Oswald Rivera

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 53 of 83)

Papas Rellenas – Stuffed Potato Balls

Papas rellenas, or stuffed potato balls, makes a great appetizer or side dish for the Thanksgiving table. Yes, that venerable holiday is upon us again. So how about giving that potato dish a unique take. Tired of the old potato salad? Then papas rellenas is it. You family and friends will say, Wow! C’mon, liven up that Thanksgiving turkey. Make papa rellenas a part of your tradition. You won’t be disappointed.

This recipe calls for sofrito, the Puerto Rican seasoning that is ubiquitous in our cooking. A recipe is readily available in my posting of November 8th 2015. If that’s not good enough for you, you catch my video of July 10th 2014 on how to make sofrito, step-by-step. Otherwise, you can get it store bought in almost any supermarket—but it won’t the same as the genuine product.

By the way, this recipe, among many others, is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, which is now in its third printing (Running Press, Avalon Books)

PAPAS RELLENAS
(Stuffed Potato Balls)

1 pound Idaho or Maine potatoes, peeled
2 quarts (8 cups) water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef (can substitute ground pork, chicken or turkey, if desired)
2 tablespoons sofrito
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Rinse potatoes under cold running water and pat dry.
2. Place in a pot or medium saucepan. Add water and boil on moderate heat, covered, until tender (about 30 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, for filling, heat oil in a skillet or fry pan. Add meat and stir-fry over medium heat until meat losses its color. Add sofrito, tomato sauce, oregano and salt. Mix and sauté 3-4 minutes.
4. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Drain potatoes, place in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.
6. Add butter, egg and one teaspoon cornstarch. Mix well and let cool.
7. Spread some of the potato dough mix in the palm of your hand (keep palms wet while doing this). With fingers makes small nest in the center of palm, and stuff with a spoonful of the filling. Cover the filling with more dough mix and shape into a ball. Brush lightly with cornstarch. repeat until filling and mix are used up.
8. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Yield: 6 to 8 stuffed potato balls, depending on size.

Meat Ring with Chili Sauce

November 12, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This is one of those fancy-dan recipes when you want to impress the crowd. It calls for a ring mold, and that could be metal, copper, ceramic or other. I use a 6 cup Bundt mold. Be it as it may, the recipe is quite simple. Note that for the meat part, you can use beef, pork, chicken or my choice, ground turkey. Also, I finish the whole thing in a microwave. Now, I don’t usually cook with a microwave. My experience has been that a microwave is great for heating up stuff, and that’s about it. I’ve yet to cook a passable rice dish with it. Much as I’ve tried, it never comes out right. But in this recipe I was strapped for time so, rather than bake the thing in an oven (which would have taken longer than I anticipated), I finished it off in the microwave. And, guess what? It came out pretty good. For the chili sauce part, you can make your own, or store-bought is just as good. I’m not a purist in that regard.

MEAT RING WITH CHILI SAUCE

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, chicken, pork, or lean ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup oatmeal
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon mustard
Ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup chili sauce

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add ground meat and cook over high heat until it loses its red color.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, add onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oatmeal, eggs, milk, mustard, black pepper and oregano. Cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes.
3. Pack into a greased ring mold; and microwave on high for 10 minutes or until meat starts to pull from sides of mold. Invert into a serving platter, top with chili sauce, and serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

Creamed Spinach with Baked Eggs

November 4, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This recipe is my take on a Mediterranean favorite. Spinach with bake eggs is a popular dish in Spain, where they serve the eggs and spinach in individual ramekins or small cups. I’ve also seen it in Greek cuisine. In my version, the spinach is cooked with various seasonings and heavy cream. Then the eggs are baked on top. For the baking part you can use a reliable baking dish. But my preference is always for cast-iron. It’s a family thing. My mom cooked with cast-iron and so do I; and that goes for the baking part as well.

This recipe makes a great brunch dish. But it can also be served as a dinner entrée. With dinner, I serve it along with a grain, be it rice, couscous, or even kasha. A good crusty loaf of bread, a light wine, and you can’t go wrong.

CREAMED SPINACH WITH BAKED EGGS

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches fresh spinach leaves, about 1 1/4 pounds, coarsely chopped
2 clove garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat butter in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent.
3. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring a couple of times, until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove lid, add garlic. Cook, stirring, until most excess liquid is evaporated, 2-4 minutes.
4. Add cream, salt, pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Crack each egg into a section of the pan. Place in middle of oven and bake until eggs are set, about 15 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings.

