Latin Ladles: Fabulous Soups and Stews from the King of Nuevo Latino Cuisine
Latin Ladlesis the second cookbook by Douglas Rodriguez, the U.S. chef who created the fusion style of food known as Nuevo Latino. This book offers soups and stews, which are at the heart of Latin home-style cooking, from Chile's Porotos con Riendas (Cranberry Bean and Pasta Soup) to Caldillo desede Panama, a broth with seafood, tomatoes, and oregano. Some dishes were collected from local cooks, others were inspired by Rodriguez's Cuban roots.Standards for these big-flavored, hearty dishes and some of their ingredients are unfamiliar to most cooks, so it helps that the recipes are simple and clearly written. There is also some guidance for buying and handling yucca, malanga, posole, and more. Maricel Presilla's introduction is a literate essay on food in Latin America. Whimsical photos add mouth-watering color to the pages of this book, helping to inspire you to cook dishes from a cuisine still unfamiliar to many.--Dana Jacobi