Reina Pepiada, the Queen of Arepas.

Arepas are unquestionably delicious and comforting. They have become a trendy food outside Venezuela and Colombia, and for good reason! Easy to make and so tasty, filling them with assorted foods is the most fun of all. Infinitely customizable, think of these like a warm sandwich of the best kind.

Arepas are made of pre-cooked corn flour, commonly known as Harina Pan (the brand name). This is a flour made of precooked white or yellow corn. It is important to note that although arepas are quite similar to Mexican gorditas, the difference is in the flour used. Whereas arepas are made with precooked corn flour, the Mexican variety must always be made with nixtamalized corn flour. This gives them a distinctively different, texture, perhaps making arepas a bit denser, but not any less delicious.

Arepas can be eaten plain with a smear of butter or filled simply with a slice of cheese. They can be filled with scrambled eggs or ham and cheese, with pulled pork, beans or both! You see the trend here? You can fill arepas with whatever you feel like! But the queen of fillings has got to be this creamy avocado chicken mixture that bears the name of Reina Pepiada. This name is in honour of Venezuelan Miss Universe of 1955, Susana Duijm.

This delicious chicken salad can be eaten on its own, but I encourage you to make it with arepas, they are absolutely satisfying and outrageously good. Though the arepas themselves can be plain, I like to add some cheese to the dough to make these a bit more nutritious.

AREPAS DE QUESO CON REINA PEPIADA
Cheese Arepas with Avocado Chicken Salad

3 1/3 cups warm water, or more as needed
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
3 cups Harina Pan corn flour
2 cups mozzarella, Brick or Havarti cheese, grated

In medium bowl, mix water, butter and salt. Mix until butter melts and start adding corn flour, mixing with your hands until it comes together and forms a fairly moist dough that does not stick to the bowl nor your hands. Let dough rest 5 minutes, covered.
 
Divide dough into 1 ½” balls and flatten with your hands until they are about ¼” thick. Cook arepas over medium heat on a dry griddle or frying pan, about 4 minutes per side, or until golden. Place them in a warm oven while you cook the rest.

REINA PEPIADA
Chicken:
1200g boneless skinless chicken breast (4 pc)
1 large cooking onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
2 tsp salt

Avocado Chicken Salad:
Cooked and shredded chicken (8 cups)
1 cup minced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Jalapeños, minced (optional)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 ripe avocados, two mashed and two diced
Juice of 1 lime, optional
Salt and pepper to taste

In medium saucepan, place chicken, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Add enough watr to cover chicken by about 2 inches. Place on stove and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Once it starts boiling, turn down heat to low and simmer, skimming off foam as it cooks, for about 20 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches at least 165°F.

Remove chicken from liquid. Reserve liquid for another use. Let chicken cool for a few minutes, then shred finely and let cool completely.

Once chicken is cooled completely, place in large bowl and add red onion, garlic, Jalapeños (if using), mayonnaise, cilantro, avocados and lime juice, if using. Mix gently but thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Split warm arepas in half and fill with chicken salad. Serve immediately.

Makes 16.

As Ceviches go, this one made with Palmitos is totally satisfying.

When you are feeling like having something super fresh and bright, a little bit spicy and tangy, look no further than a Ceviche! There are many kinds of ceviches, and if you are thinking of the famous Peruvian ones, those are completely different in technique and ingredients. The Mexican ones are pretty simple, but they pack a ton of flavour. Commonly made with seafood - be it the freshest shrimp or fish, they always have a lot of citrus juice (it’s what “cooks” the raw seafood), tomatoes, onions, chiles, avocado cilantro and sometimes fruits such as mango or pineapple. In all its variations, a good ceviche is amazingly good.

As people started eating less protein, vegan ceviches became more the thing. You can make all kinds of different ceviches that would be considered vegan, like this one made with palmitos. Other examples of vegan ceviches would be mushrooms, chickpeas, cauliflower, young coconut, or any combination you may think of. The idea is to have something fresh, bright and delicious!

Hearts of palm are the inner core of certain palm trees. They are mainly grown in Asia, subtropical Africa and Central and South America. I have never had a fresh one, but I hope to one day be able to try it! Up here in Canada, we find the canned variety. They are very mild tasting and have a soft consistency, so you have to be gentle when you mix them into this ceviche so they don’t fall apart too much. This ceviche is best eaten the day it’s made, as the vegetables purge a lot of liquid as they sit.

CEVICHE DE PALMITO
Hearts of Palm Ceviche

3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 Jalapeño, minced, or 1/4 habanero, seeded and minced
1 tsp salt, or more to taste
Juice of 2 large limes
1 3/4 cups diced Lebanese cucumber (about 4)
1 1/2 cups diced Roma tomato (about 3)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 can hearts of palm, drained, hearts of palm quartered lengthwise and then cut into 1/2” pieces
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tostadas, plantain chips or corn chips to serve

In medium non-reactive bowl, place red onion, Jalapeño, salt and lime juice. Stir and let sit while you prep all ingredients.

After a few minutes, onions will have softened. Add cucumber, tomatoes, Jalapeño, cilantro and avocado and mix well.

Gently fold in hearts of palm so you don’t break them too much. Drizzle in olive oil, mix again and adjust seasoning. Let ceviche rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Serve with tostadas, plantain chips or corn chips.

Serves 6.

Garlicky Yuca al Mojo de Ajo should be your favourite carb.

