Oswald Rivera

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 61 of 83)

Spinach and Roasted Cauliflower Salad

April 30, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I’m a salad guy. I love salads. And not just for summer. I like salads all year round. One of my fantasies is that someday I’ll find an eatery that just serves salads, all types, nothing else. If there is such a place, please let me know. In the interim, one of my favorite vegetables is cauliflower. Now, cauliflower, like broccoli is something you either love or hate, and I love both. Broccoli is fairly easy to deal with; you can fry it, sauté it, steam it, braise it, etc. But what about cauliflower? Other than quick boiling, what else is there? Well, there are various ways to prepare; but for a salad I prefer roasted cauliflower with whatever greens are available. I also happen to like spinach, just like Popeye. So here’s a salad that combines both. And it’s easy to make: just whisk up the vinaigrette dressing ingredients and pour over the roasted cauliflower. Nothing could be simpler, or more tasty.

SPINACH AND ROASTED CAULIFLOWER SALAD

1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to tatse
3 bunches spinach, washed and dried
2/3 cup grated Pecorino, Parmesan, or Gruyére cheese

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons dry sherry or white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons mustard (preferably Dijon)
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In an oven proof dish, mix cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast 35-40 minutes until cauliflower is tender and golden. Remove from oven, let cool, and cut into small pieces.
3. Meanwhile, while cauliflower is roasting, whisk all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar.
4. Place cauliflower in a salad bowl, pour dressing over it and toss. Serve with crusty bread.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Chicken and Dumplings – PR Style

Chicken and dumplings is one of the ultimate comfort foods. It’s great any time of the season, and it warms the heart and stomach. In Puerto Rican cuisine we have domplines (dumplings—pronounced dom-plee-ness) and pollo frito (fried chicken), and it’s a great combination. In our tribe, the person who made the best dumplings was my grandmother, Adelaida, known to all as Doña Lala. She would make domplines for breakfast with ham and eggs, or for dinner with the fried chicken. She had it down to a science and could whip up a batch of dumplings in minutes. The domplines recipe given below is her magic creation. The fried chicken recipe is my mom’s—and she cooked it too ways. The first variation was simply marinated chicken pieces which are floured and then deep-fried. That’s the second recipe noted. She also had another variation in which the chicken is cooked in its own marinade combined with chicken bouillon or broth, lending a more heady flavor. It you want that recipe, then get my cookbook Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Books – Running Press) where both versions are highlighted along with a host of other Nuyorican wonders.

DOMPLINES
(Puerto Rican Dumplings)

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Combine flour, baking powder and shortening in a glass bowl.
2. Add salt to water and add to flour, a bit at a time, while mixing with a wooden spoon until it forms a doughy consistency.
3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead continuously with hands until soft.
4. Form kneaded dough into a horseshoe shape and set aside.
5. Fill a cast-iron or heavy bottomed skillet halfway with vegetable oil. Heat until oil is very hot. Break off a small piece of dough and shape into a round patty. Dip patty into skillet and stir-fry until golden (about 5 minutes). Repeat until dough is all gone. Remove and drain on adsorbent paper towels.
Yield: About 20 dumplings.
Note: If a little color is desired, 4 or 5 tablespoons of achiote (annatto seeds cooked in olive oil—again, recipe in cookbook) can be added to the flour during the first step. This will reder truly golden-yellow dumplings.

POLLO FRITO
(Fried Chicken)

1 fryer chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds, cut into generous bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup flour

1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold, running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken in a bowl and rub with crushed garlic. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and onion powder. Rub seasoning well into chicken pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Mix to combine. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. If you really want strong flavors, refrigerate overnight.

3. Heat a generous amount of oil (1″ to 1 1/2″ deep) to medium temperature (about 340°) in a heavy bottomed pot, large skillet or deep fryer.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and dust lightly with flour. Use your hands to toss and coat each piece thorougly.

5. Add chicken pieces to hot oil, a few at a time and deep-fry until golden brown and crisp (3 to 5 minutes), turning the individual pieces as they cook. Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels. Serve piping hot with the domplines.

Yield: 4 servings.

Pescado en Escabeche – Pickled Fish

April 15, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Pickled fish has long been a mainstay in our culture. It was my father’s favorite seafood snack. When my mother prepared this gem she always used kingfish steaks. Her reasoning was that this particular fish has one center bone, so one doesn’t need to worry about bones sticking in your throat. If you don’t want or can’t find kingfish, swordfish may be substituted. This dish is unique in that it taste better the day after. The longer it marinates in a jar or bowl the more flavorful it becomes. When my mom prepared it back in the old neighborhood she made enough so that we had pickled fish sandwiches to last the entire week.

