SEPTEMBER 2019 111
My meal at The Sportsman in
the windswept village of
Seasalter started off on the
wrong foot, and it was all my
fault. I had recorded my reser-
vation time wrong and was late
for the tasting seating.
However, the staff could not
have been more gracious and
generous and quickly helped
me navigate their à la carte
menu to give me the fullest
experience possible, knowing
there was limited time and I
had traveled far for this lunch.
What followed was a PhD-
level crash course in simplicity:
scallops warmed in seaweed
butter; a roasted rump of lamb
(from the pastures outside the
restaurant) with mint jelly;
perfectly cooked sole, alone on
a plate, slathered with smoked-
salt-and-chile butter. (Get the
recipe for Sole with Smoky
Chile Butter on p. 120). There
was nothing trendy about the
food, the plating, or the room.
Instead it was a welcome
reminder that deliciousness
always trumps aesthetics, and
that the best dishes are often
simply the summation of the
best ingredients, unadulter-
ated, treated with the utmost
precision and care. —Brady
Williams, executive chef of
Canlis in Seattle and a 2018
F&W Best New ChefSEASALTER, ENGLAND
A REMINDER
OF WHAT
MATTERS MOST
I WAS ON A TRIP to cacao farms in the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala, a cool and
humid region in the highlands, visiting the farm of a Q’eqchi’ Maya farmer named
Pedro Pa Beb in El Faisán, a small but prosperous village. It had been raining all after-
noon. We walked to the cacao processing facilities of the local cooperative to see recent
improvements in cacao fermentation and were called into a little office of sorts for
something to eat. A wonderful, warming scent greeted us: Pedro’s wife had prepared
chicken kak-ik and fresh, thick tortillas.
Kak-ik is the iconic stew of the Q’eqchi’ of Alta Verapaz. Served to special guests
at marriages and other rites of passage and special occasions, it is usually made with
turkey and seasoned at the table with a mix of tiny chiles called cobanero or ululte
(pronounced ulh-téh) and cacao stirred into the broth to taste. The dish owes its Maya
name kak-ik to its rich brick red color, kak, and the Maya word for pepper or spice,
ik. A chocolate drink called batido or simply “cacao” always accompanies the kak-ik.
Aromatic and sweet with noticeable bits of cacao and spices, it is addictive; strangely,
exactly what one needs to sip between spoonfuls of the rich stew.
The office was outfitted with one long table. We sat down just as the sun set. There
were no lights, so we ate the stew in total darkness with no spoons, sipping the rich
broth straight from the bowl, and tearing the chicken with our hands or with pieces
of tortilla. The chile and cacao mix had been added to the broth in the kitchen and
its smoky heat brought all flavors into perfect harmony. I ate hungrily, and I knew
then that I would compose my own version. I’m happy to share it with you. —Maricel
Presilla, chef-owner of Cucharamama and Zafra in Hoboken, New Jersey, and author
of Gran Cocina Latina
SUPPER IN
THE CACAO
FIELDS
EL FAISÁN, GUATEMALA
2 Tbsp. pequín chiles or cobanero
chiles (about^1 / 4 oz.)(^1) / (^2) cup cacao nibs (about 2 (^1) / (^2) oz.)
(^1) / 2 tsp. kosher salt or fine sea salt,
plus more to taste
(^1) / (^4) tsp. hot or sweet smoked
Pimentón de la Vera (optional)
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over
medium-high. Add chiles; cook, stirring
constantly, until slightly toasted, about
15 seconds. Transfer to a large plate.
Add cacao nibs to skillet; cook, stirring
often, until darkened and fragrant,
about 1 minute. Transfer to plate with
chiles; sprinkle with salt and, if desired,
smoked Pimentón. Let cool 20 min-
utes. Working in 3 batches, process
chile mixture in a spice grinder until
finely ground, about 10 seconds. (Do
not over-process or the cacao will start
to melt and become sticky.) Transfer to
an airtight container, and store in a cool
place up to 2 months.
Chile-Cacao Spice Mix
ACTIVE 10 MIN; TOTAL 30 MIN
MAKES ABOUT^2 / 3 CUP
Slightly hotter than cayenne peppers,
pequín chiles have a citrusy, smoky fla-
vor that complements the bitter cacao
nibs in this condiment for seasoning
kak-ik. See p. 118 for the recipe for
Mayan Pepita-Chicken Stew.