Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 44 of 83)

POLLO CON ACHIOTE – ACHIOTE CHICKEN

June 1, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Achiote is one of the most popular condiments in Puerto Rican Cuisine. It is simply annatto seeds cooked in olive oil. It’s most common use used is as a coloring, particularly in rice, where the achiote gives the grains that bright orange color so definitive to us rice lovers. It’s other most typical variation is in Bacalao con Achiote, or shredded codfish cooked with the achiote.

Annatto is the pulp of the tropical tree Bixa orellana.  Annatto dye is sued in coloring some cheeses. In the old days, it was used by Caribbean and South American Indians for body paint.

I’ve discovered that achiote can be used in making other dishes, such as the recipe given today, Pollo con Achiote or, simply, Achiote Chicken. If you have achiote already on hand, then the recipe is a snap. If not, a quick recipe for making achiote is given. What’s marvelous about this recipe is that it can be prepared baked, steam, or grilled (this is the season for it). Whichever method is used, the result is a delicious and memorable rendition.

POLLO CAN ACHIOTE
(Achiote Chicken)

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1½ pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh crushed oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon annatto seeds
½ cup olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  In a bowl, place chicken. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Mix to combine. Set chicken aside while preparing achiote.
  4.  In a small skillet, preferably cast-iron, heat olive oil. When oil is very hot, add annatto seeds. Turn heat to low and cook the seeds, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. If the flame is kept on high, the seeds may crack and splatter. During cooking, the oil will turn a bright orange-red color. The longer the seeds steep in oil, the deeper the hue.
  5.  Remove from heat and let cool. Using a small strainer, pour into a glass jar or container. Cover and refrigerate. It will last in the fridge indefinitely. Or you can freeze it. Again, the shelf time is indefinite. But once it’s thawed, it cannot be re-frozen. Don’t ask me why.
  6.  Add 2-3 tablespoons to the chicken (the more you add the greater the color). Place chicken in a baking pan (I prefer cast-iron), and bake 20-30 minutes until tender and chicken has bright orange-red tinge.
    Yield: 4 servings.Steaming: Place chicken in a pot or pan. Add water up to 2 inches in pan. Bring to a boil.  Place  chicken in pan, lower heat and steam 10 minutes or until chicken is tender. A bamboo steamer can also be used, if you have one.Grilling: Prepare grill to medium heat; and grill chicken until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Cover grill, and continue to cook chicken until cooked through, turning and moving to coolest part of grill if necessary to prevent burning, about 25 minutes.

 

 

GREEN PEPPERCORN AND CREAM SAUCE

May 10, 2018 / / 0 Comments

We’re all familiar with peppercorns. Just check your pepper shaker next to the salt on the table. That’s just crushed black peppercorns. In Puerto Rican cuisine we use whole peppercorns that are crushed in a mortar and pestle. It gives a dish that extra zing. There are also green peppercorns, which are actually unripe black peppercorns that are either dried or preserved in brine or vinegar.  If using peppercorns packed in brine, they must be drained before crushing.

Green peppercorns have a milder taste than black, and they are often used in the renowned steak dish “Steak Au Poivre  Vert” or Pepper Steak. But their flavor also enhances poached chicken or fish dishes.  My favorite of these is Green Peppercorn and Cream Sauce  It is the easiest dish to prepare and renders that classic instance of continental cuisine sure to impress your friends and co-diners.

For those of you who are wondering how to prepare poached chicken or fish. Simple: place  rinsed and washed chicken (pieces or beasts)  or 1½ – 2 pounds fish fillets in a skillet or pan. Season with salt, oregano or herbs of your choice. Pour about 3-inches of liquid in the pan. This could be plain water or broth. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer until fish fillets or chicken are tender, usually 5-7 minutes for fish or 10 minutes for chicken. This will render 4 servings or more. For the recipe given I used perch fillets. But any light, firm fleshed fish will do (haddock, cod, turbot, flounder, etc.)

