Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 19 of 83)

DEVILED EGGS IN TOMATO SAUCE

November 16, 2022 / / 0 Comments

As an appetizer and party favorite, I always like deviled eggs. Question: Why are they called “Deviled Eggs?” Well, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term originated in the 18th century to describe boiled or fried spicy, condiment filled dishes. It was eventually used to describe eggs. Now that we go that settled, I decided to experiment with the thing. What if a sauce, say tomato sauce, were added to the eggs? I imagined that would enhance the flavor even more. And that’s what we did. And it worked. Just prepare the eggs as you would normally, and then bake briefly in the tomato sauce.

The dish will make an excellent luncheon or supper served over buttered toast. Or you can pair it with your vegetable of choice. It is especially good with parsley potatoes. Go at it.

DEVILED EEGS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:

6 hard-boiled eggs
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon mustard
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2.  Halve the hard-boiled eggs and remove yolks to a small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce, salt, sugar, paprika, mustard and 2 tablespoons of the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and spoon back into egg whites.
  3.  In a skillet or saucepan. heat remaining tomato sauce with 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce to the boiling point.
  4.  Pour into shallow baking dish or pie plate (10in.) and arrange egg halves on top. Spoon a little sauce over each egg half. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Serve over hot buttered toast with some sauce spooned over  eggs and toast.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

CALAMARES CON PIMIENTO (Squid with Bell Pepper)

November 11, 2022 / / 0 Comments

It always amazes me the reaction I get from my Anglo brethren when the subject of squid as an edible comes up. It’s usually: “Yuk—Ugh–Ick!”—or another negative reaction. And this surprises me. In Latin American, Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisine, squid is something that is treasured. Growing up in Spanish Harlem, we ate a lot of it. Mainly because it was cheap, and nutritious. And I still eat it regularly. Especially now when you can get cleaned and prepared squid in almost any market. Gone are the days when you had to clean the squid, remove the tentacles and mouth from the head;  pull out the innards; discard head and viscera and, finally, wash the inside of the body thoroughly. Yes, a time-consuming task. So, as a result, we eat squid more often, as with this classic recipe, Calamares con Pimento or Squid with Bell Pepper. In  this dish you can use any bell pepper type you like be it green pepper, yellow, red, or a combination of each.

For nomenclature purposes, bell peppers are also known as “pimentos.” In Spanish we call them pimientos. I’m told that in Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Pakistan they are know as   capsicum. Whatever terminology used, this recipe can’t be beat when bell peppers are coupled with squid. Let me add that when we cook this dish, we serve it over yellow rice. Bur you can pair it with whatever grain you like, be it quinoa, couscous, farro or even pasta. The beauty of this dish is in its versatility.

CALAMARES CON PIMIENTO
(Squid with Bell Pepper)

Ingredients:

2 pound cleaned squid
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 small onion, peeled and minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8-oz. can tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon coriander  powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a large frypan or skillet, heat the oil and add the garlic and onion. Sauté over medium and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add the bell peppers and sauté for 3 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the body of the cleaned squid into ½-inch rings. Add the rings and tentacles (cut up) to the peppers and toss for 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Add the coriander and salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

RERFIED BEANS WITH SAUSAGE (Nuyorican Style)

November 9, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I’ve always had a palate for Mexican refried beans. Mainly because it’s not something common to Puerto Rican cuisine. Thus the thought of refried beans has always intrigued me. Which set me to thinking? What if I made my own version  of it? A Nuyorican version? And why not?  So, here is my version of refried beans with sausages. That’s right. I’ve added sausage to it. Basically, spicy Spanish chorizo sausage which is a stable in  our cooking. For the recipe given, you can use any sausage you prefer, even turkey or chicken . I’m not a stickler to any rules here. Use what you like. The idea is to prepare something good and Nutritious.

Another innovation is that we used white beans for the dish. Mexican refried beans usually consist of pinto beans or black beans. I just figured most beans varieties could be refried. So I tried the white beans and they came out great.

