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| BOOK REVIEW |
Reviewed by Cindy Sanchez This cookbook was not an easy one for me to review. This had nothing to do with its cover - very appealing, or its introductory pages - wonderful information on cooking techniques, pantry basics, stocks, adobos and marinades, or even its photographs - so colorful! No, I had a hard time reviewing this cookbook due to its recipes. Let me clarify; The recipes themselves are wonderfully varied. They are divided into Cocktails & Drinks, Chips & Breads, Salsa & Mojos, Salads & Sandwiches, Appetizers, Fish & Seafood Entrees, Poultry & Meal Entrees, and Desserts & Ice Creams. They are also detailed and easy to follow. My problem is that there are actual measurements of the ingredients. Let me clarify further; My husband is Hispanic. When we became engaged to be married my future mother-in-law taught me how to prepare Puerto Rican and other Latin dishes. Here in lies the problem, she never measured a single ingredient. I was taught by her to cook by using "my instincts" on how much of each ingredient to use. Although daunted by this at the time, the dishes did come out fine. I have cooked my Latin dishes the same way ever since. To actually open Nuevo Latino and see the recipes written out and the ingredients measurably detailed was a bit odd for me. But once the book was open, I could not put it down! Yes, it does contain some recipes of dishes I make, albeit with variations, but it also contains so many more wonderful dishes. I never knew what to do with my over ripe plantains except to throw them away. This has changed upon finding a recipe for Plantain Bread. Perhaps more importantly is that this wonderful cookbook contains recipes of unique creations by the author Douglas Rodriguez. His signature dishes as executive chef at two Manhattan restaurants, Chicama and Pips, and Philadelphia'a Alma de Cuba, include Sugarcane Tuna with Malanga Puree and Dried Shrimp Salsa, Duck Breasts Escabeche with Roasted Blue Potatoes, and Chocolate Tres Leches. Welcome to Nuevo Latino: Recipes that Celebrate the New Latin-American Cuisine! Sample Recipes: Copyright by Ten Speed Press 2002 Plantain Bread Plantains are close relatives of bananas, so it should come as no surprise that this recipe yields results similar to banana bread, but not quite as sweet. I like to make this bread whenever I have some leftover ripe plantains, especially when they're too ripe to make anything else. When shopping for plantains select ones with black skins, which means they're ripe. ~ Douglas Rodriguez 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 1/2 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon dark rum 3 cups mashed ripe plantains Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, frequently scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and rum, and mix well. Mix in some of the mashed plantains, then some of the flour mixture, repeating this until all of the plantain and flour mixture is incorporated. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Divide the mixture equally between 2 buttered and floured 9-inch loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted, 40 to 50 minutes. Yield: 2 loaves. Found on page 33. Paperback: 176 pages (May 2002) Publisher: Ten Speed Press; ISBN: 1580083803 Click Here For Purchase Info |
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Let's Get Cooking!
