A saltwater brine prevents fresh herbs from discoloring in this zesty chimichurri, adapted from a recipe in Argentine chef Francis Mallmann’s Seven Fires. The bright condiment pairs beautifully with steak, vegetables, and crunchy bread served straight off the grill.

This recipe first ran alongside a rib eye recipe with Shane Mitchell’s 2013 article, “The Art of the Parilla.”

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The pisco sour was one of the first drinks to be codified during the “Golden Age of Cocktails.” In fact, the recipe emerged as a result of a confluence of factors far from the South American spirit’s birthplace. 

California boasts a history of wine and brandy production dating back to the 17th century, as well as a deep connection to South and Central American territories once controlled by the Spanish Crown. Gold Rush era San Francisco was a hotbed for cocktail culture, by virtue of the glut of unattached men looking for ways to distract themselves from their arduous work in the mining industry. While the Conquistadors invested in California wine production, spirit distillation was much less widespread; for local high rollers who wished to imbibe, high-quality options were slim. 

Pisco—a grape-based distillate whose origins are a topic of debate between Peru and Chile—was suited perfectly to the late 19th century’s emerging “fancy drinks” trend. At turns aromatic and dry, the spirit pairs nicely with various fruits and acids, and was a natural choice for the era’s elevated serves. San Francisco’s Bank Exchange and Billiard Saloon popularized pisco in the 1880s by mixing it with pineapple, lime, and syrup for the enormously popular pisco punch, inspiring imitators throughout the city. Then in the 1920s, the South American liquor garnered its international fame when Victor Vaughn Morris, an American bar owner who’d immigrated to Lima, began serving a pisco-based riff on the whisky sour.  Made luxuriously silky via the addition of egg white (like the Ramos gin fizz popularized in New Orleans shortly before), and highly aromatic courtesy of Angostura bitters, a drink this good is virtually impossible to improve upon, which explains why the recipe hasn’t changed in over a century.

*Note: It is important to point out that Chilean pisco is generally more floral, while Peruvian versions can display more earthy and vegetal notes which I find more suitable for cocktailing. There are four broad styles of Peruvian Pisco: Puro, Aromatico, Acholado, and Mosto Verde. I prefer Acholado for its drier profile, while others may prefer the sweetness of Mosto Verde. The brands Barsol, Porton, and Macchu Pisco will all work nicely in this recipe.

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The vibrance of Latin American cuisine doesn’t end with juicy carnitas, tostones, and bowls of simmering, chile-laden stews. In fact, the Latin world boasts a diverse array of dishes and traditions, ranging from wood-fired Argentinian asado, to hearty Amazonian tacacá, to briny Cuban fricasé. But some of our favorite Latin American recipes are for sweets: iconic custards, cookies, cakes, and pastries meant to accompany a mug of milky café con leche or to  soothe the palate after a firestorm of flavor.

The trail of desserts from Mexican churros to Chilean leche asada owes its variety in part to a  diverse climate, spanning two continents and the Caribbean. Sugar cane, originally a Southeast Asian import, is now widely grown throughout much of Latin America, with Brazil as one of the largest producers  in the world. The tropical climate and fertile soil of Central and northern South America and the Caribbean bestows those regions with some of the sweetest fruit around. Cacao, which is believed to have first been used in Mexico some 4000 years ago, is now grown and used throughout Latin America, frequently blended into cinnamon-laced hot chocolate, fudgy Brazilian brigadeiros, and silky flan.

Milk and caramel are classic ingredients in the Latin American dessert canon, too. Tres leches cakes, which are thought to have originated in Nicaragua, are now ubiquitous throughout the region. Dairy also features heavily in sweet Latin American drinks, like atol de elote, a sweet and creamy corn-beverage popular in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Explore more of these sweet treats with our best Latin American desserts.

