Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 40 of 83)

BORICUA MINT JULEP

June 14, 2019 / / 0 Comments

In the summer, in Vermont, the place alive with fresh mint. It grows on the side of the road, in most gardens and woods. Apart from cooking with it, I also use mint when preparing that  southern favorite, a Mint Julep. Most of us know of the Mint Julep as a drink associated with the Kentucky derby, where it has been served since 1938.   To everyone it is known as a bourbon-based cocktail. Guess what? It wasn’t always so.  Do your research and you’ll discover that the true mint julep was a “morning tonic” that Virginia gentlemen imbibed in the 18th century. It’s ingredients were rum, (yes,rum), water and fresh mint.

Being Puerto Rican, I am a partisan of rum. Thus, when I prepare a mint julep, that is beverage that I use. The reason that bourbon replaced rum in the Republic is that Senator Henry Clay who, before the Civil War, was known as the “Great Compromiser” for his efforts to evade that catastrophe, became a walking billboard for bourbon. He came from Kentucky and he avidly promoted his native product, which he substituted for the rum.  It is noted that he introduced the bourbon version to Washington  D.C., at the famous Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue.  Advertising like that can’t be beat.

No, I have nothing against Henry Clay, great patriot that he was. I just prefer the traditional rum version. Used with dark rum, it has a more refined, mellow taste. I cal it my ” Boricua Mint Julep.” Check the recipe given below, and judge for yourself. And, always, please drink responsibly.

BORICUA MINT JULEP

Ingredients:

12 fresh stemmed mint leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
2½ ounces dark rum
cracked ice
Fresh or carbonated water
5 or 6 sprigs fresh mint for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a tall Collins glass (10-14 oz), gently mix the 12 mint leaves with the sugar and 2 teaspoons of water.
  2.  Pack the glass with ice and fill with rum and equal parts water.
  3.  Garnish with the sprigs of mint so that the tops are about 2 inches above the rim of the glass. If preferred, you can serve with 2 short straws.
    Yield: 1 Boricua cocktail.

 

 

CREAMED GRITS WITH SAUTEED SHRIMP AND THYME

June 10, 2019 / / 0 Comments

As noted in my post of 03/08/12, I like grits. Now, you ask, how can a kid from Spanish Harlem like grits? My answer is that I discovered grits in my young manhood when I first traveled to the Southland. In Georgia and Alabama, I couldn’t find an egg cream (the people down there didn’t know what the hell I was talking about) but I did discover grits. Thus was my wakening to genuine Southern cooking. And I became a convert. My favorite grits dish is grits with eggs, sunny side up, on top. and then you mix the whole thing, and enjoy.  Naturally,  I ‘m always on the lookout for distinctive dishes featuring boiled hominy cornmeal (the ingredient that makes up grits).

The recipe given below I discovered from a magazine years ago. The recipe includes shrimp. Something not normally associated with grits.  The recipe also states that it was compiled by Nina Elder and Sarah Tenaglia. Our thanks to these two enterprising ladies for a really delicious dish.

CREAMED GRITS WITH SAUTÉED SHRIMP AND THYME

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, sliced (about 2 cup)
1¼ cups whole milk
½ cup  instant white grits
½ cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
24 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
¼ cup lager beer
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, sauté until golden, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper,

Bring milk and grits to boil in heavy medium saucepan, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Mix in cream and 2 tablespoons butter.Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté 1 minute. Add beer, lemon juice, and garlic; simmer until shrimp is just opaque in center and sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Mix in tomato, thyme, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide grits among 4 plates. Top with onion, then shrimp and sauce.

 

GRILLED BORICUA CHICKEN WINGS

June 3, 2019 / / 0 Comments

I like grilled chicken wings, as you can view in my post of 09/04/18, where I grilled chicken wings Asian style. Today I’m preparing what I call Boricua Chicken Wings. And it’s one of the most delicious and easiest way to prepare chicken  on the grill. I call it “Boricua “style since it uses the spices and ingredients most common to Nuyorican cooking.  It has a decidedly Latino flavor. So, the season is back, prep up the grill, and enjoy.

