The Book of Latin American Cooking

by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz

This award-winning cookbook by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz includes 500 recipes from the exotic culinary traditions of the Latin American World, covering the coasts, mountainous areas, and fertile plains between Mexico and Chile. Ortiz selects appetizers, soups, main courses, salads, and desserts from each region and explores the wild array of spices and styles that make these recipes unique.

Using delicious examples, she describes how the Spanish, Portuguese, African, and Middle Eastern influences have combined with the indiginous cooking of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. Her recipes range from familiar favorites such as Guacamole and Feijao Preto (black beans), to more unusual recipes: Sopa de Topinambur (Jerusalem Artichoke Soup -- Chile), Matambre (Stuffed Rolled Flank Steak -- Argentina), Pichones con Salsa de Camarones (Squab in Shrimp Sauce -- Peru), Salada de Palmito (Hearts of Palm Salad -- Brazil), Quimbolitos (Steamed Puddings -- Equador), as well as a wide variety of sauces and breads.

This book is the prototype for all books on Latin American cooking and remains the definitive text on the subject.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 1969

Reviews

[Marguerite Hargreaves · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really dated. Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz writes this from the perspective of someone who can't duplicate Latin American dishes in the U.S., so she includes alternate ingredients -- which change the dishes. The recipes I've tried have been insipid. The cabbage soup, which I made yesterday, purports to be Chilean. There's nothing in it to distinguish it from Irish or Hungarian cabbage soup, though. This cookbook is going to get the heave-ho. I have a lot of respect for the late James Beard. His endorsement disappoints.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is great! The recipes are well-researched and the book contains great tips! The only problem is that I cannot find some of the ingredients listed because some of them are localized foods/spices; but overall, amazing book! Probably one of the most "authentic" Latin American cookbook out there!

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly I'm a vegetarian so this book isn't something I can try out. Being raised in a spanish ( especially mexican) household I can't really say this book book is top of my chart, but it's nicely written. I like the different variations the author puts to every recipe and would recommend it to anyone who's trying for their first time to make a nice spanish dish.

[Cecelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few recipes require some weird/largely unobtainable ingredients, but everything I've made so far has been good. One of the more authentic and all-encompassing Latin American cookbooks I've seen.

[Ivonne]

15.00?

[Dree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seco de Carne (100): a keeper. Zested lemon and grated radishes for a topping. P really liked.
Tomaticán (102): Yum.
Matambre (119): "Quite good"--P. Used chard for spinach. Cooked 1.5 hours.