"Arepas are made with corn and come in many varieties: pelao, de huevo, de mote, etc. I started selling arepas thirty years ago. It was the only way for me to survive in New York City and feed my kids."
Los Perros Locos, Lower East Side
InterviewCommentLa Cevicheria, Rockaway Beach
InterviewCommentRockaway Tacos
InterviewCommentBlack Bean-Chipotle Burgers by Candle 79
RecipeComment
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
RecipeComment
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
RecipeComment
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
RecipeComment
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.
Chamomile Tea — Té de Manzanilla
RecipeComment
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.
Just For Fun In the New York Salsa Scene
ArticleCommentColors of Salsa
ArtComment
Itzhak Beery Keeps the Shaman’s Fire
ArticleCommentAbuela's Remedios
StoryCommentSeafood in Fresh Salsa
RecipeComment
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.