GRILLED BORICUA CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken wings
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

  1. Wash chicken wings under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  Place wings in a large bowl. Add the rest of ingredients, and mix well. Transfer wings to a large zip-lock bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or, better yet, overnight.
  3. Start a charcoal or gas grill, and preheat. Fire should be moderately hot and rack should be about 6 inches from source of heat. Place wings on grill and cook for about 10-15 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
    Yield: 4 servings or more.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH CLAMS AND CAVIAR

May 26, 2019 / / 0 Comments

I am a fan of what I call hearty pasta, the manly-man pastas, like bucatini, fetuccine, perciatelli,  as opposed to the girly-man pastas, like angel hair. If this sounds misogynistic, I apologize.  My wife is the opposite. She prefers small, fine string pasta; and recently she bought home some angel hair nests. This was new to me. Usually when I come across pasta nests, it’s tagliatelle, another one of my favorites. But, since, it was angel hair for dinner, I had to come up with an appropriate recipe.  We had some canned minced clams on hand, and caviar.  So, I thought, why not whip up something with those ingredients?  And the result is the recipe given. This can be a dish for a special occasion, since it includes caviar.  Want to be fancy about it, you can tell your friends you’re serving Capelli d’ Angelo con Vongole e Caviar.  That should impress your neighbors.

Note that dried, package pasta is always available, but if you can get a hold of fresh angel hair, that’s prefered. Also, the dish calls for black lumpfish caviar; but if you can get sevruga caviar, it’s even better.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH CLAMS AND CAVIAR

Ingredients:

4 (6.5 oz) cans chopped or minced clams, drained
Juice of ½ lemon
4 tablespoons butter
4 fresh tarragon sprigs, stripped and chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
½ cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons dry white wine
1 pound angel hair pasta (if you can find fresh, even better)
Ground black pepper to taste
3 teaspoons black lumpfish caviar

Instructions:

  1.  In a small bowl, combine the minced clams with  the lemon juice.  Melt butter in a large skillet or fry pan, add the clams and tarragon and stir over medium-high heat for a few seconds. Add the cream and stir for few seconds more. Pour in the wine, and season with pepper. Lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover.
  2.  Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving a few spoonfuls of the cooking water. Add the clam sauce to the pasta, along with a little of the reserved water, and toss to combine. Place in a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the caviar, and enjoy.
    Yield:  4 servings.

 

ROSEMARY-CITRUS SALMON AND ASPARAGUS

May 14, 2019 / / 0 Comments

I belong to a wine club, Laithwaite’s Wines. The recipe given came about because of them. In my last order, I received a Pinot Noir (Purple Owl Pinot Noir 2017). This pinot has everything I like about this grape. It has a ripe berry aroma, and a taste of fresh raspberry, with a hint of cinnamon that lingers in a long, silky finish. A perfect Pinot Noir. More intriguing was the food pairing recommendation: rosemary-citrus salmon with asparagus. Normally, the pairing for salmon is full-bodied whites, such as a White Burgundy, or Voignier, White Rioja, or even an oak-aged Chardonnay.  In my experience there are some red wines that go well with fish such a lightly chilled Barbera, Valpolicella, or Beaujolais.   But a red Pinot Noir?

I decided to give it a try. Well, the salmon matched perfectly  with the wine. Now, if you don’t have access to the Purple Owl Pinot Noir, any good pinot will do, preferably from California.  But one from the Burgundy region, or Argentina, Chile, and even South Africa will do just as well. So, defy convention, have a red wine with fish for a change. And the recipe itself ain’t that bad.

