Pozole Verde

Pozole Verde

Feeds 4-6

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs tomatillos, husk removed and rinsed

• 1 bunch cilantro, plus more to garnish if desired

• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas

• 1-3 serrano chiles

• 6-10 cloves of garlic

• 3 lbs bone in chicken thighs and legs

• one 30oz can of maiz pozolero (white hominy), rinsed

• 3-4 white onions, quartered

to serve

• sliced radish

• diced white onion

• sliced serrano pepper

• limes

• dried oregano

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

• cilantro stems

Process

• Add rinsed hominy, chicken, chopped onions, and 1/2 bunch of cilantro to a large stock pot. Cover with water, season generously with salt and cook for about 1 hour or until chicken is completely cooked and easily shreds off the bone with a fork.

• While the chicken is cooking prepare the salsa. Add 1.5 lbs of washed, chopped tomatillos, 1/2 bunch of cilantro, 1/4 cup pepitas, 1-3 serrano chiles, 1 chopped onion, 6-10 cloves of garlic, salt to taste, 1-2 cup water to a blender (blend in batches if necessary to not overload the blender).

• Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large pan and fry the blended salsa for 15-20 minutes or until the salsa has darkened in color. Taste for seasoning and adjust if desired.

• Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the salsa into a bowl and set aside.

• Remove cooked chicken and shred the meat with two forks. Strain stock into a clean bowl, reserving the hominy and removing the onions and cilantro. Return reserved liquid to the stock pot along with the strained salsa, shredded chicken meat, and hominy. Continue cooking at low heat for an additional 10 minutes to meld flavors together.

• Serve in bowls and top with desired garnishes.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Even if you say you hate it, you love it: Pumpkin Spice. Pumpkin Spice is just warm, fall spices so honestly what’s not to love? I made a version of this recipe back in the very early days of this blog in 2016 but have reinvented it here. I’ve simplified and adjusted the recipe to make it more approachable, have more uses, and last longer after it’s made. You can add this syrup to your coffee, oatmeal, baked goods, or anything else you want to add a little fall flavor to. Let me know how you like it!

Pumpkin spice syrup

makes about 1 1/2 cups of syrup

ingredients

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• 1 tsp whole cloves

• 1tsp all spice

• 1/2 cinnamon stick (or a few large pieces)

• 2 cups water

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup piloncillo (or brown sugar)

Process

Toast all spices in a dry pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside. Spices can be ground in a spice grinder if you want to use them in other dry applications, otherwise this step is not necessary.

Add water to the same pan and bring to a boil. Add sugars, reduce heat to a simmer, and stir occasionally until dissolved.

Add all toasted spices (or 1 tablespoon of the ground spice blend) to the syrup and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Strain out the mixture with a sieve or a coffee filter and discard solids. Syrup will keep in an air tight bottle for several months. If you would like a thicker syrup you can simmer the liquid until reduced by half.

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

In this video I show you how to make a simple, yet elegant dish: mussels in white wine sauce. I love this dish because you make it all in one pot (easy clean up) and with the cooler months at our doorstep the warm broth is satisfying yet light. Watch the video below for step by step instructions.

Mussels in white wine

Feeds 2-4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs mussels

• 1 bunch fresh parsley + sage

• 3-5 gloves fresh garlic, chopped

• Olive oil

• 2 tbs butted (optional)

• 1 cup white wine

• Salt to taste

Process

Chop herbs and clean mussels then set both aside, be careful not to cover the mussels as they need to breathe.

Add about 1/4 cup of olive oil or enough to cover the bottom of your pan and heat on medium high. Add butter if desired for a creamier, smoother broth.

Add chopped garlic and cook until golden brown (this happens very quickly so don’t go anywhere).

Add white wine, and then mussels. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until all mussels have opened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Any mussels that do not open up should be discarded and not eaten.

Toss in chopped herbs and serve with a toasted baguette.

Caipirinha

This Brazilian favorite, the Caipirinha is a simple cocktail that's as easy to make as it is to drink. I've had these on the beach, at bars, in the lobby of a hostal, and below deck on a fishing boat. There's no right or wrong place to enjoy one.

Caipirinha

Ingredients

• 1 Lime

• 2 teaspoons of sugar

• 1.5 to 2 oz Cachaça

• Ice

Process

Cut a slice of lime and set aside as garnish. Cut the remainder of the lime into wedges and add to your glass.

