I love Hispanic Heritage Month. It allows our family to jump into a completely different sphere of cooking, embracing unknown flavors, cooking techniques, and produce! Over the years, I've been lucky enough to cook with some incredible latin chefs, producing dishes that are out of my comfort zone and EXCITING. Just a few weeks ago, I made a Peruvian Pita Sandwich with my good friend Rodrigo Fernandini. I decided to add his world famous Aji paste (a spicy and bright yellow condiment made from ají peppers), into the pita dough and then together we stuffed this sandwich with Lomo Saltado, a saucy Peruvian beef stir fry. Absolutely incredible! This cooking experience, was an excellent reminder to step out of my culinary comfort zone to try new flavors, boldly & often.

Today, in honor of this vow and in tribute to Hispanic Heritage Month, I am sharing some of my favorite creations from across the Latin world, including a kooky fusion dish I created called "Shakshuquiles" which combines the best of both South America & the Middle East.

So, without further ado… ¡Vámonos amigos!

Today’s Agenda: Flavors from the Latin World!

1. Shakshuquiles Recipe

2. Chimichurri Steak Pita Recipe

3. Conchas (Pan Dulce) Recipe

Shakshuquiles

Have you ever had Chilaquiles? Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish made of fried or baked tortilla chips simmered in salsa and topped with eggs, cheese, and various toppings like crema, avocado, and cilantro. What a crazy delicious and unexpected dish. Back when Zikki lived in San Diego, this was her go to dish on Saturday mornings by the beach and recently, she started asking me to make it!

Enter: Shakshuquiles! My Middle Eastern take on this gorgeous Mexican classic. Typically Chilaquiles is made with salsa, but our recipe for Shakshuquiles uses a stewy fresh tomato sauce loaded garlic & fresh chilis. You can either buy your tortilla chips or make them from scratch using our recipe for corn tortillas!

Chimichurri Steak Pita

Juicy tender skirt steak, topped with a crunchy salty tangy citrus slaw, and then slathered in a sun-dried tomato aioli, and topped with the best chimichurri of your life.

Chimichurri is a vibrant, herb-based sauce typically made with parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and chili flakes, often used as a condiment for grilled meats, especially in Argentine cuisine.

Historically, chimichurri is believed to have originated with Argentine gauchos (cowboys) who used it to flavor their meats during asados (barbecues), and its name may have derived from the Basque word "tximitxurri," meaning "a mix of several things."

Chimichurri is one of those fabulous things we always have on hand. The back story…During one of our events this year, we met an incredible Argentinian woman who gave us a big jar of her homemade Chimi (after I begged her for it). She also gave us the recipe. Ever since, every few months, we make a big batch of this stuff to always have on hand. Some we use for that week, some we give to neighbors, and the rest we freeze in our Souper Cube 2-Tbsp freezer trays to make sure we always have a fresh herby finish to any dishes, regardless of the season!

Conchas (Pan Dulce)

Conchas are a type of traditional Mexican sweet bread (pan dulce), characterized by a soft, fluffy interior and a crunchy, sugar-based topping. The name "concha" means "shell" in Spanish, referring to the shell-like pattern on the topping, which I decided to flavor with my favorite sweet spices of cinnamon and fresh ground espresso.

The best part? I skip the food coloring entirely, so you can enjoy these treats without any artificial additives.

Looking to save time on meal prep? 

Goodbye and good riddance, days of jam packed freezers loaded with exploding rock solid mystery quart containers…and hello, sexy silicone oven safe freezer trays! 

Every professional chef knows the best time-saving trick is batch-freezing leftovers or key ingredients. With the kids back in school and activities ramping up, I understand how chaotic life can be. When Zikki and I discovered Souper Cubes (on two spontaneously different occasions), we were amazed by how effortlessly their range of tray sizes allowed us to freeze leftovers and flavor boosters in perfectly portioned sizes. 

We’ve even started a silly game … we’re calling it, “Will it SouperCube?”  We are always looking for fun, new ways to use our go-to freezer trays, experimenting with different ingredients and leftover meals! With the school year in full swing and all of us on different schedules, it is vital that we always have a few of our go-to meals on hand, already portioned. Currently in our freezer we’ve got chimichurri, shakshuka and a variety of soups! 

I could not recommend Souper Cubes any more … I assure you, this is a purchase you and your family will not regret! Be sure to click on the offer above to receive 20% OFF! 

YASSS!