Mondongo and Bandeja Paisa @ Mondongo's in Medellin, Colombia.

The weather was great so I made a stop at Boteco, a slice of Brazil in Miami, for some caipirinha, picanha and life music.  If you come on a Saturday, like today, you can also enjoy their famous feijoada.

 

With my wife, eating at Ceviche 105, a very good Peruvian restaurant in Downtown Miami.

For the last 20 years, I've been looking for a rotisserie chicken place in the US that can deliver the same flavor as rotisserie (pollo a la brasa) restaurants in Peru.  Finally, my search is over.  Mami Nora's  could hold its ground even among the best pollo a la brasa restaurants in Peru. If you like pollo a la brasa and you are in Raleigh, you ought to try this place.

See my full review at Yelp.

Pour the contents of two cans of tuna in a bowl and mash with a fork.  Add two eggs, well scrambled, and half a cup of low fat milk.  Season with salt, onion powder, garlic powder and, if desired, some dried chives.  Mix well.  Finally, add enough bread crumbs so that the mix is still soft but not watery.  Mix well again and then mold into four large patties.  Fry in olive oil under medium heat for three or four minutes on each side, until golden.  These tuna cakes go great with a sauce made by mixing a tablespoon of mayo with a tablespoon of dijon mustard.

Tambaqui is a large freshwater fish that can be found in the Amazon basin.  It is considered the best fish you can eat in Manaus. 

The traditional way of preparing it is grilled, and the choice cut are the ribs (costelhas de tambaqui grelhado).  It is served in metal rods similar to those used in Brazilian churrascarias. 

Around 10% of the tambaqui's weight is fat, which gives it a wonderful flavor, similar to that of sea bass.  I had this dish at a restaurant called Canto da Peixada: a non-pretentious restaurant in a nondescript neighborhood, considered to be the best seafood restaurant in Manaus. 

Squeeze some lemon on top of it, and pour some freshly made spicy sauce (molho apimentado) and enjoy it with an ice cold beer.

Heat one onion (finely diced) and eight garlic cloves (sliced thin) in extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for 15 minutes.  At the same time start boiling whole wheat pasta.  Cut 25-30 white asparagus (they come in 12oz jars and don't need cooking) in one inch pieces and throw in with the onion and garlic.  Slice thin roasted red pimientos (one small can) and add to the mix.  Pour a splash of white wine over the mix and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavors.  After a minute or two, pour four or five tablespoons of water from the pasta over the mix and correct the seasoning.  Pour some pasta over a large pan and mix with a tablespoon of butter.  Add the mix, add abundant Parmesan cheese and stir well.  Serve immediately.  The sauce should be enough for three servings (add pasta to the sauce little by little, to make sure that each serving has enough sauce).

Buenos Aires, Argentina.  One thing I like about Argentina is the coffee culture.  Most of the time, when you order an espresso, it will come with a biscotti, a small pastry or a piece of chocolate, plus a small shot glass of iced water.  Perfect.

My mom brought me a jar of funghi porcini from Italy so I decided to put them to good use.  Soak 50g of funghi porcini in water for 30 minutes.  Heat some extra virgin olive oil and cook some rosemary and garlic over medium high heat until garlic is golden.  Throw in the funghi porcini and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes.  Pour one glass (or glass and a half) of white wine and let it reduce to about half (3-4 minutes).  Boil fresh pasta (enough for two people) until al dente.  Pour a couple of tablespoons of the hot water into the sauce before draining the pasta.  Pour pasta over the sauce and mix well.  Serve immediately, garnish with parsley and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (not too much or it will overpower the funghi).