Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 17 of 83)

SHALLOT BUTTER SAUCE

March 1, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Here’s a treat: a sauce that can accommodate both meat and fish. We have it in Shallot Butter Sauce. Also, it’s so simple and so refined, it will transform a lowly pork chop or lamb chop, not to mention a fist steak, into a glorious dish. All you need is three basic ingredients: shallots, butter and a bit of white wine. That’s it. You can serve the dish with whatever accompaniment you like, be it rice, pasta or potatoes. We, in the Rivera clan, like it with a good hearty loaf of bread to sop  up the sauce as you enjoy the lamb  or pork chops (or fish).

The other thing that needs discussion is the time factor in terms of the item used with this sauce, I like to cook pork chops at an oven temperature of 375 degrees F.  It take about  25 minutes to cook depending on thickness. Some cooks prefer a 400 degree oven because it cooks faster. But I find that at the lower temperature, pork chops remain  tender and juicy rather than drying out. The same for Lamb chops. They take about 35-40 minutes to cook at 375º and 8-10 minutes at 400º.  Note that the longer baking time will give you a well done product. In my family we like chops well done. If you want medium or rare, then the baking time will be less. For fish steaks, it’s another story. It’ll be 25-30 minutes at 375º and 15-20 minutes at 400º.  How long to cook or how tender you want the product will be up to you.

SHALLOT BUTER SAUCE

Ingredients:

3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
½ stick butter (or more to taste)
3 tablespoons white wine, dry or sweet (your preference)

Instructions:

  1. In a saucepan or skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
  2.  Add shallots and cook, stirring until onion is soft, about 3-4 minutes.
  3.  Add wine and cook 3 minutes more.
  4.  Pour over 4 pork chops, lamb chops or fish steaks and bake in a preheated oven until tender (see above).
    Yield: 4 servings.

TERNERA A LA CRIOLLA (Veal Creole Style)

February 27, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is probably the most common way we prepare veal in Nuyorican cuisine. Some variations have the onion sliced into rounds and the bell peppers cut into thin strips, then cooked with the veal and tomatoes. Some folks prefer to use tomato sauce instead of the tomatoes. I find that fresh tomatoes are best. Even, so in  our family, we have a preference for canned Italian plum tomatoes . Note that carrots and small potatoes can also be added to the recipe.

To us, when we cook something a la criolla (or al criollo) it means that we prepare it country style as we know it. It has nothing to do with Creole cooking as popularized in New Orleans. Following this reasoning, we grind the seasonings in a mortar with a pestle.  Today you can find this item in any kitchen shop or food market. You can omit this step and use regular prepared seasonings but, believe me, it will not taste the same or have the same verve.

The popular accompaniment to this dish is plain boiled rice. You can also complement it with such grains as rice, quinoa or couscous. We did it this time with farro, that whole grain with a nutty taste and very popular in Tuscan cooking. You can also serve it over pasta. This is a dish that enhances any meal, be it that special occasion or a mid-week dinner.

Note that this dinner calls for veal, stew but (depending on the wallet) you can substitute beef,  pork, turkey or chicken.

TERNERA A LA CRIOLLA
(Veal Creole Style)

Ingredients:

2 pounds veal stew meat
12 whole peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
Salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 16-ounce can plum tomatoes
2 bay leaves

Instructions:

  1. Rinse stew meat under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  Combine peppercorns, garlic, oregano, thyme and salt in a mortar and pound until crushed.
  3.  Rub the veal thoroughly with crushed seasoning.
  4.  Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan.  Add onion, bell bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes over moderate heat.  Add meat and and cook, stirring constantly, until  browned (about 5 minutes).
  5.  Stir in tomatoes and bay leaf, cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until tender.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

CURRIED GARBANZOS

February 20, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Garbanzos, or chickpeas, are an integral part of Nuyorican cuisine. It goes back to the island of Puerto Rico where garbanzos were popular in such dishes as. Garbanzos Guisados (stewed chickpeas), Garbanzos con Chorizo (chickpeas with sausage) and Garbanzos con Arroz (chickpeas with rice). Curried garbanzos was  not something we did in Spanish Harlem; unlike in Jamaica, where curried dishes became popular due to their influx of Indian immigrants. This was not the norm in our repertoire. I myself began using curry in my early manhood long after I have migrated from 110th street in Manhattan. Since then I’ve become a fan of curry . Thus Garbanzos con Curry, or curried chickpeas.

