South American

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Arepas are a quintessential part of Venezuelan cuisine. I grew up eating them daily in Caracas and I still make them at home on a weekly basis. This cornmeal cake that’s eaten like a sandwich is the daily “bread” in Venezuela.

This Peruvian ceviche offers a plethora of interesting textures: the meaty chew of octopus, the refreshing bite of shrimp, and the marshmallowy smoothness of bay scallops. It's all bathed in the electric yellow glow of a sauce made with Peru's most common chile pepper, the aji amarillo. You can find jarred aji amarillo paste at South American markets. The pepper imparts a distinct fruity quality to this dish, and the addition of turmeric and ginger enhances this fruitiness while toning down the pepper's heat. The variety of seafood in the following preparation, along with its exciting color, is certain to be a favorite on your table.

Serve these South American cornmeal cakes with a side of pico de gallo or fresh corn salsa.

These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so reheat the arepas in batches as platters need replenishing.