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598 recipes

Pollo asado cubanoGarlic citrus roast chicken

Cuban families from Camagüey to Hialeah roast pollo asado for Sunday lunch and Nochebuena, the night before Christmas, when there is too much else on the table for a whole pig. Chicken pieces soak overnight in mojo, a marinade of sour orange, crushed garlic, cumin and oregano, then roast until the skin is crackly and the juices run clear, with onion rings softening underneath. The usual mistake is marinating for days or in a metal bowl; the citrus turns the meat mushy and metallic, so keep it to 12–24 hours in the fridge in glass or a bag. It is done when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C. Serve with moros, yuca and maduros. Chef's tip: no sour oranges? Use two parts orange juice to one part lime juice.

70 min

Cuban Chicken

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Pescado a lo machoFried fish in spicy seafood sauce

Pescado a lo macho is a classic of Lima's seafood restaurants, the dish people order for a long Sunday lunch near the sea in Chorrillos: a fillet of fried white fish smothered in a thick, spicy sauce of ají panca and ají amarillo packed with prawns, squid and mussels. The name boasts that you need to be brave for the chilli, but you can turn it down. The common mistake is overcooking the seafood while the sauce reduces; add it only when the sauce is already thick. Discard mussels that are open and do not close when tapped, and any that stay shut after cooking. Chef's tip: dust the fish in flour seasoned with cumin and fry it last, so it reaches the table crisp under the sauce.

55 min

Peruvian Fish

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Sopa criollaCreamy beef noodle soup

Sopa criolla is the soup Lima turns to on grey winter evenings, when the garúa mist hangs over the city: a beef broth reddened with ají panca, full of thin noodles and strips of beef, enriched with evaporated milk and finished with a poached egg. It arrives with toasted bread for dunking. The common mistake is boiling the soup after adding the milk; it splits into specks. Lower the heat first and stir it in gently. The beef strips are thin, so they cook through in a few minutes. Chef's tip: crack the eggs straight into the barely simmering soup and leave them alone for three minutes; the whites set into soft ribbons that thicken the broth.

45 min

Peruvian Soups

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Cuba libreRum and cola with lime

The Cuba libre was born in Havana around 1900 and is still the easy highball poured at bars along the Malecón and at backyard parties from Miami to Madrid. It is a drink for adults only: light Cuban-style rum, cold cola and a generous squeeze of fresh lime, with the spent lime wedge dropped in the glass. Without the lime it is just rum and cola; with it the drink turns sharp and refreshing. The usual mistake is warm cola poured over too little ice, which melts fast and leaves it flat and watery, so fill the glass with ice and keep the cola chilled. For an alcohol-free version, leave out the rum and add 30 ml cold sparkling water with a dash of vanilla. Drink responsibly. Chef's tip: squeeze the lime and rub the wedge round the rim before adding ice, so every sip carries the lime oil.

3 min

Cuban Drinks

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Ceviche peruanoLime-cured white fish

Ceviche is Peru's national dish, eaten at lunchtime in the cevicherías of Lima's Surquillo and Chorrillos markets, because the fish must be fresh off the morning boats and cevicherías traditionally close in the afternoon. The classic is raw white fish 'cooked' in lime juice with red onion, chilli and coriander, served with sweet potato and corn. Lime juice does not kill bacteria or parasites, so this version first poaches the fish for a minute until just opaque, then dresses it, which keeps the classic flavour and texture far safer. Even so, it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. The usual mistake is leaving the fish in the lime for an hour: it turns chalky and the juice goes bitter. Chef's tip: squeeze the limes gently by hand and stop before the pith; over-squeezed limes make bitter leche de tigre.

40 min

Peruvian Fish

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Tamales peruanosChicken corn tamales in banana leaf

In Lima, tamales are a Sunday breakfast, bought warm from street vendors calling 'tamaleeeeros' or made at home for Christmas, and eaten with crusty bread and a pile of salsa criolla. Peruvian tamales are larger and softer than Mexican ones, made from corn dough coloured with ají and wrapped in banana leaves, hiding chicken, a black olive, a slice of egg and a peanut. Peanuts are an allergen, so leave them out if needed. The usual mistake is a dry dough: the tamales turn crumbly. Beat in enough warm stock to make a soft paste that just holds its shape. The chicken must reach 74 °C before it goes in. Chef's tip: fat makes the dough tender; beat the oil and dough for a full 5 minutes until light, as Lima cooks do with pork lard.