Add about 2 teaspoons of sugar (you can add more or less to taste). Muddle the lime wedges and sugar until the juice has all been extracted and the sugar has dissolved.

Fill the glass with ice and add the Cachaça; stir to combine. Add lime wheel as garnish and enjoy.

Espresso Romano

Espresso Romano (Roman espresso) is espresso with a twist of lemon zest and a little lemon juice. Awkwardly, it is actually not done in Rome (or Italy) at all. I asked several of my Italian friends from various parts of Italy and none of them had ever heard of it. The closest thing I found in Italy was moretta fanese which is a coffee based drink that features the lemon twist but aso anise, rum, and brandy. There is a similar drink in Spain called café del tiempo that also includes lemon but is iced rather than hot. Long story short, the origins are disputed, but the beverage is delicious.

Espresso Romano

Ingredients

2 shots of espresso

1 limon

1 tsp sugar

Process

Combine sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice in the demitasse and stir to combine. Add espresso and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel. Enjoy immediately.

Cosmo

Making this classic vodka cocktail. It's pretty, it's tasty, there's a reason it's been around so long.

Cosmo

Ingredients

1.5 oz cranberry juice

1.5 oz vodka

0.5 oz orange liqueur

Ice

Lime to garnish

Process

Add all the ingredients to your shaker and shake well. Strain into your martini glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Corkscrew

Music and food go together. This video is a visual representation of a lot of the feelings we had this year. Andres and I both found ways to connect with people by doing what we love: creating. Andres writes and produces his music from his bedroom, I make and share recipes from my kitchen. Different rooms, different houses, different cities, but we managed to connect and form a friendship. A goal of mine with these videos was to provide a few minutes of calm in an otherwise hectic and chaotic year, and Andres' chill and unobtrusive music adds a lot to that calm. We couldn't have done this video without the help of our set designer and stylist Ashley and Scarlett Rose Studio in Dallas, TX for providing the space.

Original music produced and performed by Andres Valeriano https://andresv.com/

Set design and wardrobe styling by Ashley Bounsouaysana https://www.instagram.com/ashleyboun/

Production, Direction and Food Preparation by Wero Kitchen

Coquito

Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas beverage that is very easy to make at home. The rich coconut and warm rum make for an excellent treat to enjoy this holiday season. When I drink coquito I remember Christmas and New Years at my friends Jorge and Natalie’s home where we would eat pernil and arroz con gandules, and listen to salsa music until 3am.

Ingredients

(makes about 6-7 servings)

• 1 can coconut cream

• 1 can coconut milk (you can use 2 cans if you like a thinner drink)

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 can evaporated milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups silver rum of your choice

• cinnamon and nutmeg to serve

Process

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined. Decant into a sealable bottle and let sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

  Note: You can adjust the sweetness to your liking by using either a half can or an additional can of sweetened condensed milk. If the drink is too thick for your liking you can also add more coconut milk or evaporated milk to thin it out.

Thanksgiving Roasted Cornish Hen

There are a lot of empty chairs this year. Thanksgiving looks different for a lot of people. It is my hope that you will stay home, that you will not gather as we usually do, and that you will do your best to keep those around you safe. I wanted to show you this recipe for a smaller dinner, for 1 or 2 people, since many of us won't be cooking for a crowd this year. I love roasting Cornish hens, they are great for smaller portions while still maintaining the elegant and festive feel of roasting a whole turkey.

Roasted Cornish Hen

Ingredients

Feeds 1-2 

Dry Rub

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp dried Rosemary

1 Tbsp dried Thyme

1 Tbsp Herbs de Provence

Glaze

4 Tbsp butter, room temperature

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup soy sauce

2-4 dashes Maggi seasoning

1 Tbsp whiskey 

1/8 Tsp cayenne pepper

¼ Tsp Ancho chile pepper  

Hen

1 Cornish Hen

1 apple

1 orange

1 medium onion

1-2 heads garlic

3 cinnamon sticks

3 Tbsp butter, melted

Suggested Equipment

• Cast iron skillet

• Aluminum foil

• Pastry brush

Recipe Process

1. If purchased frozen, make sure the hen has thawed completely in the refrigerator before you begin. Rise off the hen with cold water and pat it completely dry with paper towels.  

