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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.

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Sancocho dominicanoMeat and root vegetable stew

Sancocho is the dish Dominicans make for a crowd: birthdays, New Year's Eve, rainy Sundays and the morning after a party, from Santo Domingo to Washington Heights. Several meats (here beef, pork ribs and chicken; the festive sancocho de siete carnes uses seven) simmer with oregano, garlic and coriander, then cassava, yautía, green plantain, yam, squash and corn cook down until the broth turns thick and golden. This recipe contains pork. The common mistake is adding all the vegetables at once, so the squash melts while the plantain stays hard; add them in order of firmness. Cassava must always be peeled, cored and cooked until completely soft, never eaten raw. It is done when the meats are tender, the chicken has reached 74 °C and the pork 71 °C, and the broth coats a spoon. Serve with white rice and avocado. Chef's tip: let some of the squash dissolve completely; it is what thickens a real sancocho.

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Flan de cocoCoconut caramel custard

In Puerto Rico flan de coco is the dessert of Nochebuena, Three Kings' Day and every family birthday from San Juan to Ponce, usually sharing the table with tembleque and arroz con dulce. Eggs, coconut milk, condensed and evaporated milk and grated coconut are baked over a dark caramel in a water bath, then turned out so the caramel runs down the sides and the coconut settles into a chewy top layer. It contains milk and egg. The usual mistake is a hot oven without a water bath, which leaves the flan full of holes and weeping; bake it low and slow in hot water. It is done when the edges are set and the centre wobbles like jelly when nudged. Chef's tip: chill it overnight before turning it out; a warm flan cracks and sticks.

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Bokit morueFried bread with salt cod

The bokit is Guadeloupe's street sandwich, fried to order at roadside vans in Pointe-à-Pitre, Le Gosier and Sainte-Rose, eaten late at night after a party or at the beach on a Sunday. A simple dough is rolled into rounds and deep-fried until it puffs like a pillow, then split and filled; the classic filling is chiquetaille de morue, shredded salt cod with lime, onion, garlic and hot pepper, with lettuce, tomato and cucumber. It contains fish and wheat. The common mistake is under-soaking the cod, which makes it harsh and salty: soak it in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water three or four times. The bokit is done when puffed, golden on both sides and hollow-sounding, and the cod is poached until it flakes. Chef's tip: roll the dough thin and even, about 5 mm, so it balloons in the oil and opens neatly like a pitta.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Accras de morueSalt cod fritters

No Christmas, christening or Sunday apéritif in Martinique or Guadeloupe starts without a bowl of accras de morue, the light, puffy salt-cod fritters sold hot from paper cones at Fort-de-France's markets. Desalted cod is flaked into a batter scented with chive, parsley, thyme, garlic and a little fiery piment, then dropped by the spoonful into hot oil. A vegetable version is already on the site; this is the classic with fish. It contains fish and wheat. The usual mistake is not soaking the cod long enough, which makes the accras painfully salty: soak it in the fridge for 24 hours, changing the water three or four times. They are done when puffed, deep golden all over and cooked through, with the fish piping hot. Chef's tip: let the batter rest for an hour so it thickens and the fritters puff into airy rounds.

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Court-bouillon de poissonSnapper in tomato sauce

In Martinique court-bouillon is not a poaching liquid but a rich red fish stew, cooked for Sunday lunch in Le Robert or Le Vauclin and served with white rice, red beans and a slice of breadfruit or yam. Red snapper is marinated with lime, garlic and hot pepper, then simmered in a sauce of tomato, onion, garlic, chive and thyme coloured with a little roucou (annatto) oil. It contains fish. The usual mistake is stirring the pot once the fish is in, which breaks the pieces; shake the pan gently instead. It is done when the fish is opaque through and flakes at the bone and the sauce is thick enough to cling. Chef's tip: finish with a spoonful of uncooked garlic, chive and lime stirred in at the end, the way Martiniquais cooks do, for a fresh, sharp lift.

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CanoasPlantain boats with beef

Canoas, or canoas de plátano maduro, are a Puerto Rican family dinner and party dish from Arecibo to Caguas: whole ripe plantains are baked until soft, slit along the top like a canoe and stuffed with savoury picadillo, then topped with cheese and baked again. Sweet plantain and salty, olive-studded beef is the whole point. The common mistake is using plantains that are too green, which never turn sweet or soft; choose them yellow with plenty of black. The beef must reach 71 °C, and the canoas are ready when the cheese bubbles. Use a cheese made without animal rennet if you avoid it. Chef's tip: brush the plantain skins with oil before the first bake, so they stay supple and don't split.

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Bahamian johnnycake

In the Bahamas johnnycake is not a pancake but a golden pan bread, baked in a skillet or tin and sliced warm in Nassau homes and Out Island kitchens, at breakfast with stew fish or alongside conch chowder and peas and rice. The dough is a rich, lightly sweet mix of flour, butter, milk and a little sugar, closer to a soft scone than a yeast bread. It contains wheat and milk. The common mistake is kneading it like bread, which makes it tough; mix just until it comes together. It is done when the top is deep golden and a skewer in the centre comes out clean, and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Chef's tip: brush the top with melted butter the moment it comes out of the oven for a soft, shiny crust.

