Horchata and Richard Sandoval’s New Latin Flavors

Richard Sandoval’s New Latin Flavors: Hot Dishes, Cool Drinks features bold Latin-style cuisine with a twist. A few highlights include Peruvian Classic Ceviche, Thai Chicken Empanadas, Venezuelan Egg Rolls, and Chicken Skewers with Nikkei Glaze. I will also be sharing his recipe for Horchata following the review.

Disclosure: I received this book from Stewart, Tabori & Chang in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.

Richard Sandoval

Richard Sandoval was born in Mexico City and started cooking at a young age in the kitchen with his grandmother. His father was also a restaurateur in Mexico. Richard was originally a professional tennis player.

He switched careers, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and opened his flagship restaurant, Maya, in New York City in 1997.

This has led to dozens of restaurants in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New York, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Dubai, Hong Kong, Mexico, Qatar, Tokyo, and Serbia.

Richard Sandoval’s New Latin Flavors

Richard Sandoval’s New Latin Flavors begins with tips on home entertaining and building a menu.

Chapters are divided based on course: The Latin Kitchen; Tapas, Appetizers and Snacks; Salads, Big and Small; Ceviches and Tiraditos; Seafood; Poultry; Red Meat; Vegetables and Side Dishes; Desserts; Basics; and The Latin Bar.

The beautiful photographs are provided by Penny De Los Santos. Some of the recipes are accompanied by a full-page photo of the finished dish.

Tips are scattered throughout the pages on specific cooking techniques, such as deep-frying and preparing fresh herbs. Every recipe includes a headnote with information on the dish. Menu guides are also provided. Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English and Spanish.

Horchata

In addition to wonderful collection of food, Richard has an entire section devoted to alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. He mentions in the introduction that food is just one part of entertaining. Drinks are important as well.

I especially enjoyed his version of the Horchata. In this variation, both sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are combined with a bit of water before stirring in almond flour, long grain rice, and cinnamon sticks.

The mixture needs to rest at least 12-24 hours in the refrigerator, then it is strained and served over ice with additional ground cinnamon.

If you want to make the Horchata alcoholic, add a splash of rum or two to taste (21 or over in the United States, please drink responsibly).

Other Dishes

I also made Potatoes Bravas with Smoked Romesco and Chorizo (Patatas Bravas con Romesco Ahumado y Chorizo), Venezuelan Corn Pancakes with Savory Tomato Jam and Cheese (Cachapas con Mermelada de Tomate y Queso), Shrimp Ceviche with Tomato-Habanero Broth (Ceviche de Camaron con Caldo de Tomate y Habanero), and Strawberry and Basil Agua Fresca.

These Potatoes Bravas are made by combining crisp roasted potatoes with diced Spanish chorizo and covering them with a spiced sauce. Instead of the traditional deep-frying, Sandoval roasts the potatoes and pairs them with a Spanish Romesco sauce.

While mine didn’t come out as beautifully as the photograph, the Venezuelan Corn Pancakes were still delicious. A pancake base is made with the addition of  pureed masarepa (precooked corn flour) and fresh corn kernels. They are topped with Oaxaca cheese and a jalapeño-chipotle spiced tomato jam.

Sandoval offers numerous Ceviche recipes in his book. For those wanting to avoid raw fish for personal or health reasons, the Shrimp Ceviche is an excellent choice. The shrimp are briefly boiled then chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use. The citrus broth is also made ahead of time and requires no cooking. Right before serving, the shrimp and chilled broth are divided among serving bowls, then topped with avocado, tomato, orange, cilantro, and red onion.

I made the Strawberry and Basil Agua Fresca on a whim the day I received the cookbook since I had all the ingredients on hand. Strawberries and Basil are pureed with ice cubes to create a slush (loved this texture). It was refreshing for a hot summer day.

New Latin Flavors is a great pick for those who enjoy Latin American cuisine and are looking for a twist on classic recipes. There is also plenty to offer for those interested in entertaining.

Many of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger supermarkets, but Richard provides a summary of items that may require a special trip to the international food market and substitutions when available. In the back of the book, there is a list of sources available to purchase Latin American ingredients online.

Horchata Recipe

Excerpt from Richard Sandoval’s New Latin Flavors

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Horchata

A recipe for Horchata! This refreshing drink has a decadent blend of condensed milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, almond, and rice.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword almond, beverage, cinnamon, drink, evaporated milk, horchata, Mexican, Mexico, rice, sweetened condensed milk

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 12 hours hours

Total Time 12 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 ounces/ 390 grams) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (12 ounces/335 grams) evaporated milk
• 2/3 cup (165 milliliters) water
• 2 tablespoons raw long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons almond flour/meal
• 4 (3 inch/7.5 centimeter) cinnamon sticks
• Ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

• Whisk the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 2/3 cup (165 milliliters) water together in a pitcher, making sure to completely combine the two canned milks.
• Add the rice and almond flour and whisk again.
• Add the cinnamon sticks, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
• Strain into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Discard the solids.
• Return the milk mixture to the pitcher. Divide among four tall ice-filled glasses and sprinkle each with ground cinnamon.