Blog Posts by Lili's Latin Kitchen

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Camarones San Miguel

A few months ago, I was walking around Madrid having a hard time finding a good place to eat. It was siesta time (12:00-2:00 pm), and that meant that the majority of bars and restaurants were closed. The only cafés open were very "touristy" and definitely lacked authentic, Spanish fare.

I finally ran into the Mercado de San Miguel near the Plaza Mayor, right in the middle of downtown Madrid. I immediately realized this place was tapas heaven; it's a beautiful and colorful indoor fresh market with little stands that sell everything from gazpacho to roasted oysters and, no doubt, the best paella in Madrid. The market is specifically designed to allow customers to sample a variety of small and delicate, yet elegant dishes without spending a fortune. After sampling the gazpacho, paella, oysters, meat skewers and delicious bruschetta, I found Valero, a charismatic Spanish chef who offered samples of fried boquerones (anchovies) at the very edge

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Anise Halloween Drink

Halloween calls for creative costumes, decorations and fun gatherings. I love to host a good costume party and, of course, I always try to make a drink to suit the occasion. With temperatures dropping, I make sure to have a drink for warming up by the fireplace or out on the porch.

Our traditional liquor in Colombia is Aguardiente, an anise and sugar-based drink with a very unique and strong flavor. Some people drink it straight up, but in many bars and restaurants it is mixed in cocktails and hot drinks. Another typical beverage is the Agua de panela con limon. Panela is the final product of unrefined whole cane sugar. It is used in drinks, desserts, and some abuelas even use it to give their beans a sweet kick. So, I combined panela and anise liquor to make the perfect Halloween-inspired hot beverage. I took some pumpkin-shaped buckets and turned them into my serving cups. For a fancier, autumn presentation, serve the drink in an Irish

Shine Latina sat down with Colombian mixologist Gabriel Orta to discover the secrets of mixing the perfect cocktail and get the recipe for a luscious pineapple-lime margarita.

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Plantain-Cilantro-Chicken soup

My brother in law, David, went to culinary school about 10 years ago. While my college homework consisted mostly of writing papers and studying for exams, David's included cooking recipes for the entire family. We always managed to find one or two nights during the week to gather around the kitchen to watch him working on recipes for school. One of his famous, signature dishes is a Cilantro and Plantain Chicken soup that the entire family has enjoyed since the moment he first made it. We kept asking him to make the soup and to make enough to last for a few days. Now, more than a decade later, we still make the soup during family gatherings and lunches. The big difference is that while we used to cook and eat whenever we wanted, now we have to consider a new generation. We have kids that range from seven months to five years old running around the house during the day, with parents trying to get them into bed early so they can make it to school

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Flan de leche y ron

Living in Miami you have the luxury of feeling closer to Latin America than in any other part of the country. With the blend of cultures, it is very easy to find a Cuban, Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, Colombian or any other type of Latin restaurant, and chances are they will all serve scrumptious food. I love a good Cuban cafeteria, because they simply make the best flan on earth. Flan de leche (milk flan) is a type of custard that is very soft and creamy but not overpowered with sugar. It resembles the flavor of a crème brulee, but it has a thicker consistency with a softly melted caramel over the top rather than a crunchy exterior.

My sister and I found a recipe for this dessert I dare say is just as good as what you'll find in any Cuban restaurant. This version, though, is even more authentic with the addition of rum which blends beautifully with the caramel and milks. It may take some time, but all good things come to those who wait. And

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Chorizo Potato Salad

Back in Colombia, my parents hosted most of the family gatherings in our finca or farm. None of my relatives ever missed coming over to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and special holidays. To make things easier the day of the party, my mother would often start cooking the night before the gathering. Usually, if she made something ahead of time, it was her famous chorizo potato salad. The smell of the cooked chorizo was so irresistible that I had to steal a piece or two, making sure to run away before she caught me. My mom's ensalada de papa became a family food tradition, and we still make it for holidays and parties,

My sisters and I recently cooked together and prepared this delicious dish; we try to make everything fresh, and make sure all the ingredients are cooked right away. Sometimes we serve the potato salad hot if we don't have time to cool it down, but generally we make it and leave it in the fridge for about 30 minutes

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

Kid's Pizza al PastorWhen my family gathers, they make sure to cook enough food to eat and take leftovers home. My nieces (four and two years old) enjoy our dinner parties to the fullest; they are always in the kitchen wanting to help out and get involved. They end up setting the table and adding final touches like putting cilantro on soups and decorating their own dishes. This is a great way for them to feel included, and learn about different types of food. They are more engaged when they help, and ask about every item on the table.

Last week, my sister invited the entire family to have lunch at her house for some delicious roasted pork. She cooked it for six hours in garlic, Coca-Cola and brown sugar. Since we had a lot of leftovers we decided to make something fun for the kids. As we went through the fridge, we found tortillas, pineapple, cilantro and queso fresco (fresh Latin cheese). The flour tortilla made a perfect base for a kid-friendly pizza. We

By Liliana Moyano for Shine Latina

My beautiful mamita raised us eating lots of fruits and vegetables; Creamy Cantaloupe Heavendessert was often just fresh fruit served with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. My all-time favorite was cut-up honeydew melon with homemade ice cream. Sometimes my mom would blend the two together and make a creamy drink. The key was to always blend the fruit first to release its juice, and then add the ice cream to get that perfectly smooth texture.

Today, I continue to make my mom's delicious recipe, but to make it my own, I add a touch of rum. This is what I call "Creamy Honeydew Heaven." It can be served as a cocktail or as a grown-up dessert, perfect for a night at home with friends. But, a word of caution- the sweetness and creaminess of this cocktail is so amazing that if you don't share it, you might end up drinking the whole thing all by yourself!

Mango'rita mixes fruit with tequila for cocktail time

Ingredients

(4 servings) 

10 oz. ripe