This is a dish that goes well with any grain, be it rice, couscous or quinoa. You can even serve it over pasta, as we did here with orzo. You could say it’s our version of pasta fazool, the pasta and beans dish so popular in Italian cuisine—except that we add curry to this one.

For the curry sauce I use a basic white sauce to which I add curry powder. It’s quick and easy. Some curry sauces include such things as coconut milk or cream, tomatoes, ginger and yogurt. I keep it simple. Remember, this is a Nuyorican curry sauce.

Now comes the required caveat. For my bean dishes, I use dry beans you can find in any supermarket. Why? It renders a better texture and flavor than the canned product.  If you want to user canned beans, go right ahead. But I find the bother of preparing dry beans is well worth the effort. They come in a one pound package. All you do is rinse them in running water, place them in a pot or pan  with cool water to cover for at least 2 inches; let them soak overnight, drain the next day, place in a Dutch oven or heavy kettle with 8 cups water; cover and boil over moderate-low heat until the beans are almost tender (about 1 hour). Then proceed with recipe as given.  I can understand why, in today’s environment, most people would forego this procedure. And I won’t fault you for it. But if, like me, you’re a purist, then what can I say? Either way, you’ll still have a great dish.

Curried Garbanzos

2 cups dry beans soaked overnight or 2 (15.5 oz.) cans garbanzo beans (do not drain)
4 tablespoon butter
½ cup flour
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)
1 small onion, peeled and slice thinly

  1. In a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon in a circular motion for even cooking. It will begin to thicken and bubbler after 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add milk or cream, whisking until sauce is smooth. Note that you can add more or less liquid depending on how thick you want the sauce.
  3.  Stir in the curry powder. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add onion and beans. Cook, mixing so that chickpeas are glazed with the sauce and heated through.
    Yield; 4 servings.

 

 

FISH FILLETS WITH CHEESE AND BREAD

February 9, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This meal came out of necessity. We had fish fillets on hand, and what do we do with them? I’ve cooked fish in every way possible, but this time I wanted something simple and quick. No fancy stuff. We wanted something tasty and economical. Thus, fillets with cheese and bread. What could be simpler than that? And if you look in your cupboard, I’m sure there’s some breadcrumbs in there. If not, just take any bread and grate it in a blender or food processor. As to the cheese, any cheese will do. We did it with blue cheese. But you can use cheddar,  parmesan, mozzarella, Romano, or even good ole American cheese.  Remember: this is an inexpensive, improvised meal—That will have guests and family clamoring for more.

This dish goes well with French fired and a simple salad or, better still, rice and pasta. Use your imagination, folks. Also, the fish fillets used can be any firm-fleshed fish fillets, be it cod, haddock, perch, whiting, bass, grouper, catfish, snapper, etc. The dish accommodates every taste and fancy.

FISH FILL ETS WITH CHEESE AND BREAD

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized fish fillets
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and black  pepper to taste
½ cup butter
¼ cup flour
¼ cup milk
¾ cup light or heavy cream (your choice)
1½ cups grated cheese
2/3  cup grated cheese

Instructions:

  1. Wash fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub all over with the oregano, salt and pepper.
  2. In a large skillet or frying pan, melt ¼  cup butter over moderate heat. When the foams subsides, add the fish and fry for 5 minutes on each side. Using a spatula, transfer the fish to a warmed flameproof serving dish (we prefer cast-iron).
  3.  In the original pan, melt the remaining butter over moderate heat. Remove the pan from heat and, using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour to form a smooth paste.  Gradually add the milk and cream, stirring constantly and being careful to avoid lumps. Return the pan to the heat and cook the sauce, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until it is smooth and fairly thick and hot but not boiling. Remove pan from heat and pour the sauce over the fish.
  4.  Preheat the broiler to high. Sprinkle the cheese and bread crumbs over the fish. Place the fish under the broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Remove the serving dish from the grill and serve immediately.
    Yield: 4 servings.

