Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 1 of 82)

INDIAN-STYLE LENTILS

September 8, 2025 / / 0 Comments

If you like Indian food, you’ll love this recipe. I grew up on Nuyorican food but, when I reached my young manhood, I started scouting around in order to discover other cuisines. In this endeavor, Indian food became one of my favorites. And to this day, I still love the spices and norms it provides.  One memorable recipe is Indian-Style Lentils.  I consider it a supplement to that Nuyorican stand-by, Arroz con Habichuelas, or Rice and Beans. Like the Puerto Rican namesake, it’s simple, filling and delicious. So, today, amaze family and friends with this one. It will not disappoint. As noted, the accompaniment to this dish is plain white rice (or brown rice if that’s your preference).  You can also serve it with couscous, quinoa or millet. On the pasta sider, you can try it with orzo.

INSIAN-STYLE LENTILS

Ingredients:

2 cups dried lentils
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 slices (½-inch thick) fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 lemon, sliced into 6 rounds (about 1/8-inch thick), seeds removed

  1. Wash and drain lentils under cold running water.
  2. In a large pot or Durch oven, combine lentils, water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Then cover, lower heat and simmer gently until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
  3. While lentils are cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet or frypan over medium-high heat. Add crushed cumin seeds and cook, stirring, about 1 minute until lightly browned and fragrant. Add to lentils along with salt, pepper and lemon. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice or other (see above).
    Yield: 4 servings.

SALMÓN EMPANADO (Breaded Salmon Steak)

September 2, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our family, we love fresh salmon whether it’s broiled, baked, or sautéed. To us, It’s one of life’s great culinary pleasures. Today’s recipe is one of the easiest ways to prepare this great seafood It’s simply breaded salmon steak. Now, salmon is often cooked as is in a butter-wine sauce but, in our crowd, we like the crunchy edge the breadcrumbs bring.

Let me add that this recipe can be prepared two ways: broiled or sautéed on the stovetop. Since it’s summer and it was a fairly hot day when we prepared the dish, we decided to cook it on the stove. Also, for the teetotalers among us, you will note that the recipe contains rum in the breadcrumb mixture, and we add wine while cooking on the stove. Do not be troubled. You will not be affected by the alcohol. You will not get a buzz. The alcohol content dissipates in the cooking.  All that remains is the flavor. So, don’t worry about Uncle Harry getting tipsy and pinching everyone’s bottom.

Final note: this recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, which is in its third printing. Enjoy the meal.

SALMÓN EMPANADO
(Breaded Salmin Steak)

Ingredients:

4 salmon steaks, about ½-inch thick
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Puerto Rican rum (white or gold)
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup dry white wine

Instructions:

  1. Rinse salmon steaks and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Brush both sides of steaks with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. In a small bowl, combine butter, salt, pepper, garlic, rum and breadcrumbs.
  4. Coat both sides of salmon with breadcrumb mixture.
  5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or frypan.
  6. Add salmon and cook 3 minutes on medium-high heat. Then carefully turn over and cook 3 minutes on other side.
  7. Add wine, lower heat to medium, cover and cook 5 minutes more.
    Yield: 4 servings.

FUSION PICADILLO

August 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I call this dish “Fusion Picadillo.” Why? Because it’s a novel take on Picadillo (pronounce “peekahdeeyo”). One of the most popular dishes in Puerto Rican cuisine. It was, and is, fairly inexpensive, delicious and satisfying. If you wanted to feed the family back on the island, or in Spanish Harlem in New York city, it was the go-to dish. The recipe today is a variation on traditional  picadillo (see post of 03/12/16). As in the original recipe, it incudes ground beef and the usual Nuyorican seasoning. But we add canned cream of mushroom soup rather than tomato sauce or anything else. The ingredients are minimal, but the result is outstanding.

In terms of the meat, back on the block we used ground chuck or ground round. Now, if you want to use a finer cut like sirloin, go right ahead. For those who want to replace the beef, you can substitute ground turkey, or even ground chicken.

I know there are purists out there who would never consider adding canned cream of mushroom soup to a dish. What can I say? I can hear them crying out, “Sacre Bleu” (“My Goodness!” or “Heaven Forbid!” in English). Linguistics aside, consider that this recipe is easy, delicious and comforting to the tummy. So, why fret? Just try it out. With rice, couscous, pasta, or whatever side dish you prefer, this meal will be a winner for you, family and friends.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon dill
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in large skillet or frypan.
  2. Add beef and cook on high heat until meat loses its red color
  3. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and garlic, and sauté until until onion is soft and meat is brown (about 3 minutes).
  4. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and dill.
  5. Add cream of mushroom soup and stir to combine. Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with favorite grain or a good loaf of bread.
    Yield: 4 servings.

