🥘 Adobo/ Sofrito 

Sofrito is a flavourful base that is a foundation for so many Latin American dishes. It’s best cooked low, and slow. Known variously across the region as hogao in Columbia, Aderezo in Peru, and refrito in Ecuador, with each region varying its composition of ingredients. 

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Execution time: 20 minutes 

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium onion, finely diced (350g) 

• 1 small tomato, finely diced (200g)

• 1 small red capscicum, finely diced (130g) 

• 1 small green capscicum, finely diced (100g) or 

• 110g green or red bullhorn chilli

• ¼ habanero chilli (or aji dulce), finely diced 

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp pepper (to taste) 

• ¼ tsp ground cumin 

• ¼ tsp pinch pimenton 

• 2 cloves of garlic (6g), minced 

METHOD 

1. Heat a pan over low heat, and in the olive oil. Once the olive oil is warm, add in the onion, and saute for 3-4 minutes. Keep the temperature at a fairly low heat. You want to slowly sweat the onions. When the onions soften a little bit, add in the capsicum and cook for another 3-4 minutes until they soften. Finally, add in the minced garlic, tomatoes, spices and salt and cook for another 4-7 minutes or until all of the vegetables are very soft. 

🍘 Arepas - Corn Cakes 

Arepas are a Venezuelan and Colombian street food item. They can be stuffed with many different kinds of fillings including slow-cooked beef, cheese, avocado, pulled chicken, beans and plantain. 

Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes 

Execution time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS 

• 200g PAN masa harina 

• 235g chicken stock 

• 1 egg (45g) 

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp salt 

To serve: 

60g queso llanero or queso fresca (crumbled goats or farmer’s cheese) 

60g gausacaca sauce (avocado sauce)

60g caraoatas negras (stewed black beans) 

METHOD

1. Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix everything together. 

2. Preheat an oven to 160C. 

3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. To shape the arepas, roll the dough into a ball first. After, using the flat of your palms, gently squish the dough down while passing it back and forth between your hands, almost as if you were clapping. Preheat a pan over medium low heat (800). Place a teaspoon of oil in the pan. Fry the arepas for 4 minutes on each side, flipping every minute or so until they are golden brown on both sides. The arepas should sound hollow when they are finished cooking. 

4. Alternatively, after browning the arepas, you can finish cooking them in the oven for 3-7 minutes or until they sound hollow. 

5. Optional: when the arepa is finished cooking, use a spoon to remove some of the filling.

6. Top the arepa with some of the carne mechada (braised beef), the guasacaca sauce, black beans, and queso llanero. 

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Pasteles De Masa (Puerto Rico) 

Pasteles are a traditional holiday dish. A masa, or dough, is made by combining various starchy vegetables. The filling can be made with a combination or either pork and chicken. The banana leaf adds a unique flavour to the pasteles, while the achiote adds a colourful red hue, and floral aroma. 

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Frf time: 10 minutes

Serves: makes 300ml 

INGREDIENTS

For the masa: 

• ½ plantain (150g), peeled and ground in a food processor

• 200g taro, peel and ground in a food processor

• 200g purple sweet potato, peeled, and ground in a food processor 

• 40g sofrito (2 tbsp) 

• 2 tsp achiote oil 

For the filling: 

• 250g (2) boneless chicken thighs, simmered in 300ml water for 1 hour

• ¼ tsp oregano

• 2 sprigs coriander or chopped

• 80g soffitto 

• 6 olives (15g) olives, pitted, finely chopped 

• 2 tsp achiote oil 

• 1 tsp (4g) capers, finely chopped 

• 1 tsp achiote oil 

• ¼ tsp salt

For the achiote oil: 

• 300ml vegetable oil 

• 40g achiote seeds

To assemble: 

1 banana leaf cut into 25x15cm rectangles. 

