Tiger Prawn Arepa

Cauliflower Aguachile

Carbonara

GRILLED BEEF SHORT RIB FRIED RICE

YELLOWFIN AHI CEVICHE

Spanish Octopus

Pork Belly Bao Buns

Black Angus Rib Eye Tacos

Exotic Mushrooms Al Pastor Tacos

Fish Tacos

In a medium bowl combine 2 cups pre-cooked cornmeal and 1 tsp salt. Gradually add 1.5 cups warm water, stirring with a wooden spoon or your hand until a soft, smooth, pliable dough forms. Let rest 5 minutes to hydrate. If dough is too dry, add up to 2 tbs more water; if too wet, sprinkle a little more cornmeal.

Make the dough

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions (about 3 oz / golf-ball size each). Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten gently between your palms to form discs about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick. Smooth edges so they don't crack.

Shape

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbs vegetable oil, swirling to coat. Place arepas in the skillet without overcrowding. Cook 6–7 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms and they sound hollow when tapped. Lower heat if they brown too quickly. Alternatively, finish in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes after browning to ensure they cook through. Brush hot arepas with 1 tbs melted butter or remaining oil if desired.

Cook arepas

Pat 1 lb prawns dry with paper towels. In a bowl combine 2 tbs fresh lime juice, 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp chili flakes (if using). Add prawns and toss to coat. Let marinate 10–15 minutes at room temperature (no longer than 30 minutes).

Prepare and marinate prawns

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil or butter and when hot add the marinated prawns in a single layer. Cook 1.5–2 minutes per side (depending on size) until the prawns turn opaque, curl, and develop a slight char. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and squeeze additional lime if desired.

Cook prawns

While prawns rest, mash or slice 1 avocado and season lightly with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime if desired. Mix 1/2 cup crème fraîche with 1 tsp hot sauce (optional) to make a tangy crema. Combine 1 small diced tomato, 1/4 diced red onion, and 2 tbs chopped cilantro in a small bowl; season with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime.

Prepare fillings

Using a small serrated knife, carefully slice each warm arepa about 3/4 of the way through to create a pocket. Alternatively, split completely and use as an open-faced base.

Split arepas

Spread a thin layer of avocado inside each arepa pocket or on top. Add 3–4 cooked prawns (adjust to preference) per arepa, drizzle a little of the crema on top, spoon a tablespoon of the tomato-onion-cilantro relish, and sprinkle additional cilantro. Finish with a squeeze of lime and a small drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter if desired.

Assemble

Serve the tiger prawn arepas immediately while warm with extra lime wedges on the side. Offer hot sauce for those who want more heat.

Serve

pre-cooked white or yellow cornmeal (arepa flour, e.g., masarepa or harina PAN)

warm water

fine salt

vegetable oil (for cooking)

unsalted butter (optional, for brushing)

large tiger prawns (peeled, deveined, tails on or off as preferred)

fresh lime juice

extra-virgin olive oil

smoked paprika

ground cumin

garlic (minced, about 2 medium cloves)

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

chili flakes or cayenne (optional for heat)

ripe avocado (sliced or mashed)

crème fraîche or Mexican crema or sour cream

fresh cilantro (chopped)

small red onion (finely diced)

tomato (small, seeded and diced)

hot sauce (optional)

fresh lime wedges (for serving)

olive oil or butter (for finishing the prawns)

Trim leaves and core from a medium cauliflower and cut into very thin florets or thin slices (~1/4-inch). You should end up with about 1 to 1 1/4 cups packed. This texture approximates raw seafood bites.

Prepare cauliflower

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add 1 tsp sea salt. Add the sliced cauliflower and blanch for 30–45 seconds until just bright and slightly tender. Immediately transfer cauliflower to a bowl of 2 cups ice water to stop cooking. Let cool 1 minute, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels. If you prefer a raw crunch, skip blanching and proceed with raw cauliflower.