ROSEMARY-CITRUS SALMON AND ASPARAGUS

Ingredients:

1 to-2 pounds fish fillets, whole or 4 individual fillets
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons melted butter
3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs (about 3 tablespoons), chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried
Bunch (about 1 pound) green asparagus

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2.  Rinse fillet (or fillets) under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place fillet on a large sheet of aluminum foil.
  3. In a small cup, combine lemon juice and butter. Pour and rub over fillets. Then sprinkle  with chopped rosemary. Place in oven and cook 15-20 minutes depending on size of fish. When it flakes easily with a fork, it’s done.
  4.  Meanwhile, rinse the asparagus and pat dry. Trim the ends of the asparagus. If the spears are thick,  trim them lightly with a vegetable peeler. Place asparagus in a the top part of a steamer pan, and steam for 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness, or until tender. If you do not have a steamer, you can use a steamer basket inside a large pot.
  5.  Serve the salmon fillet (or fillets) garnished with the asparagus.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

LAMB WITH BLACK OLIVES

May 4, 2019 / / 0 Comments

I like lamb, and I like olives. So, why not mix ’em together? This recipe, by the way, is from an old cookbook I acquired years ago: Ismail Merchant’s Florence. The rosemary sprigs and black olives impart a tantalizing flavor to the lamb.  I do not know if this will work with green olives, or even stuffed Spanish olives. But you are welcomed to try.  Also, you can serve the recipe with any preferred grain or pasta. I served it with  spaetzle (Swiss dumplings) and it was perfect. Note that the ingredients call for a cup of dry white wine. Whether that means you have to serve the dish with white wine, I don’t know. I served it with an Australian Shiraz, and it hit the spot. Enjoy

LAMB WITH BLACK OLIVES

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
2½ pounds stewing lamb, cut in chunks
1 cup dry white wine
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
30 black olives

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium, add the garlic and rosemary. When garlic is golden, add lamb chunks and brown on all sides.
  2. Pour in the wine. When it evaporates, add tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat about 15 minutes.
  3. Add olives to the lamb. Cover and cook very slowly 1½ hours or until the lamb is tender. Add water or beef stock if meat seems to be drying out.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

RATATOUILLE NICOISE

April 24, 2019 / / 0 Comments

I like ratatouille, the classic French stew whose origin goes back to the late 18th century.  Yet, of all the recipes out there, I prefer the more modern incarnation, Ratatouille Niçoise. This rendition hails from Nice, and is very popular in the Riviera, where it is served hot or cold.   Let me add that it contains garlic, which I love (in the Rivera family we never had to worry abut vampires). That being said, add garlic according to preference and social interaction.

With a loaf of crusty bread, and a fruit-rich Cabernet either from California or France, and you can’t go wrong.

RATATOUILLE NIÇOISE

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
2 or more cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 zucchini, rinsed, scrubbed and sliced
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 green and 1 red pepper (or 2 green peppers), seeded and cut into strips
1 pound 4-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and choppped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon capers

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet or fry pan over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
2. Dust the zucchini and eggplant lightly with flour.  Add to the skillet, along with the peppers, cover and cook  slowly over medium-low heat  about 1 hour.
3. Add tomatoes, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until the mixture is thick. Season with salt and pepper.  Add capers during last 15 minutes of cooking. Serve hot or cold.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

 

QUICK PIZZA MARGHERITA

April 16, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Who doesn’t like pizza? We all do.  Because it’s probably the healthiest fast food there is.  Today’ recipe mirrors that with the quickest, most delicious recipe that you can make at home in a jiff.  Historically, it’s the oldest pizza dish there is. So, you’ll be making not only a delicious dish, but one filled with history. Pizza Margherita  traces its origin to the late 18th century. It was popular in Naples by the 1830’s. It was the typical Neopolitan pizza made with tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil. It’s still the most popular pizza style in the region.

And you can make it at home with no effort at all. I like convenience, so the trick is to use ready made pizza crust like the ones made by the Boboli brand. Which can be found in most stores these days. They carry thin crust, original pizza crust, and 100% whole wheat, which is the one I prefer. But, if you have the time, and desire, you can prepare your own pizza crust.

This is the recipe that I saw prepared in countless bistros in Napoli. I tweaked it a bit in that I added garlic for more oomph. You can skip the garlic if desired. It ain’t fancy. There’s no pepperoni, anchovies, chicken, pineapple rings as in so-called Hawaiian pizza, or any of that stuff.  Most important of all, it’s home-made. So, forget Domino’s, Pizza Hut,  Little Caesar’s, et all.  This is the original. The genuine product as served in Naples.  It won’t disappoint.

