Laylita's recipes

Panela 101

3 March 2012

I use panela, also known as piloncillo, raspadura, chancaca, in a lot of recipes, both sweet and savory. Panela is unprocessed brown sugar that is made from sugar cane juice. In Ecuador, it is mainly sold in the shape of small bricks, in the US I have found it (either coming from Mexico or Colombia) and it sometimes in the shape of a small cone. I grew up in Loja, an area of Ecuador, which is known for growing sugar cane. We grew sugar cane on our farm, just a small field – nothing industrial sized, so I’ve been able to experience firsthand the whole process of how panela is made. (more…)

Categories : Basics, Central America, Mexico, South America

9 Comments
Posted on March 3, 2012

Strawberry goat cheese arugula salad

28 February 2012

Salads are a must-have at lunch and dinner at our house, my kids know that there’s no question about this. We have our basic go-to salads that we always make: Nicolas tends to default to a basic salad with lettuce and tomatoes with a garlic mustard vinaigrette; while my classic salad is usually lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocado with lime-cilantro dressing. Of course, the kids usually complain if we have the same salad every day so we have to change it up. One of my favorite ways to mix it up when it comes to salads is to combine different flavors: sweet fruit, salty creamy cheese, crunchy nuts, crisp greens and a tangy dressing seem to work great together. (more…)

Categories : Fruit, Meatless, Pacific Northwest, Quick, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian

2 Comments
Posted on February 28, 2012

Langostino ceviche

24 January 2012

Langostinos, also known as squat lobster, are a type of shellfish that are related to hermit crabs. In the US, you can find langostino tails (frozen) at Trader Joe’s and Costco. In terms of taste, they are slightly sweeter than shrimp, you could say that langostinos as not quite lobsters, but a definite upgrade from shrimp. I actually prefer shrimp to lobster; shrimp is more versatile and can be used in many different dishes. I do like lobster, but find it overpowering, I can only eat small quantities and prefer it in a recipe that mixes it with other ingredients: risotto, mashed potatoes, salads, and soups. Langostino is a great shellfish if you want a change from shrimp, or want to take a classic shrimp dish to the next level. Langostinos are also more expensive than shrimp and maybe it’s because they’re becoming more popular, but prices seem to have increased in the last few years – which is why I only make this langostino ceviche for special occasions. (more…)

Categories : Appetizers, Ceviches, Meatless, Seafood, South America

6 Comments
Posted on January 24, 2012

Arroz marinero or seafood rice

8 January 2012

I like to call this dish the South American cousin of Spanish seafood paella. When you look at this arroz marinero or seafood rice, it’s likely that the first thing you thought was, oh it’s a paella. Well, it’s very similar and has the same main ingredients: rice and seafood. However, there are differences in the type of rice, the herbs and the spices that make it a different dish. Paella is made with short grain rice, while arroz marinero uses a long grain rice. Paella uses saffron to give the rice that reddish orange color, while arroz marinero uses achiote or annatto to also give a slightly reddish color, saffron has more distinct taste that it gives paella, while achiote is more subtle and earthy. Paella uses a small amount of garlic and parsley, while the base flavors of arroz marinero require a lot of garlic and cilantro. Traditional paella is also likely to include chicken thighs and Spanish chorizo, while arroz marinero is strictly seafood. I don’t use peas in this seafood rice recipe; however it is common to find them in both this dish as well as Spanish paella. I also posted a quinoa version of seafood rice a while ago, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative or a new way to try quinoa, you can try that recipe. (more…)

Categories : Main dishes, Meatless, Rice and pastas, Seafood, South America

7 Comments
Posted on January 8, 2012

New Year’s traditions in Latin America and grape pisco sour

31 December 2011

My favorite part about New Year’s Eve is the traditions that I grew up with in Ecuador. I love introducing my friends to these Latin American good luck superstitions for New Years. My husband thought I was crazy when I first explained some of these traditions to him – he still thinks some of these are crazy – but reluctantly participates in the ones he thinks are over the top, however I have succeeded in getting quite of few of my non-Latin friends to participate. This could also have something to do with the cocktails that they are drinking, but it still works and we all seem less crazy if we do these together. There are a ton of different traditions for celebrating the New Year, some are very common across Latin American countries and others are more specific to a certain country or region. (more…)

Categories : All, Caribbean, Central America, Drinks, Holidays, Mexico, South America

3 Comments
Posted on December 31, 2011

Turkey empanadas

29 December 2011

Empanadas are the one of the best ways to use leftovers and transform them into something different. These turkey empanadas are very easy to make, especially if you use store bought empanada discs, and will help you turn that leftover turkey from the holidays into a quick and tasty meal. One of the many things that I love about empanadas is their versatility; you can create something completely different every time you make them by combining different ingredients each time. For these empanadas I made a filling using onions, bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes with spices like cumin and achiote; I also added a little bit of balsamic vinegar and fresh oregano to add extra flavor to the turkey. (more…)

Categories : Appetizers, Empanadas, Kid friendly, Poultry, South America

1 Comments
Posted on December 29, 2011

Mandarin mimosa

23 December 2011

Every time I eat a mandarin or clementine I can’t help but remember all the ones I ate on our farm in Ecuador. We had several mandarin trees and my favorite way to eat them was to sit in the tree where I picked it from and eat it. It also brings back the memory of a few times when I reached for a branch and felt something cold: a snake that was wrapped around one of the branches. Fortunately, the snake was a dormilona, a lazy non-poisonous snake that like to curl up on the branches and fall asleep, and I never got bitten by one, though I had several of these encounters in my days of climbing trees to pick fresh fruit. Now that I live in the US I associate mandarins with fall and winter, in Ecuador I could eat them whenever I wanted, but here I really look forward to this time of the year when you can find boxes of mandarins in any grocery store. My favorite way to eat them is the same as when I was a child: simply peeled. However, I also really enjoying cooking with mandarins – they are great in salads, meat dishes, desserts, and of course, they are perfect for drinks – mandarin juice (and rind) goes well with many different types of alcohol. (more…)