? 

Atun Ceviche by Julian Medina

Makes 3 portions.

1 cup orange juice
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sambal olek or Thai chile-garlic sauce
¼ cup yuzu juice
¼ cup lime juice

1 pound sushi quality Yellowfin tuna, diced
3 tablespoons Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
5 teaspoons radish, julienned
5 tablespoons watermelon, ¼ diced
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
Kosher salt to taste

In a medium bowl combine the orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chile sauce, yes juice and lime juice, and whisk vigorously until a well incorporated sauce forms.

In another bowl combine together the tuna, onion, radish and watermelon; hand toss until the ingredients are mixed together well.

Pour the sauce over the ceviche. Be careful not to drown the salad. To better incorporate the vinaigrette, mix the ceviche by hand.

Place ¼ of the salad per plate; sprinkle the chives on top for garnish.

View article: Who Will Be Ceviche King of NYC?

Hoppin' John by Danielle and Pablo

Invented by American slaves and beloved by Southerners of all stripes, it is a mix of black-eyed peas, rice, and greens, seasoned with ham hocks. Traditionally it is eaten on New Years Day with the hope that it will bring good luck, as the black-eye peas themselves are sign of prosperity. 

Makes six hearty servings

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium sized carrot diced
1 medium sized onion diced
1 bay leaf
4 minced garlic cloves
1 ham hock
1 1/2 cups of black-eyed peas that have been soaked
3 cups of water
1 cup of cooked black rice
2 cups of chopped kale
Kosher salt to taste
Cayenne to taste
Black pepper to taste
Garnish with chopped scallions

A note on ham hock: In The Gift of Southern Cooking, Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis caution against supermarket smoked ham hocks, because of their synthetic chemical taste. With this in mind, be careful in regards to where you get your meat. If possible procure yours from a trusted butcher. A slab of bacon, country ham, or cured European ham such as jamón serrano would work fine, as would a pig’s foot.

In a heavy soup pan or dutch oven, saute the onions and carrot with olive oil and bay leaf. After two minutes add the garlic and continue sautéing for an additional two minutes. Next add the water and ham hock. Cover and simmer for at least an hour, allowing the ham hock to impart its flavor into the water. Taste the water before adding the beans; you want it to taste of pork. Add the black-eyed peas and simmer for forty minutes. When beans are tender, cut off the heat and add kale. Cover. After five minutes your kale will have cooked. Season with salt, cayenne, and black pepper to taste. Either serve over a bed of rice or add the rice to the pot. Garnish with chopped scallions.

View article: African Culinary Ingenuity from Lima to Memphis.

Pollo en Pepitoria

Serves 6

1 cup salted almonds
6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup parsley
12 pieces of organic chicken
3 eggs
White wine
Sea salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Crush almonds, parsley, and garlic using a mortar and pestle. Set aside. Heat enough olive oil in a large heavy bottom frying pan or casserole dish to fry and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Stir in the almond mixture. Cover the chicken with liquid using 1/2 water and 1/2 white wine. Cover and simmer on medium heat for approximately 25-30 minutes. Halfway through the cooking process, throw in the 3 eggs into the boiling water. Remove after 15 minutes. Set aside, until cool. Grate the hard boiled eggs on top of the chicken and let simmer for another 5 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with roasted potatoes and rustic bread.

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Photos by Pako Dominguez.

View article: The Drama King.

Beef Consommé with Beer and Peanut Froth

Serves 6 as an appetizer

This is one of the many recipes that Colombia presented as the outcome of a most interesting scientific research method, called "food pairing." Flavor analysis was used to discover the foods that best combine with the different varieties of coffee that the country produces. The results provide a myriad of new possibilities for combining coffee with a number of other flavors to create new and unexpected recipes.

