Bringing food fantasies to life, chef Alonso Núñez, lets us in on a personal favourite recipe of his, inspired by his Venezuelan roots and his current home in Mexico. A gastronomical hybrid of the Mexican taco and the Venezuelan arepa, Alonso presents the ‘tosto-taco’, adorned with a creamy chicken and avocado filling. The royalty of arepa fillings, ‘La Reina pepiada’, was created in honour of the Venezuelan woman, Susana Dujim, who was proclaimed Miss World in 1955 in London. ‘Pepiada’ being the slang for ‘cool’ in Venezuela at the time.
Venezuelan compadre Toni Arellano aka DJ Tostoni conjured up some equally flavourful sounds to accompany Alonso’s innovative street snack. Known for digging deep into Venezuelan folk and tropical music, traditional and experimental, Tostoni centres this playful mix around food.
Unknown – Pregón Mixto
Los Calvos – Comiendo Pan
Cholo Y Su Combo – Casabe De Yuca
Simón Díaz – Mandoca
Hugo Blanco – Moliendo Café
Grupo Por Venezuela – Pan Panadero
Combo Caracas – Yuca
Conjunto Nova 70 – Saca El Pollo
Unknown – Pregón Pescadero
Tito Ochoa – Whisky Con Coco
Los Melódicos – Guayaba Colorá
Unknown – Canto De Ordeño Y Pilón
“Banda de la Polar” – El Milagro De La Harina Pan
“Banda de la Polar” – Las Vacaciones
Hugo Blanco sings Graciela – Maíz Pilado
María Rodríguez – El Cruzao
Conjunto Guaiqueri – El Róbalo
Unknown – Pregón Chichero
Alí Aguero – Pimientos Verdes
Los Coluos – A Molé Yuca
Designed and drawn by Alonso Núñez
(Makes enough filling for 16 small tosto-tacos)
1/2 cup of chicken breast, boiled and shredded (not too fine)
1/2 cup of mashed avocado
3 tbsp of mayonnaise
1 tsp of julienned onion
1/2 tsp of mustard (not Dijon)
Salt to taste
Mix all the ingredients together and keep refrigerated.
Ingredients:
(Makes 8 small tosto-tacos)
2 very green plantains
2 cups of vegetable oil for frying
Salt to taste
Peel the plantain and cut into 8 circular segments of the same thickness.
Fry both sides in the oil until they are lightly browned.
Remove them from the oil.
Place each plantain round on a flat surface and flatten using the bottom of a glass or plate.
Put the flat plantain round back into the oil and with the help of two large spoons form it into a taco shape.
Remove it from the oil and add salt to taste.
Fill the crispy taco with the ‘Reina pepiada’ filling, garnish with coriander, a slice of avocado and chilli salsa.
Serve immediately. ¡Buen provecho!