Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 jalapeño, halved and seeded
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro with some stems
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the ceviche:

• Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into matchsticks
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into matchsticks
• 1 small red onion, peeled and shaved on the slicing side of a box grater
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin slices
• 1 cup frisée or arugula
• Kernels from one ear of freshly steamed corn
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

In a food processor, mince the jalapeño, garlic, and cilantro, then add the lime juice and olive oil and pulse until blended. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Place the beans in a bowl and toss them with half the dressing; set aside for 30 minutes to marinate.

Step 2

When ready to serve, place equal amounts of the beans on 4 plates. Arrange these ingredients in a clockwise pattern over the beans: a few matchsticks of the bell peppers, a small mound of red onion, 3 to 4 slices of avocado, and a few leaves of frisée. Sprinkle a handful of corn kernels over each dish and then drizzle with the rest of the marinade and more olive oil.

Ingredients

For the salsa:

• 3 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 jalapeño, cored, seeded, and finely diced
• 1/2 cup diced red onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• Zest of one lime
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon merquén or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts or shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
• Coarse salt (optional; don’t use if nuts are salted)

For the chicken:

• One 4-pound roasting
  chicken, giblets removed
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Make the salsa: Combine the mangos, bell pepper, jalapeño, onion, lime zest and juice, olive oil, honey, and merquén. Stir gently with a rubber-bladed spatula. Add the nuts and a pinch of salt, if using, and stir to combine. Set aside while you roast the chicken.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Truss the chicken, if desired. Rub on all sides with olive oil and season generously, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Place in the oven. Roast until the chicken is golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer reads 165°F when the probe is inserted in the deepest part of a thigh, about an hour and 15 minutes. Let the bird rest for 10 minutes before carving. Stir the salsa once more before serving with the chicken.

Ingredients

For the steak:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 pounds flank steak or hanger steak

For the chimichurri:

• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, rinsed, shaken dry, and trimmed (keep on the top half of the stems)
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed, shaken dry, and trimmed (keep on the top half of the stems)
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon merquén or hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water
• Coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

Directions

Step 1

Make the marinade: Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Place the steak in a glass baking dish that will hold it and pour on the marinade, flipping the meat to coat both sides. Cover and place in the fridge for four hours or up to overnight.

Step 2

Two hours before serving, make the chimichurri: Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, oregano, and merquén in a food processor and finely chop, running the machine in short bursts. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream, followed by 3 tablespoons vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water. Taste the chimichurri, adding another tablespoon of vinegar if you want it more tart and, if necessary, another tablespoon of water for a pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste; it should be highly seasoned. Set aside. Fold in the avocado chunks just before serving.

Step 3

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness—it’s best medium-rare. Let the meat rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then thinly slice on the diagonal. Arrange on a platter and serve with the avocado chimichurri.

Ingredients

• One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water, plus more if needed
• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for your hands
• 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
• 1/2 poblano or red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon merquén or smoked paprika
• Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko or other dry bread crumbs, or more as needed
• 1/3 cup cashews, coarsely chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup drained feta, crumbled

For serving:

• Your favorite burger buns, preferably toasted, and condiments

Directions

Step 1

Line a rimmed sheet pan with paper towels. Spread the beans out on the prepared sheet pan to dry for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and mash roughly, leaving some beans whole. In the meantime, bring the broth and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat, and simmer the quinoa until it’s tender and the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add to the beans.

Step 2

Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, the mushrooms, poblano, and onion; sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and the pepper and onion have softened; add the garlic, cumin, and merquén and cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly. Add to the black bean/quinoa mixture. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the panko, cashews, egg, and feta. If the mixture is too dry to shape into patties, add broth or water a tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add more panko.

Step 3

Rub a bit of olive oil on your hands, then shape the black bean/quinoa mixture into patties. (Each will require about 1/2 cup of the mixture, but you’ll want your burgers to be as large in diameter as your buns.) Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Fry the burgers, flipping once, until they are heated through and have developed nice caramelization on each side. Serve on buns with your choice of condiments.