GREEN PEPPERCORN AND CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons green peppercorns, crushed
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions:

In a small skillet or pan, heat butter until melted. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add peppercorns and heavy cream, and cook for about two minutes more. Pour sauce over poached fish or chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Note: The recipe calls for crushing the peppercorns in a  mortar. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, place peppercorns between two sheets of waxed paper and, using your palm, crush with the side of a  cleaver or kitchen knife.

KASHMIR SPINACH WITH TOFU

May 4, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I am a fan of Indian cuisine, especially  for its vegetarian content. One of my favorite recipes is Kashmir Spinach with Paneer. Kashmir is in northwestern India and spinach, or palak as it is called in Hindi, is very popular in the region. Mixing palak with paneer, a fresh cheese popular throughout South Asia, is very common. In fact, in Kashmir the dish is known as palak paneer. In every case, the paneer is deep-fried and served with the spinach

But what if you don’t have any paneer cheese on hand? So, improvisation is in order. Why not use tofu instead? To my surprise, the dish works very well with beancurd. It is just as tasty, and healthy. As with the original, we serve it over rice, and it makes for a great vegetarian dinner. The spices present in the dish are perfect in livening up the neutral tofu flavor. No other enhancement is required.

Let me add that this recipe is spicy. You can use just one green chili or skip it altogether. You can make it as hot or as mild as desired. Either way, enjoy.

KASHMIR SPINACH WITH TOFU

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin powder
¼-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and mince
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
4-5 cardamom pod
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons fennel seed powder
3 Serrano chilies, slit along their length
1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt to taste.
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed and cut into ribbons
¾ teaspoon cornstarch, made into a slurry with a few tablespoons of water

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a wok or pan on medium-high flame. When it simmers, add cumin, ginger, turmeric, cardamom,  garam masala, 1 teaspoon of fennel seed powder, and green chilies. Toss mixture with oil.
2. Add tofu and stir the mixture until the beancurd is covered with spices and oil. Add salt to taste.
3. Add about 1 ½ cups water to pan. Gently mix, cover and bring to a boil.
4. Lower heat to simmer. Uncover, and sprinkle over the remainder of the fennel seed powder. Stir in the spinach. Add cornstarch and stir to mix.
5. Cover and simmer for another 4-5 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Serve with steamed rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

POTATOES ROMANOFF

April 9, 2018 / / 0 Comments

How about eating like a czar tonight? Literally eating like a czar. That’s where Potatoes Romanoff comes in. Think of a dish that’s sinfully delicious; a side offering that will eclipse everything else. Forget about mashed potatoes or potato salad. This is the epitome of it all. It’s perfect with a juicy steak or even hamburgers. But you can serve it with chicken, lamb, pork, or anything that calls for a side dish—but what a side dish!  Now, let me state right off the bat that Potatoes Romanoff is not a low calorie rendition. In this case, discard the freakin’ diet. It is a delightful pleasure for that special occasion. It is an easy to prepare, make ahead dish that you can reheat in the oven at your convenience.

The original Potatoes Romanoff calls for peeling the potatoes during the preparation. I discovered a long time ago that peeling potatoes robs them of their natural nutrients. I tend to purchase organic potatoes, and cooking them with skins and all. However, in the original dish, peeled potatoes are shredded in a grater. Since I prepare them unpeeled, shredding doesn’t work. Thus I chop them coarsely instead. If you can’t find organic spuds, just rinse them in water and scrubbed them with a sponge or brush. This should rid them of the nasty pesticides that cover the vegetable.

Also, the original recipe does not include garlic. I am a Nuyorican garlic head and I use it whenever I can. In this instance, it adds that extra zing to the taste.

