Guacamole

 Guacamole is a delicious Mexican dip prepared with ripe avocado, onion, chili pepper, cilantro, tomato, and lime.
3 servings

Ingredients

• 2 avocados , ripe
• 1 tomato (optionally blanched and peeled), seeded and diced
• 1 Mexican onion , mature scallion (or ½ red onion), finely chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper , finely chopped
• 1 small bunch of cilantro , very finely chopped
• The juice of 1 large lime
• Salt
• Black pepper (optional)

Equipment

• Molcajete

Instructions

• Scoop out the flesh of the avocados.
• In a molcajete (Mexican mortar and pestle) or a classic mortar, mix while crushing the onion, cilantro and chili pepper.
• Add the avocado and lemon juice and crush while mixing it with the rest, making sure not to purée the mixture.
• Finally add the tomato, salt, pepper and mix gently with a spoon.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Serve immediately.

Pernil Assado

 Pernil or pernil asado is a leg or shoulder of pork marinated and roasted for several hours. In Latin American countries, this dish is a Christmas tradition.
Serves 10

Ingredients

For the adobo (marinade)

• 1 tablespoon peppercorns , crushed
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 4 cloves garlic , pressed
• 2 limes , squeezed
• ½ cup olive oil
• Salt

For the meat

• 8 lb pork leg or shoulder (whole, with bone)
• 2 tablespoons marinade
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 7 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons salt

Instructions

Adobo (marinade)

• Mix all the ingredients and reserve this preparation to season the meat.

Leg or shoulder of pork

• Place the pork in a baking dish that can be refrigerated.
• Mix the garlic powder with the salt and season the pork. Add the fresh garlic on top of the meat. Marinate for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
• Using a small, sharp knife, remove the fat from the meat by letting it stand on one edge and keeping it in one piece.
• Start at the wide end and go to the narrow end.
• Leave enough fat on the meat to turn the fat on its side while seasoning the meat.
• The fat will be added back on the seasoned meat and cooked on the meat.
• With a little marinade, season the side of the fat that covers the meat. The other side (the top) should only have salt.
• Make very deep cuts on all over the meat and season with the marinade, ensuring that the seasoning penetrates well into all the cuts.
• Put the fat on the meat so that it looks the same as before cutting and sprinkle with salt.
• Cover the meat with a cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Remove the meat 1h30 before cooking and let the meat come back to room temperature before cooking.
• Place the meat in a deep oven dish with the fat side up. There will be a lot of fat, so be sure to use a deep dish.
• Preheat the oven for 45 minutes at 400 F / 200 C before baking (while the meat comes back to room temperature).
• Bake at 400 F / 200 C, and covered for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 300 F / 150 C, and cook again covered for 3 hours. Do not turn the meat over. Then uncover and cook for an additional hour.
• When the meat is cooked, poke it on the side with a fork to see if it is falls off from the bone. If the top (cuerito) is not crisp enough, continue cooking at 400 F / 200 C for 15 minutes or until crisp.
• Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before cutting it.
• To cut it, completely remove the fat (cuerito) and reserve it.
• Slice the meat then cut the fat (cuerito) into pieces and sprinkle on the meat.
• Serve the meat with a piece of cuerito.

Notes

It is strongly recommended to use a meat thermometer. The meat will be ready when it reaches 185 F at the core.

Pernil is usually served with arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas).

Moqueca de Peixe (Brazilian fish stew)

Moqueca de peixe is a traditional fish and seafood stew from Brazil with delicate notes of coconut cream and lime. 

