A favorite from Alexis Alvarez Armas, this dish is inspired by Cuba's Chinese- Criollo cuisine. After cooking delicate trout fillets in a bamboo steamer, Alexis dresses them with a Chino- Latino blend of soy sauce, fermented black beans, olive oil, and lots of scallions and chives. It's a dish we could eat every day.
You might argue that onion dip could appear almost anywhere in this book, but the scallions—their color and fresh bite—are what really bring this version to life.
This jade-green gazpacho is beautifully surprising and satisfying. Garnish it with a swirl of plain yogurt and add a great crunch with fried nuts.
This is the classic poke, the one that you probably think of when you hear the word. It showcases the evolution of the dish over the decades, with the more prized ‘ahi tuna replacing bony reef fish.
In this poke variation, ruby red beets, slicked with sesame oil and studded with crunchy limu seaweed, give a pretty good imitation of ‘ahi.
Smoking food with black tea leaves can result in a highly smoky and overpowering flavor. This dish goes for a tamer smoke quality, infusing potatoes by boiling them in brewed tea and then tossing them with aromatic spices and fresh ginger.
Use this sauce anywhere you need firepower, literally.
A global favorite yet barely known in this country, kohlrabi is a rather sweet vegetable with a mild, broccoli-like flavor. When it's quickly cooked and then pureed, it can become a creamy (if cream-free) canvas for delicate, sweet enoki mushrooms and crunchy, salty peanuts.
I eat pho -- chicken or beef -- almost every morning at the restaurant.