2. Combine all the spices and apply generously to the hen, patting gently to adhere. Allow the bird to sit uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. 

3. When it’s time to cook, take the hen out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, about 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

3. Add the cinnamon sticks to the pan.Chop the onion and apple and half the garlic heads, adding them to a small roasting pan or cast iron skillet. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the orange zest and add it to the pan, squeezing the juice from the fruit into the pan. 

4. Stuff the cavity of the hen with some of the garlic cloves, slices of apple, onion, and a cinnamon stick and place the hen on top of the other vegetables in the pan. Tuck the wings underneath the body and tie the legs with butcher’s twine.

5. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the melted butter over the hen. 

6. Place the pan with the vegetables and the hen into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and cooking on medium low heat until all the sugar is melted and the liquid has thickened slightly (about 5 minutes). 

7. Reduce the oven heat to 375. Rotate the pan and apply a layer of the glaze with a pastry brush. Continue baking for an additional 40-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, applying another layer of glaze about 5 minutes before removing the hen from the oven. If you notice the hen getting too dark you can make a loose tent of aluminum foil and cover it to prevent the skin from burning.

8. Remove the hen from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before carving.

Making Fresh Pasta with Andand

One of my late quarantine goals was to learn how to make those beautiful, naturally colored, striped ravioli that I saw all over Instagram. I took an online class from chef Joe Sasto (highly recommend by the way, he’s a great teacher) and consulted a few friends before my first attempt but once I started I was hooked, and it’s become one of my favorite pastimes at home.

This video is different from the others in a couple of ways, first this one is less instructional than the other videos. This is more of a meditation. The process of making pasta is relaxing. The kneading, the rolling, the cutting, the only thing to keep my attention away from the screens, it puts my mind at ease. Keeping my hands busy allows my mind to process events instead of spiral down them.

the second thing you will notice is instead of just ambient kitchen sounds we have a track from Dallas artist Andrés Valeriano (Andand). One of the major motives of this project was to have an outlet to communicate moments we were all having and emotions we were all feeling and the smooth, relaxed sounds of lo-fi king Andrés’ music added a lot to the experience while watching this video. The song is called Sunny Sixteen from the the 2019 album Shapes. You can find his music anywhere you stream music, search for Andand.

Café Au Lait

Café Au Lait ( ‘coffee with milk’ in French) is one of my favorite coffee beverages. Differing from the latte in that the base coffee is brewed via drip, pour over, or french press methods rather than espresso. It also differs from café con leche in that the milk is steamed and not cold. It feels lighter than a latte, having a higher coffee to milk ratio, and is naturally sweeter than just coffee and cold milk due to the steaming of the milk.

Ingredients:

Makes one coffee

• Whole bean coffee

• Water

• Whole milk

Coffee Used: 

Tanzania Peaberry from Black Coffee, Fort Worth, TX

Equipment used:

Hario V60

Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine

Krups F203 Coffee Grinder

Fellow Stagg Kettle (from Sons Coffee)

Process:

First you will need brewed coffee. You can use the pour over method or just a traditional drip coffee machine. For detailed instructions on the pour over method see the Pour Over video and post.

Steam about 6 oz of whole milk, or the milk alternative of your preference. 

Add the steamed milk to the freshly brewed coffee and enjoy.

Notes:

Starting with high quality, freshly roasted coffee is your best bet for getting a great end result, ask your local coffee shop which beans they recommend. 

Pour Over

Making coffee for many is a morning ritual with many variations. In this video I am brewing using the pour over method. I don't go into details about times and different ratios but do lay out a few basics and list the weights that I used. If you enjoyed this video please subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Coffee Used: 

Panther City Blend by Sons Coffee, Fort Worth, TX

Equipment used:

Fellow Stagg (X) Pour-Over set

Fellow Stagg Pour-Over Kettle

Porlex Mini Coffee Grinder

All the equipment used in this video is available at Sons of Liberty in Fort Worth, TX. 

Process:

Using a scale, weigh out 18 grams whole coffee beans. Grind them to a semi-fine grind, it should look like coarse sand. I used the Porlex Mini hand crank grinder but you can use whichever you prefer.