In my culture we usually serve beans with rice. My Mexican brethren also serve refried beans with rice. But they also enjoy it with chips or in a burrito. Following that line of thought, this dish is so good that we serve it by itself with crusty bread. And we do not add chili powder like in some recipes. Remember, this is the Nuyorican version (and we don’t use chili powder) but, if you want, go right ahead and put some in while the beans are simmering. Your choice.

Also, you may like wine with dinner; but refried beans is the type of dish that goes great with beer.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup white beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup grated cheese of your choice

Instructions:

  1. Place Beans in a large pot (preferably cast iron) with water to cover with water by 2 inches. Cover and let soak overnight.
  2. Next day, drain beans, put them back in pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are softened.
  3. Use a colander to transfer the liquid from the beans, but reserve the liquid. Heat oil in the same pot (or a large skillet), add the grated cheese. Mix to combine. Add ¼ cup reserved water from the broth and gently smash the beans with a potato masher or fork until you get the right texture. The beans should have the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Add more bean broth liquid if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding more salt or pepper.

While beans are cooking, prepare sausage

Ingredients:

 2 chorizo sausages, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

 Instructions:

1.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté sausage until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
2.Add onion and oregano and stir fry for 5 minutes more, turning frequently.
3.Add to fried beans. Stir to mix, and serve immediately.
Yield: 4-6 servings

BROCOLI CON SALSA (Sauced Broccoli)

November 7, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Back in the Barrio, when times were lean, Brocoli con Salsa was a cheapy weekday dinner. Basically it’s broccoli cooked with tomato sauce and spices. Depending on where you came from, it was also called Brocoli Guisado (stewed broccoli). Normally, in our family, we served it with rice. Once in a while we substituted spaghetti for the rice. In the version given below we served it with penne pasta and black olives, topped with grated cheese. Let me add you can substitute any preferred pasta be it noodles or shells. Your choice. The dish makes for an inexpensive and filling vegetarian dinner that even carnivores will love. We’ve come a long ways from Spanish Harlem but this dish, then and now, is a winner. With some crusty bread and a good wine, preferably Chianti, it can’t be beat.

Note that this dish includes that archetypical Puerto Rican flavoring, sofrito. Today you can find sofrito in almost any store or supermarket. It’s become ubiquitous. In our family, we still make it from scratch. If you need a good recipe, you can go to my post of 11/08/10, or my video on Spanish Rice (07/11/14). If all else fails, then substitute 2 teaspoons turmeric and add a chicken bouillon cube to the sauce.

BROCOLI CON SALSA
(Sauced Broccoli)

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh broccoli
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
9 whole black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2½  cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sofrito
½ cup black olives, halved
Grated Parmesan cheese or cheese of choice

Instructions:

  1. Wash broccoli under cold running water.
  2. Curt off the florets and chop the top half of the stems into small bite-sized pieces.
  3.  Put garlic, oregano, peppercorns and salt in a mortar. Pound with a pestle until crushed. Add olive oil and mix thoroughly.
  4. Add seasoning and broccoli to a large skillet or frying pan. Stir fry for 2 minutes over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons water and cook for 3 minutes more or until water evaporates.
  5.  Add tomato sauce and stir in sofrito. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover pan and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
  6.  Add olives, stir to combine, and serve immediately with penne or rice. If using pasta, top with grated cheese.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

LAMB CHOPS WITH ROSEMARY

October 24, 2022 / / 0 Comments

One of my favorite meals is lamb chops. Thus I’m always looking for unique ways to prepare it. Well, it so happens that I still have  some fresh rosemary left from my summer garden. So, I came up with this recipe. It’s really simple: lamb cooked with the aforementioned rosemary,  some parsley, wine and butter. I also coupled it with one of my favorite grains, farro, that high-protein, high-fiber ancient grain that is similar to barley and is very prominent in the Mediterranean diet. I particularly like its nutty flavor and chewy texture. Farro is relatively easy to cook. Just rinse 1 cup farro in cold water before cooking. Add 2 cups water to a pot or saucepan and bring to a boil. Add farro, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 25 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. As you can see, it cooks just like rice. And like rice, I like to add a chicken bouillon cube to the water or cook it in  chicken broth. Let me add, it goes great with lamp chops cooked with rosemary.

