At dusk, as afternoon relaxes into evening and the sun sinks towards the horizon, there is a magic moment. The workday is finally done, and it’s time for food and drinks with friends.

Dining at Dusk follows the golden hour around the globe—from Samoa, where the sun sets first, through Australia, Japan, India, Europe, Morocco and Brazil, to the USA and Mexico—celebrating the evening with Italian cicchetti, Spanish tapas, Greek mezzes, with tacos, yakitori, ceviche and more.

Simple-to-prepare recipes with roots in local culinary and cultural traditions, each paired with the ideal drink and a thoughtfully curated playlist – this is the perfect cookbook for elegant, laid-back gatherings with friends.

Dining at Dusk showcases a range of contemporary cuisine from around the world for this beautiful time of the day: relaxed, simple, comforting inspiration for food that is the ideal accompaniment to a modern lifestyle.

Dining at Dusk: Evening Eats – Tapas, Antipasti, Mezze, Ceviche and Aperitifs from Around the World is available at Amazon.com an Indigo.ca.

---

Nachos

(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

2 onions
1 garlic clove
4 tbsp olive oil
500 g mince
1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
1 pinch smoked paprika powder (pimentón de la vera)
1 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tin diced tomatoes
Salt
1 red onion
1 spring onion
1 avocado
1-2 tsp vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
About 300 g corn chips
200 g (2 cups) grated cheddar cheese
Jalapeños to taste

 

Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, a chef at the Victory Club in Piedras Negras, Mexico, is believed to have invented “nachos especiales.” At least that’s how he named the dish he first served to a group of Texan women waiting for their food in 1943. It was a small selection of everything he happened to have at hand: corn chips, Wisconsin cheddar and pickled jalapeño chillies.

About 20 years later, in 1964, Sal Manriquez and his wife Margarita came up with the idea to sell broken and leftover corn chips done up with beans, a spicy sauce, jalapeños and cheese, at the annual state fair in Dallas, 400 miles (650 kms) from Piedras Negras.

Their Margarita’s State Fair Nachos were a hit, and Manriquez launched into a big nacho business. In 1975 he applied for a licence for selling nachos in the Arlington baseball stadium but was rejected. However, the stadium started selling its own Ballpark Nachos brand of corn chips with cheese soon after, which became famous all over the US.

*****

Peel and finely dice the onions; peel and mince the garlic. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and cook both until soft, about 4-6 minutes. Add the mince and fry until crumbly. Dust with the two paprika powders and stir in the golden syrup and tomato paste.

Add the diced tomatoes. Refill the empty tin with water and also add. Season with salt and simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 20-25 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Peel and halve the red onion and slice finely. Chop the spring onion into fine rings. Halve the avocado and remove the seed Spoon out the flesh and dice. Marinate the vegetables in vinegar and olive oil and season with salt.

Layer the corn chips with the hot mince sauce, grated cheese and avocado and onion mixture, on a tray lined with baking paper. Briefly heat in the oven for 6-8 minutes. Serve immediately with jalapeño chillies.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Whitecap Books.