QUICK MARGHERITA PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 Boboli pizza crust (I prefer whole wheat)
¾ cup marinara sauce, home made or store bought
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup (or more) thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
1 package basil leaves, rinsed and pat dry with paper towels

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place the crust on a pizza stone, tiles, or large sheet of aluminum foil. Pour the sauce over the crust. Using the back of the spoon, spread it evenly over the surface, stopping about ½-inch from the edges.
3. Sprinkle the garlic over the sauce; and drizzle the olive oil over the pie.
4. Spread the mozzarella slices over the sauce; and scatter the basil leaves on top. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling).
Yield: 3-4 servings.

 

 

15-MINUTE MEAT LOAF

April 8, 2019 / / 0 Comments

“When I can’t write, I read. When I can’t read, I cook.”
—M.F.K. Fisher

This is a recipe that I cut out years ago from some newspaper. I still have it, yellowed paper and all. It comes from one of my heroes, M.F.K. Fisher. Long before James Beard, Julia Charles, et all, came on the scene, there was  Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher, a beautiful statuesque lady who wrote 27 books, mainly on food and travel. My favorite is “How to Cook a Wolf.” No, she  does not give instructions on cooking a wolf. The book was written in 1942, in the midst of World War II when the US was fighting for its live against the Fascists. To aid in the war effort, there was a food rationing program with strict limits on the purchase food basics such as sugar, butter, flour,  coffee, and meat. The book instructs on how to survive on what you have and still cook delicious, nutritious meals. If, as President Eisenhower once said, the war was won by the jeep and spam. The war at home was won by “How to Cook a Wolf.”

This recipe is great for its quickness and convenience. And, yes, the meat loaf cooks in just a mere 15 minutes. Talk about time saving! I’ll leave the last word to Ms. Fisher herself: “This is a far cry from the dry meat loafs we once hoped would taste like a pate de champagne rather than Sunday-in-jail, and it should be eaten soon, preferably with a big salad.”

15-MINUTE MEAT LOAF

1½ pound best ground beef
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 generous teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

In the morning for use that night or at least 8 hours later, combine all ingredients and mix well. Put into well-oiled baking dish in loaf form; that is, do not pack in but make a small oaf in a large space. Chill.
To serve, bake in a preheated 450º oven on lowest shelf for exactly 10 minutes.
Then place under broiler for exactly 5 minutes. Remove at once; let stand 5 minutes. Serves 4-6.

 

FISH AND SPINACH ROLLS-UPS

March 28, 2019 / / 0 Comments

This is a relatively quick seafood dish that will wow your family or guests. Simple: fish fillets rolled up with spinach as a stuffing. The fish can be any firm-fleshed fish fillets, cod, haddock, perch, whiting, or whatever is available in the fish aisle. Still, I can hear you say, spinach? Ugh! Hey, you don’t have to be Popeye to like spinach. Here, the veritable green is seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic; and brushed with an lemon-butter sauce.  Believe me, you’re gonna love it.

The recipe can be done with fresh spinach, but I happened to have frozen organic spinach on hand and, you know what, it was easier in the preparation than the fresh stuff. You can still substitute fresh spinach if it’s on hand. We served the dish with a wild rice mix. But regular rice, or couscous, or quinoa, or even orzo pasta can work just as well.

So, whatcha waiting for? Go for it and amaze everyone at the table. You can lie and tell them it’s a complex, classical cuisine recipe that took hours to prepare just for them. Oh, yes, it goes perfect with a Riesling. I prefer the German or Alsatian Rieslings that still have a hint of sweetness. California and Australian Rieslings have a dryer flavor.

FISH AND SPINACH ROLL-UPS

Ingredients:

4 fresh fish fillets
2  10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
Juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Cook frozen spinach, along with garlic (following package directions), drain, and chop coarsely. Spread fillets evenly with spinach, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll up like jellyrolls and place, seam side down, in a grease shallow baking pan (I prefer cast-iron).
4. In a small bowl, mix butter and lemon juice, and brush heavily over fish. Place in oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serve fish rolls on a a bed of wild rice or favorite grain.
4 servings.

 

 

 

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