The Dominican Kitchen: Homestyle Recipes That Celebrate the Flavors, Traditions, and Culture of the Dominican Republic, written by Vanessa Mota, features a collection of 80 everyday Dominican dishes along with inviting photography and memories. A few highlights include Arepitas de Yuca (Cassava Fritters), Sancocho Dominicano (Meat and Vegetable Stew), Locrio de Longaniza (Rice with Dominican Sausage), Plátanos al Caldero (Caramelized Ripe Plantains), and Chocolate Caliente (Hot Chocolate). I will also be sharing her recipe for Pan con Aguacate (Avocado Sandwich) following the review.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from Rock Point in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Vanessa Mota
Vanessa Mota is a food photographer and content creator. She started her blog, My Dominican Kitchen (in English and Spanish), in 2014 to share her family’s traditional Dominican recipes and Latin-inspired meals with home cooks.
She was born in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and is currently based in northern New Jersey with her family. This is her first cookbook.
The Dominican Kitchen
Vanessa begins The Dominican Kitchen with memories growing up in the Dominican Republic and how it inspired her to start cooking those meals of her childhood as an adult.
For those new to Dominican cooking, she has provided a guide for notable ingredients and helpful equipment to get started.
Chapters are divided according to course: Snacks & Sandwiches, Salads & Sides, Soups & Stews, Main Dishes, Desserts, and Drinks. The contents have a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.
The food photography is also provided by Vanessa. Most of the recipes are paired with a full-page, styled photo of the finished dish. There are a few step-by-step photos demonstrating how to peel plantains.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in Spanish and English. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, personal stories, yield, prep/cook time, serving ideas, and notes.
Pan con Aguacate (Avocado Sandwich)
The Pan con Aguacate (Avocado Sandwich) comes from the Snack & Sandwiches chapter. This delicious afternoon snack comes together with only 15 minutes of prep.
A Pan de Agua or a Portuguese bread roll is cut in half lengthwise and filled with lightly seasoned pieces of avocado and a few slices of pickled onions.
Vanessa recommends pairing the sandwich with a tall glass of Batido de Lechosa (Papaya Shake, recipe in book).
This Pan con Aguacate uses the larger tropical avocados. They have a high water content with a buttery texture and mild flavor. If you have smaller Mexican avocados, use two in the recipe.
For those in Northern Virginia, I came across tropical avocados at Wegmans.
The pickled red onions are optional, but add a delicious contrast to the avocado pieces.
More Dishes
I also made Ensalada de Coditos (Macaroni Salad), Camarones Guisados (Stewed Shrimp), Jalao, and Morir Soñando.
The Ensalada de Coditos (Macaroni Salad) is such a fantastic option for family gatherings. It also comes together in minutes with a combination of tender pasta, ham, bell pepper, onion, peas, and a spiced mayonnaise coating.
The Camarones Guisados (Stewed Shrimp) were perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner. Jumbo shrimp is cooked quickly in a tomato-based sofrito sauce with sliced red onions and bell pepper. It is delicious alongside Arroz Blanco or Plátanos Fritos (both recipes in the book).
Translating to pulled, Jalao is a sweet sugar and coconut candy. Brown sugar is caramelized on the stove, then combined with shredded coconut, ginger, and vanilla. Once cooled, the mixture is scooped into balls.
The Morir Soñando was Claire’s favorite. This refreshing drink brings together orange juice, evaporated milk, vanilla, and a bit of sugar. It is served immediately with orange and/or lime slices.
The Dominican Kitchen is a wonderful pick for those interested in homestyle Dominican cuisine. It is packed with authentic recipes featuring a variety of flavors and created with the home cook in mind. Many come together in less than 30 minutes while others require a bit of rest or longer simmering times.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items may require finding a market with Caribbean items or online ordering such as Dominican sweet chocolate tablets, dried salted cod, annatto, Dominican oregano, Dominican sausage, and fresh cassava.
Pan con Aguacate (Avocado Sandwich) Recipe
Excerpt from The Dominican Kitchen
Pan con Aguacate (Avocado Sandwich)
Ingredients
Pickled Red Onions (Optional):
- 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Pan con Aguacate:
- 1 tropical avocado pitted, peeled, and cubed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice about 1 lime
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 panes de agua or Portuguese bread rolls
Instructions
To make the pickled red onions (if using);
- In a small bowl, mix the onion, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper until well combined.
- Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the onion starts to turn pink.
To make the Pan con Aguacate:
- In a medium bowl, mix the avocado, lime juice, and salt and pepper until combined.
- Slice the bread rolls in half.
- To assemble the sandwiches, spread the avocado mixture over the bottom halves of the rolls, add the pickled red onions (if using), and top with the top halves of the rolls.
- Serve immediately.
Casey
My neighbor is from the DR and he makes the tastiest dishes! I’ll definitely check out this cookbook!