 

Ingredients:

POTATOES ROMANOFF

4 medium-sized potatoes, washed and quartered
1 cup sour cream
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of paprika

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and chop coarsely.
  3. In a shallow baking dish (I prefer cast-iron), combine potatoes, sour cream, onion, about two-thirds of the Cheddar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and dust with paprika. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden.
    Yield: 6 servings.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

April 5, 2018 / / 0 Comments

For a pasta freak like myself, this is one of the easiest (and moist economical) dishes to prepare. And it’s quick and delicious. Think of the nerdy Sheldon on the comedy series The Big Bang, where he always rhapsodizes about his mom’s real “Eyetalian” spaghetti and franks dinner. In our family this is the equivalent.

For this preparation, any pasta can be used, whether string, round, oval or shells. In terms of types, I’ve always preferred what I call the the “hardy” ones, or as my Uncle Philip use to say, the “manly-man pastas.” By that I mean fettuccine, cannelloni, and my favorite, perciatelli. No angel hair for me. For this rendering we used rigatoni.

For the sausage in the dish, you can used mild or hot sausage links,  meat sausage, pork sausage, or even, Spanish chorizo. If you’re more health conscious, you can use chicken or turkey sausage.  Back in Spanish Harlem, during our lean days, we used canned Vienna sausage. You’re only limited by your imagination; which by now should be boundless.  With a good Chianti (or whatever wine you prefer), and some crusty bread, it’s a poor guy’s banquet.

Ingredients:

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1 ½ pounds preferred sausage (see above), cut into ½-inch rounds
1 pound package rigatoni
1 medium onion, sliced thin ( I prefer a red onion, but can use other)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1  jar (26-oz.) of your favorite pasta sauce
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

instructions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan (I prefer cast-iron). Add sausage and sauté until brown and tender. Depending on type of sausage this may take 5-6 minutes.
2. Cook rigatoni according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, add onion to skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in pepper and oregano.
4. Add pasta sauce and stir to mix. Cook until warm, 3-4 minutes.
5. Drain pasta, place in a large serving dish or platter. Top with sauce and parsley, and serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

 

 

 

 

 

PORK CHOPS HORTENSE

March 19, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Back when I was a young man, a hundred years ago, I stared collecting recipes. Up to that time my purview had been Caribbean cooking. Then I started expanding my palate and repertoire. On of the earliest recipes I collected was the one given below. The dish is called Pork Chops Hortense, and who first created it, I have no idea. If someone out there knows the provenance of this recipe, please let me know so that I can give credit to the appropriate party. Enough to say that it’s a delicious recipe that livens up the lowly pork chop and brings it to new heights.

Let me state that this can be  served with any grain,  pasta or, even, couscous. I served it over yellow rice, and it was perfect. Want to try it with brown rice, wild rice or other, no problem. It matches well with all, even mashed potatoes.

PORK CHOPS HORTENSE

Ingredients:

4 1-inch loin pork chops
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons butter
1 tart apple, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons brandy

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and oregano on both sides.
  2. Heat butter in a large skillet, and sauté the pork chops, apple and onion until pork chops are browned on both sides. Transfer pork chops to a heat-proof platter and place in a 300-degree oven to finish cooking. Leave the apple and onion in skillet and continue to sauté until apple and onion is tender.
  3.  Sprinkle apple and onion with flour and cook about 2 minutes more. Blend in broth and mustard. Bring to a simmer.
  4.  In a food mill, blender or food processor, purée skillet mixture, then return to skillet and heat through to near boiling. Blend in  heavy cream and brandy. Pour mixture over pork chops and serve immediately.                             Yield: 4 servings.

MEMORIES OF CONGEE

March 9, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Back in my wild and misspent youth, one of the most memorable characters I use to hang out with was a beautiful person named Eddie. He was Chinese, and  was the center of a group whom we termed, The Gang of Four. It was Eddie, myself, Larry (another Chinese guy), and Henry, who is Irish.