In my family we make escabeche either of two ways. In one method we first brown the fish steaks lightly. Then we cook the onions and remaining condiments in another skillet. Finally, we add the precooked fish to this sauce and simmer the whole thing over low heat for half an hour or so. The other more traditional way of making escabeche is to fry the fish steaks until they’re done. Then, in the same or a different pan, we cook the onion sauce. In the final step we alternate layers of steak and sauce in a jar, and marinate till ready to eat. Both methods work equally well. In the recipe given we’ve used the second method, which is the most common for preparing escabeche Nuyorican style.

PESCADO EN ESCABECHE
(Pickled Fish)

8 kingfish steaks, 6 or 8 ounces each (can substitute swordfish steaks, if desired)
12 whole black peppercorns
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup vegetable or corn oil
3 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf

1. Rinse fish steaks and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, 2 cloves garlic, oregano, basil and salt.
3. Rub fish steaks thoroughly with seasoning, and place in a bowl.
4. Combine 1/2 cup of the olive oil with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and pour over fish steaks. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. In a heavy saucepan or skillet, heat vegetable oil and lightly brown fish steaks over moderate heat on both sides. Reduce heat to low and cook the fish until done (about 15 minutes or so). Depending on how large the skillet, this may be done in batches. Drain on absorbent paper towels,
6. In a frying pan, heat the rest of the olive oil and add remaining garlic clove (crushed). Remove garlic when it is brown. Add onions, bay leaf and remaining vinegar. Cook on low heat until tender.
7. In a deep glass jar or dish, arrange alternate layers of onions and fish steaks. Make sure you begin and end with the onion sauce.
8. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more. Serve cold or at room temperature
Yield: 8 servings.

Limonia

April 9, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I came across this recipe while I was researching my second cookbook, The Pharaoh’s Feast, also published in the United Kingdom as Feasting with the Ancestors (Sutton Publishing). In this tome I traced the history of cooking from prehistoric times to the present. This particular recipe comes from a fourteenth century anonymous manuscript containing two different recipe sections, known respectively as Book A and Book B. The actual book title was Anonymous Southerner (Anonimo Meridionale), because the author used southern Italian expressions, especially from Naples. Limonia is from Book A, which contains 164 recipes.

Limonia was a popular dish in medieval and Renaissance Italy. Different recipe collections term it lumonia, limonia, or limonea. It may have made its way to Europe via the Arab world. Arab texts as far back as the thirteenth century have recipes for laymuwiya, which are very similar to the one given here. According to the Anonymous Southerner, to make Limonia, all one has to do is brown chicken lard together with chopped onions and almonds. Stir in more pork lard and spices, and cook. Add lemon juice when it’s done, and serve. This sounds very much like modern day chicken piccata, although I’ve never heard of almonds being added to it. In the original recipe, lard would give it the flavor. These days, olive oil is a healthier alternative. I like this dish served over steamed white or brown rice.

LIMONIA

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
Juice of one small lemon
1/4 cup blanched almonds*
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes and cook until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for a minute or two.
2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice and almonds. Stir well to dissolve brown particles in the bottom of the pan. Add butter, blending it well into the sauce.
3. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

*To blanch almonds, simply drop the shelled almonds (with their brown skin) into boiling water to cover. Boil exactly one minute. Drain. Press the almonds between your fingers until the almonds slip out of their skins, and pat dry.

Braised Lamb Shanks

April 1, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the Rivera clan we love lamb, especially lamb shanks. Usually we cook them Caribbean style (Muslo Cornero a la Caribe)—as noted in my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America. The shanks are dusted with flour, then browned, and finally slow cooked in a tomato-based sauce with lots of herbs. But we also love Braised Lamb Shanks, which are baked in a casserole or Dutch oven. It has a different flavor than the tomato-based kind since the sauce includes red wine along with the usual herbs.

This recipe is easy to prepare. All you need is patience. It’s great for that special dinner for that special someone. Or just, just for the hell of it, giving the family a treat from the usual weekday supper. In my family we serve this dish with yellow rice with pigeon peas (Arroz con Gandules—this recipe is also in my cookbook). Add a loaf of crusty bread, and a good red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, etc., or whatever you desire, even beer if you don’t want wine. There are no set rules when it comes to one’s palette).

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

6 lamb shanks (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme (or a pinch dried)
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or a pinch dried)
3/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup beef bouillon
Fresh parsley for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash lamb shanks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. On a plate, combine flour, salt, pepper, oregano and paprika. Dredge lamb shanks with the seasoned flour.
4. Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in an oven-proof casserole or Dutch oven (I prefer a large cast-iron pot or pan). Sauté the meat until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
5. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and rosemary to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Return the lamb shanks to the pot, and add the wine and beef bouillon. Cover, place in the oven and bake 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
6. Remove the meat from the pot. Whisk together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/3 cup water and add to the juices in the pot. Cook, stirring constantly over medium-high heat until the gravy thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes more.
7. Serve the shanks with the gravy poured over the meat and garnish with fresh parsley.
Yield: 6 servings.