Have you ever tried Yuca? Also known as Cassava, yuca is the root of the cassava plant. It is longer than a sweet potato and it has a very thick dark skin, that you will find waxed in the produce aisles. To prepare it, you must remove the thick skin, including the thin purple layer just underneath it. The flesh below is pure white and firm like a raw potato. You can find frozen and peeled yuca in Latin groceries, in case you don’t want to deal with peeling them yourself. Yuca can be very dry if eaten alone, so often you will find it with an oily sauce such as this garlicky recipe. You can also make a mash out of yuca, or cut it into sticks and make fries. It is very delicious in all its forms.

I first learned how to eat and cook yuca from my Venezuelan friend Tili. Her parents were Cuban and Venezuelan and this was part of their everyday meals. Here’s how Tili makes it: first, the yuca is boiled until tender, then she mashes a ton of garlic and some salt in a mortar and pestle and heats up a good amount of extra virgin olive oil on the stove - just before it starts to smoke, she adds it to the garlic in the mortar along with a good splash of lime juice. The hot oil cooks the garlic instantly, then that wonderful oil is poured over the drained yuca. A garnish of cilantro on top and you have the best yuca you have ever had.

This recipe is basically like Tili’s, but I cook the garlic and olive oil slowly on the stove, then add the cooked yuca and let it soak up that delicious oil. Either way, it is outrageously good. This is a carb heavy dish, so make sure you serve all kinds of fresh vegetables along with your yuca.

YUCA AL MOJO DE AJO
Garlic Yuca

2 large yuca roots (cassava)
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-10 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
½ tsp salt, or to taste
Black pepper to taste

To peel fresh yuca, cut it crosswise into 3” pieces, then use a paring knife to peel: place it between the skin and the flesh, then run it all around the yuca. Once peeled, cut lengthwise in half, then into quarters. Remove fibrous string from the centre and rinse. You can also use frozen yuca, if that’s what you have, proceed to the next step.

Place yuca in large pot and cover with water. Stir in 2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Turn temperature down and cook at a gentle boil until softened, about 15-17 minutes. Test by piercing with a fork, it should go in easily. Drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, add oil and garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, but make sure it doesn’t burn, 3-5 minutes.

Add yuca, lime juice, herbs, salt and pepper to taste and stir well.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Stuffed Peppers Caribbean Style.

I am forever researching and testing recipes so I can then teach my students about different dishes around the world. When I think of stuffed peppers, as a Mexican, they will always be chiles rellenos, those meat or cheese stuffed poblanos. Other than these, in Mexico we also make stuffed Jalapeños. But stuffed bell peppers are not something you see often in my country.

In the Caribbean and Latin America, though, that’s a different matter. In Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Perú and others, stuffing peppers is a common practice. This probably is a Spanish legacy that came after the conquest, as in Spain they are common, as they are all over the Mediterranean and Turkey, Greece and the Balkans - no doubt, stemming from the Ottoman Empire.

Regardless, stuffed peppers are delicious and colourful, and I must way, much easier to prepare that the Mexican style of chiles rellenos, as the only prep you need to make for the peppers, is cut the tops off and seed them. Poblanos, on the other hand, need to be roasted and peeled before stuffing, which adds quite a bit of time to the prep.

For this style of stuffed peppers, we need a filling: our meat filling must be pre-cooked, and then some sort of sauce that will allow them to braise as they bake, ensuring they come out perfectly tender when they’re done.

In this recipe, we make a sofrito that is part of the filling, as well as the braising sauce. This flavourful sauté of onion, bell peppers, garlic and tomato paste along with some spices gives the meat a delicious taste, and then, when combined with a bit of broth, it provides the bed the peppers need to braise as they bake, becoming the perfect sauce when you serve them.

This recipe serves 6, giving you a few leftovers for weekly lunches. Serve with rice and fried plantains for a truly Caribbean feast.

PIMIENTOS RELLENOS
Stuffed Bell Peppers 

Sofrito:
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped bell pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup tomato paste
6 Tbsp water, chicken broth or dry white wine
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

 Filling:
500g lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped manzanilla olives
1/4 cup raisins
6 medium bell peppers
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water or chicken broth

Sofrito: Heat oil in skillet on medium heat and sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper until translucent. Add oregano and cumin, and then add the tomato paste. Cook for another 10 minutes, and add the broth and vinegar, and cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve 2/3 cup of the sofrito. Add the beef, olives and raisins to skillet. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Cut tops off peppers and take out all the seeds. Divide filling amongst peppers and top with breadcrumbs. Mix remaining sofrito with the water or broth, and place in an ovenproof dish that fits the peppers snugly. Add the peppers, cover, and bake at 400°F oven for about 30 minutes, until peppers have softened. Serve with sauce over peppers.

Serves 6.

Crispy Tostones, two ways.

Have you ever had Tostones? These are like the best plantain chips you could ever have and they are super easy to make! I first tried them when a Venezuelan friend showed me how to make them. And ever since then, I serve them when there is a good party happening. They are the ultimate celebration food!

To make these, you have to start with green plantains, or slightly yellow ones, as they should be starchy and not sweet at all. In all my years of making tostones, I had never encountered green plantains that would ripen overnight, but it happened to me when I made these. The ones I used were a bit more ripe than I would like, but they still turned out delicious. Ripe plantains, you see, are a different thing altogether. They are soft and sweet, and won’t fry up crispy like these, rather they stay soft and squishy, though absolutely delicious as well. So make sure you have green plantains and you’re good to go.

