Semiserious Chefs

First of all – Garlic Salt. This is the super easy combination of it’s name-sake ingredients, usually at a ratio of 1 part garlic granules to 3 parts sea salt. There is really NO REASON to pay for this blend in the store. Bulk salt and herbs are so cheap that you should already be […]

This did not start as a vegan recipe. Well it wasn’t intended to be a vegan recipe. … at least at the start. I was simply trying to make a fried cake of some sort using shredded taro, and I happened to have carrots and some unfortunately frozen radishes on hand. I don’t know if […]

I recently created a marinade for steak featuring ground annatto, but as a liquid I felt the options might be limiting. This dry rub version can just as easily be used for any kind of meat last minute, but is also great for grilled or steamed vegetables. Additionally, and very specifically, because there is no […]

Ceviche is a traditional dish made using an acid, typically a citrus juice, to marinade raw fish. It is believed to date back to the Incan Empire, but with so much immigrating in and out of the area, and the basic-ness of the idea, it’s pretty unrealistic to allow one civilization full credit. There were […]

There are two ways to go about plantain arepas… well two places to start. Do you want Arepas de Plátano Verde, Green Plantain Arepas, or Arepas de Plátano Maduro, Ripe Plantain Arepas? Green plantains tend to taste a little less banana-y, while ripe plantains are sweeter. Some folks even add some sugar to make a […]

Apparently there is no question about the fact that Tiger Nut Sweets are pretty much as ancient as it comes. I just wish I could find a picture of this Egyptian clay or broke pot on which the possibly 6,000 year old recipe was found. The name has me a little dumbfounded, though. Tiger Nut […]

This plantain breakfast, enjoyed by both the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazonian cultures, as well as the High Sierra Peruvians, is unique from the others I have tried in that it uses ground annatto seed, which is called achiote by the locals. Annotto has a very unique flavor. It has a flowery aroma with hints of […]

The world culture history in the name of this recipe is just outstanding! ‘Fufu’ comes from West Africa. It is the name for a sticky dough that has been made from a boiled and mashed starch, typically African yam, cassave/yuca, or plantain. In this instance it’s mashed Plantain Fufu, though not quite the same texture […]

This ‘sauce,’ mojo (MO-hoe), is ‘of the Creole Peoples,’ or those of Spanish decent, criollo (cre-OH-yo). You might find it bottled, but why bother, when you can make it yourself and have it taste SO much better? Traditionally made with seville oranges, also known as bitter orange or naranja agria. If you aren’t able to find […]

Samboosa are Arabic fried triangle pastries. They are most often savory, so the title word here, halwah or ‘sweets’ gives us a clue that this is a fried triangular pastry sweet snack. The original recipe I played off called for cashews and walnuts, but I am really not a fan of walnuts. For my rendition […]