Oswald Rivera

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 52 of 85)

Lamb Curry

November 7, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I’m a fan of curries; mainly because I like fragrant and spicy dishes. Coming from a Latino culture, this is a given. The origin of curry dishes is India. It is the Tamil word for “sauce.” Today we think of it more as a seasoned gravy. This is thanks to our British brethren who, during the 18th century, adopted the ides of curry, modified it, and made it an international dish.

Curry also has a history in Pakistan and Thailand. Indian curry is made with a mixture known as masala. This comes from the Hindi word for “spice.” It’s a combination of spices such as garlic, ginger, onions, and chili paste. While Thai curry is made from a paste of chilies, herbs and vegetables. Today, curries are popular world-wide.

Below is my recipe for lamb curry. Let me note that curry is usually served with plain boiled rice. This time around I served it on a bed of tubettini noodles.

LAMB CURRY

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rings
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2/3 cup chicken bouillon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups unflavored yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute (do not let garlic brown).
2. Add ginger, lamb, garam masala and chili powder. Cook, stirring, until the lamb is browned.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon, salt and pepper, and half the yogurt. Cover and simmer over low heat until meat is tender (about 30 minutes). Stir in the remaining yogurt and serve on a bed of pasta or rice.
Yield: 4 servings.

Basic White Sauce

November 4, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

It mazes me how many folks have trouble making a basic white sauce. To some it’s the easiest thing in the world. To others it is not. And I concede to the latter viewpoint. What is seemingly the easiest thing to make can turn into a holy mess. Too much flour and it’s lumpy. Too much milk or cream and it’s runny. Where is the happy medium? The French term for a basic white sauce is béchamel. Leave it to the French to fancy up something so simple. However, there are some things worth noting about this preparation. Almost all experts in the know agree on one basic point: when adding milk to the flour, the milk must be hot. This guarantees a perfectly smooth sauce. So take the time to heat up the milk in an extra pot if you have to. That means warming the milk over low heat until it forms little bubbles.

A basic white sauce, despite its humble origins, can enliven almost any dish. It can turn leftovers into marvelous entrées. Add it to scrambled eggs and you have a whole different meal. It can enhance everything from mac n’ cheese, to potato salad, to lasagna.

This is the Rivera family’s basic white sauce recipe. An old stand-by that’s been with us for generations, most likely through trial and error; and hopefully, will continue to grace our kitchen for generations to come.

BASIC WHITE SAUCE

2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of paprika

1. In a cup or small bowl, make a paste of the flour with 2 tablespoons of the milk.
2. Combine with remaining ingredients in a saucepan.
3. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until thickened.
Yield: 1 cup

Variations: If desired, you can add 1-2 tablespoons butter to the ingredients in the saucepan for a richer sauce. If you want to make it a cheese sauce, add 1/2 cup of your favorite grated cheese during cooking.

Pot Roast Redux

October 26, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I’ve always been a fan of the Sunday pot roast dinner. When I was growing up in Spanish Harlem, we called it carne mechada. But it was essentially the same as what you would find in New England, a 3-4 pound roast cooked in a Dutch oven over moderate heat with potatoes, carrots or whatever. Only difference was that ours was more highly seasoned as per Caribbean taste. Also, due to economics, we usually cooked a boneless chuck roast; and when times were good it would be bottom round beef or eye round. If you’re looking for a traditional carne mechada recipe you can check my post from 02/27/13.

Recently I was looking through old stacks of cookbooks, and I cam across this gem: 250 Ways To Prepare Meat. It was a fifty cent catalogue published by Consolidated Book Publishers in 1971. It had a basic “Beef Pot Roast” recipe that utilized yes, table fat, for browning the meat. That’s how far back this recipe goes. It’s an endearing recipe, and quite delicious. I can imagine many a home in America in those days cooking this classic. Thus below, I give the recipe word-for word, as noted in the original. Only exception is that I took the liberty of adding carrots to the mix. This is probably the way your grandparents prepared the Sunday roast. If you don’t want to use table fat, you can always substitute vegetable, canola, or olive oil.

BEEF POT ROAST

3- to 4-pound beef arm or blade pot roast
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fat
1/2 water or stock

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge meat with mixture. Brown meat and onion in fat, pour off drippings and add a small amount of water or stock. Cover tightly, simmer 3 to 4 hours or until tender, adding more water if needed. One half hour before done, add potatoes. Serves 6.

