Mofungo Relleno - with crab meat filling, image credit Flickr user Thejas
W Vieques Retreat and Spa on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques has the restaurant miX by Alain Ducasse, which is helmed by seasoned chef Lamberto Valdez. While the cuisine has Puerto Rican roots, the emphasis is on fresh, light and local, with a bit of French flair.
“I’m trying really hard to stay very light and cook in a healthier way, but still keep the flavors that Puerto Ricans are used to…that is a big challenge,” said Chef Valdez.
But he’s making it work by cooking with olive oil and natural juices using exotic fruits like passion fruit and star fruit and light dressings instead of lard or butter. Chef Valdez is also drawing upon the culinary knowledge he’s gained working around the world to craft dishes like the tortilla Espanola served over fresh made plantain mofongo with salsa antikucho.
The locovore trend has also taken hold on the island as the chefs look for new ways to make Puerto Rican cuisine their own.
“Local ingredients are the basis of all my food, from spices to vegetables and fruits” said Chef Hernandez-Lorenzo. “I’m from the West Coast of the island so over the years traveling back and forth I’ve developed my network of farmers whom I often visit personally to pick out ingredients. It makes all the difference in the world to use fresh produce when you want to offer food that is genuine.”