For the beef stock:
10.5 ounces white beef bone
1 pound beef flank, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 cups water
1 small onion, chopped coarsely
1/4 stalk celery, chopped coarsely
1 small carrot, chopped coarse
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 tablespoon salt 

Cheesecloth bag, containing:
1 sprig rosemary, about 2.5 inches
1 sprig thyme, about 2.5 inches
1 bay leaf

For clarifying stock:
3 cups liquid stock, fat removed
2 egg whites, beaten lightly

For infusing stock:
2 ½ cups clear stock
1.4 ounces Colombian coffee beans, from the Santander area
5 x 6 inch sprigs fresh tarragon 

For peanut paste:
3.5 ounces white peanuts (aprox. 3/4 cup if measured peeled and uncrushed)
1 tablspoon vegetable oil

For peanut and beer foam:
2/3 cup dark beer, Guinness type
2 tablespoons peanut paste
2 egg whites

For decoration:
¼ teaspoon finely ground Colombian coffee, Santander origin

To make the stock, roast bones at 180ºC (350ºF) for 40 minutes. Save. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to non-stick pan, brown meat at highest temperature. Save. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to non-stick pan, brown vegetables. Add tomato paste and cook until liquid evaporates. Save. In a tall pot, add bones, beef, water and salt. Bring to boil, skimming the froth, and simmer uncovered for 5 hours. Add herbs in cheesecloth bag. Add vegetables and simmer for 1 additional hour. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl. 

To reduce kitchen time, a pressure cooker can be used. In this case, cook meat, bones and water, under pressure, for 1 hour after correct pressure level is reached. Let pressure cooker chill until safe to open, add herbs and vegetables and cook uncovered for 1 more hour. 

To clarify stock, heat the stock, and add lightly beaten egg whites. Simmer until whites curdle. Ladle stock through cheesecloth or paper sieve. Removing fat with a fat separator before this step will help you obtain a finer stock. Fat can also be removed by letting stock chill and removing solid fat gathered on top with a ladle. 

To infuse stock, heat clarified stock to boiling point. Add coffee beans and tarragon. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain through sieve to remove beans and herbs. Strain again through cloth or paper sieve to remove any remaining solids. Taste and add more salt if necessary. At this point you should also add salt to taste.

To make the peanut paste, add oil and peanuts to pan and roast until golden, stirring continuously. Add peanuts to food processor fitted with the metal blade. Grind until a thick paste is obtained.

To make beer and peanut foam, combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix well. Strain through fine sieve or superbag. Transfer liquid mix into small siphon and screw on top tightly. Charge siphon with gas capsule. 

Presentation and serving. Heat infused stock to below boiling point. Remove from heat. Fill medium pot with water to ½ of its capacity. Place siphon in pot (water should cover about ½ to 2/3’s of siphon. Heat until water is about 50ºC (122ºF). Pour warm stock into white wine glasses, about ¾ full. Shake siphon well, turn upside down and press lever to fill rest of glass with foam. Sprinkle ground coffee over foam and serve.

Original recipe created by Chef Paco Roncero of La Terraza del Casino for Café de Colombia, presented at the session “Coffee, Savory Universe” at Madrid Fusion 2013. Photo Courtesy of Café de Colombia

Canned Sardines, Dressed for Success

Makes 4 portions as an appetizer

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons water
2 x 3-ounce cans of small sardines in oil
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ tablespoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil

Grate carrot in small food processor or blender. (Use the smallest possible setting to ensure carrot does not disperse and grates finely.) Add water and continue blending to achieve a thick puree consistency. Pass puree through fine sieve to obtain juice. You will obtain approximately 50 ml of juice. Measure and save.

Remove oil from sardines. (This oil can be saved and used to prepare salad dressings).

In rinsed out food processor or blender, pour carrot juice, olive oil, vinegar and cumin. Blend well. Pour dressing into sardine cans and leave to marinate 30 minutes at room temperature, or longer if refrigerated. Save leftover dressing.

If refrigerated, remove cans from cold 15 minutes before serving. Transfer sardines and dressing from cans carefully onto plate. Add additional dressing if necessary to cover bottom of plate. Serve with teaspoons, so that each bite of fish is accompanied by a small amount of sauce.