Ingredients

• 6 steaks tuna, cod, shark, or whiting
• 4 limes
• 2 red hot peppers (or green) , finely sliced
• 5 cloves garlic , crushed
• 5 scallions , chopped
• 3 onions , cut into ½-inch sections
• 3 red bell peppers , sliced
• 2 green bell peppers , sliced
• 5 tomatoes , sliced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons palm oil
• 1 bunch cilantro , chopped
• ½ bunch chives , chopped
• 1¼ cup water
• 1¼ cup coconut milk or cream

Instructions

• Wash and dry the fish steaks well with paper towel.
• Place in an airtight container. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lime juice and add the garlic cloves.
• Mix, cover and marinate in a cool place for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• In a Dutch oven, sauté the chopped scallions in hot olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat.
• Add the fish and all the marinade, turn gently after about 30 seconds then add the onion and the hot peppers.
• Cook on low heat for 10 minutes then add the palm oil, coconut milk and water.
• Add half of the cilantro and chives. Salt and pepper.
• Gently take the fish out. Transfer the content of the pan to a cast iron, ceramic or clay pot. Add the sliced ​​tomatoes and bell peppers, then place the fish gently on top.
• Bake covered in a preheated oven at 350 F / 180 C for 30 minutes.
• 5 minutes before the end of cooking, sprinkle with remaining cilantro and chive.
• Serve with white rice.

Tres Leches cake

Tres leches cake, also known as pastel de tres leches, is a sponge cake soaked in 3 kinds of milk, popular in Latin America. 

Ingredients

For the dough

• 5 eggs
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ cup flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the cream

• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (canned)
• 1½ cup milk
• 12 oz evaporated milk (canned)

For the topping

• 1½ cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Strawberries (optional)

Instructions

Dough

• Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Add the baking powder into the flour previously sifted.
• Separately, beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract and continue beating.
• Gradually add flour / baking powder mixture and continue beating.
• Pour into a large buttered gratin dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Prick the cake with a fork. Cool for at least 20-30 minutes.

Cream

• Mix the three milks and pour the mixture over the dough gradually. The dough should absorb all the liquid.

Topping

• Beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer. When it begins to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating. Cover the cake with this cream.
• You can garnish the tres leches cake with fresh strawberries.

Étouffée

Étouffée is a delicious traditional Louisiana dish with crayfish tails cooked in a tasty butter sauce with herbs and spices.

Ingredients

• 3 lb shelled crayfish tails
• 2 cups unsalted butter
• 2 onions , chopped
• 1 green bell pepper , chopped
• 1 stalk celery , diced
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• ⅓ cup flour
• 2 cups crawfish broth (or seafood broth)
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 scallions , chopped
• 5 cups long grain white rice

Instructions

• Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter then add the onions, bell pepper and celery.
• Sauté until tender and finally add the garlic.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring regularly.
• Season the mixture with Cayenne pepper and Cajun seasonings and add the crawfish tails. Mix well.
• Sieve the flour over the mixture and stir.
• Add half of the broth and continue stirring until it begins to thicken.
• Add the rest of the broth and stir until you get the thickness of a stew sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve hot with white rice, garnished with chopped parsley and scallion.

Notes

It is possible to prepare the crawfish broth with the leftover heads and shells. Just rinse them, boil them for 30 minutes and filter.

Oysters Rockfeller

Creation of Jules Alciatore, owner of Antoine’s restaurant in New Orleans and son of the founder of this legendary place. Due to a shortage of snails, a favorite among gourmets at the restaurant, Alciatore Jr. had the idea of ​​replacing them with oysters, the latter being plentiful and cheap in New Orleans.

Ingredients

• 36 fresh oysters medium size
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 oz. fresh spinach finely chopped
• 3 scallions with 1 inch of green stem finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 5 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• ½ spoonful of Pernod or other anise liquor
• 1 lb gemstone salt
• Lemons for garnish

Instructions

• Using an oyster knife, open the oyster shells and detach the flesh.
• Discard the upper shells.
• Rub and dry the lower shells.
• Drain the oysters over a salad bowl and reserve their juice.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter.
• Add the spinach, scallions, parsley, bread crumbs, Tabasco sauce, and anise liquor.
• Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Pass the mixture through a sieve.
• Let cool.
• Preheat the oven grill.
• Line a baking dish with a 1 inch (2,5 cm) layer of rock salt.
• Moisten the salt with water very lightly.
• Place the oysters in the salt.
• Pour some reserved juice on each oyster.
• Pour an equal amount of the spinach mix prepared on each oyster and spread it to the edge of the shell.
• Grill in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the filling is bubbling.
• Arrange the oysters in a tray and garnish them with parsley and lemon wedges.
• Serve immediately.