Caribbean, Latin American Recipes
15 recipes found
Tamarind Glazed Oxtails
Inspired by her time working at a restaurant on the island of St. John in the Virgin Islands, this recipe from the chef Lana Lagomarsini, pairs unctuous braised oxtails with the tart flavor of tamarind to create this hearty, luxurious braise. “We would pick tamarind fruit right off of the tree behind the restaurant and I fell in love with its flavor,” the chef remembers. It can be paired with Ms. Lagomarsini’s punchy chow chow recipe, and is also perfect atop a bed of rice and peas, or fungi, a Caribbean cornmeal and okra side dish. Any addition, really, makes this meal feel abundant and celebratory.
Adobo Seasoning
Zesty, salty and versatile, homemade adobo seasoning is the perfect all-purpose blend — and can be created using pantry spices. It takes its name from the word “adobo,” which comes from the Spanish word “adobar” (to marinate), and it adds depth in a pinch. A staple in Latin American cooking and beyond, adobo seasoning’s ingredient list and proportions might range from country to country or household to household, so feel free to adjust to your preference. Use it in soup bases or as a rub on flank steak, venison or fish, or add some to plain rice or rice and beans to punch up the flavor.
Scallop-and-Halibut Ceviche Salad
This recipe came to The Times from Fanny Singer, the daughter of Alice Waters, the chef and food activist. It’s inspired by Ms. Singer’s favorite street food. Ceviche is almost always so astringent that the fish loses identity, but the freshness of the ingredients and softness of the lime marinade here are neither confrontational nor eye-squinching. It’s simple stuff: avocado, grapefruit, prickly chile, cilantro, lime and an absolutely fresh sea creature. Making the dish takes a bit of work, but it’s the perfect recipe for when you don’t want to turn on the stove.
Tostones
A staple dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, tostones are crisp, flattened plantains that are often served as appetizers and side dishes. Unlike sweet maduros, which are made with very ripe, almost black, yellow plantains, savory tostones are made with unripe green plantains. Tostones are fried twice: The first fry sears the cut sides of the plantains, establishing a base layer of color; the second fry ensures that every edge is golden and crunchy. Tostoneras, wooden tools designed to create the perfect tostone shape, come in handy here, but a flat-bottomed cup will do just fine in its place.
Shrimp Mofongo
According to Manolo Lopez, the Puerto Rican proprietor of the Smorgasburg food stand MofonGO, this mashed plantain dish is the “unofficial official dish of the islands.” Depending on the season, Mr. Lopez serves several versions — creole chicken, roast pork topped with a squiggle of pink Puerto Rican mayo-ketchup — all based on his mother’s recipe. Mr. Lopez makes the pork rinds from scratch; you don’t have to, but you should follow Mr. Lopez’ advice and eat this immediately after you make it. As mofongo cools, the mashed plantains begin to harden.
Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)
Tender in the middle and crisp at the edges, maduros, or sweet fried plantains, are served as a side dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Plantains change color as they ripen: They are firm when green and unripe, then soften as they turn yellow, and eventually, black. Like bananas, plantains develop more sugar as time passes. For the sweetest maduros, use blackened plantains — they have the most sugar, and will yield a more caramelized result. If you can only find yellow ones at the store, buy them in advance and be prepared to wait over a week for them to fully ripen. They’re worth it.
Arroz con Habichuelas (Beans and Rice)
Rice and Beans (Riz et Pois)
Picalese (Pickled Chilies)
Crab, Beef and Okra Stew
Pollo Criollo (Dominican Chicken)
Bolitas de Yuca y Queso (Fried Yuca Balls Stuffed With Cheese)
Yuca, also known as cassava, is a root vegetable used around the world to make many beloved regional dishes as well as flour, tapioca and even laundry starch. It is similar to the potato, but it is harder, has a thicker brown skin and has a tough fiber running through its center. It often has a subtly floral, lightly sweet taste. Here, yuca is boiled, mixed with loads of mozzarella, then fried until golden brown to make bolitas de yuca y queso, a popular dish in Latin America that is also known as yuquitas rellenas or bollitos de yuca. The crunchy panko coating complements the creamy, melty center. For this particular recipe, fresh yuca works best. Frozen yuca retains too much water and could make the bolitas too mushy to hold their shape.
Banana Pese (Fried Green Plantains)
Black Bean Muneta With Fried Plantain Chips
