Oswald Rivera

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Author: Oswald Rivera (page 46 of 83)

Apple and Date Omelet

November 13, 2017 / / 0 Comments

This recipe came about through necessity. Recently a friend gave us a bushel of genuine organic farm apples. They’re red apples, that’s all I know, and are delicious. But, after a while, we were scrounging around for ways to cook the things.  We could only make so many apple pies, apple crisp and apple compote. Then on top of that, we got some dried dates; and we began to think what can we do with dates and apples. And this is the result: an apple and date omelet.

If you want to be fancy about it, you can call it an apple and date frittata. In Italian, the word frittata roughly translates as “fried.” So think of this as fried eggs with the fruit in it. To my snooty friends, frittata would be more refined that just saying a “fried egg dish.” No matter, the sucker is delicious whatever you call it. With some crusty bread, it can’t be beat. We had it with fresh bialys, and it’s just as good. And it can be served as a brunch thing, or even a dinner entrée. Over rice, or any other grain, it’d be perfect.

APPLE AND DATE OMELET

Ingredients

6 eggs
6-8 dried dates, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly slice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices

Instructions

  1. Crack eggs into a large bowl.
  2.  Add dates, 1 tablespoon of the rosemary leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried), salt and pepper. Beat lightly.
  3.  Heat olive oil in a large, heavy oven-proof skillet or oven pan (I prefer cast-iron) set over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until onion is a golden brown and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
  4.  Stir in butter, apple, and remaining tablespoon rosemary leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried). Sauté until apples begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
  5.  Pour egg mixture over apple-butter mix. As eggs begin to set, using a spatula, left edges all around and allow uncooked egg to flow underneath and cook. While omelet is still runny, place pan in oven and broil until light brown and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove omelet from oven, cut into slices, and serve
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

Higado Al Sarten

November 10, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Mention liver as a food, and the reaction you’ll invariable get is Aaak! Ugh! Yuck! Liver does that to people. In our family, we loved liver. Still do. Maybe it’s a Rican thing and, yes, in certain circles liver is considered a delicacy. And I’m not talking about Hannibal Lecter lovingly describe how he ate a human liver with fava beans and Chianti. I mean other methods: in classical French cuisine liver pate and foi gras are at the top of the food pantheon.  Plus, chicken livers and onion has always been a standby in English cooking. Our family’s humble contribution is Higado al Sartén. In Spanish, sartén translates as “frying-pan.” Rather than terming it “Frying Pan Liver” we translate it, roughly, as “Sautéed Liver.”

When my mom cooked this dish, it was always with either calf’s liver or lamb liver. We never tried it with beef liver, so I wouldn’t know how that would turn out. And we served it (because my father insisted) with rice, preferably yellow rice. But you can elect to have it with mashed potatoes or, as I did this time around, with boiled potato chunks drizzled with olive oil.

The other thing to note about liver is a wine matchup. Liver is notorious in this respect. No matter what animal it comes from, liver is gamy, and it renders a unique flavor. Experts in the field (if you believe experts) usually recommend a good Italian red like a Rosso di Montalcino, if you can find it. Others recommend Pinot Noir or Burgundy. My experience has been that a French Syrah, or Shiraz from Down Under, makes a perfect match. We had this dish with a Shiraz from South Eastern Australia (Dark Corner Durif Shiraz 2016), and it was just right.

HIGADO AL SARTÉN
(Sautéed Liver)

Ingredients

8 whole black pepppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound lamb or calf’s liver
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, oregano, and salt.
  2. In a medium saucepan, place liver in water to cover along with lime juice. Bring to a rapid boil. Drain and pat dry with paper towels, then cut into thin slices.
  3. Mix crushed seasonings inside a zip-lock bag along with the flour. Add liver slices, and thoroughly coat the liver with the flour mixture.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add liver (shaking off excess flour) and sauté until firm (but not hard) and browned on the outside, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on absorbent paper towels, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Camarones con Ajo

October 27, 2017 / / 0 Comments

In our family, back on the block, we called this recipe Camarones con Ajo, or Shrimp with Garlic. It was one of our beloved Uncle Phillip’s favorite dishes. Years later I discovered that this is also a popular Spanish tapas dish, which they call Gambas al Ajillo.  As most know by now, tapas, in Spanish cuisine, is defined as an appetizer or snack. Well, this may be the norm in all the bistros in Spain, but in our clan, we always served Camarones con Ajo as an entrée, usually with rice and, sometimes, pasta.

Puerto Ricans love seafood, especially shellfish. And in this vein, shrimp is king (at least it was in our family). We’re also enamored of garlic, lots of it in a dish. Recently I cooked up this dish again but, this time, I served it over Thai rice noodles. It was divine. Nothing could be easier. The hard part is peeling and devieining the shrimp. Just take your time and think of it as a labor of love because, believe me, the results will be worth the bother. Added Note: If you don’t like it spicy, omit the chili.