Fill your kettle with water (preferably filtered) and heat it to 200ºF

Add the paper filter to your pour-over station and pour some of the hot water from the kettle over the filter, completely soaking it. This will remove any of the paper taste and also warms your glass. Empty the water from the glass and add the ground coffee to the filter. Create a shallow well in the coffee grounds with your finger.

In a circular motion, gently pour 40 grams of water over the coffee and allow it to “bloom” for 30 seconds.

In the same motion continue pouring an additional 60 grams of water. Pick up the pour-over station and gently swirl it a few times. 

Continue pouring as evenly and consistently as possible until you end up with 250 grams of coffee (about 8 oz). If you want your coffee a little less strong you can go up to 280 grams. 

Notes:

Starting with high quality, freshly roasted coffee is your best bet for getting a great end result. How people like their coffee is very personal to them, try out different ratios of coffee to water to find what you like best. 

Café Cubano

Café Cubano (Cuban coffee) at its core is a sweetened espresso (or strong coffee). Being a common and simple way of preparing coffee, there are many variations of how to make it, this is how I like to make it at home.

Apron by Labarrère Mexico, coffee from Black Coffee.

Ingredients

Makes one coffee

• About 2 tablespoons whole coffee beans (or 18-20 grams)

• Water 2 teaspoons sugar

Special equipment

• Coffee grinder

• Moka Pot

Process

Fill the moka pot to the line with water. Grind the coffee beans to a semi-fine grind and place into the metal filter. Assemble the moka pot and place it on the stove over medium heat.

Meanwhile place two teaspoons of sugar into your coffee cup. With a small spoon collect the initial drips of coffee (about ½ teaspoon) and add them to the coffee cup with the sugar. Vigorously whip the sugar until it dissolves and turns a light beige color, this is the espuma or foam.

Add the remainder of the coffee to the cup and stir it gently until the light colored espuma rises to the surface.

Notes

In the video I do whip the sugar and coffee mixture in the demitasse, but it is a lot easier to do in a cup with a wider mouth and more room to whip the sugar. If you are having problems getting the espuma to rise to the top, try whipping the sugar in a larger vessel.

Using local, freshly roasted coffee will give you the best cup of coffee, if you don’t have a coffee grinder at home most local shops will grind it for you. If there aren’t any local shops selling coffee beans, you can use a pre-ground “espresso” type coffee such as Café Bustelo.

Summer Shandys

Shandys (or radlers) originated in Europe, with versions dating back to 1850s England and 1950s Germany. Like many tasty traditions, this mix of beer and ginger ale or lemonade most likely stemmed from necessity. The story goes that a Bavarian tavern owner was running low on beer, and had overstock of lemonade, and I think you can figure out the rest. This refreshing mix, ever popular in Europe has gained mild popularity in the States in recent years. This month I put a tejano twist on this tradition with two drinks perfect for sipping out on the patio. Recipes for both drinks in the video below are available for free at Visit Fort Worth.

Pho Bac

Pho takes all day to make. It isn't particularly challenging other than it required patience. The recipe below is a simplified version, you can make it in about 4 hours and it will be good, but if you have a rainy day on your hands, start in the morning and extend the times listed on each step by an hour. Pho is something you want to cook low, slow, and in stages to give you a deep and complex flavor. I always make a huge batch and freeze it in quart containers or vacuum sealed bags. It's great for a cold, wet night, and it's the best medicine when you're feeling under the weather. I buy beef bones at the Vietnamese market where I can get them for $0.79 a pound, compared to $7.00 a pound at speciality grocery stores. Asian markets usually a better selection of garnishes as well; when you're ready to try something new look for culantro, Thai basil, or bird's eye chilies. For more recipes and videos be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel or follow me on Instagram @werokitchen

Apron courtesy @_labarrere_ Mexico City

Ingredients

Serves 10-12 

Beef

• 5 lb. beef leg bones, cut into 2″–3″ pieces

• 1 1⁄2 lb. boneless beef chuck

Vegetables

• 2 large onions

• 1 (4″) piece ginger

Seasoning

• 2 tsp. fennel seeds

• ¼ cup star anise pods (about 15-20)

• 2 (3″) sticks cinnamon

• 5 pod black cardamom, crushed

• 2 tbsp brown sugar/white sugar/pilloncillo

• ¼ cup kosher salt (more to taste if desired)