150 min

Peruvian Chicken

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Bistec empanizadoBreaded thin steak

Bistec empanizado is the breaded steak of Cuban family dinners and Little Havana diners, a weeknight plate in Havana and Miami alike. Thin slices of beef are pounded thinner still, marinated briefly in lime, garlic and cumin, then crumbed with crushed crackers and fried until crisp and golden. It contains wheat and egg. The mistake is cutting the steak thick: it toughens before the crumb browns, so pound it to 5 mm. It is done when the crust is deep golden on both sides, which takes only a couple of minutes for meat this thin. Serve with white rice, black beans, maduros and a lime wedge. Chef's tip: marinate the beef for no more than an hour; lime juice left longer turns thin steak grey and mealy.

32 min

Cuban Meat

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Plátanos maduros fritosFried sweet plantains

No Cuban lunch counter in Havana, Santiago or Miami serves ropa vieja, picadillo or black beans and rice without a few maduros on the side. Plantains are left until the skin is almost completely black, when the flesh turns soft and sugary, then sliced on the diagonal and fried slowly until the edges caramelise and the middle is creamy. The mistake is using yellow plantains: they stay starchy and dry, so wait until the skins are mostly black and the fruit gives when pressed. They are done when deep amber on both sides and a knife slides in with no resistance. Chef's tip: fry over a medium heat, not high; the sugar in ripe plantain burns before the centre softens if the oil is too hot.

17 min

Cuban Sides

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Croquetas de jamónHam croquettes

Croquetas de jamón are the snack of the ventanita, the walk-up coffee window of Havana and Miami cafeterías, eaten with a cafecito at breakfast or tucked into a Cuban sandwich, and piled high at every party. This recipe contains pork: cooked ham is minced and folded into a thick, nutmeg-scented béchamel, chilled firm, rolled into small cylinders, crumbed and fried until golden, so the inside is almost molten. They contain milk, egg and wheat. The mistake is shaping the mixture while it is still warm; it must be cold and stiff or the croquettes split in the oil. They are done when deep golden all over and piping hot in the centre. Chef's tip: cook the flour in the butter for a full two minutes before the milk goes in, so the croquetas taste rich and nutty rather than floury.

65 min

Cuban Snacks & Starters

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Natilla cubanaLemon cinnamon custard

Natilla is the custard Cuban grandmothers in Havana and Miami's Little Havana make for Sunday lunch, birthdays and any evening that needs something sweet from the fridge. It is softer than flan: milk is infused with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick, thickened gently with egg yolks and a little cornflour, then poured into small bowls and dusted with ground cinnamon. It contains milk and egg. The common mistake is boiling it hard once the yolks go in, which splits the custard into sweet scrambled egg; keep the heat low and stir the bottom constantly. It is ready when it thickly coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clean line. Chef's tip: press cling film right onto the surface while it is hot, or a rubbery skin forms as it cools.

25 min

Cuban Desserts

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Crema volteadaBaked caramel custard

In Lima, crema volteada is the dessert that appears at Sunday lunch in Miraflores and Barranco homes and at every birthday where an aunt is in charge of the sweets. It is firmer and richer than a Spanish flan because it is made with both evaporated and condensed milk, so it slices cleanly and tastes of toffee. The usual mistake is baking it in an oven that is too hot: the custard boils, fills with tiny holes and weeps. Keep the water bath at a bare simmer and take it out while the centre still wobbles slightly. Chef's tip: chill it overnight before turning it out; a cold custard releases in one piece and the caramel has time to melt into a pourable sauce.

