The Encebollado Keeper

Manuel Andrade

Manuel grew up in a Guayaquil household where Saturday mornings meant a steaming pot of encebollado bought from the corner hueca before anyone was fully awake. He came to Madrid in the late 1990s, eventually settling in Murcia among its large Ecuadorian community, where he cooks the coastal and highland food of home for friends who miss it. He is a port-city cook at heart: tomato, onion, lime and cilantro are his compass, and he believes a good broth forgives a hard week.

EcuadorianLatin AmericanCoastal

Voice · warm, homey, nostalgic, generous, coastal

Signature Dishes

The essential curation of Manuel's favorites.

40 MIN

Pinto Bean and Smoked Paprika Dip with Lime and Cilantro

A creamy, smoky pinto bean dip with warm cumin, bright lime acidity, and fresh cilantro — perfect for scooping with tortilla or crusty bread.

20 MIN

Fennel and Scallop Ceviche with Coconut Milk and Lime

A bright, coastal ceviche where tender scallops meld with crunchy shaved fennel in a silky lime and coconut milk marinade, finished with a quick pickled red onion and fresh cilantro.

20 MIN

Shrimp and Cod Ceviche with Yellow Onion and Cilantro

A bright, coastal ceviche where fresh shrimp and cod gently cure in zesty lime juice, tossed with crunchy yellow onion, ripe tomato and fragrant cilantro. Manuel's version keeps it clean and bright—no cream, no heavy notes—just the sea, citrus and herbs.

38 MIN

Shrimp and Corn Fritters with Lime Cilantro Dip

Golden shrimp and corn fritters with a bright, tangy lime-cilantro dipping sauce inspired by Ecuadorian coastal flavors.

30 MIN

Cumin-Crusted Cod Bites with Smoked Paprika and Lime on Tortilla

Tender cod pieces coated in a fragrant cumin and smoked paprika crust, pan-seared until golden and served nestled in warm tortillas with a bright squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro. Manuel's coastal soul in every bite.

55 MIN

Crispy Cod and Lentil Fritters with Lime-Cilantro Crema

Golden, crispy fritters made with flaked cod and tender lentils, seasoned with cumin and garlic, served with a bright lime-cilantro crema. A satisfying coastal-Latin bite.

60 MIN

Pumpkin Rice Pudding with Maple and Cinnamon

A comforting coastal-continental fusion dessert where creamy arborio rice meets roasted pumpkin, warm spices and a golden drizzle of maple. Manuel would approve of this homey, bright approach.

47 MIN

Coconut Lime Cornmeal Cake

A tender, golden cake made with coconut oil and bright lime, finished with a simple lime glaze. The kind of cake that fills the kitchen with warmth and makes everyone feel at home.

25 MIN

Honey Cantaloupe Soup with Mint and Lime

A bright, chilled summer soup that captures the best of coastal Ecuadorian flavors—ripe cantaloupe pureed with honey, fresh mint, and a generous squeeze of lime. Serve icy cold as an appetizer or light lunch on a warm day.

45 MIN

Yellow Onion and Tomato Tostada with Cod

A coastal Ecuadorian-inspired tostada topped with a slow-cooked tomato-onion refrito and golden-seared cod, finished with fresh cilantro and a bright squeeze of lime.

45 MIN

Sweet Corn and Cilantro Risotto

A creamy Ecuadorian-inspired risotto bursting with sweet corn and bright cilantro, finished with a squeeze of lime and nutty parmesan. Warm, coastal, and nostalgic.

40 MIN

Garlic Shrimp Picante over White Rice

A vibrant Ecuadorian-style shrimp dish bathed in a spicy tomato-onion sauce with garlic and cumin, served over fluffy white rice with a generous squeeze of lime.

45 MIN

Zucchini and Tomato Crujiente with Lime

Crispy baked zucchini and tomato rounds seasoned with cumin and garlic, finished with a bright squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro. A warm, coastal-style side that brings brightness to any table.

20 MIN

Pickled Scallion and Tomato Salad with Lime

A bright coastal Ecuadorian-inspired salad where tender pickled scallions meet juicy ripe tomatoes, finished with a generous squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro. Simple, vibrant, and full of the flavors Manuel grew up with.

50 MIN

Ecuadorian White Bean and Cod Stew

A warming coastal Ecuadorian stew with tender white beans and flaky cod swimming in a fragrant tomato-onion broth brightened with fresh cilantro and lime.

50 MIN

Cumin-Spiced Lentil Soup with Fresh Tomato

A warming Ecuadorian-inspired lentil soup where slow-cooked tomatoes and cumin create a rich, golden broth — finished with fresh cilantro and a bright squeeze of lime, just as Manuel would make it.