LAMB CHOPS WITH ROSEEMARY

Ingredients:

4 lamb chops about 1½-inches thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ cup red wine
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or skillet and brown chops over medium-high heat. Turn heat to low and cook to desired doneness, about 7 minutes per side for medium. Remove  to a warm platter.
  2. Add rosemary, parsley and wine to original pan. Heat to boiling and reduce slightly. Stir in butter. Return lamb to pan, and coat with sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at once.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

GREEK STYLE BEANS AND RICE

October 20, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Rice and beans, whether it’s Arroz con Habicuelas in Puerto Rican cuisine or Arroz con Frijoles in Mexican cooking, is a common staple. Can’t go wrong with it: rice has the carbohydrates and beans have the protein. An inexpensive,  convenient and healthy meal. Thus I’m always on the lookout for something similar in other cultures. That’s when I came across Greek Style Beans combined with Greek rice, or pilafia. In this case, rice pilaf with onion (pilafi me kremmithakia).

Note that in the recipe given, I use dry white beans, which have to be soaked in water overnight. You can cut corners (and cheat) by using canned white beans but, my friends, it just won’t taste the same.   Go the extra mile and soak the suckers then cook. You won’t regret it.  Also, I topped everything with Greek Kalamata olives. This is optional, but it does enhance the dish.

GREEL STYLE BEANS

Ingredients:

2 cups small white beans
¼ cup olive oil
2 scallions, chopped
¼ teaspoon coriander powder or dried oregano
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Soak beans overnight and drain. Cover with fresh water by at least 2 inches. Bring to boil, lower heat and cook, covered, over moderate-low heat until beans are tender but not mushy (about 1 hour).
  2.  Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes longer. Serve with Rice Pilaf with Onion (see recipe below).
    Yield: 4 servings.

RICE PILAF WITH ONION

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1¼ cup long-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups hot water  and 2 teaspoons chicken broth granules
½ cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup kalamata olives, halved (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Wash rice at least 3 times in cold water and drain to rid it of starch. What in Pennsylvania Dutch country is know as “washing in several waters.”
  2.  Heat oil in a medium-sized pot or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook until golden in color, stirring occasionally.
  3.  Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth to boiling. Add the chicken broth to the rice, plus the onion and garlic. Cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed (about 30 minutes). Fluff the rice with a fork, served with the beans and topped with the kalamata olives.

IRISH LAMB STEW

October 19, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This is my version of Irish Lamb Stew. And we serve it with parsley dumplings; which is nothing more than a variation on Puerto Rican domplines.  In my version of the stew, I eliminate the browning of the lamb. I just put all ingredients in the pot and let it cook until the lamb is tender. I found that this saves time and gives the stew a flavor all its own.

IRISH LAMB STEW

Ingredients:

4 pounds lamb chuck, cut into cubes
2 carrots, washed, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 onions, peeled and quartered
2 potatoes, quartered (wash but do not peel)
4 whole black peppercorns
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Instructions:

  1. Place lamb in a stew pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
  2.  Skim foam from top. Lower heat and add remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered for 60 to 70 minutes or until lamb and vegetables are tender. Serve with parsley dumplings (see recipe below).
    Yield: 8 servings.

PARSLEY DUMPLINGS

Ingredients:

½ pound flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Water as needed
½ cup minced parsley

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and baking powder.
  2. Beat eggs and olive oil together and add to flour mixture. Stir until blended with enough water to make a soft dough, usually about half cup. Stir in parsley.
  3.  Form dumplings, using about a tablespoon of dough in palm of hand. Drop dumplings into pot of boiling water. Cook until they expand, about five minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with additional parley. Place on stew and enjoy.

STUFFED SALMON FILLETS

October 17, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This is a recipe that I invented at the spur of the moment. I had some fillets on hand and needed a quicky dish for dinner. So, here is my version for Stuffed Salmon Fillets. As noted, I used salmon, but any firm fleshed fish fillets will do. Apart from the fillets, all you need is seasoned bread crumbs, and that’s it. For four regular servings, four fillets is all that’s needed., since the fillets will be cut in have to serve four people. If you have big eaters on hand, then you serve the stuffed fillets for two two people.

