Puerto Rican Chow

On April 24 & 25, Chef Sammy cooked up some of his Puerto Rican favorites!

Ceviche con Platano

Seafood salads with Plantain cup

While ceviche is not native to Puerto Rico, the island has developed its own distinctive variation by infusing the classic Peruvian dish with native ingredients and flavors. Sammy’s ceviche includes red snapper, shrimp, and clams in a lemon-lime sauce with cucumber, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and spices. 

Gluten-free. Vegan Option: hearts of palm “ceviche”

Purée de Sancocho 

Root Vegetable Purée 

Sancocho is a rustic stew popular across the Caribbean and Latin America, including Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. Sammy describes it as Puerto Rican gumbo. He packs his sancocho with root vegetables, including yautia, taro, malanga, green plantains, and yuca (cassava). 

Gluten-free and Vegan. 

Alcapurria de Yucca

Stuffed Yucca Fritters

These deep-fried fritters filled with a savory meat filling are a classic Puerto Rican street food. The dough, called masa, is traditionally made from a starchy blend of grated cassava. Sammy’s fritters are filled with carne molida, spiced ground beef. It’s served with his “Puerto Rican Ketchup,” a sauce made of tomatoes, carrots, celery, and onion. 

Gluten-free. Vegan version: Alcapurria de Yucca made with Impossible ground beef. 

Sandwich Trio with Yucca Fries 

For our main, Sammy is serving up a trio of sandwiches with yucca fries. Gluten-free options of each sandwich available. Vegan option: vegan sandwich, rice, beans, and yucca fries.

Cubanito

A Cuban sandwich is a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich that likely originated before the turn of the 20th century in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Tampa or Key West, two early Cuban immigrant communities in Florida centered on the cigar industry. Sammy’s pressed sandwich features ham, garlic-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, and ground mustard.

Pollito 

Translating to "little chicken" or "chick", pollito is used as an affectionate term for a loved one or to describe a young or inexperienced person. In this case, pollito refers to a small chicken sandwich made with garlic-pulled chicken, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, onion, and tomatoes. 

Tripeta

Known as the working person’s sandwich, this hearty Puerto Rican dish features three types of meat: pork, steak, and chicken. It’s topped with Colby-Jack cheese, garlic aioli,  and potato chips for a little bit of crunch. Tripeta is a popular street food known for its generous size and explosion of flavors and textures.

Pastel de Guava y Queso 

Guava and Cheese Pastry

These traditional Cuban pastries are staples in most Latin American bakeries. Made with flaky puff pastry filled with a sweet guava paste and tangy cream cheese, they’re popular at breakfast or dessert. 

Vegan and Gluten-free Option:  Tembleque,  a Puerto Rican coconut pudding made with cooked coconut milk thickened with cornstarch.