After work we would all meet at Lucy Jung’s restaurant on Canal Street. Larry was the manager at Lucy Jung’s, and we would keep him company, drinking and carrying on until the restaurant closed. Then we would go bar hopping in Chinatown. This was the era  when Chinatown had numerous watering holes such as the Golden Valley, The Hon Gong, and Winnies. They’re all closed now. The new generation sits behind laptops and tablets, staring at screens in the local Starbuck’s. The camaraderie that we all knew, is now gone.

Anyway, after a night of drinking, at around 3 or 4 a.m. we would end up in a little hole in the wall restaurant on Doyer’s Street, where we would all have a heaping bowl of congee. This would, hopefully, sober us up so that we could all shuffle to work that same morning—and then start up the same ritual the following evening. As the song says, we were young and surely had our way.

Eddie is no longer with us, but the other guys still are; although we all much older now, and somewhat wiser, all happily married,  and with families. But the memories still linger. Especially of congee, and it’s sobering affects.  Congee, also known as jook, is a hearty stew, more like a rice porridge. It’s popular throughout China, Laos, and Thailand. It can be served as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner dish. It’s simple and delicious. All you need is hot broth (or plain water will do), rice and some meat thrown in. The congee we had in Chinatown was made with pork meatballs. But you can prepare it with chicken, beef, or even fish.

The following is Eddie’s recipe for congee (or jook, as he preferred to call it).

CONGEE

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon Bell’s All Natural Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of ground white pepper
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 quart chicken broth, or water
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1/2 cup jasmine rice
1 tablespoon fish sauce (can be found in any Asian market)
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Fried garlic oil (recipe follows below)

Instructions:

  1. Place ground pork in a mixing bowl. Mix in Bell’s seasoning, oregano, white pepper, scallions, and salt, if using. Set aside.
  2.  In a wok or soup pot, combine the broth (or water) and ginger. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.  Add jasmine rice, cover and lower heat to  a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Add the pork in tablespoon-sized meatballs.
  3.  Let the mixture simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the fish sauce, transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro and fried garlic oil, and serve. If you prefer,  can also  serve the congee in small individual bowls, and each person can add garnish as desired. Your choice.
    Yield: 4 servings.

Fried Garlic OiI: In a small fry pan, cook 2 cloves garlic (finely minced), in 2 tablespoons olive oil. When garlic is slightly
browned, remove from heat and add to congee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAMARONES CON AJO (Shrimps with Garlic)

March 1, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Back on 110th Street and Lexington Avenue, this was a most popular dish. If you like shrimps and garlic (which Nuyoricans love), this was a favorite. Imagine my amazement, years later, when I discovered that the self-same dish was a traditional tapas plate popular in Spain. There, they call it “Gambas al Ajillo.” Why they call it “gambas,” I have no idea. I do know that it’s a tapas favorite where they include some good bread to soak up the delicious sauce in the dish. In Spanish Harlem, we serve it over rice.

What you have is a traditional garlic shrimp dish which has transcended cultures. In Nuyorican cooking, we also serve this entrée as a sandwich. You put the garlic infused shrimp on a roll or two slices of your favorite bread, and you’re set to go.  I have never seen this done in Spain. Again, it’s a Nuyorican thing. The same way American cooking has transformed Chinese cuisine with such dishes as egg foo young and chop suey, which never existed in China; or Italian coking with pasta primavera, another American invention. Thus, Puerto Ricans a took a tapas dish and put their own mark on it.

CAMARONES CON AJO
(Shrimp with Garlic)

1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
20 large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled and deveined
1 chili pepper, split with seed removed, and chopped
1 teaspoon brandy
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

  1. heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2.  Add garlic and saute until brown, about 2 minutes.
  3.  Add shrimp and chili pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn the shrimp over and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the brandy and cook an additional  2 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.                                                                                 Yield:  4 servings.