Tres Leches Cake

Popular throughout Latin America, this milk-soaked cake is thought to have originated in Nicaragua. Get the recipe for Tres Leches Cake »

Flan Imposible (Impossible Chocolate Flan)

This dessert, also called chocoflan, behaves similarly to an upside down cake. The mold is covered with cajeta, followed by a layer of chocolate cake batter, flan, and finally baked with hot water. After baking, the flan is flipped right-side up, revealing the sweet, jiggly layer of flan. Get the recipe for Flan Imposible (Impossible Chocolate Flan) »

Cactus Ice

Like okra, cactus leaves have a gelatinous interior that lends a creamy mouthfeel to this lightly spicy, sweet-tart granita. CJ Jacobson, chef at Girasol in Los Angeles, serves it as a complement to a fruity sorbet; it also makes a great palate cleanser between dinner courses. Get the recipe for Cactus Ice »

Giant Apple Pancake With Dulce de Leche

Soft apples with a hint of tartness balance a bittersweet caramelized crust, spurred on by rich dulce de leche. Get the recipe for Giant Apple Pancake With Dulce de Leche »

Mezcal Chiffon Cake

Smoky mezcal and bright pomelo zest flavor this airy, eggy chiffon cake, the perfect quick dessert. Get the recipe for Mezcal Chiffon Cake »

Sherry Tres Leches Gelatina

Gelatina is a lifestyle in Oaxaca, where it can be found in all shapes, colors, and flavors. Combined with the creamy tres leches layer, sherry creates a boozy and refreshing Creamsicle-like effect. Get the recipe for Sherry Tres Leches Gelatina »

Baked Custard with Caramel Sauce (Leche Asada)

This classic custard is ubiquitous in Chile, where it is served in cups for a quick afternoon snack or baked in a larger pan for a family-style dessert. Get the recipe for Baked Custard with Caramel Sauce (Leche Asada) »

Duche de Leche Cookie Sandwiches (Alfajores)

Variations on this elegant cookie can be found throughout Latin America, but alfajores are associated above all with the café culture of Buenos Aires. They’re served year-round with coffee, but during the holidays home cooks all over Argentina break out their trusted family recipes—each one unique but always with a decadent filling of dulce de leche sandwiched between two rounds of crisp butter cookie. Get the recipe for Duche de Leche Cookie Sandwiches (Alfajores) »

Crepes Cajeta

Cajeta, a homemade caramel used in traditional Latin American desserts, is a terrific sauce to have on hand for drizzling over ice cream or baked treats. Get the recipe for Crepes Cajeta »

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)

You can find many versions of brigadeiros, but chocolate is the traditional flavor for these dense, chewy fudge balls rolled in sprinkles, a treasured treat in Brazil. Get the recipe for Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls) »

Sweet Corn and Milk Drink (Atol de Elote)

This sweet corn beverage is doled out warm in Guatemalan markets, often seasoned with cinnamon or vanilla. Get the recipe for Guatemalan Sweet Corn and Milk Drink (Atol de Elote) »

Churros con Chocolate Caliente (Mexican Fritters with Hot Chocolate)

Ruben Ortega, a native of Puebla and the pastry chef at Hugo’s in Houston, Texas, shared his recipe for long, fluted fritters, served with thick hot chocolate for dunking. Get the recipe for Churros con Chocolate Caliente (Mexican Fritters with Hot Chocolate) »

Torticas de Morón

These tiny bites are traditional shortbread cookies from the city of Morón in central Cuba. This version calls for cream cheese and guava and a little sprinkle of sea salt on top. Get the recipe for Torticas de Morón »

Polvorones (Pecan Shortbread Cookies)

Pecans, a staple on holiday tables, make an appearance in these delicate shortbread cookies flavored with cinnamon and vanilla that are a popular treat in Mexico. Get the recipe for Polvorones (Pecan Shortbread Cookies) »

Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada)

This satisfying dessert uses piloncillo, a type of brown sugar used in Mexican cooking. Get the recipe for Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada) »

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South American cuisine is incredibly rich and diverse, in large part thanks to the food of Brazil, which fuses indigenous, European, and African influences. While a national identity, and cuisine, may be hard to pin down, it’s Brazil’s vast range of regional fare that make it unique. Brazil is home to some of the world’s best grilled meats and best stews—we especially love the salt cod. From feijoada to fudge truffles, here are our best Brazilian recipes.