Lamb Shanks Caribbean Style

This recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Hachete Books). It could be considered the Puerto Rican version of Osso Buco. Only difference is that Osso Buco is braised lamb shanks. We use regular lamb shanks; then the shanks are browned and simmered. The usual first step in Osso Buco is to dust the shanks with flour and then brown. The final step is the same: slow cooking until done. Now, no one says you can’t braise the lamb in flour, as in the Italian version. My mother would cook them both ways. Just that it’s easier in the Caribbean version.

The dish is normally served with yellow rice and pigeon peas (arroz con gandules – see post of 12/01/14 for a pretty good recipe). This time around I served it with the old standby, mashed potatoes.

MUSLO CORNERO A LA CARIBE
(Lamb Shanks Caribbean Style)

4 lamb shanks (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Juice of 1 whole lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 bay leaves

1, Rinse lamb shanks and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper
3. Heat olive oil in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Add lamb shanks and brown evenly over moderate-low heat.
4. Add tomatoes sauce, onion, garlic, oregano, cilantro, and bay leaves.
5. Cover and simmer on low heat until tender (1 hour). Remove bay leaves and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Pasta with Pancetta

September 21, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Pancetta is a pork product very popular in Italy. In some circles it’s called Italian bacon. Along with prosciutto, it’s very common in the Italian kitchen. It is made from pork meat that is salt cured and spiced with lots of black pepper. In a the supermarket or deli it comes in a tight roll (arrotolata), or already cubed. It can even be found sliced paper thin.

If you can’t find pancetta, bacon can be substituted—but it won’t taste the same. Also, with bacon, it’s best to blanch it first in boiling water since it reduces its smoky flavor (pancetta is not a smoked product). That being said, the recipe given below can be done with almost any pasta but it’s usually served with spaghetti or linguini. Once in a while, if I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll use perciatelli, my favorite string pasta. Why? It’s thick, like a phone cable—and I love what my Uncle Phillip in pre-PC days would call a “manly pasta.”

One additional thing I must say, since we’re talking about pasta: remember in the old days when it came in one pound boxes? More and more it’s now 12 ounces. When did this crap start? Ronzoni, bless their heart, still comes in one pound boxes. Barilla does not (it’s 13.25 ounces). Everyone else, these days, is 12 ounces. Pretty soon it’ll be 9 ounces, then 8 . . . you get the idea. Someday a family of four will have to buy two boxes of spaghetti or whatever to get fed. If you’re lucky enough to find a place that sells fresh pasta, you can still get it by the pound—and even if it’s more expensive, it’s a better deal. The corporate structure (no surprise!) is out to gyp us.

I pound tomatoes (preferably plum tomatoes)
10-8 ounces pancetta or lean bacon, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 pound fresh or dried spaghetti or linguini (if you can find a 1-pound box)
5 fresh marjoram sprigs, minced, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh shredded basil
Freshly grated Pecorino or Romano cheese

1. Wash tomatoes under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Chop coarsely.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add pancetta and stir-fry over low heat until fat is rendered.
3. Stir in onion and cook gently for 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more.
4. Add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring well. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions.
5. Stir the marjoram into the sauce. Remove from heat. Drain the pasta into a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well. Sprinkle with shredded basil, and serve, passing around the Pecorino or Romano cheese.
Yield: 4 servings.

Greek-Style Lamb Chops

September 8, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Lamb has long been a staple in our clan. We usually cook it the Nuyorican way: spices such as garlic, peeper, oregano and garlic are crushed in a mortar then patted on the lamb chops along with some olive oil and red wine vinegar. Yet we are always on the lookout for news ways to prepare this favorite. Thus I came across this Greek-Style recipe. It’s similar to Pureto Riucan cooking in terms of the spices used, except that my Greek acquaintances insist that in terms of oregano, only Greek oregano is mandated. Okay. When in Rome . . .

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be done on top of the stove, or using the broiler, or on an outdoor grilled. Be aware that, if grilling, omit the wine part. Or, you can use the wine in the marinade prior to grilling. Whichever way you choose to prepare, the recipe is a home run, or touchdown (insert whatever sports metaphor you desire).

