Chef Chris Fernandez, originally from Mexico, is now the Master Chef of Red Mesa Restaurant in St. Petersburg. This recipe reflects his "Nuevo Latino with a Mexican Twist" style. He specializes in using nouveau techniques to combine traditional Mexican recipes with Latin flavors.
Poblano chiles are used here for their flavor and serranos for their serious bite in this hearty stew that’s perfect for a crisp fall day. This is an understated fusion dish with vegetables from all over the globe. Serve this with cornbread.
New Mexican red chile is the heat source in this tremendous treat. With the combination of baking chocolate and white chocolate, it's exceptionally wonderful to munch on. Try substituting 2 teaspoons of cayenne powder to heat the truffles up even more.
Red Stripe beer is the magical ingredient in this ship-shape dish from St. Vincent. Make sure you buy extra beer for the cook; that way, you may get to have the big piece of lobster during dinner!
Similar to empanadas, traditional samosas are conical shaped filled pastries that are a popular snack throughout the sub-continent. Although they are typically fried, I prefer the filling in a baked empanada pastry. Potatoes and peas are common ingredients in samosas and I like to add a little yogurt so the mixture isn’t too dry.
The idea of shitake mushrooms and piñons may sound a little strange, but it's amazing what wonderful things you can come up with when you are willing to work with what's in the cupboard! However, it does have a bit of a kick, so don't serve it to friends who are faint of heart!
Eggs play an important role in the cuisine of Yucatán, especially hard-cooked eggs, which are a major ingredient in many popular recipes. Very unique to the Yucatán, these enchiladas are traditionally served garnished with a green oil that is squeezed from toasted pumpkin seeds, but they taste good with or without it. This is a very old Mayan recipe originally made with turkey eggs and it has reputed to have been served to served to the Spaniards when they arrived in the New World. After the Spaniards arrived, chickens and their eggs replaced turkeys in popularity.
Here’s the recipe we served to our friends in Italy. In parentheses are the Italian ingredients we used as substitutes. I have adjusted the recipe to serve four to six. Serve with refried beans and guacamole.