To serve your tostones, you can make an easy chipotle mayonnaise (or use a commercial brand) or you can make a runny Ají Valluno, resembling more a pico de gallo with a Colombian twist. Either way, these are made for dipping.

I am giving you two ways of cooking them: traditionally, they are fried twice - the first time, to soften them enough so they can be pressed, then the second time is to make them crispy. In my efforts to eat a bit healthier, I started to bake these. Granted, they are not 100% the same as fried, but still they are delicious. And if you have an airfryer, then it’s even easier to cook these without so much added oil.

TOSTONES
Crispy Twice Fried (or baked) Plantains

Tostones:
2 large unripe (green) or barely ripe (slightly yellow) plantains
Canola or vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo, or more to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt to taste

For the Tostones - Baked Method:
With a sharp small knife cut ends from each plantain and cut a shallow lengthwise slit through skin. Peel skin off.  Cut plantains crosswise into 1” thick pieces.

Place plantain chunks in large bowl and toss with enough oil to coat evenly. Sprinkle with salt and place on parchment covered sheet pan.

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and with the bottom of a glass or a wide solid metal spatula flatten plantains to ¼” thick (about 3 inches in diameter).

Brush plantains on both sides with oil and place back on the sheet pan. Return to the oven and bake until crispy, about 15-20 minutes.

Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

For the Tostones - Fried Method:
With a sharp small knife cut ends from each plantain and cut a lengthwise slit through skin. Peel skin off.  Cut plantains crosswise into 1” thick pieces.

In a medium frying pan heat ¼” oil over moderate heat until just hot enough to sizzle when a plantain piece is added. Fry plantains in batches, without crowding, until tender and just golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. With tongs transfer plantains as fried to paper towels to drain.

Remove skillet from heat and reserve oil. With the bottom of a sturdy glass or a wide solid metal spatula flatten plantains to ¼” thick (about 3 inches in diameter).

Heat reserved oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and fry flattened plantains in batches, without crowding, until golden, about 3 minutes.

Transfer fried tostones to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chipotle, lime juice and salt to taste.

Serve tostones with chipotle mayo.

Makes 18-24 tostones.

Pastelitos de Queso con Membrillo, a Latin American pastry.

A version of these Pastelitos exists all over the Caribbean and Latin America. Usually they are made using guava paste, but quince paste, though more Spanish in origin, is equally used in several Latin countries. Both have that gel like texture that works so well in treats like these.

The shape may vary, some of them are square, more like a pop-tart, and some of them are half moons, like empanadas; some are like these, resembling cannolis, and still others are made with only cheese. Whichever you happen to find, I urge you to try some, as they will all be delicious!

The other thing I love about these is that they are a cinch to make! All you need is frozen puff pastry, cream cheese and quince or guava paste. They bake in a hot oven so the pastry puffs beautifully while the filling holds its shape pretty well. Sprinkle with a bit of icing sugar before serving with a great cup of coffee or fragrant tea. If you happen to have leftovers, refrigerate them -but make sure to crisp them up again in the oven before serving.

PASTELITOS DE QUESO CON MEMBRILLO
Cheese and Quince Pastries

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
250g cream cheese, cut into 18 pieces
250g quince (or guava) paste, cut into 18 pieces
1 egg, beaten with a fork in a small bowl
Sugar for sprinkling on top
Icing sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Roll out dough slightly thinner. Cut each sheet into 9 squares.

Place one piece of cheese diagonally on each pastry square and top with a piece of quince paste. Fold one side of pastry over the filling and then bring the opposite side over the first. The filling will show on both ends. Repeat until all pieces are done.

Place pastries on two parchment-covered sheet pans. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool down and dust with icing sugar.

 Makes 18.

Pupusas, a Salvadorean treat.

I have some Salvadorean friends, and when they make Pupusas and they invite me over, it is the best day ever! Similar to Mexican gorditas, pupusas are stuffed masa cakes. They are larger than gorditas and rather than splitting them open and filing them after cooking - as we do in Mexico - pupusas are stuffed before griddle baking. Fillings vary from cheese, chicharrón, beans, cheese and loroco (a Salvadorean flower) and mixed. They are all delicious and best of all, so easy to make at home, in case you don’t have a local Pupusería where you can enjoy them for the best treat.

The easiest to make at home are the cheese ones, since they don’t require cooking any additional ingredients, but if you happen to have thick refried beans or leftover pulled pork or chicharrón, use those as tasty fillings. In Canada, loroco flowers can be found frozen in Latin America grocers, just make sure to thaw and drain properly before mixing with cheese. Really, if we’re not being too fussy, any type of filling you like can be used for pupusas, even if they are not the traditional ones.

The classic accompaniments for pupusas are Curtido and Tomato Sauce. Curtido is a quick cabbage, carrot and onion pickle that cuts through the fat the pupusas may have, and the tomato sauce just brings it all together. It is a match made in heaven.

The traditional curtido and tomato salsa are not spicy, but I am taking a bit of creative licence here - as a Mexican, I need a bit of heat, so I am adding Jalapeño to the curtido and chipotle to the salsa. They are not spicy, just a bit more to my taste. You can omit if you prefer. Any leftover curtido goes great with boiled yuca or used as a topping for pulled pork sandwiches or fish tacos.

Pupusas can be made, cooled and frozen if you happen to have leftovers. They make great weekly lunches!