80 min

Peruvian Desserts

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Lomo saltadoBeef stir-fry with chips

Lomo saltado was born in the chifas of central Lima, where Chinese cooks met Peruvian ingredients, and today it is the lunch every Peruvian family makes when they want something fast and a little indulgent. Strips of beef are seared in a smoking-hot wok with red onion, tomato and yellow chilli, splashed with soy sauce and vinegar, then tossed with chips and served beside white rice, so you get both starches on one plate. The common mistake is crowding the wok: the beef stews in its juices and turns grey and chewy instead of charring. Cook it in two batches over the highest heat you have. Chef's tip: add the chips at the very last second, or serve them on the side, so they soak up a little sauce but stay crisp.

45 min

Peruvian Meat

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Arroz con mariscosSeafood rice

Arroz con mariscos is the weekend dish of Callao and the beach towns south of Lima, served in cevicherías as the hot partner to a cold ceviche. It is moister than a paella, closer to a risotto, coloured with ají panca and ají amarillo and finished with peas and a little Parmesan-style cheese, as many Lima cooks do. The common mistake is adding all the seafood at the start: the squid turns rubbery and the prawns shrink to nothing. Cook the rice first and add the shellfish only for the final minutes. Discard any mussels that are open before cooking and do not close when tapped, and any that stay shut after cooking. The cheese is often made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer. Chef's tip: simmer the prawn shells in the stock for 10 minutes; they give the rice its deep seafood taste.

60 min

Peruvian Fish

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Arroz tapadoRice dome with beef filling

Arroz tapado means covered rice, and it is the thrifty weekday lunch of Lima homes and school canteens: garlic rice pressed into a bowl, filled with a sweet-savoury beef mince and turned out like a dome. The filling of minced beef with onion, ají panca, raisins, black olives and hard-boiled egg is the same picadillo that goes into papas rellenas. The usual mistake is leaving the filling wet: the dome collapses and the rice turns soggy. Simmer it until the pan is almost dry. Minced beef must reach 71 °C, so cook it until no pink remains. Serve with a spoonful of salsa criolla. Chef's tip: brush the bowl with a little oil and pack the rice firmly with the back of a spoon; a well-pressed dome holds its shape on the plate.

60 min

Peruvian Meat

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Pan con butifarraHam roll with onion salsa

Pan con butifarra is Lima's evening sandwich, sold in old-school sangucherías and made at home for a light dinner with coffee: a crusty roll filled with jamón del país, a spiced Peruvian pork ham, under a heap of salsa criolla, red onion sliced thin and soaked in lime with chilli. Outside Peru, use a good cooked pork ham. The common mistake is leaving the onion harsh; give it a quick rinse in salted water before dressing it. Chef's tip: a leaf of lettuce under the ham stops the lime juice soaking straight into the bread.

10 min

Peruvian Meat

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TripleAvocado, tomato and egg sandwich

The triple is the soft, layered sandwich of Lima's cafés and bakeries, eaten at lonche, the Peruvian late-afternoon meal, or as a light supper: three slices of crustless white bread layered with avocado, tomato and sliced hard-boiled egg, all held together with mayonnaise. It looks neat, tastes fresh and is loved by children. Shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurised egg, so it is safe for everyone. The common mistake is letting wet tomato touch the bread, which turns it soggy within minutes. Chef's tip: pat the tomato dry and sit it between the avocado and egg, then press the sandwich under a board for a minute before cutting.

15 min

Peruvian Snacks & Starters

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Pan con tortillaBread with onion omelette

Pan con tortilla is a staple of Havana cafeterías and Miami ventanitas alike: a thin, soft omelette with sweet onion folded into buttered Cuban bread and pressed until warm and crisp. It is breakfast on the way to work and a quick supper when nobody wants to cook, usually with a cafecito or a fruit shake. The common mistake is frying the onion too hard; it should be soft and sweet, not brown and bitter. Chef's tip: press the sandwich with a heavy pan so the bread goes crunchy outside while the omelette stays tender.

11 min

Cuban Fast Food

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Pan con bistecSteak sandwich with potato sticks

Pan con bistec is the sandwich of Havana cafeterías and Miami's Cuban lunch counters, eaten at any hour but especially as a fast dinner: a paper-thin beef steak quickly soaked in garlic-lime mojo, seared with onions and stuffed into soft Cuban bread with crunchy potato sticks. The common mistake is using a thick steak, which takes too long and turns chewy; ask for palomilla, or bash a thin steak flatter. Chef's tip: deglaze the hot pan with the leftover mojo and pour those juices onto the bread so it soaks up every drop.