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

March 26, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I’ve always enjoyed Creole cooking. This is a style of cuisine that originated with the descendants of colonial settlers in Louisiana, mainly of French, Spanish and African descent. They have given us such popular entrées as Gumbo (a seafood stew), Jambalaya (a mix of meat, vegetables, rice and seafood) and Crayfish Étouffée (shellfish over rice). Add to that, my favorite: Red Beans and Rice (a standby in New Orleans). I daresay there as as many versions of this dish as there are chefs in New Orleans.

Traditionalists claim that New Orleans Red Beans and Rice should be made with small red beans. I’m all for tradition, but I prefer using red kidney beans. This is what I grew up on, along with black beans for Puerto Rican style black beans and rice or, as they term it in Spain and Latin America, “Moros y Cristianos” (Moors and Christians). New Orleans red beans and rice calls for Andouille sausages (a spicy sausage associated with Cajun cuisine). But you can substitute smoked sausages, or (my preference) Spanish chorizo. My version also includes salt pork rather than bacon grease which is normally used for frying. You can find salted pork in almost any market these days. They usually come in 12-ounce packages and give a heartier flavor to stir-fry dishes.

Note that the traditional way to serve this dish is to ladle the beans onto a plate, add a scoop of rice on top and season with a squirt or two of Tabasco. This is the correct procedure, sworn so by New Orleans residents. Diverge from this procedure and you will incur the wrath of the gods.

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE

1 pound dried red beans
1/2 cup salt pork, washed and diced
1/2 cup chopped ham
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste if you like it spicy)
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 pound chorizo or smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound smoked ham hocks
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
10 cups chicken stock
Cooked white rice (about 4-6 cups)
1/2 cup chopped scallions

1. Place beans in a pot or Dutch oven cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak overnight. Drain, place in a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pot or Dutch oven as before, heat the salt pork over medium high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring, until pork pieces are well browned (3-4 minutes).
3. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until the onion and bell pepper are soft (about 4 minutes).
4. Add bay leaves, parsley, thyme, chorizo, and ham hocks. Cook, stirring, until chorizo and ham hocks are brown (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the beans and chicken stock. Stir to mix, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender and the liquid starts to thicken. This should take at least 2 hours or more. If the beans become too thick and dry, you can add more water, 1/4 cup at a time.
6. Remove pot from heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 cup of the beans against the side of the pot. Put back on the burner and continue to cook over low heat until the beans are tender and creamy (about 15 minutes more). Remove the bay leaves and serve with the rice, garnished with scallions.
Yield: 6 servings.

Swordfish Steaks in Lemon Sauce – Island Style

March 19, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back in the old neighborhood, swordfish was a mainstay in our diet. Reason was that, now as then, in the island of Puerto Rico swordfish was readily available. This transferred over to our time in Spanish Harlem. In the marqueta, the market place on 116th street, swordfish was cheap, and it was cooked in every way possible. One of our favorite recipes was swordfish steaks cooked in lemon sauce (lemons were also very cheap and it made for an exceptional dish). Pez de Espada con Salsa de Limón, as my parents termed it, could be done today on a barbeque grill as well. We didn’t barbecue in the Barrio, we just grilled these suckers in the oven.

One of the complaints I’ve gotten is that, in our cooking, it is traditional to pound the fresh herbs in a mortar and pestle. These, either wood, metal, or ceramic, can be found in almost any hardware or kitchen store. For those of you who don’t have a mortar and pestle (think of the kind used by old pharmacists), you can substitute by pounding the seasonings between sheets of wax paper, using a cleaver or mallet. Just make sure the edges of the wax paper are rolled up so you don’t have spices flying all over the kitchen.

In the old days the usual accompaniment to this dish was rice or potatoes. I recently did it with millet, an ancient grain common to Asia and Africa that is also rich ion iron, phosphorous and B-vitamins. It’s also quite tasty, and it goes great with pez de espada. Let me add, this swordfish recipe and others like it can be found in my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Books – Running Press).

PEZ DE ESPADA CON SALSA DE LIMÓN
(Swordfish Steaks in Lemon Sauce)

4 swordfish steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each (can substitute halibut or any other white fish steak)
7-8 whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon fresh or dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Wash steaks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, oregano, basil and salt. Add lemon juice and olive oil.
3. Place fish in a shallow dish. Add marinade; turn to coat both sides of fish.
4. Cover and set aside for 1 hour, turning once.
5. Place fish on a greased broiling pan (I prefer cast-iron) and broil at a distance of about 4 inches from heat source. Broil 5 to 6 minutes per side, brushing frequently with marinade.
Yield: 4 servings.

