La Latina – Review, recipe and giveaway
August 16, 2017 by JennyWhen spunky Grace Ramirez was a guest on The Chew a few months ago promoting her work and cookbook, I had to find out more.
I reached out to Grace about
La Latina,
her brilliant cookbook published by Random House New Zealand in
2015, and she immediately responded by mailing out a copy to
me.
La Latina takes us on a cook’s journey of Latin America from Mexico in the north to Argentina in the south, and shares a beautiful array of dishes from almost every country in between. Each country’s culinary history and background is nestled in the recipes and gorgeous photographs making this a full immersion into Latin American cuisine.
Grace is a Miami-born chef who was raised in Venezuela and her food style can be described as comforting Latin American soul food mixed with her own culinary chic. When the former Masterchef USA contestant isn’t creating dishes, she’s a judge on one of New Zealand’s highest rated shows: My Kitchen Rules which airs in New Zealand, the UK and Asia. She’s also the host of Food Network LATAM: DESTINO CON SABOR, currently airing throughout Mexico and Latin America.
The book is broken down as follows: Grains & Soups; Poultry & Eggs; From the Sea; Meats; Dishes with Fillings; Rice; Salads & Vegetables; Sauces, Condiments & More; Something Sweet; Drinks and Feasts with the country of origin listed at the beginning of the recipe. Dishes include Lomo Saltado (Beef Stir-fry Peruvian-style), Mandocas (Anise, Panela & Cheese Fritters (Venezuela), Llapingachos (Kumara & Cheese Patties with Peanut Sauce) from Ecudaor. and Pupusas Con Curtido (Cheese-filled Corn Pupusas with Curtido Slaw) from El Salvador.
Special thanks to Grace and Random House New Zealand for sharing the following recipe with our members as well as providing copies of this book for our promotion below.
CHORIPÁN – LATIN SAUSAGE ROLLS
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the blue +Bookshelf button).
Serves: 4
Time: 10 mins prep, 10 mins cook
4 chorizos or sausages of choice
4 ciabatta pockets
1 tbsp butter
1 cup guasacaca (see below for recipe)
METHOD
Preheat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet to a medium-high heat.
Grill chorizos or sausages on all sides until fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes depending on size.
Slice open ciabatta pockets, spread with butter and lay on grill to lightly toast for about 1 minute.
To assemble, tuck chorizo or sausage in and top with guasacaca.
GUASACACA – CREAMY AVOCADO & HERB SALSA
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blue +Bookshelf button).
Makes: 1¼ cups
Time: 10 mins prep
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley with some stems
1⁄4 cup finely chopped coriander
with some stems
1 ripe avocado
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 fresh green chilli, or red chilli flakes to taste
(optional)
flaky sea salt
METHOD
Using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic with a pinch of salt and then muddle it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When a paste has formed, add herbs and combine.
Halve avocado, remove stone and scoop out the flesh. Combine with herbs, mashing with a fork. Add lemon juice, vinegar and chilli (if using), and season to taste with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Chef’s note: Some people make this in a food processor or blender, but I prefer the chunky, rustic consistency you get from a mortar and pestle.
The publisher in New Zealand is offering one copy to members in New Zealand. The generous author is offering three copies of this title to our EYB Members in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.
Which recipe in the index would
you like to try first?
Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest
before posting or your entry won’t be counted. Please be sure to
check your spam filters to make sure you receive our email
notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the
publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at
midnight on September 25th, 2017.
Recipe excerpt from La Latina published by Random House New Zealand, 2015. Food Photography by Garth Badger.
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