Recipe compiled and tested by Gloria Rodríguez from the presentation: “Fish All Year: Fish Preserves” by Chef Ángel León of Aponiente at Madrid Fusion 2013. Photo by Rocío Moreno.

Cozido à Brasileira by Carlos Varella

Serves 8.

1 1/2 pounds pork ribs
4 pieces of chicken, thighs or wings
1/2 pound beef loin
1 pound pumpkin, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 pounds of yuca, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 ear of corn, cut in 4 pieces
1 cabbage
1 pork sausage
1 smoked sausage or blood sausage
1/4 pound bacon
2 plantains
Salt to taste

The night before preparing, marinate pork ribs, chicken and beef loin in lime juice, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper.

The next day, drizzle olive oil in a large pot and start browning the pork ribs, beef loin, and chicken. Add the pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yuca, carrots, sausages, bacon, along with 2 cups of water. Cover pot and let ingredients cook and flavors blend for about 90 minutes. Stir occasionally and add water if pot seems too dry. Take sausage out, cut into 3 inch pieces and place back in the pot. Add the corn and cabbage leaves, cover and let cook for 20 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While the cozido is cooking, cut ends from plantains and slit lengthwise to allow steam to penetrate. Place in steamer basket and cook for about 15 minutes.

For the pirão:
1 cup manioc flour 
Pan juices from the cozido

Place the manioc flour in a bowl and pour hot juices from the cozido, whisking to incorporate the ingredients until you form a paste. Arrange the cozido over a platter garnished with cooked cabbage leaves and serve with rice, pirão, and plantains.

View article: The Brazilian Connection. 

Rabo Encendido — Burning Oxtail

2 oxtails, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces 
2 tablespoons pureed garlic
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Oregano to taste
1 red onion, cut in large slices
1 green bell pepper, cut in large slices
1 red pepper, cut in large slices
Bunch of cilantro
Aged Dominican rum 

Before cutting the oxtails, wash under cold water and pat dry. Mix the seasonings and rub on meat. Let meat stand for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Cook the oxtails in a large pot at medium heat for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes until tender. Add the rum to the pot little by little. If you notice it starts to evaporate, add a cup of water and cover until the meat is fully cooked and tender. Just before the meat is cooked, add the onion, peppers, and cilantro. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add another splash of rum and it’s ready to eat! 

Photos by Pako Dominguez.

View article: Calling Home

Risotto de Coco — Coconut Risotto

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Serves 6

1 1/2 cup arborio style white rice
1 cup grated coconut
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 green pepper
1 jalapeño pepper
1 medium size onion
3 cloves of garlic
Salt
Pepper
A big splash of white wine

I’ll start off by saying that the way I cook this risotto is by using the same exact methods my Italian grandmother taught me for making regular risotto. So if you already know how to make risotto, you’re all set. In a large cast iron skillet or thick copper pan or whatever you’ve got that won’t burn rice easily! Can be deep or medium deep, but not a small rice cooker. Sautee diced onions and garlic in either coconut, corn, safflower or canola oil for about three minutes or slightly brown. Then add all types of diced peppers (I like dicing long strands) for about 5 - 10 minutes at a medium flame. Raise the flame and add white wine. Mix in salt, pepper, when wine begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, mix the dry grated coconut with the rice and then add to skillet on stove. Constantly mix the rice and allow it to absorb the flavors of wine, peppers etc. Let the rice get slightly toasty, but never brown. Add half a cup of water and keep stirring. (This is a good moment to add bouillon, orange or ginger zest.) Gradually add more water, little by little, and mix until the water evaporates every time. Repeat. When the rice is still al dente but close to being done, add the full can of coconut milk for a creamy finish. Let it get nice and creamy by stirring with a wooden spoon and then serve!

Photos by Juan Ayora. 

