Isabel's Cantina: Bold Latin Flavors from the New California Kitchen (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cruz, owner of five restaurants on the West Coast, is known for her version of Latin comfort food—simple, healthy dishes influenced by the various cultures and cuisines she was surrounded by growing up in L.A. like Cuban, Mexican, Japanese and Thai. Cruz highlights such ingredients as mangoes, limes, coconut, chile peppers, mint, ginger, and cilantro.... These are my flavor building blocks. The Starters section includes Seared Tuna Wontons with Avocado Salsa Cruda, which are a little nod to Japan but 100 percent California. Empanadas are made with turkey for a lighter meal as are Cruz's Albondigas, Latin meatballs. The Main Courses chapter includes fresh, healthful dishes like Steamed Red Snapper with Hearts of Palm and Ginger, and Green Chili Posole, a Mexican stew. The Rice, Beans and Other Sides section includes recipes for Quick Black Beans, Brown Rice with Barley, and Sweet Plantains. The Salsas, Sauces and Marinades are used in specific recipes throughout the book, but can be added onto almost any dish. Included are Chipotle Corn Salsa, Guava Sauce, and Red Bell Pepper Sofrito. The options are endless in this bright debut, and Cruz convinces that Latin food can be healthy and light and still be delicious, and that today's Latin food is a blend of the cultures that surround it. (Aug.)
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Product Description

When Isabel Cruz opened her first small restaurant in San Diego, she cooked what she loved to eat: simple Latin comfort food spiced with the Pacific Rim flavors she knew from her old Los Angeles neighborhood. Her trademark blend of Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, Japanese, and Thai cooking allowed her to cut some of the calories and fat so often found in Latin food without ever sacrificing taste. Soon, the nutritious, flavorful, easy-to-prepare meals Isabel had cooked every night for her family took California by storm.

In Isabel’s Cantina, she shares the deceptively simple recipes that make her five West Coast restaurants so popular, as well as many of her own personal favorites. By relying on the boldly flavored ingredients common to both Latin and Asian cuisines—like mangoes, limes, chiles, mint, ginger, coconut, and cilantro—Isabel’s healthful dishes are never bland. She gets things going with starters such as Grilled Vegetable Salad with Sofrito Vinaigrette and Shrimp Bites Wrapped in Greens. There’s Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Jalapeño-Ponzu Sauce, Green Chile Posole with Pork, and New York Strip Steak with Baked Plantain Fries. Gone are heavy refried beans and white rice, replaced by Chipotle White Beans and whole-grain Power Rice. In an invaluable chapter, Isabel reveals how to dress up any meal with healthy sauces and salsas, such as Papaya-Mango-Mint Salsa and Avocado Salsa Cruda. Desserts, drinks, and even brunch dishes round out her collection of recipes for every part of the day.

Blending fresh flavors with an eye for health, Isabel’s signature Latin food with Asian accents is not only good for you but—most important—it’s delicious.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307352749
• ISBN-13: 978-0307352743
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #244,149 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Isabel's Cantina, September 24, 2007

By	S. L. Wolf "fiveftblu" (Aliso Viejo, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I haven't been able to get this excited about a cookbook in years! The recipes are simple and the food is wonderful. I have tried many of them and already have several favorites, such as the Jicama, Cucumber and Radish Salad, the Avocado Salsa Cruda and the Roasted Chile Verde Sauce. The instructions are clear and concise, the tips are wonderful and the flavors are delightfully light, refreshing tasty and healthy. The full color photos are gorgeous!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Fresh, Fantastic Tasting Food!, September 12, 2007

By	WMT "EATER 1" (San Diego, CA USofA) - See all my reviews

We love Isabel's food, we eat in her restaurants all the time! Now that we have her cookbook we can make her simple and tasty recipes when entertaining and cooking at home. We're also excited to have recipes that will help us stay fit and healthy! YUM!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting in touch with my inner Latin cook, November 17, 2007

By	Mary Elizabeth Cook "snddsn" (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I haven't cooked a lot of Latin American food but this cookbook was the perfect place to start. It combines all the standard recipes with easy to follow directions. I liked how the recipes all came together well and the background behind each of them as explained by the author. The best recipes I've tried are the Cumin Panko Chicken and the Pina Colada Pancakes. I can't wait to cook through this whole cookbook.