SPINACH, SALMON AND AVOCADO SALAD

August 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

Mid-summer is the perfect time for a nice, cool salad. You know what I mean. Even with A/C, the idea of slaving over a stove is a non-starter.  So, here today we have a nice salad just right for the occasion. With regard to making salads, I’ve grown fond of spinach. Yet in the recipe given any choice green will do, be it romaine lettuce, arugula, loose leaf, mesclun or even iceberg. Use what’s available and what suits you best. In this rendition, we add salmon. Mainly smoked salmon. This usually comes in either a 4 or 6-ounce package. Again, go with what you’ve got.  Note that hot-smoked salmon is fully cooked and ready to use as is.

The other thing to consider for this recipe is avocados. When the avocado arrives at the store, usually it’s hard as a rock. Or if left outride for a while, it gets mushy. So, how do you know when the sucker is ripe for consumption? Simple, pick up the fruit and gently squeeze on its surface. You should feel a slight give on the peel. Also, the color of the skin should be a dark green.  If it’s too soft, pass it.

Also, for this recipe I use regular tender young spinach. Some chefs dictate that baby spinach is best for salads and regular spinach is best for cooking. I’m practical, I use what I have on hand. If you prefer baby spinach, go for it. If you have regular spinach, then use that. To me, once sprinkled with the vinaigrette, there’s no difference in the flavor profile.

Ingredients:

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces spinach (regular or baby spinach)
4 smoke salmon fillets (4 or 6 ounce each)
2 medium sized avocados, peeled and sliced lengthwise about ½-inch thick

Instructions:

  1. First thing is boiling the eggs. I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is: Place eggs in a small saucepan or pot, fill with cold water to cover by 1-2 inches. Then bring the water to a rolling boil on high heat. Once it starts boiling, cover pot, remove from heat and let sit for 14 minutes. Some say just 12 minutes. My experience is that I want them truly hard-boiled eggs with a tender yolk and a firm white skin. Thus, I let them stand a bit longer. Peel eggs, cut into halves, and garnish salad when ready.
  2. In a bowl or cup, mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. This is known as a vinaigrette.  Set aside until ready to use
  3. Remove stems from spinach. Place under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Rinse salmon fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each fillet lengthwise into ¼ to ½ inch slices.
  5.  Arrange spinach on a serving platter or salad bowl. Adorn with alternate rows of salmon slices and avocado. Garnish eggs in center of dish. Drizzle olive-oil vinaigrette over spinach and serve
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH WINE

August 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I discovered the art of steaming food back in my young manhood when my social circle and love of a good meal expanded. A prime influence was my dear friend, Edward Hor. Yes, that was his name, Hor, pronounced “Whore.” It’s interesting to note that the younger generation in his family all changed their names to Ho. But Eddie, rebel that he was, never changed his name. It was a sense of pride. He was born with the name, and that’s the way it was. Besides being a raconteur, lover of women, and all-round good guy, he was also a great cook, one of his many talents. My fascination and love of Asian cuisine came from Eddie. He was eclectic and innovative. Whether it was Japanese or Thai, or Korean cooking, he was a dedicated exponent of good cuisine. It was from him that I learned about steeming foods. And it has been a longtime passion ever since.

Thus, I’m always on the lookout for a good, steamed dish, especially chicken. Full disclosure, I’ve posted steamed chicken recipes in the past, If interested, you can check my steamed chicken posts of 06/04/10 and 10/03/18. These are classical Asian steamed recipes with varied ingredients inclusive of such standbys as soy sauce and sesame oil. Today’s recipe is much simpler with just a few ingredients (salt, scallions, ginger, sherry wine). It’s easy to prepare in a wok or steamer. If you don’t have either, you can improvise:  place chicken, cut up, on a plate, put plate atop a small 8-ounce can inside a large pot or Dutch oven; pour two cups water inside pot, bring to a boil, cover and steam the chicken. As they say, easy as pie.  The accompaniment to this dish is, you guessed it, rice.  But you can substitute couscous, quinoa or your favorite pasta, be string like spaghetti or linguine, or shells like penne or macaroni.  You’re in charge, my friends.

Not that the recipe calls for a for dry sherry. If desired, you can substitute any dry whiter wine like Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc or even a semi-sweet wine such as Riesling.

