Appetizer Recipes
Aguachile verde is a traditional Mexican seafood dish. It is made with shrimp that are marinated (cooked) in chili peppers, lime juice, salt, cilantro, and mixed with slices of cucumber and onion. The origin of aguachile lies in the state of Sinaloa, on the western coast of Mexico. It was originally made with boiled water … Read more
Fans of Caesar salad may be surprised to learn that this classic dish was actually invented in Mexico. The chef was actually an immigrant from Italy who was working in Tijuana during the time of prohibition. So while the dish may have originated in Mexico, the Caesar salad is not really traditional Mexican fare. Our … Read more
Romanian White bean dip (Fasole Batatu) is a frequent part of a traditional appetizer platter. Romanian’s love their platters to be piled high with cold cuts, rustic meatballs (chiftele), assorted cheeses and often several kinds of dips or spreads. White Bean dip, along with a simple spread featuring eggplant (salata de vinete), and a colorful … Read more
Romanian Eggplant Spread, or Salate de Vinete, is a very simple traditional Romania dish. It is similar to the Middle Eastern dish, Baba Ghanoush, but without tahini (toasted sesame seed paste). This version also includes green onions for a little extra color and flavor. Salate de Vinete (or Aubergine dip) is a very light spread … Read more
Budinca de Dovlecei is a traditional Romanian food that is similar to crustless zucchini quiche. The difference is less eggs, more vegetables, and a lot more cheese. In order to pack a lot of zucchini into the recipe, the vegetables are shredded. Excess water is squeezed out of the zucchini and then mixed with … Read more
These traditional Romanian meatballs, called chiftele, are pretty unique, as well as being absolutely delicious. Most cuisines have their own version of ground meat rolled into a ball, but there are many regional differences in meatballs The ingredients and the spices in meatballs are a great indicator of the flavors that dominate a region’s cuisine. … Read more
Zacusca is a slow cooked eggplant and red pepper spread. This traditional Romanian dish is made in Autumn when its main ingredients, eggplants and gogosari peppers are in season. Gogosari peppers very similar to red bell peppers, which is what I use in this recipe. During our time in Romania, we came to enjoy having … Read more
Cajun BBQ Shrimp is one of the many unique and ubiquitous foods for which New Orleans is known. The Crescent City has many famous dishes — Jambalaya, Shrimp Creole, Étouffée, Gumbo, as just a few examples. Seafood really shines here. Crawfish, oysters, and of course, shrimp, play leading roles in Cajun cuisine. This barbecued shrimp … Read more
I’m a bit of a buffalo wing nut — I love wings. But I’m very particular, too. Wings need to be crispy, the hot sauce must be the perfect mix of heat and flavor, and the accompanying sauce should be blue cheese dressing with chunks of real blue cheese. This hummus recipe takes all of … Read more
Hummus is a versatile dish that is easy to love. It makes a wonderful dip for toasted pita squares, tortilla chip or veggie sticks or can be used as a spread for toasted crostini or sandwiches. The basic recipe, featuring pureed garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, combined with the mild nutty flavor of toasted sesame seeds … Read more