3 to 4 pounds lamb chops (loin or rib), about 1-inch thick
3 tablespoons dried oregano, preferably Greek
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and black ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1. Wash chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. With a knife or fork, prick chops on both sides.
3. Combine oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub spices on each side of lamb chops and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a covered bowl or zip-lock bag and marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge or preferably overnight.
4. Melt butter in a large skillet or fry pan over medium heat. Add chops and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning once or twice. Add wine, cover, and cook an additional 5 minutes. The wine will boil and thickened around the lamb, and that is what you want to increase the flavor. Add more wine , if necessary. Place on serving platter and let stand 2-3 minutes before serving.
Yield: 4 servings or more.

Fish Fillets with Mushroom Ragout

August 26, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I didn’t discover this concept of ragout (pronounced “ragoo”) until my early manhood. I went to a restaurant on the west side of Manhattan and asked what is this “rag-out” thing. My friends corrected me as to the pronunciation, and we ordered the thing. Subsequently, I learned that “ragout” comes from the French verb ragoûter, which roughly translates “to stimulate the appetite.” It’s mainly a seasoned, thick stew of meat, poultry or fish which may or may not contain vegetables. To confuse you more, ragu, also derived from ragout, is a popular dish in Italy’s Bologna region and is served with pasta. It’s main ingredients are ground beef and tomatoes, with some onions, carrots and wine wine thrown in.

The dish given below is a traditional ragout made with fish fillets and mushrooms. In the recipe I use perch fillets. But you can substitute cod, haddock, turbot, or any light firm-fleshed fillets. For the mushrooms, I use the oyster variety; but you can use cremini, shiitake, chanterelle, or a mix of mushrooms. Now, some people may add cream to their ragout. I’m told by a diehard, utterly traditional chef that never may you add cream to the ragout. It is “sacrilege, sacré bleu!” I’m not fascistic in my cooking, so, if you want to add cream, or anything else you think will improve the flavor, go right ahead. The subject of good cuisine is to constantly experiment. That’s the real joy of cooking. Also, and this will drive the traditionalists nuts, this is my Latino version of the dish. Muchas gracias.

FISH FILLETS WITH MUSHROOM RAGOUT

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound oyster mushrooms, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 small shallot, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped dill
4 6-ounce fish fillets
Salt and black ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup hot water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or fry pan (I prefer cast-iron). Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, shallot, and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook until garlic and shallot are softened, about 1 minute.
3. Add chicken stock, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half and slightly viscous, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and cook another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in dill. Cover, and keep warm.
4. Wash fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano, patting seasonings into the fish.
Place fish in a roasting pan. Add water and 1 tablespoon butter. Bake until fish is tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Place fillets in a serving dish, spoon mushroom ragout over fish, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Caribbean Grilled Steak

August 4, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Grilling steaks can be the easiest or the most difficult thing depending upon how you go at it. The result can be a charred-burnt out piece of leather, or a raw, bleeding mess. The trick is to watch it carefully as it grills. The recipe given below is the Boricua way of grilling meat. That is, it uses all the herbs associated with Caribbean cuisine. Of course, you can add other spices as you desire. It’s all in the taste buds.

The recipe can be termed a peppercorn steak, or as they say in fancy-dan argot, “au poivre.” This consists of steak, normally filet mignon, cooked with cracked pepper, usually green peppercorns. In our cooking its black whole peppercorns.

Here we go again: in traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, we crush the spices in a mortar and pestle, to give it that extra zing. In you don’t own or have a mortar, then substitute ground pepper and salt to taste along with 1 tablespoon oregano, add 1 teaspoon garlic powder—and you’re set to go.

In terms of what meat to use, if you can afford filet mignon, go right ahead, and more power to you. Those of us who are less well-heeled can use other variety meats like strip steaks, cut about 1 1/2-inch thick. I use porterhouse steaks—believe it or not, I got them on sale.

CARIBBEAN GRILLED STEAK

4 porterhouse steaks, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
3/4 cup whole peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teasppoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 cups beef broth
1 (3 1/2-ounce) jar capers, rinsed

1. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, oregano, and salt. Mix in olive oil and vinegar. Brush steaks on both sides with this mixture.
2. Place steaks on grill, cover with lid, and cook on each side 4-5 minutes or until desired doneness.
3. Melt butter in a skillet or fry pan. Add scallions and sauté about 1 minute. Add broth and capers, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10-15 minutes. Serve over grilled steaks.
Yield: 4 servings.