VENISON WITH MUSHROOMS

February 1, 2023 / / 0 Comments

I was recently given some ground venison. I’ve discovered you can prepare ground venison in the same way you cook beef or pork. That is, you can make burgers, casseroles, chili, meatballs, meatloaf, tacos or stew.  It is quite versatile. Also, venison is one of the  leanest, heart -healthy foods. It is low in fat, high in protein, and a great source of iron. This time around I decided to do it stir-fried with mushrooms. It came out great. I also paired it with pappardelle noodles; which are a broad, flat pasta similar to fettuccini. But you can pair the dish with any ribbon pasta or a grain like rice, quinoa or couscous. Some would consider this dish a form or Nuyorican picadillo (by the way, pronounced ‘pee-kah-dee-yoh’).

VENISON WITH MUSHROOM

Ingredients:

8 oz. (or more) mushroom, washed and sliced
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground venison
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoons light or heavy cream (your choice)

Instructions:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frypan or skillet over moderate-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have released their juices, about 3-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
  2.  In same pan or skillet, heat additional 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion and cook until onions becomes translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  3.  Stir in venison. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until venison is browned, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cream, stir to mix and cook about 2 minutes more. Serve immediately over pasta or favorite grain.
    Yield: 4 servings.

TOFU WITH OYSTER SAUCE

January 25, 2023 / / 0 Comments

I am always looking of new innovative ways to prepare tofu. I discovered tofu in my young manhood, and have been a partisan ever since. The beauty of tofu is that it absorbs the flavor of whatever spice, seasoning or flavoring is being used. This makes it a great substance to cook with.  From what I’ve seen, in most Asian restaurants the condiment of choice is soy sauce or hoisin sauce. Another favorite is oyster sauce. I recall back in my youth that, in New York’s  Chinatown, one of the favorite, inexpensive dishes in the mon and pop restaurants was steamed vegetables with hoisin sauce. I decided to apply the same principal to tofu. In this case, with fried tofu. The result was marvelous.

As mentioned in prior posts, it’s a good idea, even with extra firm tofu, to have it pressed before cooking.  Pressing the tofu squeezes out extra moisture, making it firmer and dryer which means you get a wonderfully crisp exterior when you cook it. Let me add,  if you’re using tofu as is, it doesn’t require pressing; but if you are sautéing or shallow frying tofu (or looking to achieve extra crispy tofu), pressing is best. It also holds its shape better during cooking and ensures your seasonings won’t be diluted.  Pressing tofu is no big deal: wrap the block of tofu in a paper towel and put it on a large plate with a lip; then put something heavy such as a frying pan on top, weight it down further with cans and jars, and leave for 30 mins. The tofu will be about two-thirds its original thickness, and less than a ¼ teaspoon of water will have been removed. That’s it, now you can go on with the recipe.

I paired the tofu with soba noodles, something very common to Japanese cuisine. If preferred, you can pair it with  rice, quinoa, couscous, or string pasta.

TOFU WITH OYSTER SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 block tofu ( usually between 14-16 ounces)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons olive oil;
Pepper to taste
¾ cup oyster sauce (or more to taste)
½ cup chopped scallions

Instructions:

  1. After pressing (see above),  rinse tofu under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into bite-sized pieces, about ¼-inch.
  2.  In a small bowl, combine eggs ands flour and whisk until it forms a smooth paste.
  3.  Heat oil in a large saucepan over moderate-high heat. Add tofu and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes. Add egg-flour mixture, stirring to ensure all pieces are coated, and cook until tofu is golden. Add pepper to taste, and remove to a serving dish or platter. Top with scallions and serve over soba noodles.
    Yield: 4 servings.