Brazilian Fish and Coconut Milk Stew

Brazilian Beans with Smoked Pork, Rice and Collards (Feijoada)

Strawberry Cachaça Shake

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Fudge Balls)

Brazilian Pickled Chiles (Conserva de Pimenta)

Steak with Melted Mozzarella (Filé Marajoara)

Banana and Cheese Pudding (Sombremesa de Banana com Queijo)

Brazilian Shrimp Stew (Vapatá)

Brazilian Salt Cod Stew

The post Our Best Brazilian Recipes to Master Today appeared first on Saveur.

Central and South American cuisines fuse a rich tradition of using native ingredients along with influences from Europe, Africa, and Asia. From the mountainous Andes, whose terraces have grown potatoes, corn, chiles, and cacao, to the coastal regions boasting a world of fresh seafood, the vastly diverse region is worth getting to know (and taste) in your own kitchen. One of our favorite comfort foods is turkey stew from Guatemala, a land of ancient food traditions. But we also love traditional sandwiches, like the panes con pavo of El Salvador. Using recipes that call for cornmeal? Try your hand at making your own from scratch—once you’ve done it, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff. And let’s not forget about chocolate drinks and chocolate desserts from the home of cacao itself. Ready to explore the culinary wonders of Central and South America? Here are our best Central and South American recipes, from Peruvian soup to Chilean pork shanks and Nicaraguan tres leches.

Rib-Eye Steak with Chimichurri

Chimichurri, a kind of spicy, vinegar-laced pesto, is the condiment of choice for steak in Argentina. Get the recipe for Rib-Eye Steak with Chimichurri »

Uruguayan Sea Bass Crudo

Lime juice adds zing to this simple crudo from chef Ignacio Mattos. Assemble it right before serving, so the juice doesn’t cook the fish. Mattos uses sea bass, but snapper also works well. Get the recipe for Uruguayan Sea Bass Crudo »

Brazilian Shrimp Stew (Vapatá)

This adaptable stew is from the Brazilian state of Bahia, where Iberian, indigenous, and African foodways intermingle in one of the country’s most dynamic cuisines. Usually bread is used to thicken it, but some cooks use manioc flour. Sometimes there are ground peanuts, sometimes cashews. Onions, tomatoes, ginger, okra, and chiles might go into the pot, along with chicken, salt cod, or shrimp. But there’s always coconut milk and palm oil, which provide a luxurious texture and signature floral notes.—Neide Rigo. Get the recipe for Brazilian Shrimp Stew (Vapatá) »

Salvadoran Turkey Sandwich (Panes con Pavo)

This gently spiced sandwich is a unique and tasty way to serve turkey. Pack some up to satisfy a crowd for a day of tailgating. Get the recipe for Salvadoran Turkey Sandwich (Panes con Pavo) »

Tres Leches Cake

Popular throughout Latin America, this milk-soaked cake is thought to have originated in Nicaragua. Get the recipe for Tres Leches Cake »

Nicaraguan “Rundown” Seafood Soup

Meant to be a catchall for the day’s available seafood, rundown showcases whatever’s freshest at the fish market along with tubers in a slightly sweet coconut milk broth. Get the recipe for Nicaraguan “Rundown” Seafood Soup »

Potato–Jicama Rolls with Uni

In José Andrés’ Peruvian take on sushi, briny sea urchin rests atop rolls of ají-amarillo–infused potatoes, stuffed with batons of crunchy jicama. Lime and yuzu add a bright pop of citrus while fried quinoa provides irresistible crunch in this flavor-packed appetizer. Get the recipe for Potato–Jicama Rolls with Uni »

After the Snow Cocktail

With a base of pisco, a Chilean spirit distilled from the country’s native grapes, the After the Snow, a fresh sour cocktail, can be found at the Awasi Lodge in Patagonia. Laced with celery and grapes, which are muddled and hidden under a drift of crushed ice, the drink has a brisk, vegetal note as fresh and delicate as spring’s arrival. Get the recipe for After the Snow Cocktail »

Guatemalan Turkey Soup (Kak-Ik)

