HOT PLATES: Tostoni & ‘Tosto-Tacos’

Mexico / Venezuela

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.

Tostoni’s Tracklist (all records to do with food!)

  1. Unknown – Pregón Mixto
  2. Los Calvos – Comiendo Pan
  3. Cholo Y Su Combo – Casabe De Yuca
  4. Simón Díaz – Mandoca
  5. Hugo Blanco – Moliendo Café
  6. Grupo Por Venezuela – Pan Panadero
  7. Combo Caracas – Yuca
  8. Conjunto Nova 70 – Saca El Pollo
  9. Unknown – Pregón Pescadero
  10. Tito Ochoa – Whisky Con Coco
  11. Los Melódicos – Guayaba Colorá
  12. Unknown – Canto De Ordeño Y Pilón
  13. “Banda de la Polar” – El Milagro De La Harina Pan
  14. “Banda de la Polar” – Las Vacaciones
  15. Hugo Blanco sings Graciela – Maíz Pilado
  16. María Rodríguez – El Cruzao
    17. Conjunto Guaiqueri – El Róbalo
  17. Unknown – Pregón Chichero
  18. Alí Aguero – Pimientos Verdes
  19. Los Coluos – A Molé Yuca

Designed and drawn by Alonso Núñez

Reina Pepiada

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.

Tosto-Tacos

Ingredients:

  • (Makes 8 small tosto-tacos)
  • 2 very green plantains
  • 2 cups of vegetable oil for frying
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Peel the plantain and cut into 8 circular segments of the same thickness.
  2. Fry both sides in the oil until they are lightly browned.
  3. Remove them from the oil.
  4. Place each plantain round on a flat surface and flatten using the bottom of a glass or plate.
  5. Put the flat plantain round back into the oil and with the help of two large spoons form it into a taco shape.
  6. Remove it from the oil and add salt to taste.
  7. Fill the crispy taco with the ‘Reina pepiada’ filling, garnish with coriander, a slice of avocado and chilli salsa.

Serve immediately. ¡Buen provecho!

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