I grew up in Cuba with a consuming curiosity about Latin America. Then I came to Miami, met other Spanish speakers from around the world and saw that food, like language, bonded us together. It was a revelation. Like Miami, Zafra the restaurant I opened in Hoboken, New Jersey, with Cuba-born Clara Chaumont is a Latin microcosm, with dishes from all over South and Central America as well as the Hispanic Caribbean.

At Zafra we are particularly fanatical about sauces. We use classic salsas from Mexico; aromatic pebres and chimichurris from Chile, Uruguay and Argentina; puckery mojos from the Hispanic Caribbean; and creamy nut and milk sauces from the Andes. We also create our own sauces by blending ingredients from different regions in an enlightened pan-American spirit. The recipes that follow allow you to round out any dish by adjusting flavor at the table, just as people do throughout Latin America.

• Ecuadoran Peanut Sauce
• Zafra's Salsa Verde
• Hot Chilean Salsa
• Grilled Skirt Steak with Hot Chilean Salsa
• Cuban Mojo
• Grilled-Vegetable Salad with Cuban Mojo
• Passion Fruit and Ginger Sauce
• Passion Fruit and Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin
• Brown Sugar Syrup

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice with the onion, cilantro and jalapeño and stir to blend gradually. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until thoroughly combined. Season the salsa verde with salt and pepper and serve.