Pupusas de Queso
Cheese Pupusas

Curtido:
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed
1 Jalapeño chile, cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced thinly, optional
1 tsp Mexican oregano
2-3 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

Salsa de Tomate:
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
6 medium Roma tomatoes
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo, or to taste, optional
Salt to taste
1 tsp vegetable oil

Pupusas:
3 cups Maseca
2-2 1/2 cups hot tap water
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or queso blanco
Vegetable oil as needed for cooking

To make curtido, boil some water from the kettle. Place cabbage on a sieve and place over large bowl. Pour boiling water over cabbage and let it drain.

Place drained cabbage in large nonreactive bowl and add carrots, rinsed onion, jalapeño chile, oregano and salt and mix well. Add vinegar and water and stir to combine. Transfer to a large glass jar or serving bowl and let stand while you make pupusas and salsa. Curtido can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use.

To make tomato salsa, heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat and roast unpeeled garlic, turning often, until charred and soft, about 15 minutes. Peel and reserve.

Place tomatoes in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

Place tomatoes, garlic, chipotles and salt in blender and process until smooth. Place back in saucepan and add oil. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve. Salsa can be made a day ahead.

To make pupusas, place Maseca in large bowl. Add water, half a cup at a time, while you mix and knead. You may not need the full amount of water, use only enough to make a smooth and pliable dough that no longer sticks to your hands. It should feel moist, but not sticky.

Place 1 cup water in a small bowl and add 2 tsp oil. This will be for wetting your hands as you shape the pupusas.

When ready to start, divide masa into 9 portions. Shape each portion into a ball and wetting your hands in the oily water as you work, flatten each ball as you make a hollow in the centre. Fill with 2-3 Tbsp cheese and then close the ball to encase the cheese. You will have a bit of extra masa at the seam and you can pinch it off so your masa cake is not too doughy.

Start patting the masa cake, transferring it from hand to hand as you press, as you work to make it thinner. You want your pupusa to be about 3/8” (1 cm) thick. If cheese pokes through, just patch it with a bit of dough, but it’s ok if it does. Shape all your pupusas and place them on a plate.

To cook pupusas, heat a cast iron griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Grease with a bit of oil and place cook pupusas 1-2 minutes, turning when golden brown. You may have to turn them a couple of times, until cooked through. Keep pupusas warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.

Serve with curtido and tomato salsa.

Makes 9 pupusas.

Creamy Roasted Poblano, Zucchini and Corn Rajas are perfect for tacos.

Creamy roasted poblano rajas with corn and cheese are a staple in Mexican cooking. Nothing pairs better with poblanos than cream, cheese and corn. It is one of many people’s favourite ways to eat poblanos, myself included. This concoction invariably makes into a tortilla to become a sublime taco.

Building onto that perfect recipe, I created this variation, making use of summer’s abundant zucchini crop. I love using yellow and green zucchini to give a recipe extra colour, especially in this one, otherwise it would be mostly white and green.

The hardest part of this recipe is roasting the poblanos. I suggest making more than you need and once you have them cleaned and deveined, you can freeze some for future use, saving you time the next time you have a craving for a poblano recipe.

A simple sauté of onion, plus the roasted poblano strips, zucchini and corn make this a delicious mixture. I use whipping cream and boil it down to reduce to the perfect creamy consistency. If you have access to Mexican crema, you can use that and skip the reducing part, as it is already the right thicker texture for this dish. Finish with queso fresco, panela or feta cheese for that extra creamy body. It is absolutely delicious. If you happen to have any leftover shredded chicken, add some to the mix and make a heartier taco filling or it could double up as an Aztec pie or lasagna filling.

Rajas Cremosas de Poblano, Calabacita y Elote
Creamy Roasted Poblano, Zucchini and Corn Rajas

4 medium poblano chiles
1 Tbsp vegetable oil or butter
1 medium cooking onion, cut into thin julienne
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/4” pieces (about 3 cups)
1 1/4 cups corn kernels removed from 2-3 ears of corn, or frozen and thawed kernels
2 cups whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled queso fresco, panela or feta cheese

To roast poblano chiles: place chiles on tray and place a few inches under the broiler and cook until nicely charred, turning as needed until charred all over. If you have a gas stove, you can place the chiles right on top of the burners and char, turning often, until blistered all over. This can also be done on the barbecue.

Once chiles are blistered and charred, place in a bowl and cover so they can steam. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them, open them and remove all the seeds and veins. Cut them into strips.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and sauté onion until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.

Stir in roasted poblano strips, then add zucchini and corn.

Add whipping cream and increase temperature to bring the cream to a rapid boil. Stir every so often and make sure you watch it so it does not boil over. Cook until cream has reduced, about 5 minutes.

Add cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Summer calls for cold soups like this Cantaloupe Cucumber Gazpacho.

As the temperature rises during the summer months, all I want is cold food. I don’t enjoy heating up the kitchen by cooking in the oven or anything that will cause the temperature to rise in my house. That’s why I love this Cantaloupe Cucumber Gazpacho, it could not be easier to prepare - that is, if you have a blender or food processor.

Cold soups are popular in many countries around the world; Spain makes the most famous - the tomato Gazpacho, as well as the thicker and creamier Salmorejo and Ajo Blanco. In Mexico we make a Creamy Pecan soup and in the US you can find a cold Corn soup, Creamy Avocado soup and the potato and leek Vichyssoise (it is from New York, not France!). In the Middle East, cold yogurt soups are popular, as well as in the Balkans, most likely a legacy of the Ottomans. In Scandinavia they have Fruktsoppa and in Russia, the chunky Okroshka. In Poland, they make the beet Chlodnik Litewski and in Hungary the colourful sour cherry Hideg Meggyleves. This is only touching the surface in the world of cold soups. But most of them, if not all, are made mostly in the summer to battle the heat.