This rustic turkey soup—often served when christening a new home in Guatemala—has a sweet-sour broth made from puréed tomatoes, tomatillos, and lots of garlic. Classically, the vegetables are toasted on a comal or griddle over fire, then crushed into a purée using a grinding stone, but a cast-iron pan and blender work just as well. Serve kak-ik like the locals do: with a small bowl of chile paste on the side to customize your own spice level. Get the recipe for Guatemalan Turkey Soup (Kak-Ik) »

Jose Garces’ Fish Tacos

Chef Jose Garces uses a batter of rice flour and vodka to produce shatteringly crisp fish bites that he then stuffs into warm tortillas and tops with cool, crunchy slaw. Get the recipe for Jose Garces’ Fish Tacos »

Scallops with Stewed Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Scallops might not be the heartiest, but when you combine them with a chickpea stew you’re guaranteed to stay cozy on cooler nights. Get the recipe for Scallops with Stewed Chickpeas and Tomatoes »

Chilean Spice-Rubbed Pork Shanks

In Santiago, Chile, chef Juan Pablo Mellado Arana serves these pork shanks, burnished red from merkén and piquant red pepper paste, with rice for a substantial lunch. Get the recipe for Chilean Spice-Rubbed Pork Shanks »

Chivito (Uruguayan Cheesesteak) Sandwich

This is chef Ignacio Mattos’ version of a hearty cheesesteak sandwich that is served in restaurants and cafés throughout Uruguay. Get the recipe for Chivito (Uruguayan Cheesesteak) Sandwich »

Braised Pork With Sesame and Pumpkin Seed Sauce (Choc’a)

This obscure regional dish can be tracked down only in the agricultural valley town of Almolonga in Guatemala. Adapted from a village native, Francisca Siquaná de Cotoc (who insists that a food processor could never achieve the same texture as grinding seeds by hand), this recipe is meat-focused, but its creamy, nutty sauce would pair well with any cooked vegetable. The level of spice will vary depending on the type of dried chiles used. Get the recipe for Choc’a »

The Ultimate Crab Dip

Known as chupe de centolla, this Chilean crab gratin borders on a cheesy crab dip. While similar South American chupe are always prepared with milk-soaked bread and any combination of shrimp, scallops, shellfish, meats, and cheeses, Patagonia’s version relies solely on the massive local king crabs, the hallmark of fishermen’s kitchens along Chile’s southernmost coast. Get the recipe for The Ultimate Crab Dip »

Brazilian Beans with Smoked Pork, Rice and Collards (Feijoada)

This hearty dish of beans and pork is the quintessential Brazilian comfort food. It is traditionally served with garlic rice, sautéed collard greens, a tangy vinaigrette, and farofa, toasted cassava flour. Get the recipe for Brazilian Beans with Smoked Pork, Rice and Collards (Feijoada) »

Grilled Beef Ribs with Charred Vegetables

To cook these ribs indoors, brown them in a 12″ cast-iron skillet and then roast them in a 350° oven until the meat is tender. Get the recipe for Grilled Beef Ribs with Charred Vegetables »

Spicy Guatemalan Pork and Chicken Stew (Suban-Ik)

A steaming pot of Suban-Ik, a hen stew local to San Martin Jilotepeque. Get the recipe for Spicy Guatemalan Pork and Chicken Stew (Suban-Ik) »

Duche de Leche Cookie Sandwiches (Alfajores)

Variations on this elegant cookie can be found throughout Latin America, but alfajores are associated above all with the cafe culture of Buenos Aires. They’re served year-round with coffee, but during the holidays home cooks all over Argentina break out their trusted family recipes—each one unique but always with a decadent filling of dulce de leche sandwiched between two rounds of crisp butter cookie. Get the recipe for Duche de Leche Cookie Sandwiches (Alfajores) »

Crab Toast

Spreading mayonnaise on both sides of the bread before grilling yields a perfectly golden brown crust in this recipe from chef Ignacio Mattos. Get the recipe for Crab Toast »

Grilled Stuffed Trout with Pebre Sauce

Smoky trout stuffed with cheese and sausage for a full meal. Serve it with pebre, a ubiquitous piquant Chilean condiment that’s somewhere between salsa and chimichurri. Recipe adapted from Federico Ziegler of the Awasi Lodge. Get the recipe for Grilled Stuffed Trout with Pebre Sauce »