Colcannon – The Saint Paddy’s Day Special

March 14, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Four years ago I posted a recipe for Saint Patrick’s Day, and here it is again: Colcannon. I decided to reprise the recipe because, apart from the usual corned beef and cabbage, it’s the dish I most enjoy on Saint Paddy’s day. It’s mainly spuds, and you cant get more Irish that that. A homey delight that could be called mashed potatoes plus. But it’s far richer and tastier than ordinary mashed potatoes. Along with a few slices of Irish bacon or smoke ham, and a bottle of Guinness, it’s heaven.

COLCANNON

8 large mealy potatoes
8 small white onions, peeled
3 scallions, washed and trimmed
1 cup half and half milk
1 1/2 cups boiled, chopped Savoy cabbage
3 tablespoons melted butter
Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper to tatse

1. Boil potatoes, peel and smash. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Put half and half in a small pan or skillet. Add onions and scallions and cook over medium-low heat until tender. Strain, reserving liquid. Mince onions and scallions.
3. Add the onions, scallions, and half and half liquid to the potatoes. Mix well and whip until fluffy. Add more half and half milk as needed. Stir in all other ingredients and blend well.
Yield: 6 servings.

Roasted Turkey Breast

March 11, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the Rivera family, roasted turkey breast was one of those special occasion dishes. Mainly we had a whole turkey during the Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey breast was that optional treat instead of the Sunday beef or pork roast. We liked it because our family rendition came out moist and juicy; and the whole thing could be done in about an hour or so depending on the size. Figure it this way: a small turkey breast weighing 3 to 4 pounds requires, on average, 1 to 1 1/2 hours cooking time. A larger breast weighing 6 to 7 pounds cooks in 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. In all cases, after roasting, always allow the breast to sit 15 to 20 minutes so that the juices have time to be absorbed throughout the meat. So, surprise the family or your significant other for that special dinner. You’ll get deserved applause.

ROASTED BONELESS TURKEY BREAST

1 4-5 pound turkey breast, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 lemon
3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup red wine or brandy
2-3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Rinse the turkey breast under cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place the turkey breast on a plate and spear all over with a fork. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub thoroughly with the salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder. Pat the seasonings well into the skin. Place the breast in a plastic zip-lock bag; and skirt with the juice from the lemon. Shake the bag until the breast is thoroughly coated with the marinade.
3. Place the turkey breast in the refrigerator and let it marinate overnight.
4. Next day, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the breast on a roasting pan (I prefer cast-iron). Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, and remove the breast from the oven when the temperature reaches 155 degrees. Cover the breast with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. During this time the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise approximately 5 to 6 degrees higher. Increasing the temperature over 170 degrees will probably result in a dry and tough turkey breast—and you don’t want that.
6. While the turkey breast is resting, you can make the gravy: put the roasting pan over one of the range burners on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour into the pan juices, stirring for a few minutes. Add the red wine or brandy, and scrape the pan to lift bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute or so to burn off the alcohol content. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer, add the butter and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal and serve with the gravy.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Gallina al Horno – Roast Cornish Hens

March 5, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 1 Comment

This is one of our family favorites. I think it was Uncle Phillip who first got us into Cornish hens. I have never seen Cornish game hens on menus in Ponce, Puerto Rico (my parent’s birthplace). Although they’re probably served in the fancy joints in San Juan. Nevertheless, good ole Uncle Phillip, worldly-wise bon vivant that he was, introduced us to this great dish. In the island, guinea hens are the usual fowl cooked and served. In the Rivera family during out time in Spanish Harlem we came to love game hens and in our soirées we sometimes had to apportion two to a person. We served them two ways: stewed, or as given below, roasted. With an elegant white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc, or a
fruity, lightly chilled Bardolino, you can’t go wrong with this one.

GALLINA AL HORNO
(Roast Cornish Hens)

4 Cornish game hens (about 1 pound each)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme (can substitute dried if fresh not available)
4 medium Idaho or Maine potatoes, peeled and quartered (I prefer them unpeeled if organic)
2 cloves garlic peeled
8 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup olive oil (some prefer extra-virgin, I prefer a full-bodied one)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
8 bacon strips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
2. Rinse Cornish hens inside and out under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Sprinkle half a teaspoon thyme in the cavity of each hen. Fold back the wings and tie legs securely with kitchen string. Place hens in a shallow foiled lined roasted pan with the foil lightly greased. Surround the hens with the potatoes and scatter the gizzards, necks and hearts around the hens. Reserve livers for some other use (unless you prefer livers that are charred or half burnt).
4. In a mortar, pound the garlic, peppercorns and oregano.
5. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, crushed garlic, peppercorns, oregano and salt. Pour over the hens and potatoes, turning so that both hens and potatoes are coated with the mixture. Next, line each hen with two strips of bacon.
6. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn potatoes and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, basting frequently until hens are fork-tender and potatoes are golden brown.
Yield; 4 servings.

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