Nuevo Latino: Recipes That Celebrate the New Latin-American Cuisine
The appeal of this exciting, sometimes downright wacky food from the co-owner and chef of New York City's Patria restaurant lies in its bold combinations. Rodriguez fearlessly mixes metaphors in dishes such as Ham Croquetas with Brie and Wilted Kale; sometimes, as with Banana-Lentil Salad, the combinations are traditional, but new to North American palates. The chapter on salsas and mojos (spicy salsas with garlic, citrus and olive oil) fairly crackles with flavor surprises: Papaya-Mustard Salsa; Ruby Grapefruit, Shallot and Cilantro Mojo. Rodriguez's roots are Cuban, but his influences are broadly Latin American, from Nicaraguan Banana Tres Leches to Peruvian Causa, a chilled potato terrine. Background information on basic techniques and recipes, a glossary of unusual ingredients and a handful of mail-order sources enhance the offerings' accessibility. Rodriguez occasionally drops names into his pleasantly chatty recipe headers, and some recipes, e.g., The Smokeless Macanudo, a filled chocolate cake shaped cleverly into cigars, may be better suited to a restaurant menu than home cooking. But on the whole, bright Latin flavors and Rodriguez's unfettered enthusiasm combine in a collection that only a curmudgeon could resist.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.