Jambalaya

Jambalaya was incredibly easy, hearty and mouth-watering delicious (and with a bit of a kick, with lots of cajun seasoning.)

You start with onions, bell peppers and celery if you have it - the holy trinity of cajun cooking. Add fresh garlic and cook in a big pot like this one.
Then comes the meat - we went with chicken and chorizo. Brown the meat in a separate pan, then add to the pot.
Next pour in all the crushed tomatoes, broth, seasoning, and cooked rice (we used couscous). Cover and let simmer on medium-low for up to 30 minutes for the flavors to come together, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and okra at this point, if you have.
Season with additional salt and pepper, then parsley and scallions for garnish. Voila! Jambalaya!

Lomo Saltado

After a long period of not posting I decided to get in touch with my fake Latin American roots with Peru's traditional dish, Lomo Saltado - a stir fry with a soy marinade, a tomato base, and interestingly, fried potato wedges. Very hearty and delicious, and doesn't take more than 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients (2 servings):
Marinade:
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon  soy sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
Stir-fry:
meat of choice, cut into strips (chicken or steak)
1 medium red onion, cut into strips
1/2-1 can diced tomatoes
2 potatoes, cut into strips or wedges
1 jalepeño pepper
some cilantro/parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Make a paste by combining the garlic & salt. Whisk together the garlic paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, canola oil, cumin, & ground black pepper.Place the meat in one bowl & the onions in another. Divide the marinade between the 2 bowls & let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

1. Pour a small amount of oil in a wok & turn on medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the meat with marinade & cook until brown. Add the tomato & simmer for a few minutes.
2. Add the jalapeño, cilantro, & onions with marinade to the wok, slowly stirring until well blended. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

1. As the ingredients are cooking in the wok, sprinkle the potatoes with paprika & fry in a separate pan. Once done add to the other ingredients.

1. Serve with a dish of white rice, which you can flavor with garlic and/or lemon.