1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 small onion, chopped
1/4 small red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 bay leaf
19 ounces canned black beans, cooked
1/4 cup strong coffee
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon dark rum
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and pepper

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and bay leaf. Sauté the garlic, onion, red pepper and jalapeno until tender.
2. Stir in the beans, coffee, lime juice, rum, cumin and coriander and reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons onion, minced
2 tablespoons shallot, minced
1/2 cup sherry
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Make 1/2" slices in the top of the tenderloin at 1/2" intervals. Insert a sliver of garlic into each cavity.
3. Rub the pork with oil, then season with cumin, salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
4. Place pork in an ovenproof skillet and roast pork in the oven until a thermometer can be inserted into the thickest part of the meat and read 155 degrees.
5. Remove meat from the pan to a warmed plate and tent with foil.
6. Heat pan over medium-high heat and add the butter, onion and shallot.
7. Add the sherry and scrape as much of the bits from the pan as possible. Reduce the liquid by half, then add the chicken broth and lime juice.
8. Boil until the sauce is thickened and slightly syrupy in texture.
9. Remove the sauce from heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the sour cream. Either pour over slices of tenderloin and onto a plate with slices of pork on top.

Makes 4 servings

1 small cucumber
2 large carrots
1 medium apple
2 stalks celery
1/4 small red onion
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
salt and pepper

1. Grate cucumber, carrot, apple, celery and onion and combine in a bowl.
2. Combine honey, lime juice, salt and pepper and coat grated vegetables. Refrigerate before serving.

Makes 6 servings

1 small English cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons roasted peanuts

1. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and garlic and adjust quantities to taste.
2. Dress cucumber with the prepared dressing and top with peanuts and red onion.

Makes 4 small servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon rum
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup lime juice
salt and pepper

1. Puree the mango, pepper, rum and hot sauce in a blender or food processor to form a smooth paste.
2. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the pureed mango mixture and combine with the garlic, ginger, coconut, coriander seed and cumin.
3. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the coconut has softened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
4. Stir the coconut milk and lime juice into the sauce.
5. Preheat grill.
6. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on the grill.
7. Turn chicken once grill marks form and flesh is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
8. Lower heat and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear, about 15 minutes.
9. Baste occasionally with prepared sauce and spoon remaining sauce over chicken to serve. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Makes 4 servings

4 cups baby spinach
4 medium tomatoes
2 scallions, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup basil, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Grill the tomatoes until the outer skin is blackened and blistered on all sides.
3. Allow tomatoes to cool to the touch, then chop into small pieces.
4. Mix tomatoes with scallions, jalapeno, lime, sugar, basil and add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon tomato mixture over spinach leaves to serve.

Makes 4 servings

4 chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons lemongrass, crushed
1 tablespoon ginger puree
1 shallot, crushed
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger puree
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water

1. Combine garlic, lemon grass, ginger, shallot and lime juice and marinade chicken overnight.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chicken. Fry until crisp, then flip and fry the other side.
3. Reduce heat and cover until chicken is cooked, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, vinegar, ginger, garlic and honey in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture, cooking until thickened.
6. Serve chicken with prepared sauce.

Makes 4 servings

16 ounces rice noodles
3 limes, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 red chilies, seeded
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon ginger
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
3 cups coconut milk
salt and pepper
water

1. Combine chilies, garlic, ginger, cilantro and sesame oil in a mortar and pestle or food processor to form a paste.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add the paste, stirring to combine with the oil.
3. Add the lime juice, tamarind paste and coconut milk to the paste, then reduce heat and simmer while cooking the rice noodles.
4. Bring enough water to cover the noodles to a boil, add the noodles and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.
5. Drain the noodles, place in individual bowls and cover with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings

4 six ounce pork chops
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper

1. Combine oil, cumin, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Marinade pork chops overnight in this mixture.
2. Preheat oven broiler and adjust oven rack to the top.
3. Place pork chops, along with marinade, in an oven proof dish and place in the oven.
4. Broil on both sides until flesh turns white and fat is visibly crisp, about 5 minutes per side.

Makes 4 servings

2 cups cooked baby corn (canned or otherwise)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili paste
1 lime
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Combine rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, chili paste and lime juice in a blender.
2. Transfer the sauce to a medium sauce pan over medium heat and add the squeezed lime and baby corn.
3. Cook until corn is hot, about 5 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds to serve.

Makes 4 servings