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH WINE

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 1½-2-pounds)
Salt to taste
2 scallions, white part only
4 slices ginger (do not peel)
½ cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons hot olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Rinse chicken under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Rub chicken inside and out with salt. Cut into bite-sized pieces—except for the drumsticks which you can leave whole, if desired.
  3. Arrange on a plate, preferably breasts side up.
  4. Spread scallions and ginger on top. Then pour sherry over chicken.
  5. Place in streamer and steam over boiling water for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is tender.
  6. Heat olive oil in microwave or on stovetop in a small pan, and drizzle over chicken. This will sizzle the chicken, and that’s what you want for greater flavor.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

LAMB CURRY

August 8, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Despite what you may think, this dish is simplicity itself. Some call it Curried lamb, some just say, “Lamb Curry.” Whatever name you give it, you can’t go wrong. In the Barrio on 110th Street we would experiment with lamb by adding curry powder to it. My father and I like it spicy so we would use 1 to 2 tablespoons of curry, depending upon how hot we liked it. My mom would use perhaps a teaspoon. She liked her curry dishes mild. That’s the beauty of this recipe; you prepare it according to your taste.

Actually, this recipe is a variation on the classic lamb stew, Caldo de Cordero, we prepared back in Harlem, and which is featured prominently in in the lamb section in my first cookbook: Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Running Press). As noted, only difference is that we add curry to it.

To this day, we normally serve this dish with pasta or rice. As our circumstances and palate have grown, we paired it with other grains, such as couscous or quinoa. A couple of times we’ve paired it with kasha (whole wheat groats) and it still comes out good. You’re never limited by a good, delectable recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into ½-inch chunks
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil (some prefer a mix of olive oil and butter)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth, or more as needed
2 carrots, washed (do not peel), sliced about ½-inch thick or more

Instruction:

  1. Wash lamb under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
  3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
  4. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste. Cook and stir until golden in color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Whisk in chicken broth. Cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes more. If needed, add more broth to reach desired consistency,
  6. Add 2 tablespoon curry powder (or to taste). Stir to combine.
  7. Add lamb, cover, reduce heat and cook until lamb is tender, about 15-20 minutes. I’ve seen recipes where they say cook lamb for 1 hour or more. My experience has been that lamb cooks pretty fast if cut into ¼ to ½-inch cubes. You don’t need to cook it an hour or more. Just use common sense.
  8. Stir in carrots, cover and cook for 8 minutes more. Serve with lamb over favored grain or pasta.
    Yield: 6 servings or more

 

DILL BRAISED PORK CHOPS

August 5, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Back in the olden days in Spanish Harlem, fried and braised pork chops were an old standby. Pork chops were cheap then and served with rice or potatoes they made for a delicious and economical meal. With fried pork chops we did it too ways: either seasoned and then fried in olive oil, or sometimes, we dredge them in seasoned flour and then fired in butter. It all depended on how we felt and the time requirements.

And then, pretty often we have Dill Braised Pork Chops. Though, sometimes, we might try other herbs such as fresh sage or cilantro, for some reason, dill was the favorite way of braising pork chops. The braising liquid was either red wine or red wine vinegar, interchangeable in our world. Some preferred just plain red wine, but often it was red wine vinegar that won the day.

So, go for this easy to prepare and, yes, delectable recipe. You won’t be disappointed.

DILL BRAISED PORK CHOPS

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless, center cut about 1½ to 2-inch thick
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped or ¼ teaspoon dried
3 teaspoons olive oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Have pork chops prepared. That is, rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Then season generously on both sides with salt, pepper and oregano.
  2. Heat oil and butter in a heavy duty pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Add chops and cook about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chops. They should be well seared and golden
  3. Add dill and wine vinegar. Stir to mix, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or even longer depending on desired tenderness. Serve with favorite side dish or grain.
    Yield: 4 servings.

ASIAN BROCCOLI

July 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I call this recipe “Asian Broccoli” simply because it’s broccoli in a white sauce, to which we add soy sauce and sesame oil.  Nothing could be more satisfying. Apart from the aforementioned soy sauce and sesame oil, I also included onion and garlic to give the sauce more heft. Keeping the Asian theme in mind, I served it with Lo Mein noodles. The dish came out great! If desired, you can substitute any string pasta such as spaghetti, linguini, capellini or angel hair for the Lo Mein noodles. Whatever accompaniment you use, you have a simple yet sumptuous meal to please any palate—even finicky kids who “hate broccoli.”