LEBANESE DELIGHTS

February 22, 2018 / / 5 Comments

One of my interests as of late is Lebanese cooking. Lebanon is a small country on the shores of the Mediterranean, which recently has been at the center of Middle Eastern conflicts because of its borders with Syria and Israel. The first time I heard about Lebanon was in the late 50s in the then popular Danny Thomas show. Thomas was of Lebanese descent, and now and then the show featured the irascible Uncle Tanoose (portrayed by actor Hans Conried), and whose antics were legendary in the program. I knew nothing of Lebanese cooking, but that soon changed. I became enamored of its varied cuisine, especially it’s vegetable  dishes with its stuffings of grape leaves, zucchinis and eggplant.   In terms of taste, health and nutrients, Lebanese cooking is right up there with the best of them.

For today’s rendition we have some simple and delicious Lebanese offerings which should give you an idea of the nature of this cuisine. The recipe is Fried Cauliflower, serve with Sesame Oil Sauce; and  both dishes come from one of my favorite cookbooks, Lebanese Delights, The Art of Lebanese Cuisine by Raymonda Khoury Naaman (Beirut, Lebanon).

So, for a change, enjoy some Middle eastern magic. You won’t be disappointed.

ARNABIT MIKLEH
(Fried Cauliflower)

Ingredients
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbsp vegetable oil for baking, or
1 cup vegetable oil for deep frying

Preparation
Heat 1 cup of oil in a deep frying pan. Fry 4 to 5 florets at a time until they turn golden in color. Drain on a paper towel.

Alternative
Place the florets in a baking pan and pour 2 tbsp of vegetable oil over them. Bake in a 350-degree over until golden in color.

Serves 6
180 calories per serving (fried)
100 calories per serving (baked)

Serve with taratour bittahini (recipe follows)

TARATOUR BITTAHINI
(Sesame Oil Sauce)

Ingredients
1/2 cup tahani (sesame oil)
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp mashed garlic
Cold water if needed
Salt as desired

Preparation
Place the tahini in a bowl and gradually stir in the lemon juice. Add cold water if needed and keep stirring, until the tahini is smooth and creamy. Add the mashed garlic, salt and mix.
Sesame oil sauce can be used on fish, fried cauliflower, fried eggplant, falafel and shawarma.

 

 

 

 

 

 

POACHED FISH FILLETS WITH LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE

February 15, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Of all the seafood dishes out there, the easiest to prepare, to my mind, is poached fish fillets, be it cod, perch, turbot, or any firm fleshed fish. It even works with blue fish fillets. It is the easiest of all creations.

Most cooks I know do make this delicacy, but then they drench it in a rich sauce, be it Béarnaise sauce,  Hollandaise sauce or Bechamel. I prefer this dish with a simple lemon-butter sauce, with just a few key ingredients for flavor: peppercorns, garlic, shallots and parsley. Serve with some steamed veggies, it hits the spot. A good Chablis, Pinot Grigio, or Reisling to accompany it ( or a light red, if you desire), and you have a memorable repast—even for a weeknight dinner.

POACHED FISH FILLETS WITH LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE

Ingredients

2 fish fillets (we use haddock), about  1 3/4 pounds
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
4-6 sprigs parsley, plus 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
8 whole peppercorns
Salt to taste (optional)
2 whole cloves
4 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut fillets crosswise into  4 pieces of equal size.
2. Place fish fillets in one layer in skillet or fry pan. Add milk and water. The fish should be barely covered with the liquid. If necessary, add a little more water. Add bay leaf, parsley sprigs, peppercorns, salt and cloves.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer 5-7 minutes. Cooking time will depend on thickness of fish. Cook only until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
4. Heat one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add garlic and shallots. Cook briefly, stirring.
5. Remove 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the fish and add stir it into the saucepan.
6. Bring to a boil and add the lemon juice. Swirl in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Remove from heat and add the minced parsley and pepper.
7. Drain the fish and serve hot with the melted lemon-butter sauce poured over the fillets.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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