Latin American

Here, the sunny warmth of mint escapes the sweet-jelly cliché to find new expression in the thick Argentinean herb sauce called chimichurri. Its bright acidity cuts the lush richness of lamb shoulder chops.

Posole is a hearty soup from the Jalisco region of Mexico that is traditionally made with pork and hominy. Hominy is dried corn kernels from which the hulls and germs have been removed. (In its ground form hominy is called grits.) Dried hominy takes several hours to cook, so I have opted for the canned version in the interest of time. I have also developed a lighter version with shredded chicken and tomatillo salsa (hence green posole). This dish is ridiculously easy to make and quite satisfying with all the additional garnishes. Serve with Southwestern Sweet Potato Saute.

This name came from a Frank Zappa song called "Jewish Princess" where he says: "I want a dainty little Jewish princess with a couple of sisters who can raise a few blisters." I decided to make something called Blisters on My Sisters, and when I went to the kitchen to make it, this is what I came up with. I make the rice and beans mixture in a bowl because all my ingredients are hot all the time, but since you are probably starting with cold ingredients, I gave you directions for mixing the ingredients together over heat.

These empanadas are moist and full of flavor. If your gravy is thin, simmer to reduce and thicken it, then chill before using.

Poblanos, often called pasillas, are mild, green-colored chile peppers sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, farmers' markets, and Latin markets.

Sold at Mexican street stands in large, clear barrels—the better to show off their festive colors—agua frescas, or "fresh waters," can be made with all kinds of fruits and herbs, the riper the better. Here, Feniger tops a traditional cantaloupe cooler with a decorative swirl of vivid beet purée. Roasting the beet heightens its sweetness and intensifies its color.

Sofrito, a sautéed vegetable mixture that typically contains garlic, onion, and bell pepper, is used as a seasoning in much of Latin America and the Caribbean. Here, it flavors yellow rice. The color comes from annatto seeds—which have an astringent, slightly peppery flavor—heated in oil until bright red-orange.

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican peasant dish of fried tortillas bathed in green or red salsa (depending on the region) until tender. Slightly tart green tomatillo sauce is preferred in Mexico City, Jimmy Shaw's hometown, and is very simple to make. Chilaquiles are most commonly eaten at breakfast time (not uncommonly as a hangover cure). Unlike nachos, chilaquiles are a meal to be eaten with a fork. Nothing is wasted in the Mexican home, so this dish was born as a clever way to revive yesterday's tortillas and leftover salsa. At ¡Lotería! you can ask for chilaquiles to be topped with a fried egg, frijoles negros, or shredded chicken or beef. If frying your own tortilla chips seems too involved (I recommend you try it, though—it's really very easy!), as a shortcut, this dish can be made with store-bought tortilla chips, but choose an unsalted variety.

Crisp chayote goes by a raft of different names, but its Brazilian one, xuxu, was the inspiration for this quick stir-fry. The dish's vivid good looks echo its primal shout of flavor. After the shrimp, xuxu, and hearts of palm are cooked, they're tossed with a raw sauce of garlic, onion, jalapeño, and lots of lemon juice, which keeps everything sparkling and very fresh-tasting.

According to legend, a great chef in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Antonio Carbonada, had an Argentine lady as a regular customer. One day she asked for her favorite sandwich made with goat (chivito in Spanish). There was no goat to be had, so the chef threw together what was on hand—steak, ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise—and the chivito was born. It is now found everywhere in Uruguay. As with most traditional comfort food, everybody makes their chivito just a little differently. Here's mine.

This fresh salsa was dreamed up when we were testing our Salt-Crust Chicken . It's also wonderful with fresh cod, corvina, branzino, and striped bass. It was invented by Lucía Soria, who, while still in her twenties, went from being a cook in my restaurant in Buenos Aires to the manager of Hotel Restaurant Garzon in Uruguay and my second-in-command at important events such as the inaugural dinner for Argentina's president.

Food critics often say that the measure of a great restaurant is its roast chicken. This technique is much more forgiving than regular oven-roasting chicken, although it doesn't have a crunchy crust. I believe that achieving moist white meat is even more important than the crust.

Shrimp cocktail quickly becomes much more than a classic first course when you give it some Latin flair. Try tossing lime juice, cilantro, piquant adobo sauce, and creamy avocado into the mix.

Smoky grilled vegetables—not a cloying amount of meat or cheese—rule here. Instead of embellishing the enchiladas with a complex (and time-consuming) Mexican pipián (pumpkin-seed sauce), cook a few customary pipián ingredients and then purée them with cilantro for an easy enchilada that's herbaceous and fresh.

Mexican aguas frescas, or "fresh waters," made from all kinds of fresh fruit, flowers, or herbs, are a great way to beat the heat. This cantaloupe version gets additional vim from a splash of club soda.

Marinating the fish in lemon and lime juices "cooks" it while it sits in the fridge. Don't leave the fish in the marinade longer than six hours or it may become tough. Serve the tacos with corn and black bean salsa and offer chocolate mousse spiked with a little chile powder for dessert.

Make a batch of this versatile sauce, then serve it all week. You can spoon it over grilled fish, chicken, or pork—or use it to fill quesadillas.

Chef Jimmy Shaw cooks up tacos that stars can enjoy without guilt. Authentic Mexican dishes like this one are flavorful and naturally lowfat, he says.

Inspired by Brazil's national drink, these boozy popsicles are made with cachaça, lime juice, and mint.

This recipe originally accompanied <ep1:recipelink id="353782">Beer-Marinated Flank Steak with Aji and Guacamole.</ep1:recipelink>