Blanch and shock (optional — for a slightly tender bite)

In a blender, combine 3 serrano chiles (stemmed; seed if you want milder heat), 3/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp granulated sugar (if using). Blend on high until completely smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or chiles for desired balance and heat. If sauce is too intense, add up to 2 tbsp additional water or 1–2 tbsp more lime juice to balance.

Make the aguachile base

For a silky aguachile, pour the blended sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing solids to extract liquid. Discard solids. Straining is optional but yields a smoother marinade that coats cauliflower evenly.

Strain (optional)

Thinly slice 3/4 cup red onion and rinse under cold water for 30–60 seconds, then drain well and pat dry. This reduces pungency and helps crispness. Peel, seed, and thinly slice 1/2 cup cucumber. Thinly slice 1/2 cup radishes. If using avocado, dice 1 avocado and hold until just before serving to avoid browning.

Prepare onion and other vegetables

Place the drained cauliflower in a shallow nonreactive bowl. Add the rinsed red onion, cucumber, and radish. Pour the prepared aguachile marinade over the vegetables ensuring they are submerged or well coated. Gently toss so all pieces are covered. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste after 20 minutes and marinate up to 45 minutes if you prefer a more pronounced citrus/cilantro flavor; do not marinate more than 60 minutes or the cauliflower will become very soft and the vegetables may lose crispness.

Combine cauliflower and vegetables with marinade

Remove the marinated cauliflower mixture from the refrigerator. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or a squeeze of lime if needed. Gently fold in diced avocado if using and drizzle 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over the top.

Finish and plate

Transfer to a serving bowl or spoon onto tostadas/tortilla chips. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves and a few thin jalapeño slices if desired. Finish with a light grind of black pepper. Serve immediately with tostadas or chips alongside lime wedges.

Garnish and serve

To make a more traditional aguachile texture, you can substitute or add thinly sliced raw shrimp (use 0.75–1 cup raw, deveined, deveined and butterflied) and marinate in the same citrus sauce for 12–20 minutes until opaque. For a smoky variation, grill the serranos briefly before blending. All ingredients listed correspond to steps above.

Notes on variations

cauliflower

sea salt (for cauliflower blanching)

ice water

firm white fish (optional; for reference if using fish)

fresh lemon juice

water

serrano chiles (stemmed, seeded for milder heat)

fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

garlic cloves

kosher salt (for marinade)

granulated sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

thinly sliced red onion (rinsed)

cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced

thinly sliced radishes

avocado, diced (optional)

thinly sliced jalapeño (optional, for garnish)

fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)

tostadas or tortilla chips (for serving)

Fill a large pot with about 4–5 liters of water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the coarse salt once boiling.

Boil water

Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until very al dente — about 1–2 minutes less than package time. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Before draining, reserve about 200 ml (about 1 cup) of the hot pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta quickly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg until smooth. Add the finely grated Pecorino Romano and Parmesan (if using) and whisk to combine into a thick, paste-like mixture. Season generously with the freshly ground black pepper (about 1 tsp). The mixture should be thick but still spreadable.

Prepare egg-cheese mixture

While the pasta water heats, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced guanciale (or pancetta). If the guanciale is very lean, add 1 tsp olive oil to help render. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are crisped at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep the pan and rendered fat warm but not smoking.

Cook the guanciale

If excessive fat renders (more than about 3–4 tbsp), spoon off and reserve a little but leave enough to coat the pasta (roughly 1–2 tbsp).

Add the hot, drained spaghetti directly to the skillet with the warm guanciale and its fat. Toss thoroughly off the heat for 30–60 seconds so the pasta is coated and warms through. If the pan is very hot, remove it from the heat completely to avoid scrambling the eggs in the next step.

Combine pasta and guanciale

Working quickly off the heat, add the egg-and-cheese mixture to the pasta. Using tongs or a pair of forks, vigorously toss and stir the pasta so the residual heat and a splash of reserved pasta water gently cook the eggs and create a silky, emulsified sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time (start with 2–3 tablespoons) to loosen the sauce as needed — you may need up to 100–150 ml total depending on desired creaminess. Continue tossing until the sauce clings to the strands and reaches a glossy, creamy texture. The sauce should coat the pasta without curdling.