Our recipe today could not be easier. As always, try to find the best produce you can find, as we don’t have a lot of ingredients and their quality makes or breaks this recipe. Start with a ripe, fragrant cantaloupe, it should be sweet. Firm Lebanese cucumbers, a bit of red onion or shallot and best quality light tasting extra virgin olive oil are essential. Depending on the sweetness of the cantaloupe, you can add a touch of honey, but only if you think it needs it. Salt and pepper will round out the flavours. Blend everything and then chill the soup for a few hours before serving. This gazpacho will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. A bit of separation is normal as it sits, just stir it up again before enjoying. This makes a great make-ahead dish to serve as a light starter at your next gathering.

Cantaloupe and Cucumber Gazpacho

4 cups cubed ripe cantaloupe (from about half a medium fruit)
1 cup chopped Lebanese cucumbers (2 small)
2 Tbsp chopped red onion or shallot
1/4-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup light tasting extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tsp honey or agave syrup, optional
1 small Lebanese cucumber, chopped, for garnish

Place cantaloupe, cucumber, red onion and 1/4 cup water in blender container. Blend until completely smooth.

With motor running, add olive oil in a thin stream, and process until mixture is smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste and honey if more sweetness is desired or needed. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Serve in small cups or bowls, garnished with cucumbers and drizzled with olive oil.

Makes 1 litre, serving 4-8, depending on serving portion.

Fresh and bright, this Mediterranean Zucchini Carpaccio is a summer delight.

One of the pleasures of summer is having the freshest fruit and vegetables, some that are not available any other time of year. Such is the case of round zucchini. Whereas it may be common in other parts of the world year round, for us in Canada it is a summer thing, as local farmers grow these seasonal delights.

This salad can be made with regular zucchini, of course, but I love the size of the small round ones, that way you can use one of each in this recipe and you won’t leave any bits leftover wrapped in the fridge.

This Zucchini Carpaccio is really easy to put together, the only thing you need is a bit of time to let it rest so that the lemon juice can work its magic to soften the zucchini. Since we have such few ingredients, they really count, so use the best extra virgin olive oil you have for this recipe. This salad can be part of a mezze spread, or it can be a light and fresh starter to a summer barbecue. Either way, it is light, bright and delicious.

This salad is a slight variation of the Sicilian Zucchini Salad I have posted previously on the website. But this one has a bit of protein thrown in in the form of feta cheese, so even though it is light, it is a bit more wholesome.

Mediterranean Zucchini Carpaccio

1 small round green zucchini, ends trimmed
1 small round yellow zucchini, ends trimmed
Juice of 1 small lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Handful of mint leaves

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice zucchini into very thin rounds. Zucchini should be pliable, about 1/16” (1mm) thick.

On large rimmed plate, place about 1 Tbsp lemon juice and stir in a bit of salt, just enough to season that lemon juice.

Start arranging zucchini, alternating colours, around the plate in a concentric pattern, until the plate is full.

Squeeze the rest of the lemon juice on top and sprinkle with a bit more salt. Let zucchini rest for about 15 minutes, to allow it to soften with the acid.

To finish carpaccio, crack some black pepper on top, and sprinkle with feta cheese. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Serves 2.

Healthy and protein packed, this has become my favourite dessert.

As you have heard me say already, I am doing my best to eat better, but that does not mean food should be boring! Far from it! I am really enjoying figuring out how I can eat what I really like, but in a more wholesome and healthy way.

This dessert is a prime example, loosely based on the Indian Shrikhand, this yogurt and fruit concoction is so good that it is hard to think of it as healthy. In reality, could eat it by the bucketful, and I can honestly say it has become one of my favourite ways to end my evening meals. It satisfies the craving for sweets, without compromising my health.

Indian Shrikhand is usually made with really thick or strained yogurt and mangos, and indeed it is super tasty, but since I had frozen berries and peaches, I decided to make it with these fruits instead. Strain the frozen fruit to make sure there is no excess liquid, as that will impact the texture of your final product. I have made that mistake and you end up with a runny yogurt, which is not a bad thing either, but ideally, this dessert should be thick and easily spoonable. For flavouring, I am using ground cardamom, but it could easily be flavoured with vanilla or even cinnamon. If you are using fresh fruit and you need to thin the mixture a little bit, use some whipping cream to help things along. Otherwise, it is just the fruit, the yogurt, a bit of sweetener in the form of icing sugar (I use low calorie sweetener like monk fruit or Swerve), the spices and that’s that!

Pour into your pretty containers and refrigerate for a couple hours. Garnish with chopped pistachios, more berries and enjoy your guilt free dessert.

Creamy Mixed Berry and Peach Cups

2 cups mixed berries and peaches, fresh or frozen (drained if frozen)
2 1/2 cups really thick plain Greek yogurt (I like to use Siggy’s brand)
3-4 Tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom, cinnamon or vanilla
Ground pistachios and berries for garnish

Place fruit, yogurt, icing sugar and cardamom in blender or food processor and process until completely smooth. If using frozen fruit and you need to thin out the mixture, use a bit of whipping cream.

Pour mixture into serving dishes. Cover with lids or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve, garnished with pistachios and berries.

Makes 1 litre, serving 6-8.

Pickled radishes, fresh and zesty.