• 1⁄4 cup fish sauce

To serve

• 2 lb. small, flat rice noodles

• 8 scallions, green parts thinly sliced

• Fresh cilantro stems

• Fresh basil

• Lime

Special equipment

• Large pot (I like to use a 16qt tamal pot)

• Fine mesh strainer

Process

Place bones in a large pot and cover with an inch of cold water. Bring to a soft boil and cook for about 3 minutes, skimming any scum that rises to the surface. Drain and rinse bones in clean water. Wash pot and return bones along with 10-12 qts. water; bring to a boil, continuing to skim the scum that comes to the surface. Cook for about 1 hour or until the scum stops floating to the surface. Lower temperature to a simmer.

Add salt and the beef chuck to the pot and cook for another 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, quarter onions and halve ginger and place over an open flame, turning occasionally until charred (alternatively you may use a cast iron or heavy bottomed pan).

Heat fennel seeds, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast, swirling pan, until fragrant. This will happen quickly, be careful not to burn the fennel seeds. Set aside.

Once the beef is fully cooked and tender, transfer to a bowl of ice water and cool for 10 minutes. Drain beef and thinly slice crosswise; transfer to a plate, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Add the charred vegetables and toasted spices and continue cooking broth for an additional 2 hours.

Discard the bones, vegetable solids and spices from the broth. Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Rinse out the original pot and return the broth to the pot, once again pouring through the strainer. Stir in fish sauce, brown sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes and adjust seasoning as desired.

To serve

Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente (about 2 minutes). Divide between 8 serving bowls. Top each with chilled, cooked beef, green onions, cilantro and basil. Ladle broth over each serving. Serve with lime, hoisin sauce and sambal on the side.

Tomato Jam

I first had tomato jam in Spain, and honestly wasn't a fan. But after I had it a few times and made it myself at home I really began to enjoy it. Now it's one of my favorite things to make whenever I have excess tomatoes or see a good sale at the store/farmers market. You can put tomato jam on anything, I like eat it with crackers and put it on sandwiches or toast.

Ingredients

Makes about 10-12oz of jam

• 3 lbs tomatoes

• Zest of 1 lime

• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon dried herbs (I like Herbs de Provance or thyme, but you can use whichever you prefer)

Process

Remove the core and the bulk of the seeds from the tomatoes and roughly chop. Don’t worry that there are still seeds mixed in with the flesh.

Zest 1 lime and combine with ⅓ cup fresh lime juice. Place tomatoes in a medium sized pot over medium-high heat. Add lime juice and zest, stir to mix. Add sugar, salt and dried herbs, stirring to mix.

Reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally for about 45 minutes or until tomatoes have darkened in color and jam has reached desired thickness. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to several months.

For more videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel here.

Vegan Ceviche

I first had vegan ceviche in LA during a ‘food vacation’ back in 2015. Having a lot of friends with food allergies and dietary restrictions, I wanted to explore more plant based cooking. Plant based cooking for me isn’t a weaker substitute for a dish because you want to be healthy, but a flavorful dish in it’s own right. This is a favorite of mine during the hot summer months as it is incredibly light and refreshing.

Created for the Fort Worth Blue Zones Project | Leather knife roll by Labarrère

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer. 

• ½ cup fresh lime juice

• 1 fresh coconut

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 squash (Mexican, yellow or zucchini squash may be used)

• 2 Roma tomatoes 

• 3-5 fresh tomatillos

• 2 stalks celery

• ¼ red onion

• Cilantro

• 1 avocado

• 1 serrano pepper

• Tortilla chips or tostadas to serve

Process

Prepare the fresh coconut: Using a screwdriver and hammer carefully create a small hole in the top of the coconut and drain out all of the water. Set aside. Wrap the coconut in a kitchen towel and, using the hammer, break the coconut into smaller pieces. Using the back end of a knife blade, separate the meat from the shell and remove the hard brown layer of the coconut meat with a vegetable peeler. Cut into thin slices and set aside in a medium sized bowl.

Mix ½ cup fresh lime juice with ½ cup of the coconut water, two teaspoons of kosher salt, and two cloves of minced garlic. Set aside.

Thinly slice red onion, dice squash, roma tomatoes, and tomatillos and add them to the bowl with coconut. 