 

 

CAMARONES  CON  AJO
(Shrimp with Garlic)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound shrimp (about 20 large shrimp), peeled and deveined
1  dried chili pepper (Chipotle, Mulato, Gaundilla, Ancho, or your favorite), seeded and chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon brandy
Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1.  Heat olive oil in a medium pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
  2.  Add garlic and sauté until browned, about 2 minutes.
  3.  Add shrimp and chili pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the shrimp over and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4.  Pour in the brandy, and cook for another minute. Add salt, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
    Yield: 4 or more servings.

 

 

 

 

Broiled Bread and Brie

October 15, 2017 / / 0 Comments

In our bailiwick, we like bread and we like brie, the famed French soft farmhouse cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. One of my favorite ways to do brie is just having it like a regular grilled cheese sandwich: top a slice of bread with the brie and place it under the broiler for  a minute or two. This led to further experimentation, and one of the results is the recipe given below, a classic bread and brie matching.

This recipe calls for good crusty bread. My favorite, in the vein, is ciabatta, which is somewhat like a French baguette except that it’s broad and flat, which makes it perfect as a sandwich bread. Yet, with this recipe, any good round loaf will do, especially whole wheat. But don’t try it on plain white bread, it  won’t come out as good. The recipe itself calls for sautéed  onions and garlic, well seasoned, place atop the bread along with the brie. I added some honey to give it a dash of sweetness. It makes for a great food combination. The dish is great as an appetizer; but it can also be a good lunch dish, or even as an entrée.

GRILLED BREAD AND BRIE

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
4-5 slices crusty bread, about 1/2-inch thick
6 ounces brie, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey

  1. Heat oven to broil.
  2. In medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
  3. Add onion, garlic and thyme. Sauté until onion starts to get tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. Place bread slices on a baking sheet, and set under the broiler just lone enough to slightly toast, about 1 minute. Spoon  a bit of the onion mixture over each. Then top with some of the brie. Place under broiler for another minute or until cheese melts. Remove to a serving platter, drizzle with honey and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

Marinated Portobello Mushrooms With Polenta

October 9, 2017 / / 0 Comments

The reason for his recipe is that my wife gave me a present: six prized bottles of Brunello Di Montalcino wine. This was treat. Brunello di Moimtalcino is a premium wine made in the town of Montalcino in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, one of the leading grape varieties also used in making Chianti. It has a ruby red color, a highly perfumed aroma of berries and light vanilla, and bold fruit flavors.

The main food pairings for Brunello are grilled steak, roast leg of lamb, pheasant, and truffles. They also pair well with portobello mushrooms—which I love. One of my favorite dishes with portobellos, is polenta, basically boiled cornmeal, which can also be grilled, fried or baked. Polenta is very easy to prepare: Just bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add a cup of cornmeal, stirring all the time to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. That’s it.  Serve with marinated portobello mushrooms, it makes a fine accompaniment to a prized wine.  If you don’t happen to have Brunello on hand, a good Chianti, Cabernet or Merlot will do the trick.

MARINATED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH POLENTA

4 portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano, or 1 tablespoon dried
1 tablespoon  fresh chopped tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
4 slices of your favorite cheese—it could cheddar, Munster, Swiss, ext. (or even American cheese)

  1. Wash portobellos under running water and pat dry. Using as spoon, remove gills from underside of mushrooms  and discard (or save for other use). Leave stems on. Set aside.
  2. Mix 1/2 cup olive, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and tarragon in medium bowl. Add portobellos, and mix to combine. Cover and marinate for an hour or more.
  3.  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add portobellos, stem side down, and cook 4 minutes. Turn over, top with cheese slice, cover, and cook 3 minutes more or until cheese has melted. Serve with polenta (recipe given above)
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

Concha en Jerez

September 26, 2017 / / 2 Comments

This is recipe that comes to us via Spain, once considered the mother country in Puerto Rico, when the Spaniards ran the show.  In Spain, Concha en Jerez, simply scallops in sherry, is normally served as part of a tapas ensemble. In my family, we served it as an entrée, usually over rice. We even made it into sandwiches for lunch. If you like scallops, this one is it.  Very easy to prepare. A famous Spanish dish with a hint of Nuyorican flavor.

CONCHA EN JEREZ
(Scallops in Sherry)

1 quart scallops, quartered
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup olive oil
1 yellow pepper (pimento), if desired, can substitute red or green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven broiler to high.
2. Place scallops in a shallow baking pan or dish (I prefer cast-iron)
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over scallops. Stir to mix, and let stand 10-15 minutes
3. Broil, stirring occasionally, until scallop are lightly browned, 6-8 minutes. Serve over rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steak With Asian Sauce

September 8, 2017 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is a variation on a common concept: steak with sauce. The great American steak has always been paired with Worcestershire, A1 sauce, barbecue sauce, horseradish, Tabasco sauce, and even Ketchup. So why not an Asian sauce? We have Asian sauces with almost everything: noodles, chicken, rice, veggies. So, why not a steak?

An Asian steak sauce is so easy to make. Go to your cupboard or fridge, and you’ll find almost anything you need. The Asian steak sauce I proffer is only a suggestion. You can experiment and create your own, you can make a hoisin sauce or a 5-spice sauce, or a kimchi sauce. Your imagination is limitless.