I have a thing for pickled vegetables. From spicy Jalapeños and serrano chiles with or without vegetables, regular cucumber pickles (with or without garlic and dill), ultra sour gherkins, pickled onions (both red onions and the little white cocktail ones), sauerkraut, beets, carrots, green beans, asparagus and even hard boiled eggs!

At some point in my life I have pickled all of the above. Never have I ever added sugar, for a Mexican a sweet pickle is not a thing. For me, it has to be sour, salty and if they are spicy then it’s even better. And even though I have made all kinds of pickles, this is the first time I pickle radishes. I am not sure why, but now that I started, nothing will stop me!

I love them in salads, as part of a meze spread or even on a charcuterie board. I like them spicy, but if you’re not into that, omit the dried chiles and if you prefer, add black peppercorns and/or coriander seeds. I love the deep pink colour they become once the vinegar has worked its magic. These keep for about a week before they start to get a bit soft, so make a small amount and enjoy before you make another batch!

Spicy Pickled Radishes

1 bunch radishes, trimmed and cut into 1/8” thick slices (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp crushed dried piquín chile or chili flakes, or more to taste

Place radishes in a medium glass jar and add vinegar, salt and dried chiles.

Cover jar and shake to make sure salt is dissolved. Taste liquid to make sure it’s seasoned properly and then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, shaking every so often. Pickles will turn really pink as they pickle.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Berry Jam, the healthier version.

Mixed berry chia jam is a delightful and flavourful spread that combines the natural sweetness of berries with the nutritional benefits of chia seeds. Easy to make and versatile, this jam is perfect for spreading on toast, swirling into yogurt, or dolloping on top of your favourite pancakes, waffles or even ice cream! Whether you prefer it smooth or with chunks of fruit, berry chia jam is a delicious addition to any meal or snack, and the most important thing, it’s a breeze to make.

I have been trying my best to eat very clean, eating healthy carbs, minimal sugar and zero ultra processed foods. Even though I cut out sugars, I still crave sweet things every so often - I’m not sure if I’ll ever stop - but I try to find healthier ways to eat sweets. Berries are great - containing minimal sugar and adding fibre and nutrients. To me, they are the perfect ingredient, and chia seeds provide the texture needed to make the perfect jam. To top things off with the proverbial cherry on top, it’s a cinch to make and it’s nutritious to boot!

I make my jam with only mixed berries and chia seeds, but if you like, you can add sugar or honey, or any other sweetener of your choice, along with vanilla or cinnamon or any flavouring you like. I use frozen mixed berries because you simply defrost, mash, add chia and you’re done! What could be easier than that?

Mixed Berry Chia Jam

2 cups mixed berries
2 Tbsp chia seeds
Sweetener to taste, optional
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, optional

Place berries in a medium bowl and let them thaw completely.

Once thawed, using a fork or masher, crush berries into a pulp, to the consistency you like. I like mine chunky.

Add chia seeds and sweetener and vanilla, if using and mix to combine.

Transfer jam to a jar and refrigerate for 4 hours to let the chia bloom.

Enjoy with your favourite toast, yogurt, granola, pancakes, waffles or ice cream.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

This rustic Italian loaf is one of the easiest breads you can make.

This is one of the first bread recipes I ever made, I’m talking about a 30 year recipe here! It is super simple, even for the beginner bread maker, which is what I really was back then!

Since then, I have advanced my bread making abilities, but this little loaf is still a favourite. You can make it with all purpose flour, which is what we usually have in the pantry, but it is better if you use bread flour, as the protein content is higher, resulting in a chewier bread.

You can make it as written, or you can give it a double proof, which makes it more tender. If that’s what you want to do, simply let it rest after kneading in an oiled bowl, covered, until doubled in size. Than, shape it and let it rise on the tray for the second proof. After it’s doubled it's size, bake as directed.

Either way, you will be rewarded with a delicious bread. I love to use it in sandwiches or simply with olive oil and balsamic vinegar on a nice charcuterie board.

SIMPLE RUSTIC ITALIAN LOAF

2/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
Pinch sugar
1 1/4 - 1 3/4 cups bread or all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt

In medium bowl, mix warm water, yeast and sugar. Let rest for about 5 minutes, until yeast blooms.

When sponge is ready, add 1 cup flour and salt. Mix well, adding more flour as needed to form a smooth dough that’s not sticky. Transfer mixture to a floured board.

Knead for 5-10 minutes, and then let it rest, covered with a towel, on a greased baking tray until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F.  

When ready to bake, using a sharp knife or bread lame to slash the top of the loaf.

Place a shallow tray or bowl on the bottom of the oven. Place the bread in the oven and pour boiling water or a handful of ice cubes onto the hot roasting tray; this should release a blast of steam that will help give the loaf a crust.

Bake for approximately 20-24 minutes or until loaf is golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Internal temperature should be around 200°F. Let cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

Turkish Shepherd's Salad, so fresh it tastes like summer!

Turkish Shepherd Salad, known as Çoban Salatasi in Turkish, is a refreshing and colourful dish made with finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and green peppers, all tossed together with herbs and a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, sumac, salt, and black pepper. This light and flavorful salad is a staple in Turkish cuisine, often served as a side dish or enjoyed on its own as part of a healthy meal. The combination of fresh vegetables and tangy dressing makes this Turkish shepherd salad a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats or as a side for kebabs.

When I visited Istanbul a few years back, this salad was part of many of our meals, it is one of those iconic dishes that make part of the rich Turkish culinary arsenal. Use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find and you will enjoy a memorable Summer salad.