Dressing Up Potato Salad

July 21, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Potato salad is everywhere during the summer—in Church socials, picnics, barbecues, outdoor grilling, you name it. And usually it’s always the same: boiled and cubed potatoes drenched in mayonnaise with some salt and pepper. But there are ways to dress up this favorite so it doesn’t get boring.

Basic potato salad involves placing 1-2 pounds potatoes (could be either new potatoes, russets, or specialty potatoes) in cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (10-15 minutes, depending on size). Drain under cold running water, cut in half, quarter or slice, and gently toss with the desired dressing. My preference is for the potatoes not be peeled. They should be cooked with their skins on. Nothing could be easier. It’s how you dress them up that counts. Following are some ways to dress up the spuds and give this common dish some new zing.

Basic Salad Dressing

In a bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried), and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the potatoes and serve.

Chimichurri Potato Salad

To the basic Salad Dressing above, add 1 small red or green chili; 1 clove minced garlic; 1/4 cup chopped scallions; and 4 strips of lemon zest, thinly sliced.

Potato Egg Salad

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons sour cream; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 teaspoon white vinegar; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped. Stir in 4 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped; and 2 half-sour pickles, cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss with the potatoes, and serve.

German Potato Salad (an Old World favorite)

In a large bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Toss lightly with the potatoes and serve.
Note: In some recipes, 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber is added to the potatoes. Then paprika is sprinkle over the dish and served.

Waldorf Potato Salad

(Presumably created by chef Oscar Tschirky of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York sometime in the 1890s)

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons sour cream; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard. Toss with the potatoes and add 1 cup small red grapes (cut in half); 4 stalks thinly sliced celery; and 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts.

There you have it. Go at it, and enjoy.

Fish Rubs for Grilling

July 12, 2016 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Grilling season again. Temperatures rise and so does the need for al fresco cooking. In my circle I’m the oddball since I prefer grilling seafood. The usual burgers, hotdogs, chicken is alright, but to me, the height of ecstasy is a good grilled fish steak, or fillet. It’s amazing what one can do grilling-wise with something from the sea.

A great method of grilling fish is via seafood rubs. Simply rub the herbs and condiments into the fish, let the mixture stand 5-15 minutes, and cook. In every case, it’s always best to cut large steaks or fillets into meal-size portions so that they will be easy to turn when grilling. Brush the fish very lightly with olive oil before cooking; and always start grilling with the skin side up. Turn the fish once during cooking. It’s easiest to slide a metal spatula under the fish and turn. And most important, cook fish about 5-8 minutes per inch of thickness. Of course, if it’s a thin fillet, use less time. Cook until it’s sightly opaque in color. To be sure, jab the fish with a fork in the thickest part to check for doneness. Always remove from heat soon as it turns translucent.

For the grilling itself, common sense always applies. Seafood cooks best over a medium-hot fire. Also, make sure the grill is hot before cooking; and brush some vegetable oil on the grill prior to cooking.

Below are given four rubs for seafood. The seafood can be either 4 fish steaks (about 6 ounces each; fish fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds); or a whole fish, cleaned and scaled (2-3 pounds). If you need more condiments or herbs, adjust accordingly. Still, it’s up to you. Don’t go by what I say. If you’re adventurous, try to create your own blend. Almost every culture has a seafood rub. Experiment and enjoy.

Basic Caribbean Rub

Squeeze juice of half lemon over fish. Rub fish with 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried) ; 3 cloves garlic, finely minced; salt and ground black pepper to taste. Brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and grill.

Indian Rub

Blend 1 tablespoon garam masala; 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; and salt to taste. Run onto fish; sprinkle with olive oil and cook.

Chipotle Rub (For those who like it hot)

Blend 1 tablespoon chipotle chilies (can use canned chilies, if desired, and remove seeds if you want reduced heat); 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 3 cloves minced garlic. Rub into fish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and grill.

Asian Rub

Combine 2 tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger; juice of half a lime; 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 1 clove finely minced garlic; and 1/2 cup sliced scallions. Rub into fish and grill.

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