I learned about Puerto Rican style roasted pork shoulder from watching Chef Daisy Martinez on public television when I first moved to NYC, circa 2005. Traditionally called “Perníl” in Spanish, the pork shoulder is marinated in a garlic-based “Adobo” wet rub and a few other key ingredients, all mashed together into a paste using a…
Caramel Coquito
Coquito is a creamy coconut-and-rum-based cocktail that is very popular in Caribbean Latin households. It’s similar in concept to eggnog, except there’s no egg. When the Holidays are approaching, it’s common to receive a bottle of homemade coquito from various Puerto Rican friends and/or co-workers, and the concoctions can vary quite a bit from kitchen…
Flourless Chocolate Raspberry Torte
Flourless cake recipes have been on the rise since the gluten-free movement emerged. My first recollection of making a flourless dessert dates back to the late 1990s when flourless “cakes” took on a more dense, fudge-like richness. That fudgy texture is what I wanted to achieve with this recipe instead of trying to simulate the height…
Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese
I take macaroni and cheese recipes super seriously. So many restaurants have bad mac ‘n cheese because they focus too much on creating an Instagram-worthy cheese pull by using lots of tasteless mozzarella cheese. Other restaurants cut you a brick-like serving from their mushy “cheese & pasta” casserole. I came to terms with the fact…
Cranberry Apple Crisp
As Fall approaches and the temperature begins to drop, apple pie always comes to mind. However, making a really good pie crust certainly has some complicated obstacles. Making an apple crisp is an equally exciting, easier option. What’s even better about apple crisp is that both the filling and crumb topping can be made ahead…