ÇOBAN SALATASI
Turkish Shepherd’s Salad

2 1/2 cups diced ripe vine or Roma tomatoes (about 4)
1 1/2 cups English cucumber, diced (1/2 cucumber)
3/4 cup green bell pepper, seeded and diced (1 small)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained and rinsed (1/2 small)
1/4 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped parsley
1 Tbsp chopped dill
2 Tbsp chopped mint
1 tsp sumac
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, parsley, dill and mint in large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk sumac, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and salt to taste. 

Toss dressing with vegetables and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes toss again, taste, and adjust seasonings as required.

Serves 6.

This rustic summer salad is wholesome and satisfying.

Panzanella salad is a traditional Italian dish made with stale bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, basil, and a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing. The beauty of panzanella lies in its use of leftover bread, which is revitalized when combined with the fresh, juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers. The flavours are bright and refreshing, perfect for a summer meal. This salad is versatile and open to interpretation, with variations including the addition of capers or even fresh mozzarella. Panzanella is a delicious way to minimize food waste while savouring the essence of Italian cuisine.

I learned to make this simple salad when I was working at DiVino Wine Studio. It is one of the simplest recipes to make and it always tastes amazing. For this purpose, I tear some bread into bite size pieces and let them dry on the counter overnight, until they are hard. This implies a bit of planning ahead, but if you don’t have time for that, simply drizzle bread with olive oil and toast in the oven until crispy, as if you’re making croutons. If you are going this way, don’t sprinkle the croutons with water, simply skip that step and proceed with the recipe as written.

This is an amazing summer salad. I hope you make it and let me know how you like it!

PANZANELLA TOSCANA
Tuscan Bread Salad

2 cups dry crusty bread, cubed (I like to use a good quality sourdough)
1 large ripe and juicy tomato, cut into chunks
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
3/4 cup cucumber, cut into chunks
1/2 bell pepper, cut into chunks
10 large basil leaves, torn
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place bread in large salad bowl. Sprinkle or mist with enough water to moisten bread.

Add tomato and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.  

Add red onion, cucumber and bell pepper, then drizzle with vinegar and olive oil.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat. Add fresh herbs and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Beets and Yogurt are a match made in Turkish heaven.

One of the easiest salads I know how to make is this Turkish style Beet and Yogurt salad. Indeed, the hardest thing about this recipe is to roast the beets, but even if you don’t want to spend time doing that, you can buy them already cooked, saving you tons of time making this outrageously good and healthy salad.

Many recipes blend the beets with the yogurt, making a bright purple sort of spread, but I prefer to keep things separate. First, mix thick Greek yogurt with a bit of garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Then, once your beets are cooked, peel and cut into wedges - those will go on top of the yogurt. Last, make a simple lemon vinaigrette to drizzle on top, add a bit of herbs and that’s it! Enjoy!

YOĞURTLU PANCAR SALATASI
Roasted Beet Salad with Garlic Yogurt

8 medium beets, trimmed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of chopped dill, mint and/or flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F. 

Wrap beets in foil and bake until tender, about an hour, depending on size. When they are soft, let them cool slightly and peel. Cut them into 1/2” thick wedges.

In medium bowl, mix yogurt with garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture on the bottom of a plate. Arrange beet wedges over yogurt.

In small bowl or measuring cup, mix lemon juice with salt. Whisk in olive oil slowly to emulsify. Add black pepper. Pour dressing over beets and garnish with mint and parsley.

Serves 8-10.

One of the best salsas, made in the Molcajete.

I love making salsas - red salsas, green salsas, black salsas, all kinds of salsas! This technique is really simple and it makes a very tasty salsa. I love using both tomatoes and tomatillos, together they provide more interesting flavour tones, and if they are roasted or braised as in this case - before grinding in the molcajete - the flavour is intensified.

I am using chicken stock to braise the vegetables, but you could easily make this salsa Borracha by using beer instead. If you decide to go that route, add some to braise and then add a bit at the end for extra beer flavour.

Three chiles make this salsa pretty spicy, but it is delicious! The guajillo gives that gorgeous colour, the jalapeño adds brightness and the tiny piquín chiles add plenty of heat. If you don’t have all these chiles, don’t let that stop you! Use whatever you have, and if you have other dried chiles, feel free to substitute.

I am using my Mom’s molcajete, but not everyone has one. Use a blender or food processor, just make sure you don’t over process. This salsa is all about that chunky texture.

This salsa goes great with your favourite tacos, tostadas or antojitos. Make some today to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

Salsa Molcajeteada de Tres Chiles
Three Chile Molcajete Salsa

1 guajillo chile, stemmed and seeded
2 tsp dried piquín chiles
2 tsp vegetable, avocado oil or manteca
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and sliced thick
1 clove garlic
3 large tomatillos (250g), cleaned and quartered
1 small tomato (120g), quartered
Salt to taste
1/3 cup chicken stock or beer
1/2 cup diced white Spanish onion, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 small lime

Heat medium skillet over medium heat and toast guajillo for a few seconds on each side, until aromatic. Remove to a bowl and add piquín chiles. Toast only for a few seconds and remove to bowl with guajillo.

Add oil to skillet and add jalapeño, garlic, tomato and tomatillos and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir and sauté until golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Add guajillo and piquín chiles to the skillet and add chicken stock (or beer). Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

Transfer vegetables and liquid to molcajete and grind until you have a chunky consistency.