Beef Short Ribs Empanadas

In his version of Chilean empanadas, chef Rodolfo Guzmán of Boragó replaces lean ground chuck with rich beef short ribs, which make each bite tender. Get the recipe for Beef Short Ribs Empanadas »

Canelazo

At Christmas, Ecuadorians sip this warm cinnamon tea, spiked with a sugarcane-based spirit and sweetened with passionfruit. Get the recipe for Canelazo »

Distantly related to Mexican salsa, pebre is an emulsified blend of tomatoes, peppers, and vinegar traditionally served with bread rolls in Santiago. This recipe, from chef Rodolfo Guzmán of Boragó in Santiago, Chile, uses native green ajè cristal chiles, but you can substitute banana peppers to mimic their very mild, floral heat. Get the recipe for Chilean Tomato and Pepper Sauce (Pebre) »

This sweet corn beverage is doled out warm in Guatemalan markets, often seasoned with cinnamon or vanilla. Corn kernels are pulverized on a grinding stone or metate to achieve the drink’s silky, creamy consistency (but you can use a blender). Get the recipe for Guatemalan Sweet Corn and Milk Drink (Atol de Elote) »

Baked Custard with Caramel Sauce (Leche Asada)

This classic custard is ubiquitous in Chile, where it is served in cups for a quick afternoon snack or baked in a larger pan for a family-style dessert. Get the recipe for Baked Custard with Caramel Sauce (Leche Asada) »

Marinated Celery and Avocado Salad

Crisp celery and radishes are lightly pickled in lemon juice in this salad from chef Juan Pablo Mellado Arana of Las Cabras in Santiago, which makes a perfect addition to any heavy Chilean meal. Get the recipe for Marinated Celery and Avocado Salad »

Braised Beef Stew with Garlic Cream

The silky garlic cream sauce at Las Cabras, Juan Pablo Mellado Arana’s restaurant in Santiago, Chile, adds a welcome zing to this rich stew, but is also a great condiment in its own right—served with fries, slathered on sandwich bread, or spooned over meats. Get the recipe for Braised Beef Stew with Garlic Cream »

Venezuelan Chocolate-Rum Drink

For when you can’t decide between a boozy nightcap or a creamy hot chocolate. Get the recipe for Venezuelan Chocolate-Rum Drink »

The post Our Essential South and Central American Recipes appeared first on Saveur.

A thick yet fluffy pancake full of creamy bananas, smooth hints of pear, and crunchy pine nuts over a heap of cool crème fraîche. “This is good with any ripe banana,” Mallmann says, so if you have extra-sweet varieties besides the ubiquitous Cavendish available, use them.

Featured In: “Francis Mallman’s Case For Burning Your Dessert“

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Slow-cooking pineapple whole on the grill concentrates and enriches its flavors while keeping the fruit tasting bright. “The pineapple must be very ripe,” Mallmann says. “If not, it’s useless. The slower you do it, the better.”

Featured In: Francis Mallman’s Case For Burning Your Dessert

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At once rustic and refined, this technique amplifies the inherent sweetness of the fruit. The mascarpone-mint leaf combo brings a rich yet uplifting twist. The more ripe your fruit, the better it will caramelize. Look for freestone peaches that will let you remove the pits easily. Mallmann says: “Let them burn a bit without touching them. Don’t flip and flop.”

Featured In: Francis Mallman’s Case For Burning Your Dessert

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Soft apples with a hint of tartness balance a bittersweet caramelized crust, spurred on by rich dulce de leche.

Featured In: Francis Mallman’s Case For Burning Your Dessert

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Tacos de Papa Hwy 99 (Potato Tacos)

Masa Ball and Tomato Soup

Jose Garces’ Fish Tacos

Ancho Chile Soup with Avocado, Crema, and Chile Pasilla (Sopa de Chile Ancho)

Tostadas de Camaron Seco (Shrimp Tostadas)

Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

Baja Ceviche Tostadas

Tortilla Soup (Sopa de Tortilla)

Enchiladas Suizas (Chicken Enchiladas in Tomatillo-Cream Sauce)

Black Bean Nachos with Red Chile Beef

Shallot and Pancetta Tortilla Crisps

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