13 min

Cuban Meat

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Blodpudding with lingonberriesFried blood pudding with lingonberries

Blodpudding is a weeknight supper in northern Sweden and a school-lunch classic in Finland (where it is veripalttu's milder cousin): slices of ready-made blood pudding, made from pork blood, rye flour and spices, fried until crisp at the edges and eaten with sweet-sharp lingonberry jam. It contains pork blood and often pork fat, so it is not for vegetarians. Serve it with boiled potatoes or crispbread and a glass of milk, as Swedes do. The common mistake is cutting the slices too thin, so they crumble in the pan. Chef's tip: fry in butter over a steady medium heat and leave the slices alone until a dark crust forms; flipping early makes them stick.

10 minScandinavian Meat

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Kæst skataFermented skate

St Thorlak's Day (Þorláksmessa), 23 December, honours Iceland's patron saint, and in the Westfjords and now across the country it is the day for kæst skata: fermented skate, boiled and eaten with potatoes and melted, salty sheep's tallow (hamsatólg) or butter. Its ammonia smell is famous, which is why many families cook it in the garage or eat at a restaurant, then have it the next day as a bracing start to Christmas. Buy skate already fermented from an Icelandic fishmonger; don't try to ferment it at home. Chef's tip: cook it in a lidded pot with a window open, and boil the potatoes in a separate pot.

45 minScandinavian Fish

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MämmiRye and malt Easter pudding

Mämmi is Finland's Easter dessert, a dark, almost black pudding of rye flour and malted rye, sweetened slowly by the malt's own enzymes and by a little molasses, then baked for hours in birch-bark boxes or small dishes. It looks unusual but tastes mild, malty and gently sweet, and is eaten cold with cream and sugar on Easter Sunday. It is vegan, and it was once eaten through Lent. You need powdered rye malt from a baking supplier or Nordic shop. Chef's tip: keep the porridge warm (around 60 °C) for two hours before baking so the malt can sweeten it; skip this and mämmi tastes bitter.

330 minScandinavian Desserts

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SnobrødBonfire stick bread

On Sankt Hans Aften, Danish Midsummer Eve on 23 June, people gather round huge bonfires on beaches and in gardens, sing the Midsummer song and burn a straw witch, and the children twist ropes of dough round sticks and bake snobrød over the embers. The bread comes out crisp and smoky outside and soft inside, ready to fill with jam, or butter for those who eat dairy. It is just as much fun at any garden fire or campfire. Chef's tip: hold the bread over glowing embers, not flames, and keep turning; flames blacken the outside long before the inside is done.

30 minScandinavian Breads & Parathas

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Saltkjöt og baunirSalted lamb with split pea soup

Sprengidagur, 'bursting day', is Iceland's Shrove Tuesday, and the custom is to eat salted lamb and split-pea soup until you can eat no more before Lent begins. Salted lamb is simmered in a thick yellow split-pea soup with onion, carrot, swede and potato, then the meat is sliced and served alongside the soup. The common mistake is skipping the soak, so the meat is too salty to eat; soak it overnight in the fridge. Chef's tip: cook the meat in the soup itself so its flavour seasons the peas, and only add salt at the end, after tasting.

170 minScandinavian Soups

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Sopa teólogaTurkey broth with bread and cheese

Sopa teóloga ('the theologian's soup') goes back to colonial convents in Lima and Arequipa, where it was cooked for feast days, and it is still served at Holy Week and family celebrations. A rich turkey (or chicken) broth is thickened with soaked bread, milk and fresh cheese, with yellow potatoes and shreds of turkey, and finished with a little ají amarillo and chopped huacatay or parsley. It is thick, comforting and filling. Chef's tip: blend part of the soaked bread with broth before adding it, which gives the soup its creamy body without lumps.

115 min

Peruvian Soups

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