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JibaritoPlantain steak sandwich

The jibarito was created in the 1990s at a Puerto Rican restaurant in Chicago's Humboldt Park and is now on menus across the city and back on the island. Instead of bread, two flattened, twice-fried green plantains hold thin garlicky steak, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and garlic mayonnaise. It contains egg (mayonnaise) and milk. The mistake is using ripe yellow plantains, which are sweet and too soft to hold the filling; you need hard green ones. The plantain is ready when golden and crisp on the outside but still pliable, and the steak needs only a minute a side. Choose a cheese made without animal rennet if you avoid it. Chef's tip: flatten the plantain halves between a folded freezer bag with a heavy pan, so they spread wide and don't stick.

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Pollo guisado puertorriqueñoBraised chicken with sofrito

Pollo guisado is everyday comfort in Puerto Rican homes, the weeknight pot from Mayagüez to Orlando that turns a few chicken thighs into a rich, saucy stew for rice and beans. The chicken is seasoned with adobo-style garlic and oregano, browned, then braised in sofrito and tomato with potatoes, peppers and olives until the sauce is thick and orange from achiote. The common mistake is using skinless breast, which dries out and turns stringy in a long braise; bone-in thighs and drumsticks stay juicy. It is done when the thickest piece reaches 74 °C and the meat starts to pull away from the bone. Chef's tip: leave the browned skin on for flavour and spoon off the extra fat before serving.

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Bahamian peas and rice

Peas 'n' rice is on almost every plate in the Bahamas, from Nassau fish fry shacks at Arawak Cay to Sunday dinner in Eleuthera, served with fried chicken, steamed fish or cracked conch. Unlike Jamaican rice and peas there is no coconut: pigeon peas and rice are cooked in a rich base of browned salt pork, onion, sweet pepper, tomato paste and thyme, which gives the rice its signature brown-red colour. This recipe contains pork (salt pork or bacon). The usual mistake is stirring once the rice is in, which breaks the grains and makes it gummy; cover tightly and leave it alone. It is done when the liquid has gone and the grains are tender and separate. Chef's tip: let the tomato paste fry in the pork fat until it darkens to brick red before adding water; that is where the colour and depth come from.

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Blaff de poissonFish in lime broth

Blaff is the fisherman's breakfast and lunch of Martinique and Guadeloupe, cooked in Sainte-Anne or Deshaies with fish bought straight off the boats in the morning. The name is said to echo the splash the fish makes as it drops into the boiling broth. Red snapper steaks are marinated in lime, garlic and hot pepper, then poached briefly in a clear broth fragrant with bois d'Inde (allspice berries), thyme, chive and a whole hot pepper. It contains fish. The common mistake is boiling the fish hard or too long, so it falls apart and dries out; it needs only a gentle simmer. It is done when the flesh is opaque all the way through and flakes easily from the bone. Serve with white rice or boiled green bananas. Chef's tip: squeeze in fresh lime just before serving to wake up the broth.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Carne guisada puertorriqueñaBeef stew with sofrito

Carne guisada is the Puerto Rican stew that simmers on Sunday stoves from Bayamón to the Bronx, served over white rice with habichuelas and a few tostones. Chunks of beef are browned, then braised in sofrito, tomato sauce and a little achiote with potatoes, carrots and briny alcaparrado until the meat falls apart and the sauce turns thick and glossy. The usual mistake is crowding the pan when browning, which steams the beef grey and loses the deep flavour; brown it in batches. It is done when a piece of beef breaks apart easily with a spoon. Chef's tip: make your own sofrito by blending onion, green pepper, garlic, culantro and coriander; a big batch freezes in ice-cube trays for months.

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TripletaThree-meat sandwich

The tripleta is the late-night star of Puerto Rico's food trucks and roadside chinchorros, especially around Piñones and the San Juan nightlife. A soft, long pan sobao roll is stuffed with three meats: thin marinated beef steak, chicken and ham, with melted cheese, shredded cabbage, tomato, crunchy potato sticks and a ketchup-mayo pink sauce. This version contains pork (ham). It contains wheat, milk and egg. The usual mistake is piling cold meats in, which leaves the sandwich lukewarm and the cheese unmelted; griddle the meats and ham hot and close the roll on the griddle. The chicken is done at 74 °C. Chef's tip: press the closed sandwich on the griddle under a heavy pan for a minute, so the outside crisps and everything melds.

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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.

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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.

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KourdassGrilled lamb liver bundles

After the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha, Moroccan families use every part of the lamb, and kourdass is one of the dishes made in the days that follow: pieces of tripe and liver rubbed with cumin and paprika, wrapped in caul fat and traditionally hung up to air-dry before grilling. This home version skips the drying, which is hard to do safely in a modern kitchen, and grills the bundles fresh over charcoal or under a grill until the fat crisps and the liver is cooked through. Buy cleaned, pre-cooked tripe and caul fat from a halal butcher. Chef's tip: wrap the bundles tightly so the caul fat bastes them as it melts.

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