For this recipe you can use your favorite cut of meat: strip steak, flank steak, rid eye, tenderloin, etc. I used sirloin ( I had some extra cash available, otherwise it would have been chuck steak). Let me state that since this is an Asian sauce, the usual accompaniment  is rice. But you can also use pasta or, as I did with this one, mashed potatoes (since I had some potatoes on hand).

STEAK WITH ASIAN SAUCE

1 pound sirloin steak
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup beef broth
1 teaspoons mustard (preferably Dijon)

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pan of skillet (I prefer cast-iron) over medium heat. Add steak and cook 7 to 8 minutes on each side, or until desired degree of doneness. Let the steak rest on a carving board for 5 minutes. Then cut across on the diagonal into thin strips.
  2.  Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add broth and mustard and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3.  To serve, spread steal slices on a serving plate and spoon sauce over the meat.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

Sliced Turkey with Lemon and Capers

September 1, 2017 / / 0 Comments

What to do with turkey breasts, specifically skinless turkey breasts? The same thing can be said of chicken breasts. We all know by now that turkey can be a substitute for chicken, especially when one gets tired of chicken all the time. But turkey can add its own dimension and flavor, as with this old-fashioned entrée of turkey cooked with lemon and capers in a yogurt-sour cream sauce.  Nothing fancy. Just good ingredients that can be found in most refrigerators. Served with potatoes, rice, or even pasta, it’s a tasty and filling meal.

1 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast
1/2 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers

  1. Rinse turkey breasts under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into strips about 1/4-inch thick.
  2. Place flour in a plate, and season with salt, pepper. garlic powder and oregano. Dredge the turkey strips in flour.
  3. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet or pan until very hot. Add turkey and saute on both sides until browned.
  4.  Reduce heat to medium, add wine, yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice and capers. Stir to mix, cooking the turkey strips about 2 minutes more.
    Yield: 4 servings

 

 

Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Garlic and Caramelized Onions

August 23, 2017 / / 0 Comments

The waning days of summer, but good ripe tomatoes are still in season, and I indulged every chance to enjoy them. I won’t have such a treat during the cold winter months (it’ll be Italian canned tomatoes). Thus I posit another recipe featuring tomatoes. This time it’s fettuccine with tomatoes loaded with garlic and something unique: caramelized onions. The fettuccine, or any pasta with tomato sauce is a well-known favorite. The caramelized onions are something else.  For the record, the onion recipe comes from the monthly magazine, Cook’s Illustrated (September & October 2017, Number 148). The recipe intrigued me. I have my own method of making caramelized onions. But this one was different that a baking soda solution is added to the dish. It rendered a novel tangy taste.

Again, let me state that any pasta, tubular or string can be used in this recipe. We happen to have fettuccine on hand, and that was it.

FETTUCCINE WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

1/2 cup olive oil
5 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to  taste
1 pound fettuccine
3 large onions, halved and slice through root and 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

  1. In a large pan or skillet, heat olive oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and form a sauce., about 20 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside
  2.  Meanwhile, cook the  pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain, but reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid.
  3.  While pasta cooks, bring onions, 3/4 water, and salt to a boil, in the same skillet as before, over high heat. Cover and cook until water has evaporated and onions start to sizzle, about 10 minutes.
  4.  Uncover, reduce heat to medium-high and,  with a spatula, gently press onions into sides and bottom of skillet. Cook, without stirring onions, for 30 seconds. Stir onions, scraping from skillet, then gently press into sides and bottom of skillet again. Repeat pressing, cooking and stirring, until onions are softened, well  browned, and slightly sticky, 5-10 minutes.
  5.  Combine baking soda and remaining 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Stir baking soda solution into onions and cook, stirring constantly, until solution has evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  6.  Place the sauce back in  the skillet, add the pasta and 1/2 cup of cooking water to the sauce, and toss over moderately-low heat until coated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the onions. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

Tofu Salad

August 19, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Waning days of summer, but it’s still hot in certain areas; and salads are king. Which means one has to become inventive.  There are so many ways of making a  good salad, and so many ingredients that can be used, apart from the usual greens and tomatoes. You have seafood salads, beans salads, pasta salads, steak salads, ext. So, how about a tofu salad? Why not? Everything else has been added to the canon. With tofu we have a unique, healthy alternative to the usual  norm.

Tofu is an acquired taste. An there’s a reason fort that. The problem with tofu is , that on it’s own, it’s rather bland. And, ironically, this is also its greatest asset: it can take on whatever flavors are added to it via herbs, spices or seasonings. In this tofu rending I gave it an Asian slant using using soy sauce and sesame oil along with basil, garlic, oregano and scallions rounding out the dish. You can have it as a salad entrée by itself; or you can serve it over plain steamed rice for variation.

TOFU SALAD

1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1 package (20-oz) extra firm tofu, rinsed and sliced into 1/2-inch cubes or chunks
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup shopped scallions
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground  black pepper to taste
A pinch of brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

  1. In a salad bowl (or any medium bowl that’s convenient), toss the tofu with the tomatoes.
  2. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, scallions, oregano, garlic powder, pepper and sugar. Stir gently to combine.
  3. Stir in basil and mint, and serve.
    Yield: 4-5 servings.

 

 

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