Scallops with Parsnips and Honey-Sage Sauce

October 31, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Winter is coming. And one of my favorite winter veggies is parsnips. Parsnips comes from that line known as root vegetables, i.e turnips, rutabaga, beets, radishes, etc. For some reason or another, in my group, no one likes parsnips (or turnips, for that matter). And I can’t understand why. Properly prepared, they can be heavenly. As in the dish given bellow. I happen to be a fan of scallops, be it sea scallops or bay scallops. And this dish combines scallops with parsnips (puréed), in what is called a honey-sage sauce, or in French, a honey sage jus. I know, the thing sounds highfalutin, but it ain’t.

One last note: this dish goes great with chenin blanc, one of my favorite wines. It combines a hint of sweetness that matches well with this entrée. What I like about chenin blanc is that you can smell the flavor of the grapes; it’s like a whisper of tropical fruit that makes a wonderful pairing. So, wanna impress your dinner companions? Lie, and tell them you slaved over a hot stove whipping up this classic, and serve with the wine. Make it sound impressive: jus (like jooze—puckering up your lips like some maītre’d at some fancy restaurant).

SCALLOPS WITH PARSNIPS AND HONEY-SAGE SAUCE

1 pound parsnips
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 to 16 scallops, about 1 1/4 pounds, tough tendon removed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
12 sage leaves, washed and julienned (cut into thin strips)

1. Wash parsnips under cold running water, place in a pan with water to cover and boil until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain, peel, cut into chunks, and purée in a blender or food processor.
2. Place in a small dish or saucepan, season with salt and pepper. Stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil. Cover and keep warm.
3. Rinse scallops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet until very hot. Add scallops and sear on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn over (they should be golden-brown), and lower heat.
4. Add butter to pan in bits. Raise heat to medium-low. Stir in shallots and cook, basting scallops with pan juices until shallots soften and scallops are just cooked (1-2 minutes more). Transfer scallops to a warm serving platter.
5. Add honey and vinegar to skillet. Whisk to deglaze the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a mound of parsnips purée into the center of serving platter. Place scallops around it, spoon pan sauce over scallops, and scatter sage on top. Serve to the admiring glances of all your dinner mates.
Yield: 4 servings.

Honey Roasted Chicken

October 23, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I like cooking with honey. And I have a friend who has access to a genuine beehive. And once in a while he gives me a batch of pure American honey fresh from the hive. There is nothing comparable for creating a marvelous recipe. One of my favorite is honey roasted chicken. It’s one meal I never tired of. Normally I serve the dish over yellow rice. But this time around I served it with farfalle (bow tie noodles).

HONEY ROASTED CHICKEN

1 3 to 3 1/2 pounds fryer roaster, with giblets
8 whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 lemon, cut into thin rings
1/2 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.
2. Wash chicken under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl.
3. Put peppercorns, salt and oregano in a mortar and pound until crushed.
4. Sprinkle the chicken with the olive oil. Rub the chicken, inside and out, with the seasoning. Stuff the cavity with the lemon and garlic cloves. With kitchen string, tie together the lower parts of the drumsticks to enclose the cavity.5. Place chicken, breast side down, in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
6. Brush the chicken all over with the honey, scatter the neck, gizzard and liver around it; and roast, breast side up, till golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes (an instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs should read 165 degrees).
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Rack of Lamb with Cilantro

October 16, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

On May 15th of this year I did a post on rack of lamb, specifically Nuyorican Rack of Lamb. It was my version of this classic dish with a Caribbean slant. But there are other ways to prepare this type of lamb, obviously. And I was fortunate to acquire another rack. I also had some cilantro in the fridge, and I decided to try another variation. Thus now we have Rack of lamb with Cilantro. It is an elegant and sophisticated dish, but also a quick dinner with style. You dinner mates will not be disappointed.

With this dish, it goes without saying that it’s convenient to buy a rack of lamb that has been specifically prepared by the butcher. And today they can be found in almost any good food market. As always, quick cooking is the trick. The center of the meat should range from pink to red. Overcooking will render grayish, dry meat.

RACK OF LAM WITH CILANTRO

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
2 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Sprinkle the lamb all over with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.
3. Rub the cilantro all over the lamb, pressing evenly on the meat.
4. Drizzle the lamb with olive oil.
5. Place lamb fat side up in a baking dish large enough to hold in one layer (I prefer cast-iron). Roast for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. Turn lamb fat side up and roast 15-20 minutes more. Check for doneness (around 135 degrees for medium rare). Let lamb stand 10 minutes before serving. Before serving, rub the lamb with the butter.
Yield: 3-4 servings.

Aloo Ko Achar – Nepalese Potato Salad

October 10, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

For the record, I am not at all familiar with Nepalese cooking. Or, as it is called these days, Nepali cooking. But I did come across this one recipe from that repertoire that simply enthralled me. That is Aloo Ko Achar. Nepali cooking is a time honored Middle Asian cuisine. And, admittedly, not most of us are ignorant of it, myself included. But when I came across this gem, I was hooked.