40 MIN

Coastal Corn and Shrimp Chowder

A bright Ecuadorian-style coastal chowder with slow-cooked tomato-onion broth, sweet corn and plump shrimp, finished with fresh lime and cilantro. Lighter than a traditional cream chowder but just as comforting.

45 MIN

Shrimp and Sweet Potato Locro with Fresh Cilantro

A warming Ecuadorian locro stew loaded with tender sweet potatoes and plump shrimp in a rich tomato-onion broth, brightened with lime and finished with fresh cilantro.

45 MIN

Cilantro-Lime Rice with Black Beans

A bright, fragrant rice dish with perfectly seasoned black beans, finished with fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime. The kind of dish that makes any table feel like home.

45 MIN

Shrimp Ceviche Chaleado

A beloved coastal Ecuadorian ceviche where plump shrimp are briefly blanched in hot ají broth then finished in bright lime juice. The result is tender, warmly spiced, and kissed with citrus. Manuel serves it with white rice and a final handful of cilantro.

50 MIN

Arroz con Lentejas y Aromas

A hearty Ecuadorian rice and lentil dish cooked in a fragrant tomato-onion broth with cumin and fresh cilantro, finished with a squeeze of lime.

45 MIN

Abundancia Shrimp Soup with Tomato and Rice

A generous coastal Ecuadorian shrimp soup with a bright tomato broth, slow-simmered onions and garlic, tender rice, and a final squeeze of lime that makes the whole pot come alive.

35 MIN

Lime-Cured Cod Ceviche with Corn and Red Onion

Cod sits in lime juice long enough to firm up and turn opaque at the edges, the acid doing the quiet work of curing while the flesh stays silky at the center. Yellow onion sliced thin and corn kernels add crunch and sweetness against the brightness of the lime. Cilantro is the last thing on — always the last thing on.

45 MIN

Cod and Potato Stew with Cumin

Tomato and yellow onion build a broth that smells like home before the cod even goes in, and cumin adds a low warmth that you feel more than taste. Potato absorbs the liquid as it softens, turning the stew into something substantial and satisfying. The fish stays tender — you never want to overcook it, just let it finish quietly in the heat.

60 MIN

Pork and Hominy-Corn Stew with Lime

Pork loin braises slowly with yellow onion, tomato, and cumin until the meat gives way and the corn has soaked up the warmth of the broth around it. A squeeze of lime at the end does what it always does — it lifts the whole pot and makes the flavors suddenly clear. This is the kind of stew that gets started in the morning and rewarded in the evening.

18 MIN

Garlic Shrimp with Avocado and Lime

Shrimp cook fast in fragrant garlic until just curled and golden, then come off the heat before they go rubbery — timing is everything. Creamy avocado goes alongside to cool the warmth of the garlic, and lime ties it all together with the acidity the dish needs. Cilantro finishes it; no plate from this kitchen leaves without it.

20 MIN

Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche with Tomato and Red Onion

Shrimp cure in lime juice until they are just firm, then get tossed with thin-sliced yellow onion, ripe tomato, and enough cilantro to turn the whole bowl green-flecked and fragrant. This is ceviche the way the coast makes it — not too fussy, not too refined, just bright and cold and alive with acidity. Eat it quickly, before the lime takes it too far.

45 MIN

Lime-Braised Chicken with Pickled Onions

Chicken thighs go into the pan with onion and tomato that cook down into a tart, jammy braising liquid built around a generous pour of lime juice. The onion softens but retains enough acidity to cut the richness of the meat, and cilantro stirred in at the end adds a freshness the broth needs. This one gets better if you let it sit for ten minutes before serving.

50 MIN

Encebollado: Cod in Tomato-Lime Broth

This is the soup Manuel grew up walking toward on Saturday mornings — cod poached in a cumin-warmed broth of tomato and onion, finished with lime juice and cilantro that brighten the whole bowl right before it reaches the table. The onion softens until it is almost sweet, and the broth carries all of it without being heavy. A good broth forgives a hard week.

50 MIN

Coastal Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Garlic and onion go in first, then potato and corn that bring sweetness and bite to the pot, and finally shrimp that cook through in just a few minutes in the fragrant broth. The corn bleeds a milky sweetness into the liquid that thickens it naturally as everything simmers. Cilantro scattered over the top at serving is non-negotiable.

From the Pantry

Signature staples

cilantrolimeyellow-onioncumintomatocod

Favorite tools

StockPotChefKnifeLadleWoodenSpoon

Reaches for

yellow-oniontomatolimecilantrocodshrimpgarlicwhite-ricelentils

Steers clear of

heavy-creambuttersoy-saucesaffron

Flavor Profile

The Loves

bright lime acidityslow-cooked onion sweetnessfresh cilantrocumin warmthtomato-rich broths

The Defaults

a tomato-onion refrito basea final squeeze of limecilantro stirred in off the heat

The Avoids

bland under-seasoned brothover-fried heavinessskimping on the limedrowning fish in heavy cream