Add rinsed onion, cilantro and lemon juice (or a bit more beer). Adjust salt level and stir until everything is combined.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

A more wholesome flour tortilla, made with whole grain wheat flour.

In my quest for eating and feeling better, I have made quite a few changes both in lifestyle and diet. I incorporated a steady exercise routine, cut out most refined flours and sugars, and have been dedicating myself to making these changes stick.

Along the way, I have discovered that I love what I remember eating as a child, items made with whole grains - old fashioned if you will - but better for you in every way. I love that old fashioned rye, pumpernickel and whole wheat breads my grandparents ate, simply with a smear of butter and a pinch of salt. Hailing from northern Mexico, I grew up eating wheat flour just as much as corn tortillas, my Nana used to make them every day. I remember as kids we preferred white whole wheat tortillas, but my Mom wanted us to eat healthier food, so we were served whole wheat ones as well. As kids, we did not appreciate our parents’ good intentions, but now, I know my mom and grandparents were so right!

There are some things I simply cannot give up, and tortillas are some of those things. I eat them in moderation, but I enjoy them every so often. Flour tortillas are a favourite, so now I make them with whole grain wheat flour. I get my freshly milled wheat flour from a local bakery and urban mill called Almanac Grain. If you are in Ottawa, I encourage you to go visit. They mill all their flours and make the best sourdough breads. Two of my favourites are Red Fife and Einkorn wheat flours. They are old fashioned and wholesome grains and much better for our bodies than their ultra processed white conterparts.

These tortillas are heartier and sturdier than white wheat flour tortillas, but they are also much more nutritious and wholesome. They remain soft and pliable even when they are cool. You can use them the same way as any other tortillas, but I love them with scrambled eggs for breakfast, with eggs and chorizo and for making amazing quesadillas.

Tortillas de Harina Integral
Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup avocado or vegetable oil
up to 1 cup very hot (almost boiling) water

In large bowl, place flour, salt and baking powder and stir to combine.

Add oil and stir until incorporated.

Start adding the water, starting with 1/2 cup and then more as needed, while you stir, until you have no dry spots left. Start kneading until it forms a ball.

Turn out onto a board and knead for about 5 minutes. If you feel like you need to add flour as you knead, go ahead and add it in small increments. Let dough lest, covered for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 10 portions and smooth pieces into balls. Let them rest, covered with plastic, for 30-60 minutes. It is important to let the dough rest so it can completely hydrate.

Once the dough has rested, roll each ball with a rolling pin, turning as you go, to make a nice circle. Dough should be about 1/8” thick. You can roll all dough balls and let them rest as you work until they are all done.

When ready to cook, preheat your comal, cast iron pan or griddle over medium high heat. Once you start cooking your tortillas, lower heat to medium.

Place tortillas on comal and let them cook for about 5 seconds. Flip, and when you see small bubbles forming on the surface, flip again. The tortillas should puff up in places, but if they don’t it’s OK. Cook until tortillas no longer look dark (raw), up to 2 minutes total. It is normal to flip tortillas up to 3 times per side as they cook.

When they are done, remove from comal and place on a clean tea towel. Stack them as you cook, as they will steam in the towel. Enjoy immediately or let them cool completely before storing them in a zip top bag.

Makes 10 tortillas.

Pastry Cream should be part of everyone's arsenal.

Pastry cream is one of those things that everyone should know how to make! Best of all, it is so easy to put together for something that is absolutely delicious.

You can use pastry cream to fill pastries - hello eclairs and churros! It makes a great filling for pies like Boston Cream and you can use it as a custard for a beautiful trifle. It has a lot of uses, but honestly, it’s so good you could even eat it with a spoon just by itself.

All you need is milk, cornstarch, salt, eggs, flavouring and butter. I’m using the best wild vanilla beans from my friends at Akih vanilla in Oaxaca, but if you add cocoa powder then you have a chocolate pastry cream. Adding almond extract would give it and almond flavour, and orange zest would give it a citrus twist.

I wanted to dress up some very special French Toast I had for Easter brunch. Since I cannot go eat with my favourite Chef in Monterrey (that is Pepe, from Yokot’an) I am channeling him with this recipe. If you live in the City of Mountains, you need to go try his French toast, it is absolutely divine.

So what do you think? Will you make some? It will transform your French Toast!

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
 

2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seed scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks from 4 large eggs
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, place milk and add vanilla bean and seeds.

Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Cover the pan and steep for 20-30 minutes.

* If using vanilla extract, you can skip this step and add the extract to the milk. In this case, the milk does not need to be heated.

Meanwhile in small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt.

In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and add dry ingredients. Whisk vigorously (mixture may be stiff at first) until mixture is a pale yellow colour and everything is combined.

Remove vanilla bean from milk mixture and start adding the warm milk very slowly into the egg mixture - start in a thin stream so you can temper the egg yolks. Once you have about half of the mixture incorporated, you can pour a bit faster. Whisk until everything is combined and then pour mixture back into the saucepan.

Place on the stove over medium heat and whisk constantly until mixture is thickened. It will start bubbling up. Once it does, cook for another minute, then remove from heat and whisk in butter.

Pour mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl and cover immediately with plastic. Make sure it’s touching the custard so it does not form a skin.

If you are using the cream right away, cool it quickly by setting the bowl over an ice bath and whisk until cooled. Otherwise, you can let it cool for 10 minutes on the counter, then refrigerate until chilled.

Pastry cream lasts for about 3 days in the fridge.

 Makes about 2 1/2 cups.