Emulsify with egg-cheese mixture

Taste and adjust: if the sauce feels too thick, add another splash of reserved pasta water. If it needs more saltiness or tang, grate a little more Pecorino and toss again. Remember the guanciale and Pecorino are salty, so taste before adding additional salt.

Divide the carbonara among warmed bowls or plates. Top each serving with additional grated Pecorino or Parmesan and a generous crack of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Plate and serve

spaghetti

coarse salt (for pasta water)

egg yolks

whole egg

Pecorino Romano, finely grated

Parmesan (optional), finely grated

guanciale (or pancetta if unavailable), diced

extra-virgin olive oil (optional, for pan)

reserved pasta cooking water

extra grated Pecorino or Parmesan for serving

In a medium bowl combine 3 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbs brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, and 1 tsp black pepper. Whisk until sugar dissolves.

Marinate

Add 1.5 lb thinly sliced boneless short ribs to the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours. If short on time marinate 20–30 minutes.

Heat 1 tbs neutral oil on a hot grill pan or preheated outdoor grill over high heat. Remove excess marinade (reserve marinade) and grill short rib slices in a single layer 1–2 minutes per side until nicely charred but not overcooked. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Transfer grilled beef to a plate and tent with foil to rest.

Optional: Bring reserved marinade to a simmer in a small saucepan and reduce briefly 1–2 minutes to use as a glaze. Brush lightly on grilled ribs after resting.

Break 3 large eggs into a bowl, add 1 tsp salt, and beat lightly until smooth.

Heat 1 tsp neutral oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour in eggs and scramble quickly until just set but still soft. Transfer scrambled eggs to a plate and set aside.

Break up any clumps in 4 cups cold day-old rice with your hands or a fork so grains are separated. Keep rice cold to get good texture.

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in the same wok or skillet over high heat until hot and lightly smoking. Add the white parts of the sliced scallions, 0.5 cup diced onion, and 0.5 cup diced carrot. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes until softened and edges begin to color.

Add 1 clove minced garlic and the 0.5 cup thawed peas. Stir-fry another 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add the cold rice to the wok, spreading it out and pressing gently. Let rice sit without stirring 20–30 seconds to allow slight toasting, then stir and break up remaining clumps. Continue stir-frying 2–3 minutes until rice is heated through and starting to pick up color.

Stir in the cooked scrambled eggs, breaking them into bite-sized pieces so they distribute evenly through the rice.

Pour in 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp chili paste (if using). Toss thoroughly to coat rice evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce or a pinch of white/black pepper as needed.

If using, add 1 tsp butter and toss to melt through for extra richness.

Slice or chop the grilled short ribs into bite-size pieces if not already sliced. Add beef to the wok with the rice, toss gently to combine and warm the meat through for 30–60 seconds.

Stir in the green parts of the scallions and sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds if using. Remove from heat.

Taste and adjust final seasoning. Serve the grilled beef short rib fried rice immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

beef short ribs (boneless), thinly sliced

soy sauce

mirin

sesame oil

brown sugar

garlic, minced

fresh ginger, grated

black pepper

neutral oil (canola or vegetable)

day-old cooked jasmine rice (or short-grain), cold

large eggs

salt

neutral oil (for frying eggs)

yellow onion, finely diced

carrot, small dice

frozen peas (thawed)

scallions, thinly sliced (white and green separated)

oyster sauce

white pepper (or black), to taste

chili paste or sriracha (optional)

vegetable oil (for stir-fry)

butter (optional, for richness)

toasted sesame seeds (optional)

lime wedges (optional)

Trim any sinew or dark portions from the yellowfin tuna and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into uniform 1/2-inch cubes so the citrus will penetrate evenly. Place the cubed tuna in a nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless steel).

