Snip shells of shrimp with scissors down middle of back, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact. Make an incision along length of back where shells are cut and devein, leaving shells in place. (Shells will prevent shrimp from becoming tough on outside when grilled.) Toss shrimp with oil, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and marinate at cool room temperature 15 minutes. While shrimp marinate, prepare grill for cooking...

Make cake:Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350F. Butter pan and set aside.Whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl.Beat together sugar, butter, and rum with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until combined well, then add egg and beat until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes with a stand mixer or 5 to 6 minutes with a handheld. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, mixing until combined well...

Mash papaya flesh with a fork until smooth or pulse in a food processor until coarsely puréed. Add 5 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons lime juice and stir or pulse to combine. Add more sugar and lime juice to taste (papayas vary in sweetness and acidity).Beat cream in a large bowl until it holds soft peaks, then fold in papaya mixture gently but thoroughly.Divide among 8 (6-ounce) glasses and chill at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop...

Make relish:Cut a shallow X in bottom of each peach and tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch in 2 batches in a 4-quart saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer peaches and tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel peaches and tomatoes, then halve peaches lengthwise and pit. Cut peaches into 1-inch pieces. Coarsely chop tomatoes...

Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a 4-quart heavy pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, making sure they are just covered by liquid, and remove pot from heat. Cool shrimp in liquid to room temperature, uncovered, about 1 hour. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a plate or bowl and drizzle some of cooking liquid on top...

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bay leaves; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add beef; sauté until cooked, breaking up with back of fork, about 7 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer until picadillo thickens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve picadillo warm...

Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Combine first 8 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Pour custard into cups, dividing equally. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sidesof custard cups. Bake flans until set in center and golden brown on top, about 38 minutes. Remove flans from water. Chill uncovered until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead...

Make sofrito:Purée all sofrito ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Marinate chicken and make stew:Toss chicken with sofrito in a bowl, then marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 hour. Remove chicken from sofrito, shaking off excess, and reserve sofrito...

Cut whole scallion crosswise into 2-inch pieces, then cut lengthwise into thin strips and chill, along with cilantro sprigs, in a bowl of ice and cold water (to crisp and curl) about 1 hour. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately. Add 1/4 cup oil, swirling wok to coat, and heat until it begins to smoke...

At homeFor the mango relish: Place a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and the onion, bell pepper, scallion, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped mango, lime juice, and salt and stir until combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Transfer to sealable container and refrigerate until you are ready to pack, up to 24 hours...

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store at room temperature in an airtight container...

1. Rub both sides of the chops with the dry rub, coating them generously. Place them in a deep baking dish, overlapping if necessary. Stir the citrus juices, vinegar, and garlic together in a bowl until blended. Pour over the chops and massage into them. 2. Marinate the chops at room temperature for up to 1 hour or in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. 3. Pour enough oil into a large, heavy skillet to film the bottom...

Cook half of onion with half of saffron in 1 tablespoon oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in couscous, then add water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes...

Puree 2 cups black beans with eggs in processor until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in remaining beans, 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs, and next 10 ingredients. Shape mixture into ten 1/2-inch-thick patties, using about 1/2 cup mixture for each. Transfer patties to baking sheet. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.) Coat black bean cakes on both sides with remaining breadcrumbs...

Using on/off turns, finely chop garlic and shallots in processor. Add cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice; process until smooth. Add toasted pecans and process until finely chopped. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. (Pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid...

Make chile sauce: Stir together sauce ingredients in a bowl until just combined. Chill, covered. Make spring rolls: Stir together shrimp, cilantro, and salt. Put 1 spring roll wrapper on a work surface with a corner nearest you, keeping remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap. Spread 1/2 cup shrimp mixture across wrapper, 3 inches from bottom corner, to form a 4-inch log, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border at each end...

Using a sharp large heavy knife, cut ends off plantains and slit through peel lengthwise from end to end. Soak in a large bowl filled with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt 5 minutes. (This makes peel easier to remove.) Remove tough outer peel, using a paring knife if necessary, and cut plantains into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cook, covered, in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes...

Rinse rice in a sieve under cold running water 2 to 3 minutes, then drain well. Melt butter in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan over moderately high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, water, cinnamon, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes...

Rinse okra in a colander under hot water. Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes (including juice) and chile and boil, stirring, until tomatoes are softened and liquid is reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes. Add okra and cook, gently stirring, until okra is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper and discard chile...

Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, dredge one third of beef in flour, shaking off excess, then brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl...

Stir first 5 ingredients in small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Finely grind spice mixture in spice grinder; transfer to processor. Add all remaining ingredients except pork; blend until wet paste forms. Place pork in large glass baking dish and coat with paste. Cover; chill overnight. Preheat oven to 400F. Transfer pork coated with paste mixture to rimmed baking sheet...

Whisk first 5 ingredients in bowl. Pierce tenderloins all over with fork. Place tenderloins in large resealable plastic bag; add marinade and seal. Turn bag to distribute marinade evenly. Chill at least 8 hours and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally. Preheat oven to 400F. Remove beef from marinade; pat dry. Place on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper...

Discard stems, seeds, and ribs from 2 chiles and coarsely chop. Coarsely chop remaining chile including seeds (for a less spicy dish, seed half of chile before chopping). Blend chiles with remaining ingredients except chicken in a food processor until a paste forms. Cut several 1-inch-long slits in each piece of chicken, then rub paste all over chicken, rubbing it into slits. Marinate, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours...

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan, knocking out excess flour. Toast and grind coconut: Spread 3 cups coconut in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and toast in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Watch flakes carefully; edges burn quickly...

Finely chop the chiles, dissolve the salt in the lime juice, then stir everything together ...