Latin flavours

The history of Latin American, South American and Caribbean foods is a rich, diverse narrative shaped by indigenous cultures, European colonisation and African influences.

The region’s food traditions have evolved over thousands of years, creating a wide variety of dishes that are distinct and deeply connected to its history and geography. Although we may share a similarity in our ingredients, the uses can vary widely.

These Latin and Spanish cuisines utilise bright, hot, sour and sweet flavours from plants, herbs and fruits. Familiar ingredients like tamarind, guava, limes, peppers–hot and sweet, onions–red and white, cilantro, garlic, orange, pineapples, corn and rum are just some of the indigenous flavours that form the base of our Spanish and Latin neighbours.

Yes, these ingredients all form a part of our cuisine as well but it’s only when we take the time to create one of their speciality dishes, can we truly appreciate how magnificent a dish can be when ingredients are manipulated in a non-familiar way.

Orange flan

⅓ cup sugar

⅓ cup water

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

12 ozs full cream milk

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp grated orange zest

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, place 1 cup sugar with water and cook until sugar turns to a caramel.

Pour caramel into the bottom of a glass pie plate, swirl plate to cover bottom with caramel, set aside.

In a bowl, beat eggs with sugar and milk; add nutmeg and cinnamon, zest and vanilla.

Strain mixture and pour into caramel-lined plate.

Place pie plate into a pan of water and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30 to 35 minutes until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove and cool.

Invert before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Kingfish ceviche with habanero

Ceviche is a Spanish-Caribbean delicacy. The history and origin of ceviche date back to the pre-Colombian cultures of the Peruvian coast, particularly the Mochica, which preserved fish with
chicha (a fermented corn beverage) and salt.

With the arrival of the Spaniards, lime was incorporated into the ceviche recipe, leading to the modern version we know today. Delicious when the freshest fish is used, the fish is marinated in tons of fresh lime juice, which transforms the fish to a tender and delicate texture. It is then married with an array of fresh herbs, vegetables and fresh habanero to make an addictive first course. It is best consumed the day it is made.

1 lb kingfish fillet, fresh not frozen

6 limes

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 yellow habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 tomatoes, diced

2 young cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 small bunch chadon beni, sliced into chiffonade

olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Wash the kingfish and cut into dice about ¼-inch, place into a glass bowl.

Slice limes into two and squeeze all onto fish.

Let marinade for about 2 hours covered in the refrigerator.

Drain the lime juice from the fish, place into a clean glass bowl.

Add all the other ingredients and stir well.

Drizzle liberally with olive oil and season with salt to taste.

Serve with freshly-made fried corn or flour tortillas.

Serves 6

Black bean soup with pico de gallo

1 lb dried black beans, rinsed and picked over

4 tbs olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs fresh thyme

2 onions, chopped

½ cup chopped chives

2 pimento peppers seeded and chopped

2 tsp ground roasted cumin (geera)

2 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

4 tinned tomatoes chopped

1 tbs salt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbs sherry

½ cup chopped fresh chadon beni

unflavoured thick yoghurt for garnish

Pico de gallo

4 large tomatoes, diced

2 medium onions, diced

Juice of one large lime

1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped

Salt

One bunch cilantro or chadon beni, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve with soup.

Soak beans overnight in 4 quarts of water, drain.

In a large soup pot heat olive oil, add garlic, thyme, onion and pepper, sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add black beans, stir and add enough water to cover beans, about 6 to 8 cups).

Add cumin, oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, salt and black pepper.

Bring to a boil cover and simmer for about 2 hours.

To texturise the soup, puree half the beans in a food processor or blender, return to pot.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Add sherry. When serving, place the soup in a wide-rimmed soup bowl, swirl in one tbs yogurt, and spoon on pico de gallo

Serves 6

Spice-marinated grilled shrimp with spicy tomato salsa and plantain chips

For the shrimp:

1 tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp Ancho chilli powder (or any good quality chilli powder)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh lime juice

2 tbs dark rum

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a bowl combine all the dried spices, add garlic, lime juice, rum, and bitters, stir well to combine.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Rub marinade onto shrimp, cover and refrigerate.

Let marinate for about 30 minutes at most.

Preheat broiler and thread shrimp onto metal skewers, or place shrimp in a shallow glass baking dish lightly-oiled with olive oil.

Broil for 3 minutes per side or until pink and slightly curled.

Remove and serve with spicy salsa.

Serves 4

Plantain chips

4 green plantains

vegetable oil to deep fry

salt

Peel plantains by cutting top and bottoms off. With a small knife, make a shallow incision into the plantain and run the knife the length of the plantain. Do this about three times around the plantain.

Run your fingers down the length of the plantain where the cut has been made, lifting and pulling the skin off.

The skin should lift off in three pieces.

Cut plantains in half and slice lengthways to about ¼-inch thick slices.

Deep fry in hot oil on a medium heat until plantains are light brown and crisp.

Drain on paper towels.

Cool and sprinkle with salt.

Store in an airtight container.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetiser.

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