Prepare fish and cure liquid

Whisk together the fresh lime juice and lemon juice (if using) in a separate bowl. Add the grated ginger, minced jalapeño, and sea salt; stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt or jalapeño heat — the citrus should be bright and slightly salty.

Mix citrus and aromatics

Pour the citrus mixture over the cubed tuna, ensuring the pieces are mostly submerged. Add the thinly sliced red onion and diced cucumber. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15–25 minutes: the tuna will change slightly in color where the acid has denatured the surface — for a lightly 'cooked' but still tender ceviche, aim for about 15–20 minutes. If you prefer a firmer cure, leave up to 30 minutes. Stir gently once or twice while it cures so flavors distribute.

Cure the fish

After curing, remove the ceviche from the refrigerator. Taste a piece and add black pepper and additional salt if needed. Stir in the chopped cilantro and a small drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and/or toasted sesame oil if using. Mix gently to combine.

Finish seasoning

Fold in the diced avocado carefully right before serving so it keeps shape and doesn't brown or turn mushy.

Add avocado at the end

Transfer the ceviche to a chilled serving bowl or portion onto individual plates. Garnish with microgreens or extra cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds if using.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips, plantain chips, or tostadas and lime wedges on the side. Provide extra chips and lime so guests can adjust acidity and texture to their preference.

Leftovers: keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to 24 hours; note the texture will change and become more ‘cured’ over time. Add fresh avocado only when ready to serve.

fresh yellowfin (ahi) tuna, sashimi-grade, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

fresh lime juice (about 6–8 limes)

fresh lemon juice (optional, for brightness)

red onion, very thinly sliced

jalapeño, seeds removed and finely minced (adjust heat to taste)

fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

freshly grated ginger

black pepper, freshly ground

cucumber, seeded and diced small (optional for texture)

ripe avocado, diced (add at plating to avoid browning)

extra-virgin olive oil (very small drizzle, optional)

toasted sesame oil (optional, for nutty note)

microgreens or baby cilantro leaves

tortilla chips, plantain chips, or tostadas for serving

lime wedges

If the octopus is frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator. Rinse under cold water and remove the beak (center of the tentacles) if not already removed. Pat dry with paper towels.

Prepare octopus

In a large pot (big enough to hold the octopus without crowding), add 2 liters water, bay leaves, peppercorns, halved onion, chopped carrot, white wine (if using) and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Bring poaching liquid to a simmer

When the liquid is simmering (not a rolling boil), take the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles into the simmering liquid three times; each dip causes the tentacles to curl attractively. Then fully submerge the octopus in the pot. Reduce heat to low so the surface barely moves and maintain at a gentle simmer.

Tenderize octopus

Cover the pot partially and poach the octopus gently for 35–50 minutes depending on size (for a 2 lb octopus, start checking at 35 minutes). Test doneness by inserting the tip of a knife where a tentacle meets the head — it should slide in with slight resistance but not be tough. Cooking time varies; if still tough, continue poaching and check every 10 minutes.

Poach

Turn off the heat and leave the octopus in the cooking liquid to cool for 20–30 minutes; this helps it relax and remain tender. Remove octopus and reserve 120 ml (about 1/2 cup) of the cooking liquid; discard the solids and remainder of the liquid.

Cool in cooking liquid

Slice the tentacles into 1/2-inch thick rounds on an angle for attractive plating. If desired, remove and discard the head or slice it into pieces.

Cut for serving

Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil (4 tbs), smoked paprika, minced garlic, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let sit 5 minutes so the garlic softens and flavors meld.

Warm a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush octopus slices lightly with the 1 tbs olive oil (from Optional Grill/Char section) and sear in batches 1–2 minutes per side until charred edges appear (this step is optional — you can serve without charring).

Transfer sliced octopus to a serving platter. Drizzle the smoked paprika dressing over the octopus, sprinkle chopped parsley, and finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.