CALAMARES SALTEAR

January 20, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This dish I call Calamares Saltear or Sautéed Squid. It came about when we visited our local supermarket and discovered they had frozen cleaned squid available. In Nuyorican culture, squid is a favorite. From infancy, we are taught to appreciate it. I guess it goes back to life on the island when squid was, and is, a reliable inexpensive way to feed the family. Problem was, once you obtained the squid, you had to rinse it, cut the tentacles, remove and discard the mouth, rub off the purplish outer skin, squish out the innards, wash the inside of the body; discard the viscera, then cut into bite-sized pieces or strips. Admittedly, this is a time consuming process. Cleaned and prepared squid makes it far easier to cook the suckers.

Now, in our canon we have stewed squid (calamares guisado), stuffed squid (calamares relleno), even squid salad and sandwiches. This time I decided to prepare a simple squid sauté, easy and delicious. Served over Spanish yellow rice, it makes for a great criollo dinner.

CALAMARES SALTEAR
(Sautéed Squid)

Ingredients:

2 (10.6 oz.) cleaned and prepared frozen squid, thawed
2 cups fresh mushrooms, washed and chopped
2/3 cup cup bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup water

Instructions:

  1. Wash squid under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Note that that the squid, though cleaned, will come with the tentacles.  Cut the squid, inclusive of the tentacles, into  bite-sized pieces.
  2. In a large bowls, combine mushrooms, bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, tarragon, egg and butter.
  3.  Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet. Add contents of bowl and stir fry for about 3 minutes. Add squid and sauté about 3 minutes more.
  4.  Add wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Stir everything over high heat. Add water, and cook, uncovered on moderately-low heat for 5 minutes. Serve over white or Spanish yellow rice.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

PASTA WITH BLUE CHEESE AND ALMONDS

January 10, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Another recipe that came out of necessity. My wife had purchased some premium blue chesses and we thought we’d have it as an appetizer with the usual crackers. Then dinnertime came and the thought occur: how about doing something different with the blue cheese? Back on the block, when times were lean, the family would prepare spaghetti with blue cheese instead of the usual tomato sauce. It was a quicky, cheapie dinner that satisfied everyone. So I harked back to those humble pasta dinners in times of old. As always, the result was a pasta dish full of complexity and flavor with just a handful of basic ingredients. So here it is: Nuyorican pasta at its best. You can use whatever  variety is preferred, be it string or shells. We opted for for good ole whole wheat linguini but, as stated, whatever you want goes, be it thin angel hair or hearty bucatini. If you got the money for it, you can go for gorgonzola dolce—or any other good blue cheese. Whatever suits your pocketbook, and you have a dish you can whip up in no time. With a crusty loaf and some good red wine (or white), it can’t be beat.

Note that I added almonds to the dish. Reason being that I had a package of almonds on hand. If you want, you can substitute walnuts or pecans.

The other thing about this pasta thing is, the amount of pasta available in a package. Up to resent times a whole pound package (16 oz.) was the norm. Then, due to our dysfunctional capitalistic  system, now 12 oz. is the norm. You get the idea: you pay more for less. If you can find a pound package, for for it. If not, what can I say? As long those those thieving corporate weasels rule our lives, we’re stuck.

