Trilogia Restaurante, Cali, Colombia

If you follow along on Instagram, you saw some great photos from our trip to Colombia this past Summer. But you may not have realized that we wound up shooting an episode there! We were surprised too! Here’s how it happened.

Chef Harold Torres grew up with my husband’s uncle and remembered the family. So when he found out that we would be in the area he invited us for dinner at his restaurant Trilogia. It was easily one of the best meals of the whole trip! And by far and away the best chicharron I had! And that was just the appetizer! After our meal, Chef invited us into the kitchen to show us another dish and asked if we wanted to film! We hadn’t planned on shooting in a restaurant, but we DID have the Go-Pro with us! (whew!). So we put together an episode - that unfortunately doesn’t really do Chef or his restaurant justice. Le sigh, guess we’ll just have to go back! Right?

Not only is Chef an amazing cook, he’s a big personality! Working on his own online show called Salsa y Sabor, he turns his restaurant into a salsa club at night! Showcasing the things that Cali is most famous for - salsa dancing and delicious food! Above all else, he’s an advocate for his city, his country and his cuisine. And those are my kind of people!

Since I’ve been back from Colombia, the question I get the most often is whether or not I felt safe. I have to tell you all - YES! This is no longer Pablo Escobar’s Colombia. It belongs to the people now. Crime and drugs are, of course, still present, as they are in New York, or any where, but you have to seek them out. Instead, I found a people proud of their country and their culture and excited to show the world what they REALLY have to offer! Art, music, food and tourism are what Colombia is showcasing these day; Chef Harold is only one example. I highly recommend a trip there. But in the meantime, check out the video and try making the dish at home (I gave some easier to locate American substitutes) to give yourself a little “sabor” of Colombia!

Longaniza Clavado
Serves 4

Soffrito
1/4 C. (60 mL) vegetable oil
1/3 C. (30g) scallions, finely chopped
1/3 C. (30g) onion, finely chopped
2/3C. (45g) re bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 C. (60g) annatto

For the Clavado
1/4 C. (60mL) fish stock
1/4 C. (60mL) coconut milk
3 Tbs. Costeño cheese (or use cojito or mozzarella, diced)
1/2 C. (60-80g) ground longaniza meat (or use sausage or chorizo meat)
1 link longaniza (or chorizo or sausage) for serving, sliced

1 C. (150g) cooked rice (cooked with annatto for yellow color)

Slice the longaniza, and cook the slices in a pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add fish stock and soffrito. Once bubbling, add in coconut milk. Stir to combine and return to a simmer.

Add in ground sausage meat and cook through. Add in rice and cheese. Stir until everything is mixed well and heated through.

Divide the rice among 4 plates. Top each with a slice or two of longaniza. Serve warm.