2 tbsp achiote oil 

6x 60 cm piece of butchers twine or string 

METHOD 

1. To prepare the achiote oil, place the achiote seeds and vegetable oil over a low heat in a small pot for 4-5 minutes or until the seeds begin to sizzle a little bit. Turn off the heat and let the achiote infuse into the oil for 10-15 minutes. 

2. To prepare the filling, place all of the ingredients into a pot and simmer everything together until all of the flavours come together, and the sauce evaporates until it reaches the thickness of cream or melted butter. Season to taste with salt. 

3. To prepare the masa, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. 

4. To assemble, dry the banana leaves with some paper towels. Place the banana leaves on the surface of your work station. On each banana leaf, place 1 tsp of the achiote oil on each banana leaf. And spread it in a rectangle in the centre of the banana leaf that’s about 6x8cm. Place 2 tbsp of the masa onto the achiote oil and spread it evenly over the 6x8cm rectangle. 

5. Place 2 tbsp of the filling in the middle of the masa. Gather up the opposing ends of the banana leaf, folding the banana leaf in half lengthwise until the edges meet. Fold over the seams of the banana leaf until they touch the top of the filling, and tuck them underneath. Secure the banana leaf with a little bit of butchers twine or string. 

🍘 Caraotes Negras - Stewed black beans 

Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes 

Execution time: 20 minutes 

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

To soak

• 400g black turtle beans 

• 1L cold water 

• 1 tsp baking soda 

To cook: 

• 1.2L water 

• 2 tsp salt 

• ½ brown onion 

• ½ capscicum 

• ¼ habanero 

METHOD

1. Rinse the black beans well in water to remove any debris. Place the beans in 1L of cold water, along with 1 tsp of baking soda and soak overnight. 

2. Drain the beans and place them in a pot with 1.2L of cold water and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer the beans for 1-2 hours or until they are just tender. Season with additional salt if necessary. 

🥘 Carne Mechada - Venezuelan Beef Stew 

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Execution time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 250g beef brisket, simmered in 300ml water for 2 hours until tender  

• 80g sofrito 

• 15g tomato paste 

• ¼ tsp salt 

METHOD: 

Preheat a small saucepan over low heat. Add in all of the ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with a little salt.

🐟 Ceviche Peruano con Leche de Tigre- Peruvian Ceviche 

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Execution time: 15 minutes 

INGREDIENTS 

Serves 6- For the Leche De Tigre: 

• 100g fish trimmings 

• 120g lime juice

• 100g fish stock 

• 40g ice

• 15g red onion 

• 10g ginger

• 8g coriander 

• ½ Thai bird’s eye chilli or ⅓ habanero 

• 1 tsp salt 

• 1 pinch msg (optional) 

Serves 2 - Ceviche: 

• 180g king fish, cleaned and diced into 3cm cubes 

• 10g red onion, sliced thinly 

• ¼ habanero chilli, de-seeded, diced very small

• ⅓ lime, juiced 

• 4 tbsp leche de tigre 

• ¼ tsp salt 

• ½ clove of garlic, minced 

• 3 sprigs coriander, minced 

To serve 

• ½ purple sweet potato (baked 40 minutes 180C) 

• ½ corn (choko) boiled for 5 minutes 

• 4 leaves cos lettuce 

METHOD 

1. To prepare the leche de tigre, place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until the mixture is quite smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer above a bowl, and press the liquid through, using a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. 

2. To prepare the ceviche, place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Adjust the taste with a pinch of salt, or more lime juice if necessary. Allow the ceviche to rest for 5-10 minutes or until the fish begins to cook a little bit, and turn more opaque. 

3. When you are happy with the taste, and texture, place the ceviche in a wide bowl, garnish it with a sprig of coriander, and serve it with slices of the baked sweet potato, cos lettuce and the boiled corn on the side. 

Guasacaca Sauce/Avocado Sauce

Ingredients 

• ¼ brown onion, finely diced (40g) 

• ¼ green capsicum, finely diced(30g) 

• 2 avocados (335g) 

• 30 ml olive oil 

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp pepper 

METHOD

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the sauce is homogenous. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.