Aloo Ko Achar (or Aaloo Ko Achar/ Aalu Ko Achar) is a popular Nepali dish that is normally served as an appetizer or with a main course. I’ve discover, as many have others, that it makes a great vegetarian meal. It’s mainly a spicy potato salad. In some versions it’s pickled potatoes, inclusive of asafoetida powder (heeng) to give it that extra tang. In other variations, cucumber is added to make it a spicy-cucumber potato salad. I decided to experiment by adding onions and tomatoes to it, and the result is the recipe given below. To purists, it may not be a true Aloo Ko Achar, but to my palate it’s a great vegetarian dish which (sacrilege!) can be served over steamed white rice for a great veggie dinner.

ALOO KO ACHAR (my version)

3 large potatoes
1/2 cup sesame seeds
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (found in Asian, Indian, or other food markets)
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (optional, unless you want it real spicy)
Salt to taste
1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
2 large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Juice of 1 lime
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (about 1/4 cup)

1. Cut potatoes into cubes and boil until tender. If organic, do not peel.
2. In a medium pan or skillet (I use cast-iron), roast sesame seeds unto they turn light brown and start to crackle and pop (just like the cereal). Place in a small dish or cup and set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add fenugreek seeds and cook until seeds turn dark brown (2-3 minutes).
4. Add green chilies and stir fry for about 20 seconds.
5. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder (if using), sesame seeds, and salt. Lower heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
6. Add onion, potatoes, tomatoes, and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add lime juice and mix to combine.
8. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
Yield 4 or more servings.

Caribbean Quail

October 4, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Quail, is a very distinctive bird, which comes in various sizes. In the store you’ll usually find the smaller coturnix quail. There are bigger quail out there such as the bobwhite and mountain quail; and if you do find them, cooking time will vary. Quail is very common in French cookery where it is noted in such classic dishes as grilled quail ragu. It is also found in Indian, Polish, Portuguese and even in Mexican cooking, such as quail mole (pronounced “moh-ley”) , which includes the famed mole poblano sauce with such ingredients as chili peppers and chocolate. Which set me to thinking, why not add a Puerto Rican twist twist to this delicious fowl? By that I mean using ingredients native to our cooking so that the result is a Caribbean treat. Thus you have the recipe given below.

Since this is a Boricua recipe, I served it with yellow rice. But you can substitute plain steamed white rice, or even serve it with tostones (fried green plantains—check the posting of 9/9/10 for a quicky recipe).

CARIBBEAN QUAIL

4 whole plucked quails, cut in half
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 2 tablespoons dried
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Wash quails under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a small bowl stir together the oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and allspice.
3. Rub the mixture all over the quails.
4. Place in a covered dish or in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour for the flavors to develop.
5. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
6. Place in a cast-iron frying pan making sure the quails do not touch each other (to speed the cooking process).
7. Roast from 10 to 15 minutes. The quicker time will render a tasty, juicy quail, but a little bit pink on the inside. I prefer the longer time span which will give a still succulent quail, but more browned and fully cooked. Note that beyond 15 minutes you, might get a dryer bird.
8. Remove from oven. Let rest for 5 minutes, drizzle with the lemon juice and serve over pilaf or yellow rice.
Yield: 4 servings.

Cooking with Bay Leaves

September 24, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Some folks I know don’t like to use bay leaves in their cooking. I could never figure that one out. I cook with bay leaves all the time. They add an aromatic flavor to dishes that is hard to replicate. Bay leaves go back a long way. They were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans not only as a flavoring but also for medicinal purposes. They were good for soothing an upset stomach, as a diuretic, for treating muscle pain, and even as an insect repellent (that’s right: insect repellent). Today they are used worldwide and are particularly prominent in Classical French cuisine. They are used whole and are often removed from the dish before serving (to prevent choking on the things).

Bay leaves have a tea-like aroma which is great for soups, stews and sauces. Stored in the freezer, they’ll last forever. I prefer dried bay leaves to fresh. I know, this is heresy. But, to me, dried bay leaves rule. Why? Dried bay leaves are usually imported from the Middle East, namely, Turkey. Most fresh bay leaves come from California, and they have a strong eucalyptus flavor that can overcome a dish. Dried bay leaves have a milder flavor and an herbal, floral fragrance similar to oregano or thyme. To my mind, they are better for cooking. In fact, I’m told California fresh bay leaves are not the same as dried. They are two distinct products. So, stick to dried bay leaves—unless you want to end up with an inedible dish which reeks of menthol.

Given below are five dishes using bay leaves. This may give you an idea of its true versatility. If nothing else, the next time you have indigestion, just steep some bay leaves in hot water for a great, soothing tea to quiet your tummy.