View article: Trina Bardusco, Habla!

Calabacitas con Costillas de Puerco, Tatuma Zucchini Squash with Spare Ribs

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4 - 6 servings, accompanied with corn tortillas and white rice 

2  1/2 pounds of spare ribs
2  1/2 pounds of Tatuma squash, Mexican zucchini or regular zucchini
3 medium sized beefsteak plum tomatoes
1 medium sized white onion
4 garlic cloves
3 serrano peppers
1/2  green bell pepper
3 whole corns
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/3 cup corn oil
Salt

Chop spare ribs in 3.5-inch chunks. Heat oil until it reaches its smoking point. Sear the spare ribs with salt and pepper. Take them out of the pan as soon as they reach a golden-brown color on the outside (even if they’re not cooked inside), and put them to the side. Dice the squash, tomatoes, onion and green bell pepper in 1-inch chunks. Put the vegetables to the side. Deseed and devein the serrano pepper, and dice it. Mash the garlic cloves and mince them. Cut one of the  whole corns in 3 cm slices, and take the corn off the cob of the other two. Heat oil again in the same pan used to sear the ribs and add the onion, bay leave, garlic, diced serrano pepper and saute for 3 min. then add tomatoes and green bell peppers. Keep sauteing the vegetables until they’re soft. Then add the tatuma squash, the cilantro, all corn and start mixing. Then add the spices: cumin, ground clove, pepper, salt and mix well. Add the ribs with their cooking juice and mix well before adding the serrano peppers. (Be careful not to break them once cooked.)
Cook at low heat for 40 minutes. I recommend checking the bottom of the pot and readjusting the heat if necessary, especially during the first 15 minutes

Photos by Alejandra Martins.

View article: From Williamsburg with Love

Arroz con Pato Confitado — Rice with Duck Confit

Serves 6 

1.5 pounds of jasmine rice
1/2 pound grated butternut squash
2 cups cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup red bell peppers
6 duck confit legs, see below
2 ají amarillo, seeds removed and puréed
1/4 cup peeled fava beans
1/4 cup choclo corn kernels
1/4 cup peas
2 cups black beer
4 cups chicken or duck stock
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt, black pepper, cumin

Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the duck confit. Remove legs, set aside and transfer hot oil to a deep sauce pan. Add chopped onion, chopped garlic and pureed aji amarillo and saute for few minutes, or until lightly browned. Then add the peas, fava beans, corn kernels, red peppers, grated butternut squash and rice and stir for two minutes. Add black beer and cilantro. Add stock, salt, black pepper and cumin and cook for 8 minutes more. Next return the browned duck confit legs to the pan and cook for an additional 7 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
Serve with salsa criolla, below. 

2 red onions, sliced in very thin half moons
1 - 2 ají or jalapeño peppers, sliced into very thin matchsticks
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or parsley, or both
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the onions in salt water for 10 minutes. Drain and let dry. Mix onion with the rest of the ingredients, let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Duck Confit 

6 uncooked Peking duck legs
1 cup kosher salt
1 teaspoon lime zest
8 cloves crushed garlic
¼ cup black peppercorns
2 crushed aji panca seco (Peruvian dried aji panca)
Fresh thyme
Fresh bay leaf
50 ounces rendered duck fat

Rub the duck legs with kosher salt on both sides. Place them in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add the lemon zest and slices, garlic, ají panca, black peppercorns, fresh thyme and fresh bay leaf. Seal and massage the duck legs through the bag until all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 200 Fahrenheit

Remove the duck legs from the marinade. Rinse them off and pat dry. Place the rest of the contents of the bag into the bottom of an oven safe dish just large enough to hold the legs in a single layer. Place the duck legs skin side down in the dish. Pour the duck fat into a small saucepan and warm over low heat until liquid. Pour over the duck legs until they are completely covered.

Bake for 6 to 7 hours in the preheated oven. Cool. Place in the freezer, where confit can be kept for up to several months.

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