ASIAN BROCCOLI

Ingredients:

I packager (12oz. to 1 pound) Lo Mein Noodles
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
1 cup milk (can use whole milk or 2% fat milk)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 head broccoli (about 9 oz.) with florets and stems cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions:

  1. First, you boil the Lo Mein noodles. However, there are two types: Pre-cooked and Uncooked. With uncooked Lo Main noodles, you rinsed them in a colander and then boil them for 3 minutes in boiling water. It’s best to cook them until they are al dente, meaning they are cooked through but still have a slight firmness. With pre-cooked, I still boil them for a minute or so. Thal’s just my thing. Some folks just run them under warm water before cooking. Use what suits you best. Drain in a colander, set aside and keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper and oregano, Stir until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil and cook about 1 minute more.
  4. Add broccoli stems and cook for 2 minutes. Add the florets and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste to determine if it’s tender enough. It might need a little more cooking time. You decide, especially when you see that bright green color capture your imagination. Serve over Lio Mein noodles.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

ENSALADA DE GARBANZOS (Chick Pea Salad)

July 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

Garbanzos, or chickpeas are a common staple in our cuisine. Island born Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans alike love the suckers. It’s a popular dish served with rice. But we also do it in salads. Which is convenient for this time of year when the temps are way up there and so is the humidity. Full disclosure: I posted a Chick Pea Salad recipe back in a post of 09/04/15. It was a good enough dish, and it had a multitude of ingredients, such as the common herbs, salt, pepper etc., but also such ingredients as onion, parsley, tomatoes, hard boil eggs, scallions and black olive paste. It had a profusion of stuff.

The following recipe, Ensalada de Garbanzos, is a simpler version of chickpea salad. A minimum of ingredients, but the flavor profile is the same: delicious! No stovetop cooking required. A typical, easy summer salad you can whip up in no time. Perfect for these dog days. So, beat the heat with this one and enjoy.

ENSALADA DE GARBANZOS
(Chick-Pea Salad)

Ingredients:

2 (16-oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (6½ oz.) can tuna fish packed in water, drained and flaked
1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup spinach, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon r5ed wine vinegar (if desired, can substitute balsamic vinegar)
¼ teaspoon oregano
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Combine chickpeas, tuna, onion, garlic, spinach and capers in a medium bowl.
  2.  Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl or cruet and beat with a fork or mix in the cruet.
  3.  Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss slightly.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

PECHUGAS DE POLLO CON VINO (Chicken Breasts with Wine)

July 8, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This is one of those favorites from back on the block. During my youth in Spanish Harlem (today, East Harlem), times were hard. So, we had to be innovative with dinners. Chicken Breasts, like rice, was a common staple—because it was cheap. And it supplied magic when it was prepared, as we’re doing today, by adding a bit of white wine. Pechugas de Pollo con Vino or, Chicken Breasts with White Wine, is a sumptuous dish. In terms of the wine used, I recommend a white wine like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blank, Chardonnay, Chablis or Riesling. If you want to give it a distinct nutty taste and aroma, you can substitute a dry sherry for the white wine. The rest is as easy as pie. Just seasoned the breasts with typical Nuyorican herbs, fry the suckers and serve, Naturally, we serve it with rice, but any favorite grain or even, pasta, will do. Friends and family will yell for more. This is your show. So go at it.

Let me add that, when cooking chicken breasts, there is a minor difference between cooking bone-in chicken breasts and boneless, skinless chicken breasts. In our family, we were contrarians. We prefer bone-in chicken breasts. Again, it was partly a matter of price. Simply, they were cheaper. Also, since they had skin on, they were juicer and, to us, that meant a better taste. Be aware that boneless take less time to cook than bone-in. With boneless it’s about 2-3 minutes to fry per side. With bone-in it’s about 3-4 minutes per side. When you add the wine, the breasts are steamed until done. The finish product will still be delicious.

Pechugas de Pollo con Vino
(Chicken Breasts with Wine)

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, bone-in or boneless (see above)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small to medium red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon cumin
½ cup white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth or bouillon

Instructions:

  1. Wash chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place chicken breasts on a large plate. Prick them all over with a fork, about 1/8 inch deep. Flip the breasts and repeat pricking the other side.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large frypan or skillet over medium-high heat.
  4.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent.
  5.  Add chicken breasts and cook until browned.  Again, 2-3 minutes for boneless and 3-4 minutes for bone-in.
  6.  Add cumin, wine and water. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking until chicken is deep golden brown and juices run clear, About 4-5 minutes more.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

 

This is for bone-in: fry chicken until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high; continue cooking until chicken is deep golden brown and the juices run clear, about 5 more minutes.

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