BASMATI RICE WITH BAY LEAVES:

Wash 1 cup Basmati rice in cold water, drain. Add rice to 1 3/4 cups boiling water. Add two bay leaves along with a cinnamon stick and 3-4 cardamom pods. Lower heat and cook 15 minutes. Cut off heat and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving (don’t forget to remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick). Note: if desired, you can use jasmine rice as well.

BEANS WITH BAY LEAVES:

In a skillet or fry pan, sauté 1 medium chopped onion, and 2 cloves minced garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add 2-3 bay leaves and continue cooking until onions are soft and translucent. Add 2 cups canned beans (either red kidney beans, black beans, white cannellini beans, or black eye peas), 2 fresh chopped tomatoes, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

CHICKEN WITH BAY LEAVES:

Cook 8-10 bay leaves in a dry skillet until brown and toasted. Then take a whole chicken (or chicken parts) seasoned with pepper and salt, and moisten with some lager beer or white wine (for a richer flavor, you can use brandy or whisky). Wrap the chicken in aluminum foil with a carpet of toasted bay leaves on the bottom and on top. Seal and place in a preheated oven (375 F.) and cook until done (30-45 minutes depending on whether you use a whole chicken or chicken parts).

MEAT PASTA SAUCE:

In a skillet or pan, sauté in oil: 1 medium chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 4 bay leaves, and 2 cinnamon sticks. When onion is soft and translucent, add 1 pound ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey). Cook until meat is browned. Add 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, 1/3 cup dry red wine, and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 1/2 hour. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and serve with favorite pasta. If desired, you may add whatever vegetables you like during cooking.

SHISH-KEBAB:

Soak as many bay leaves as needed in water. Then place them on skewers along with the chicken, lamb, beef, veggies, whatever. And grill as you normally would. When done, remove from skewers and discard bay leaves.

Kung Pao Chicken

September 10, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Kung Pao chicken is one of those dishes that has filtered into western cuisine during the last generation or so. When I was a kid and the family would trudge down to the Old Wah Kee restaurant in Chinatown, we would have all the traditional Chinese-American dishes (fried rice, chow mein, egg-drop soup, etc.) We never had Kung Pao chicken. That started popping up in later years, and it caught on because it was spicier that traditional Chinese fare. Kung Pao chicken (or Gong Bao, Kung Po) comes from Sichuan cooking that originated in Sichuan Province in southwest China. Sichuan cooking is noted for its use of Sichuan peppercorns, also known as Chinese coriander and used in Tibetan, Nepelese and Indian cuisine as well. The westernize version of the dish (which includes the recipe given) does not use Sichuan peppercorn since it was illegal to import then into the U.S. from 1968 to 2005. The ban solidified the western version and chili peppers are used instead. Also, in my recipe, I have substituted the sugar used in most versions with honey. My contribution to this venerable dish.

During the infamous Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976), the dish was renamed “Fast-fried chicken cubes” or “Chicken cubes with seared chilies.” Why? The dish was supposedly named after a Quin Dynasty official, Ding Baozhen, and association with the Quin (1644-1912) was considered subversive or politically incorrect. Again, why? Well, psychotic mass murderer Mao Zedong decided to preserve “true Communist ideology” by purging all “bourgeois” elements and traditional “counter-revolutionary” thought from Chinese society. It set back China socially and economically for decades.

Ding Baozhen is an interesting character. Not only was he an official of the Quin government; but he had very bad teeth and he couldn’t chew meat that was tough or thick. So his personal chef prepared for him a meal consisting of finely chopped stir-fried chicken with lost of peppercorn in it. And the dish was born. Let me add that in my version, I serve it over whole wheat pasta rather than the traditional Chinese noodles. It doesn’t hurt to innovate.

KUNG PAO CHICKEN

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, washed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons cornstarch
5 tablespoons peanut oil
3 dried red chilies (or more if you want it spicier)
1 7.25 ounce bottle or can unsalted peanuts or mixed nuts
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1/3 cup chicken broth (canned is fine)
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
4 tablesppons soy sauce
3 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons Chinese black rice vinegar (available in most Asian stores)

1. In a medium bowl, mix chicken breasts, egg whites, salt, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix reaming tablespoon corn starch with 1/3 cup water. Set aside
3. Place a large pot or wok over high heat until hot, and add peanut oil. When oil is very hot, add chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes. Add chilies and stir-fry until slightly blackened. Add peanuts, garlic, scallions and ginger, stirring until lightly browned.
4. Add chicken broth, rice wine, soy sauce, honey, vinegar and remaining tablespoon sesame oil. Mix well to combine, and stir in cornstarch mix. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture sit (uncovered) for about 2 minutes more. Mix again, and serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

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