I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. My father was from Margarita Island, located in the northeast, and my mother is from the country’s second-largest city, Maracaibo, at the opposite extreme in western Venezuela.
Inspired by the popular Venezuelan dessert negro en camisa, this modified version replaces butter, sugar and English cream with avocado, dried plums and coconut, respectively.
A modified version of the traditional Venezuelan corbullón de mero, this adaptation uses any firm white fish and ingredients that are easy to find in the grocery store.
A favorite in Venezuela, an arepa is gluten-free corn bread that is crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. This vegetarian version is filled with beans and vegetables.
Fresh nopales, or cactus leaves, offer texture and flavor similar to green beans and a sap similar to okra. Little labor is required to transform the prickly pads into a delicious dish.
Heat is tamed in this mild, bite-sized version of spicy chicken tinga. Flavorful chicken layered with beans and cream is baked in tortilla cups using a muffin tin.
A versatile sweetener with caramel-like flavor from dates, this syrup can be used in place of honey or maple syrup in baking, tea or homemade dressings and sauces.