Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 chayote, cut in halves
1 tbsp canola oil
2 ½ lb beef meet, grinded
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium plum tomato, thinly sliced
1 16oz can black beans
1 tsp chili powder
½ cup Oaxaca (or Mozzarella) cheese, grated
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

Pre-heat oven at 350° F.

Cook chayote in salted water 10 minutes. Cut chayote on halves. Remove pulps without breaking peels.

On a medium saucepan, sauté meat on a tablespoon of oil until chayote browns, add salt and pepper to taste. Add onion, sweet red pepper and tomato and cook 5 minutes over a medium heat. Add black beans and chilli and season to taste. Cook 5 minutes.

Stuff chayote with the mix, cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake another 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts. Remove from oven.

Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 green plantains
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt

Preparation

Heat the oil to 375 degrees.

While the oil is heating up, peel the green plantains and then cut them into 3/4 inch slices.

Fry the slices in the hot oil for 3 minutes. They should be a light golden color and semi-soft.

Remove the plantain slices with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

When the plantain slices are cool enough to handle (about 1 minute), smash them into flat rounds.

Fry the rounds in the hot oil for 3 minutes.

Place on paper towel. Add salt immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 debonned chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 red pepper finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 small Piri Piri chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 oz chicken broth
1 cinnamon stick
12 oz okra, fresh
1 tbsp white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat the vegetable oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, skin side down. Cook until golden brown, turn them over and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add the olive oil to the pan, then the chopped onions and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened, then add garlic, tomatoes, the chopped chili and the tomato paste. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the pan and bring to boil. Lower the heat, add the chicken, the cinnamon stick, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, trim the okra and slice in thin rounds. Add the vinegar to the okra and place in a colander for at least five minutes, until its mucilagenous substance or “goo” is drained. Add to the pan, re-season with salt and pepper; cover and simmer gently for about 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately with rice.