Cut the two stalks of celery into thirds. Using a vegetable peeler make thin, flat strips of celery and add them to the bowl. 

Add the liquid mixture to the bowl and toss everything together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. 

To serve, slice avocado and arrange on plate or tostada. Add ceviche mixture and top with cilantro leaves and thinly sliced serrano peppers (optional). 

Charred Lime Margarita

A few years back I came across a Southern recipe for grilled lemonade. It seemed strange but I tried it and loved it. Since then I've used grilled citrus in several drink ideas, and have come to really enjoy this spin on a margarita on the rocks.

Apron courtesy of Labarrère Mexico City

Ingredients

Makes 4-6 margaritas

• 8-10 limes (plus more to garnish)

• Chile-salt for rim (I used Fort Worth based Halo del Santo, but you can use Tajín or whichever you like)

• Tequila

• For simple syrup:

• 1 cup sugar

• 4 cups water

PROCESS

Cut the limes in half and char, cut sides down over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet or other heavy bottomed pan (limes may also be grilled). Once limes have obtained sufficient color and char, set them aside to cool. Meanwhile, dissolve 1 cup sugar into 4 cups water over medium heat to make the simple syrup. Once all sugar has dissolved, remove pot from heat and allow to cool. If extra lime flavor is desired, the zest from one lime may be added. Chill simple syrup in the refrigerator until ready for use. Juice the charred limes and strain out any pulp through a fine mesh strainer. Chill until ready for use. Assembly: Rim your glass with lime juice and chile-salt. Mix ½ cup simple syrup, ¼ cup charred lime juice and 1 shot of tequila in a glass with ice and stir. Add lime wedge to garnish.

Flan

This recipe is a variation of a flan that I often make for friends and family year round. A lot of people have had flan made from instant flan mixes or that use gelatin and dislike the texture. This flan has a much creamier texture and is always a crowd-pleaser.

Apron courtesy of Labarrère Mexico City

Ingredients

• 6 eggs

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 can evaporated milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp whiskey

• ½ cup sugar

PROCESS

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place ½ cup sugar into a 9in round aluminum baking pan and set aside. Add remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until fully combined into a homogeneous mixture. Place the aluminum baking pan with sugar directly onto the stove over medium-low heat and carefully rotate the pan as needed until sugar melts and caramelizes, turning a deep golden brown color. Be careful not to overheat the sugar as it can burn easily. Remove from heat and add the mixture. You will hear the sugar crack as it cools upon contact with the cold liquid. Cover the top of the baking pan with aluminum foil and place onto a baking sheet. Add enough hot water to the baking sheet to create a shallow water bath around the pan. Carefully place the baking sheet and pan into the oven and bake at 350ºF for 60 minutes or until set, rotating the pan after the first 35 minutes. Jiggling the pan slightly, the flan should wiggle freely but hold its shape. You can also insert a thin blade into the center of the flan, if it comes out clean it’s ready to come out. Remove the pan from the sheet tray and allow to cool at room temperature for at least one hour. Once cool, run a thin blade or spatula around the side of the flan to loosen it from the pan. Place a large plate on top of the pan and quickly turn the pan upside down. Drizzle any remaining caramel on top. Serve immediately at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for an additional hour. Flan can be made one day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. NOTE: In the video you will see me place the baking pan on an induction burner, it will actually not work with induction because it is aluminum so I had to use the glass top stove.

Dalgona Cappuccino

The second of a series of cooking videos from my home while under quarantine. The audio was kept raw as I find the sounds of a kitchen relaxing, soothing, and familiar. My take on the dalgona (whipped coffee) trend. Since I'm not a big fan of iced coffee I wanted to keep this beverage hot and decided to go the cappuccino route replacing the ice and cold milk with frothy, steamed milk. If you don't have an espresso machine you can easily heat the milk on the stove.

All aprons worn in this video series are courtesy @_labarrere_ Mexico City.

Ingredients

• 1 packet Nescafé Clásico instant coffee

• 1/3 cup hot water

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 oz milk

Process

Combine instant coffee, sugar, hot water, and vanilla extract into a bowl and whisk vigorously until light and foamy. Steam milk with your espresso machine creating a decent amount of foam. Add warmed milk to your mug and top with coffee mixture.