For The Love of Food

There are some foods that are embedded in our minds and hearts, because they trigger memories of carefree childhoods and family gatherings. The memories are triggered through the sounds and smells of a dish - the flavor that was once delicious and comforting, has become loaded with countless meanings. All this to say that authentic Venezuelan food takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen, watching her unwrap hallacas, and slice through thick fudge-like dulce de leche. Thankfully I don't have to travel all the way to Venezuela to get a taste of the past, since a Venezuelan restaurant just happened to pop up on my corner in December. I was so excited to see that the long abandoned space was finally getting a makeover, and completely floored to find that the menu posted in its front window was chock full of Venezuelan treats from my childhood! Guayoyo has everything you could ever want from an authentic Venezuelan culinary experience: fresh tasty homemade food, excellent music, affordable prices, and a helpful waitstaff willing to enlighten and educate even the most timid patron. This place is for real. After my first bite I knew I was home... or at least around the corner.

Pictured above the carne mechada and camarones arepas from Guayoyo; photography by Natalia Moena.

For The Love of Food

I am obsessed with gourds. I cannot get enough. Every time I see squash or pumpkin on a menu I can't help but order it. And when all I want is something warm and comforting, after a long day at the office and a cold journey home, gourds are on my brain. My latest discovery is the magical spaghetti squash. It's a tough one to wrangle (since it's strong and resistant like a pumpkin), but once it emerges from the oven it's well worth the work. The best way to trick your body into loving a healthy, vegetarian, low calorie, high fiber meal is to make my Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca - trust me on this one. As an added bonus, it also satisfies the need for a warm home-cooked meal in the dead of winter, without packing on hibernation pounds. I could seriously eat this all winter!

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half, seeds removed
5 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
Kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Rub both sides of the cut butternut squash with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Place squash flesh side down on to baking sheet. Put in oven for approximately 15-20 minutes depending on size of squash; when it's done you should be able to puncture the skin easily with a knife.

While the squash is cooking, sautee the onions on medium heat with remaining oil until soft and slightly browned. Add the fresh chopped tomatoes making sure to add any juice that may have escaped during prep. Add the kalamata olives (I like a lot, other don't so I'll leave the amount to your discretion) and capers. Let this simmer for about 15 minutes so the tomatoes soften and the sauce begins to thicken. When the sauce looks almost done, add the fresh chopped oregano and garlic. Let the sauce sit at low heat while you deal with the squash.

Remove the squash from the oven and let cool slightly. Once you can comfortably handle the heat of the squash removed the flesh by scraping the gourd with a fork horizontally - if properly cooked this should be very easy as the squash "spaghetti" will fall away from the shell.

Plate the "spaghetti" and then spoon the puttanesca sauce on top, adding a little parmesan cheese if desired.

For The Love of Food

We may have just barreled head first into a bitter winter, but my need for greens every single day has not waned. In the past, I've craved piping hot pastas and other comfort food, but for some reason I've managed to stay *gasp* healthy throughout these harsh months. Part of the reason is the fantastic salads I've come across, that are packed full of flavor and are surprisingly filling. Those who know me, are well aware of my ongoing obsession with a certain Grilled Halloumi Salad at my local haunt. For those who need a little background, Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese that's best described as follows: if Feta and Mozzarella had a baby, it would be Halloumi. It has the chewiness of Mozzarella coupled with the saltiness of Feta, but has a mild flavor that won't offend cheese unenthusiasts. I ate this salad at least once a week while I was unemployed, and was devastated when they told me that it was a summer item that would soon disappear from the menu. I don't know if it was due to my sales alone, but somehow the salad has made it's way onto their winter menu allowing me to savor it on occasion. But this isn't brain surgery people - it's just salad making, so this weekend I thought to myself it's about time I try my hand at conjuring up this lemony confection. It's incredibly simple, and oh-so-fresh so I recommend you try this Grilled Halloumi Salad for a light and refreshing winter pick me up!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of mixed greens
1 bunch of mint, chopped finely
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped (optional, I hate raw onions in salads but others love it!)
4 slices Haloumi cheese (for each serving of salad)

For the dressing:
2 lemons, juiced
Olive oil, equal parts olive oil and lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine the mixed greens and mint with the cucumber, tomato (and onion). Grill the slices of Haloumi cheese on a grill pan to warm the cheese through, and get those fantastic grill marks. Combine the dressing with the salad, plate the greens and arrange the cheese slices (3-4 pieces per serving) on top. Enjoy!