PASTA WITH BLUE CHEESE AND AL,OMNDS

Ingredients:

1 pound (16. oz.) fresh or dry pasta
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup slivered or chopped almonds
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Ground black pepper to taste
Few drops freshly squeezes lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large of pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions
  2.  While the pasta is cooking, place a skillet or frying pan over medium heat, add the butter  and heat until melted. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
  3.  Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the almonds, butter, spinach, blue cheese and plenty of pepper, tossing until mixed and cheese melts. Add a few drops of lemon juice if desired.   Serve immediately.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

CURRIED BLACK BEANS

December 28, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This is a recipe that came out of necessity. In Nuyorican culture we love beans. For example, rice and beans, to us, is manna from heaven. It is an integral part of our diet. Of course, we’ve refined and modified our bean intake so that we have all sort of bean dishes. And, usually, I cook beans from scratch. That’s the way my mom did, and it is family dogma. However, looking though my cupboard, we came across a couple cans of black beans. I do not recall when these were purchased  or by whom. And they were just short of the expiration date. I hate throwing away items that can still be utilized. So, I figured, okay, this one time I’ll conjure up a good bean dish that will make use of the canned stuff. That’s when I thought of Curried Beans. In my experience, most curried bean dishes, especially in Indian or Southeastern Asian cuisine involved chick peas. What we call garbanzo beans. But would the curry combo work with back beans. I considered, why not? And gave it a try. Let me say it was an experiment that rendered majestic results. I’ve come to the conclusion that almost any bean category could be used in a curried context. It may not work with green beans, which is more of a vegetable category, but then, as stated numerous times before, you’re only limited by your imagination.

This is an easy and quick dish to prepare. Following on the Asian concept, we decided to serve it with rice noodles. Just like regular rice and beans, it’s a marriage made in heaven. Note that if you don’t have rice stick noodles around, you can always substitute vermicelli pasta. So, enjoy these suckers. You won’t be disappointed.

CURRIED BLACK BEANS

Ingredients:

2  (15oz.) cans black beans
½ cup minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a skillet or saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until somewhat soft and translucent.
  2.  Add curry powder, flour and chicken broth. Mix well. Slowly mix in broth. Stir until slightly thickened. Add black beans. Stir and cook until beans are heated though.  Serve over rice noodles.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

EASY PUMPKIN PIE

December 24, 2022 / / 0 Comments

A friend had given us a pumpkin and, honestly we thought, what do we do with this thing? A pie? Full disclosure, I am a cook but not a baker. Making pies, to me, has never been something I do on a regular basis. We have a local store where one of the employee makes great pies; and when we need one, we just call them, they bake it right on premises, and we pick it up the next day. So this pie thing, was new to me. But I decided to give it a try.

Now, the recipe given can be done with cooked fresh pumpkin. Problem with that is that you have to cut the thing, take out the seeds, scoop out the interior, etc.. , and then cook it. Last time I checked you can get cooked canned pumpkin. That will save time and effort, and make it a whole lot easier.

The recipe itself is one I got from discussions I had with people who bake. I’ve added a caramelized topping made from slivered almonds since I had a package of almonds on hand. I’m told this is not the usual topping for a pumpkin pie. My learned friends tell me that a pecan topping is the   de rigueur preferred topping for pumpkin pies. Well, the caramelized almond topping turned out great with the pie, so there. Also, the recipe is easy to make, and perfect for a holiday treat.

Another thing,  the idea of making a pie crust from scratch is not something I would contemplate. If you want to do it, go right ahead. I opted for a pre-pared Graham cracker pie shell that can be found in almost any market these days. And you know what? It came out just fabulous.  However you do it, I’m sure the results will be more than satisfactory.

EASY PUMPKIN PIE

Ingredients:

2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ cups evaporated milk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
  2. Blend together eggs and pumpkin. Stir in maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Add and blend in evaporated milk.
  3. Pour into pie shell and bake 45-50 minutes or until  knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, top with caramelized almond topping and serve.

CRARAMELIZED ALMOND TOPPING

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons soft or melted butter
2/3 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
2/3 cup slivered almonds

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine butter, maple syrup and almonds.
  2.  Gently drop by spoonfuls over cooled pie to cover top. Place in broiler and broil until mixture begins to bubble, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully: if cooked too long, top will turn syrupy. Cool and serve.

 

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