For the recipe you can either buy seasoned bread crumbs, or regular bread crumbs that you can season as you like. And that’s what I did. I seasoned the bread crumbs with ½ teaspoon each dried basil, marjoram and thyme. But you can use any seasoning combination you like. That’s the beasty of this dish: you can doctor it up any way you want. For the final touch I baked the whole shebang in a lemon butter sauce. And it came out superb. With some good crusty bread, and some good chilled wine, either a white or light red, it makes for a fabulous repast.

STUFFED SLAMON FILLETS

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs (see above)
½ stick melted butter
Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Wash fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  Brush fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and oregano. Place 2 fillets in a baking dish (we prefer cast-iron). Top each fillet with half of the seasoned bread crumbs. Top with remaining fillets. Combine butter with lemon juice, and drizzle over fish.
  4.  Place in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until fillets are tender.  Cut fillets in half and serve  or, as noted above, serve each stuffed fillets for two hearty eater.

 

BAKED TOMATOES WITH EGGS

October 15, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is mainly stuffed tomatoes with an egg on top. Nothing  fancy, not hard to prepare, and delicious. We all know about stuffed bell peppers. Well, tomatoes stuffed with bread crumbs mixed with the pulp of the tomatoes and, finally, baked with eggs, is another glorious variant. With a good crusty loaf of bread, nothing could be simpler or more appetizing.

BAKED TOMATOES WITH EGGS

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon  fresh chopped marjoram or ½ teaspoon dried
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
¾ cup bread crumbs
4 eggs at room temperature
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees  F.
  2. Cut out the tops of the tomatoes at the stem end and scoop out the pulp.
  3. Mix about 1/3 of the pulp with the onions, basil, thyme, marjoram and garlic. Add the bread crumbs and fill each tomato about half full.
  4.  Drop an egg into each tomatoes, cover with grated cheese. Arrange on a baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until eggs are set to a firm softness and the tomatoes are soft but not collapsing.
    Yield: 4 servings.

CARNE GUISADA (Beef Stew)

October 11, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Our version of beef stew, Carne Guisada is  a glorious example of Criollo cooking. That is, cooking that is native to the island of Puerto Rico  In its Nuyorican transformation, it has resulted in countless variants. I’ve seen recipes where raisins, sweet peas, and even carrots have been added. Some aficionados boil the meat first then add the remaining ingredients. Some folks add beef bones to the stew. Some add potatoes. Whatever method is used, the results are uniformly good. Let me add that this recipe is one of the premier dishes featured in my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America  (Running Press)

The popular  accompaniment to the dish is steamed white rice or yellow Spanish rice. On that, there is no argument. But, of course , we live in more enliven times thus, if desired, you can pair the dish with couscous, quinoa, farro, or even pasta. As noted countless times before, you are only limited by your imagination.

Note that the recipe calls for sofrito, that aromatic criollo seasoning that is also used for flavoring and enhancing a dish. Think of the condiment, garam  masala. that is used in Indian cooking, to achieve the same results. The principle is the same. In one of my early posts (11/08/10) I gave a recipe for sofrito. Basically, it’s a mix of diverse herbs and spices that go into making the thing. Today, you can find sofrito in most supermarkets or specialty stores. You can try the various brands, and I wish you luck. You can cut corners by substituting Sazón accent (Goya makes a passable product); or, if all else fails, substitute a teaspoon of turmeric for the sofrito. Be it as it may, check out the sofrito  recipe from 2010. Nothing compares to the genuine deal.

CARNE GUISADA
(Beef Stew)

Ingredients:

2 pound stew meat or beef round steak, trimmed and cut into1-inch chunks
¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt to taste
½ cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon achiote (see above)
10-12 pimento stuffed olives
1 tablespoon capers
1 bay leaf
½ cup water

Instructions:

  1. Wash meat and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  In a Dutch oven,  heavy pot or kettle, heat the oil, add beef chunks, onion, bell pepper, oregano, garlic and stir-fry over moderate heat until meat is brown.
  3.  Add salt, tomato sauce, achiote, olives, capers and bay leaf. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
  4.  Add water, bring to a rapid boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Serve over white or yellow rice.
    Yield: 4 or more servings.
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