Celebrate the global flavors of the West with these inventive culinary mash-ups
The skin of delicata squash is tender when roasted and very flavorful, so try it along with the flesh.
Recipe: Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pepitas
Chef Andrew Spurgin uses fresh chestnuts when they’re in season in fall and winter. He cuts them in half and boils them quickly to soften, then pops the chestnut flesh out of the shell before roasting.
Chef Shigefumi Tachibe of L.A.'s Chaya Restaurant serves these mashed potatoes topped with crumbled bacon, but our recipe uses fresh shiso leaves for a lighter flavor.
Recipe: Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Thanawat Bates, chef at Denver's The Brown Palace Hotel, uses Japanese sticky rice, but any type of sticky rice will work. You can also use a rice steamer instead of a bamboo one.
Fresh chiles give this slaw a clean flavor and make it a nice, light element in a hearty meal.
This relish is incredibly spicy, but the raw cranberries, cilantro, and chiles add bright freshness. If you’re sensitive to spice, reduce the chiles by half.
Recipe: Spiced Cranberry Relish
While researching a story on Peruvian cooking, we came across tallarín saltado, a popular fusion dish that combines Asian stir-fry techniques with beef, fresh tomatoes, Asian chili sauce, and Italian spaghetti. It was a hit here at Sunset: It's fast and easy, and you can substitute other meats, vegetables, or different kinds of pasta.
Recipe: Beef with Tomatoes, Pasta, and Chili Sauce
The spicy flavor of kimchi makes it a natural filling for quesadillas and a good contrast with mild, buttery avocado. You could also add grilled chicken or shrimp.
Recipe: Kimchi and Avocado Quesadillas
Here we've fused classic Japanese flavors like ponzu and wasabi with Mexican-style tacos.
Recipe: Japanese Fish Tacos
The cream cheese and salmon in these wraps make for a decadent breakfast that's a play on bagels and lox, burrito-style. If you're in the mood for meat, you could easily substitute bacon or sausage for the fish.
Recipe: Smoked Salmon Breakfast Burrito
Like a turkey club, only lighter and fresher. To turn these rolls into a fun party appetizer, set out the fillings and a metal bowl of warm (about 100°) water, and let your guests roll their own.
Thai-flavors abound in this unusual twist on a chicken salad that adds strawberries for a bit of sweetness. The secret ingredient? Fish sauce. It provides a savory, salty element that unites the herbs and fruit without tasting a bit "fishy."
Adding chipotle chiles and corn give classic mashed potatoes a fun, spicy, Mexican spin.
Recipe: Chipotle-Corn Mashed Potatoes
Although galettes are French in origin, we've filled this galette with Spanish favorites like chorizo, red peppers, and manchego cheese for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
Recipe: Chorizo, Red Pepper, and Potato Galette with Arugula
A messy sandwich, but it's a treat. Warm Moroccan spices mix with sweet onions to give leftover turkey a fresh spin. Try it with a glass of Gewürztraminer.
Recipe: Turkey Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Charmoula Mayo
Combine two Indian classics–tandoori chicken and naan–in a flavorful twist on a chicken sandwich topped with mint, cilantro, onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Recipe: Tandoori Naan Chicken Sandwiches
We love our guacamole here in the West and we especially love this Asian-inspired spin that's loosely based on a recipe from Hawaiian chef Alan Wong. Serve it with daikon sticks, radishes, or taro chips.
Recipe: Sake Soy Guacamole
Fuse classic, buttery English shortbread cookies with the rich, deep flavors of Indian chai and you've got a cookie that all your friends will be wanting the recipe for.
Recipe: Chai-Spiced Shortbread Cookies
We've taken classic salad niçoise flavors like olives, green beans, and onions and added them to classic American potato salad for a fresh spin on the picnic favorite.
Recipe: Potato Salad Niçoise
If you've tried horchata, that creamy, ultra-refreshing rice drink served at taquerias, just imagine it with an Indian spin, and you've got the cooler served at All Spice in San Mateo, California (allspicerestaurant.com; they also add a saffron thread or two to each glass, and sometimes, a splash of half-and-half). For classic Mexican horchata, just use regular white rice and 2 cinnamon sticks, and omit the cardamom.
Recipe: Indian Horchata