4 servings

Ingredients

2 2-pound red snappers, whole, cleaned and deboned
½ medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons stuffed olives, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons red pepper, diced
1 roma tomato, skinless and seedless, diced
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ pound medium shrimps, peeled, cut in thirds
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup white wine
Juice of one lemon
1 lemon, sliced
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 sheets of wax paper or aluminum foil
6 toothpicks

Stuffing preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 2–3 minutes at medium heat.

2. Add the olives, red pepper and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook 2–3 minutes at medium heat until shrimp turns pink.

3. Add wine and cook for one additional minute.

4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Fish preparation

1. Season the red snapper with lemon, salt and pepper.

2. Stuff the red snapper with the shrimp, and close with toothpicks.

3. Spread some of the remaining oil in the center of the wax paper or aluminum foil. Place stuffed fish on the paper. Drizzle with oil and top with lemon slices.

4. Form an envelope-type closure with the wax paper or aluminum foil to prevent steam from escaping.

5. Repeat the process with other red snapper.

6. Place the fish in a metal tray and bake for 20 minutes at 425ºF.

7. Remove from oven and serve in a large elongated dish.

8. Garnish with parsley and the remaining lemon slices.

4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds strip steak for grilling (6-8 ounces per person)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the salad

1 bunch of watercress, washed, with thick stalks removed
1 package of fresh strawberries, washed and without stems, cut into fourths
½ jicama (sweet Mexican turnip), peeled and cut into long, thin strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the vinaigrette dressing

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey mustard
6 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Churrasco preparation

1. Take the meat out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling it and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat up the grill on high heat and grill the meat 4 minutes per side for medium to well-done meat. If you like it well-done, increase the grilling time to 5-6 minutes per side.

3. Cut the meat in thin strips and serve it with the salad.

Salad preparation

1. Mix the salad ingredients together in a bowl and add the vinaigrette dressing. Serve with the meat.

Vinaigrette dressing preparation

1. Pour the honey mustard and lime juice into a bowl. Whisk them together.

2. Add the olive oil a little at a time so that the mixture thickens. Add the salt and pepper, continuing to whisk the mixture, until it has a creamy consistency.

3. Mix it into the salad before serving.

4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups white rice, cooked without salt or oil, preferably a day old
3 teaspoons canola oil
4 ounces thin cut pork chops, diced
4 ounces lean cooked ham, diced
4 ounces chicken breast, diced
4 ounces uncooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined and diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
4 green onion stalks, sliced into thin rounds
4 ounces bean sprouts
1 cup canned peas, drained
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

Preparation

1. Heat a wok or a deep, wide metal pot on high, until very hot. Add a teaspoon of canola oil and the diced pork chop. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Brown for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, and then transfer the pork to a plate.

2. Add the ham and brown for about 1 minute. Transfer the ham to the plate.

3. Add a teaspoon of canola oil and, once heated, add the chicken and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes until browned, stirring constantly, then transfer to the plate.

4. Add another teaspoon of canola oil. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Brown for 2 or 3 minutes and transfer to the plate.

5. Add one tablespoon of sesame oil to the wok, then add the bell pepper, garlic, ginger and green onion. Cook for 15 seconds. Add the bean sprouts, peas and rice. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Make a well in the center of the wok, add the rest of the sesame oil, add the eggs and whisk until cooked. Add the meats and mix well. Serve immediately.

4 servings

Ingredients

12 cannelloni pasta sheets
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small Spanish onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ pound portobello mushrooms, diced
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
20 ounces fresh spinach
1 red pepper, diced
8 ounces low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
8 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 plastic bag

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce

3 tablespoons margarine
3 tablespoons flour
16 ounces 2% milk, warm
1 pinch ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon or a pinch nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Set aside a 10 x 13½ x 2½-inch baking pan.

2. Boil cannelloni in salted water for 7 minutes (or as recommended by manufacturer). Keep sheets separated to prevent them from sticking together. Remove sheets with a skimmer and blanch in cold water. Place over a kitchen towel to dry.

3. Rinse and drain the spinach. Cut in thin strips and dry with paper towel. Set aside.

4. Heat oil in a large pan and brown onions for 2–3 minutes. Add garlic, cook for one minute and immediately add paprika. Mix until onion and garlic blend well with the paprika.

5. Add spinach and cook at medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the excess liquid evaporates.

6. Add the portobello mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes at medium heat.

7. PAdd the red pepper and cook for a few minutes. Make sure peppers don’t lose their crunch. Cool for 8–10 minutes. Add ricotta cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.

8. To make the béchamel sauce, melt margarine in a pan, add flour and cook, stirring continuously.

9. Once it thickens, slowly pour warm milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumping. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste, and add a pinch of nutmeg.

10. Snip off a corner of a small plastic bag and use it to stuff the cannelloni with the spinach filling.

11. Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Add a line of stuffed cannelloni. Cover with the remaining béchamel sauce, and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.

12. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5 additional minutes until the top is golden-brown.

6-8 servings

Ingredients

3 mulato chiles
3 guajillo chiles
3 pasilla chiles
1 New Mexico chile
4 garlic cloves
1 medium white onion, cut in quarters
1 Roma tomato, cut in half
2 scallions, cut in half
1 teaspoon dry epazote (wormseed)
2 teaspoons dry Mexican oregano
20 ounces canned pineapple slices, juice reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2½ pounds pork tenderloin

Preparation

1. Set aside a large bowl with boiling water.

2. In a large skillet, sauté chiles at medium heat for approximately 2–3 minutes, until tender. Slice chiles and remove seeds. Place chiles in the large bowl of boiling water and hydrate for approximately 15 minutes.

3. Drain chiles and mix in a blender.

4. In a large skillet, brown garlic, onion, tomato and scallions for approximately 5 minutes. Add these ingredients to the chile mixture in the blender, along with the epazote, oregano, 8 ounces of pineapple, 4 ounces of pineapple juice and oil. Add salt to taste.

5. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Place in a zippered plastic bag and add 1 cup of the chile mixture. Close and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Reserve the rest of the mixture for the cooked meat.

6. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Take meat from bag. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Remove excess sauce.

7. In a large, hot skillet, pour vegetable oil and brown meat, 3 minutes on each side, at high heat.

8. Place remaining pineapple slices over the meat and place in the oven. Cook for at least 15 minutes, or until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 155ºF. Remove meat from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into thin slices.

9. Serve with the remaining sauce.

6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon saffron
6 cups chicken broth
3 ounces ground chorizo
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely cut
5 garlic cloves, finely cut
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and seedless, cut in small pieces
1 medium red pepper, seedless, cut into small dice
½ teaspoon fresh rosemary
3 cups short grain rice, preferably arborio
5 ounces frozen peas
1 red pepper, cut in thin strips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Use a paella skillet (paellera) or 13-inch cast-iron skillet to heat chicken broth and add saffron. Keep at low heat.

3. Sauté chorizo in skillet at low heat for 1 minute. Set aside.

4. Increase heat and add chicken. Brown for 8 minutes and set aside.

5. Add olive oil to skillet; sauté onion for 3–4 minutes or until brown. Add garlic, tomato, pepper, chorizo and rosemary. Cook for 5 additional minutes.

6. Add rice and mix gently for 3–4 minutes to integrate flavors. When moisture is absorbed, add chicken pieces and chicken broth.

7. Cook at medium heat for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

8. Add peas and place in oven. Cook for 10–12 minutes or until rice is completely cooked. Remove from oven and garnish with red pepper strips.

9. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.