Gourmet

In Spanish, escabeche refers to placing already cooked seafood into a marinade—a pickling of sorts—but this subtle shrimp salad is gentler than anything you might expect from the term pickled. Complemented by silky thin-sliced onions, the shrimp get their tender-firm texture from slow-poaching followed by marinating.

Though pineapple and rum are the foundation for this aperitif, mint and lime juice temper the sweetness for a bright, clean sip.

Talk about comfort food. This traditional stew combines all manner of meat with two different kinds of tubers. Sour orange lends a uniquely Caribbean flair. We like to brighten our sancocho by pairing it with avocado, rice, and cilantro, and to inject a little heat with a splash of hot sauce. We would not turn down an accompanying plate of crunchy tostones (twice-fried green plantains).

Though this rice mainly functions to sop up the meat's red sauce, a quick sauté with garlic and onion and the use of chicken broth as well as water means it can hold its own.

Chalupas de huitlacoche Chalupas, meaning "little boats," differ in shape and size as you move around Mexico, but in this case, their cargo includes mushroomlike huitlacoche; pleasantly tart salsa verde; salty queso fresco; and the crunch of raw onion.

Encurtido de repollo In addition to mounding this refreshing slaw on every bite of the Salvadoran Stuffed Masa Cakes , you can proudly serve it as an accompaniment to burgers or grilled chicken.

In El Salvador, these satisfying little corn snacks are made with quesillo, but many Salvadorans in the United States substitute mozzarella, as we've done here. Cheese on its own is a popular pupusa filling, but we particularly like this hearty revuelta (mixture) that includes red beans and salty, crisp-fried pork rind.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner—this recipe (known in Mexico as migas) is the all-in-one answer for leftover tortilla chips. A light crunch and the punch of chorizo makes it irresistible any time of day.

This fresh-tasting Cuban dish attests to the terrific quality of canned octopus that is now widely available. However, if you can't find octopus, feel free to substitute two cans of tuna packed in olive oil.

Skirt steak is delicious served plain, but since you can get such fantastic South American flavor out of these basic pantry items, why not embellish it?

Tortas In this favorite, the deep, rich flavor of refried beans gets topped with roast chicken or pork and fresh flavors like pickled jalapeños, citrusy cilantro, cool avocado, and comforting crema.

These irresistible nuggets, a specialty of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, are here made with boneless chicken instead of the usual chicken-on-the-bone.

The exquisitely fragrant beefy filling in our take on these classic Central and South American pastries draws on a number of influences—Chilean, Puerto Rican, and Argentinean. Traditionally eaten as street food, empanadas are ideal for snacking on the go but are just as satisfying to sit down to for a simple dinner.

Yuca, also called cassava or manioc, is a staple of many Latin American cuisines. This traditional Cuban preparation brings together yuca's mild flavor and starchy texture with a piquant citrusy garlic sauce. Simple and delicious, it will quickly become a staple of your kitchen as well.

Majarete A typical Dominican meal usually ends with nothing more than a cup of coffee and a simple dessert. That ethos is perfectly captured in this traditional pudding, with an unexpected—and delicious—interplay between the sweet corn and the tropical coconut.