At the Table with… Kimberly Morales

Kimberly A. Morales is the Sacramento-based writer and recipe developer behind PoorGirlEatsWell.com. Founded in 2008, the site offers cost-effective cooking tips and Kimberly’s original recipes, including those that pay homage to her Colombian and Salvadorean heritage. Currently residing in Sacramento, California, Kimberly’s work has been featured on CNN and TakePart.com.

In the February 2014 issue of Latina Magazine, Kimberly cooked up recipes for a fun Girls’ Night In party. On the menu are Ahi Poke Ceviche, Paella Flatbread, Yucca Fries with Pique, and a scrumptious rum, pineapple and guava cocktail. Here, the chef and blogger shares her food philosophy, culinary inspirations and favorite restaurants.

Dish you crave from your abuela: 

Her buñuelos! It took years of begging to get the correct recipe from my mom (only I still feel she makes them better than I do). Abuelita’s homemade chorizo ran a very close second to her buñuelos.

Secret ingredient to make a dish pop: 

Cumin and cilantro. I use these in almost everything, regardless of cuisine style. I find the smoky depth of cumin and crisp freshness of cilantro can add just the right amount of je ne sais quoi to a dish.

Favorite Latin restaurant in the U.S.: 

Guaymas (fine dining) in Tiburon, CA; Chando’s Tacos (casual) in Sacramento, CA.

Favorite Latin restaurant in the world:

My mom’s house? Seriously though, I’ve yet to travel enough to answer this one properly, but I can’t wait to do so!

Favorite city to eat in: 

San Francisco

Secret to a perfect dinner party: 

Always have good music playing, especially during prep time. It helps you move faster and keeps you a little more relaxed closer to crunch time.

Biggest food indulgence: 

Anything with ridiculous amounts of cheese. Or chocolate.

Favorite vegetable: 

It’s so much easier to name the vegetables I’m not too fond of, since the list is shorter. I’ll keep it short, though: kale, Brussels sprouts, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes (if we’re not getting all technical about their fruit categorization).

Next, the chef shares her best food memory and her ideal meals…

Best food memory: 

I could write an entire book on all my favorite food memories! I was very blessed to be able to visit Colombia every summer, so a lot of my fondest memories involve visiting my mom’s family’s coffee and sugar plantations, watching my grandma cook different foods, and enjoying tropical fruits I’d never be able to find here in the U.S. (curuba is my favorite!).

But the funniest memory would have to be the time my parents and I had just gotten back from a day at the beach. I’d done some seashell and rock hunting earlier, and had forgotten I had a stash of them in my pocket. That night I was in charge of dinner, and I was in a huge rush to serve my piece de resistance to my dad. He liked to eat on the couch, so I walked over, leaned forward slightly to serve him, and wished him buen provecho. A couple minutes later, I hear a loud howl and expletive in Spanish. “You just served me a ROCK, hijita!” I hadn’t realized some of my beachside treasures had slipped out of my shirt pocket and into my dad’s pasta. How he didn’t break a tooth, I’ll never know. Oops! Sorry, Papa!

Ideal breakfast, lunch and dinner: 

Breakfast: Either an omelette chockfull of veggies and obscene amounts of cheese, or my go-to breakfast-for-dinner: garlicky kale with fried eggs and salsa. Or a big, steaming bowl of Vietnamese pho.

Lunch: My Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas with a large salad and a paleta de limón for dessert.

Dinner: The most exquisite paella I can find, paired with intense Spanish red wines.

Favorite Latin cocktail: 

A well-balanced mojito always hits the spot. My daddy’s fresh homemade margaritas were also amazing, from what I remember. I wish I’d gotten the recipe from him!

Favorite kitchen gadget: 

My 4-sided grater. It looks so innocent, but it can get a lot of kitchen jobs done and doesn’t take up too much space. Bonus: you get a nice arm workout while you grate your cheese.

Perfect song to cook to: 

It depends on my mood and what I’m cooking. I have learned, however, not to queue up any Colombian cumbias until after I’m done preparing the meal; many times meal prep turns into a dance workout and I’m not quite as efficient as I could be in the kitchen.

Most adventurous food you eat: 

I’ll try almost anything once, except for insects (just too creepy crawly for me). Perhaps the most adventurous thing I’ve tried was sesos, or chicken brains. The only way my grandma could get my horrified seven year old self to eat them was by telling me they’d make me smarter. Not sure if it work, but they weren’t half bad.

Favorite fusion: 

I’m a huge fan of all the Korean and Mexican fusion happening right now. The flavors and dishes just seem to work perfectly together. There’s a local restaurant here in Sacramento called Tako that just nails this with their bulgogi tacos and kimchi quesadillas.

Tip for at-home cooks:

Recipes are not law, they are guidelines. I’m sure most Latin cooks will tell you this because that is how we cook: from the heart, not from a specific list. Follow the recipe for its basic components, but don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite ingredients.

On the budget front, shop from your own kitchen before going to the grocery store. A lot of times you’ll buy something and come home to realize you already had that ingredient stashed away in the cupboard. Do a quick inventory before heading to the market and you’ll avoid buying unnecessary duplicates while saving a few bucks. You’d be surprised how many dishes you can create just out of your own cupboards and you’ll gain valuable shelf space for your next shopping trip.