Worcester's flavours from Mexico and South America

MEXICAN

The UK's love affair with all things Mexican endures, with mouth-watering mezcal and taste bud tickling tacos now firm favourites on high street menus.

Chesters Bar and Restaurant on New Street is a favourite Worcester spot for Mexican food. Their traditional and contemporary inspired menus are extensive, and they also offer the option for many of the dishes to be veganised, so it’s win-win.

Chesters also boasts a very large selection of tequilas and some great traditional cocktails.

SOUTH AMERICAN

SOUTH AMERICAN FOOD IS NOW FIRMLY ON OUR RADAR AND THE CUISINE IS AS RICH AND AS DIVERSE AS THE CONTINENT ITSELF, WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY

Bodega on Foregate Street is a contemporary cantina, bringing you the best of south American food and drinks.

Stuart Harrington, Bodega's Group Development Chef shares with us his love for South American cooking.

“My favourite South American Dish is the Brazilian Moquecha, a slow cooked fish stew packed with exotic spices like Mahi Mahi. The moqueca epitomises the flavours of the Amazon and is a staple dish that we serve, though of course with our own Bodega ‘twist’.

"I have family who have lived in Peru for 25 years and constantly talk about this amazing food. In a nutshell, what makes it so special is flavour. Every region has its own twist on the same dish, but they still deliver those fantastic flavours with a real punch. And there are so many delicious ingredients to use; coconut, chillies of all different shapes and sizes and spice, mango, coriander, exotic fish, avocado, yuca or plantain, and corn, which makes the most amazing bread called arepas.

When cooking South American cuisine, you need one thing... patience. It is a bit like the culture; relaxed, chilled, no rush, and the end product is worth the wait. Lot of ‘low and slow’ cooking, using clay pots over a naked flame. It’s almost like being in the Amazon with a naked fire and a pot in the middle of the most tranquil surroundings. If you close your eyes for a minute and smell the flavours, you can almost believe you’re there...

An ideal dish to try at home is the Peruvian Seco De Pollo; a hearty chicken stew with chilli, vegetables and chimichurri. Comfort food that’s and not too difficult as a for a first time cook. The more advanced cook could try the Brazilian Xim Xim; a chicken and shrimp casserole with peanuts, coconut cream and ginger for that added ZING.

Best advice I can give? Have a go, enjoy and don’t worry if it didn’t go right or wasn’t as good as the meal you had at Bodega!”