Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

National Taco Day (aka Best Day Ever!)

It’s National Taco Day, which is weird because we celebrate tacos every week (#TacoTuesday). Of course, we don’t need an excuse for tacos, and neither do you. We’ve talked tacos here before, so we know what can go IN them (sweet potatoes, flaky fish, homemade salsas!), but how often do […]

Main Dishes

Picadillo Cubano

If you have leftovers, whip up a batch of empanada dough for picadillo empanadas. Ingredients 1 quart beef stock 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed 10 oz Russet potato, peeled, small dice 1 lb ground beef 6 oz ham, small dice 10 oz yellow onions, small dice 8 […]

Main Dishes

Seared Tuna with Salsa Verde

Makes 6 servings Ingredients 2 lb 4 oz yellow fin tuna fillet 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper Salsa Verde 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus as needed, divided use 2 cups finely chopped tomatillos 2 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped 2 […]

Salads, Side Dishes

Solterito Nikkei (Peruvian Edamame Salad with Seaweed)

Makes 4 servings In Peru, choclo can be found as an accompaniment to nearly any dish, and in this chilled salad, it marries with soybeans and seaweed inspired by this Peruvian-Japanese fusion dish. Look for frozen choclo at specialty markets or online. Don’t mistake it for the crunchy, corn-nut-style commonly […]

Main Dishes

Tacos de Carnitas (Succulent and Crispy Pork Tacos)

Makes 8 servings Ingredients 2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2-in/5-cm cubes 1 lb pork ribs, cut into 2-bone segments 1 white onion, quartered 1 clove garlic 1 bay leaf Kosher salt, to taste 24 white corn tortillas 3 avocados, sliced 1 cup diced white onion, for garnish 3/4 cup […]

Chef's Blog

The Foods of Día de Los Muertos

You might think with a name like Día de los Muertos—or Day of the Dead—the Mexican holiday would be a somber one. But you would be wrong, because when celebrating Día de los Muertos, Mexicans and Mexican-Americans throw their biggest and best parties. As they say in Mexico, they throw […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Using Salt Cod

Salt cod is a staple ingredient in cuisines around the globe, including Latin American, Italian, and Spanish cuisine. Some of the most beautiful stalls in La Boqueria, Barcelona’s bustling central market, are devoted to salt cod. You might think of salt cod as a dry, salty preserved fish product that […]