Oswald Rivera

Author: Oswald Rivera (page 65 of 83)

Zabaglione

July 30, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Martino Rossi, nee Martino da Como, nee Martino de Rubeis, nee Giovanni Rosselli, was also known as Maestro Martino (Martino the master), presumably because of his cooking prowess as shown in his four manuscripts known as Libro de Arte Coquinaria. This is an extremely important book in the history of cuisine. It was the first cookbook that had somewhat precise recipes and was well organized. It was printed in Latin in 1475, then in Italian, French, and English; and it was a popular treatise well into the 1700s.

In his magnum opus, Martino Rossi describes a dessert comprised of eggs yolks, sugar,cinnamon, and sweetish wine. He calls it Zabaglione (roughly translated: eggnog). Today, Zabaglione is one of Italy’s most famous desserts. Rossi says that Zabaglione should be served when “it soils the spoon.” (translation: when it is so thick it sticks to the spoon). Modern Zabaglione is made just prior to serving, usually in a copper sauce pot, and should be served immediately after it has thickened.

ZABAGLIONE

6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup marsala wine
1 tablespoon white wine

1. Mix all of the ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Cook over boiling water, beating the mixture constantly until it warms and thickens.
2. Remove from heat and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy. Serve in a serving bowl or individual cups or glasses. The Zabaglione, though thickened, should be soft, smooth, and light. One may have to add more or less sugar and/or wine depending on the consistency desired, some prefer it heavier, some prefer it lighter.
Yield: 4 servings.

Note: In some quarters, modern day Zabaglione is served over Italian macaroons (amaretti). Simply crumble the macaroons in the bottom of a serving bowl and pour the Zabaglione on top.

Photo: courtesy of StockFood/Paul Poplis Photography, Inc.

Green Salad for the Ages

July 16, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

While I was doing research for my second cookbook (title: The Pharaoh’s Feast in the U.S.; and Feasting with the Ancestors in the UK), I came across some fascinating facts about ancient cooking. For instance, the ancient Romans had a dish that consisted of stuffed door mice That’s right, as in a mouse. The Babylonians loved wild pigeons. And the Egyptians of the dynastic era enjoyed figs, dates, and pomegranates, not only as desserts but throughout the meal. More enticing, they loved vegetables; especially strong tasting vegetables such as garlic and onions. These, along with other vegetables, were often served as a salad with an oil and vinegar dressing. Thus, I came up with a simple green salad using vegetables ancient Egyptians may have enjoyed.

Let me add, my green salad for the ages is perfect as a summer dish for these hot, humid days. Add a crusty loaf of bread and a cold beer (the ancient Egyptians loved beer), and you have it made.

GREEN SALAD
(From Dynastic Egypt)

1 small bunch celery (about 3/4 pound)*
3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into half-moons
2 medium-sized cucumbers, washed, scrubbed, and slice
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin is best)
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1. Wash celery under cold running water. Remove the root ends and leafy tops and cut the ribs into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a bowl or on a platter.
2. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Toss to mix.
3. In a cup, combine the vinegar and olive oil. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir and pour on the salad. Sprinkle with cumin and serve.
Yield: 5 to 5 servings.

*Green beans can be substituted for the celery. In this case, take 1/2 pound of green beans, trimmed and broken into bite-sized pieces, and cook or steam until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water, mix with other ingredients, and add the dressing.

Photo: Courtesy of FineDiningLOVERS

Rum-Marinated Salmon

July 3, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Like most Americans, I love to grill. But there is just so many burgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken that I can take. I’m always experimenting with out-of-the-ordinary grilling dishes. Here, in the Rivera household, we enjoy grilled lamb for instance, and grilled seafood. And while experimenting with seafood, we discovered this rum-based marinade. I come from a culture where rum is used copiously, not only with imbibing, but with cooking. So why not a rum marinade for seafood, in this case, salmon? The thing about grilling with spirits is that the alcohol content cooks away with the grilling, and one is left with the flavor of the liquor. For this dish I prefer a dark rum, preferably añejo, that is, a rum that is aged over four years. But you can use regular white rum, if desired. Nothing is set in stone where a good, flavorful dish is concerned.

The other good thing about this recipe is that it’s very easy and quick: 15 minutes total. The marinating process itself can be from 5 hours or overnight. But once that’s done, it’s a snap to make this dish. Also, you can also use the leftover marinade as a baste for grilling chicken or other meat.

RUM-MARINATED SALMON

1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar or maple syrup
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 drops Tabasco sauce (or hot chili sauce)
4 salmon fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds), with skin left on

1. First, make the marinade: in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, rum, sugar (or maple syrup), garlic, and Tabasco.
2. The day before the grilling, place the salmon in a large zip-lock bag and add the marinade. Then place the the bag in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight, turning the bag over at least once in the process so the the fillets will be totally infused with the marinade.
3. Next day, place salmon pieces on the grill, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook 2-3 minutes more or until desired doneness.
Note: If you don’t have a grill, you can also broil in the oven. Simply place salmon on a broiler pan or aluminum foil and broil on one side only (do not turn) for 5-6 minutes or until done.
Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: courtesy of The Grill Boy

Tropical Salad

June 28, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

The hot, hazy, lazy days of summer call for salads. It’s only natural. Who wants to spend hours or even minutes slaving over a hot kitchen (even with air conditioning) when the humidity and temperature outside are sucky? The salad given below is called (giving a nod to the weather) a “tropical salad.” Why is is tropical? Simple; it contains fresh mangoes—and a splash or rum for vigor.

I like ripe fresh mangoes. I enjoy them as a snack, a dessert, and my favorite concoction: chunks of mango in a round champagne glass with sparkling champagne poured over the mango. It’s a scrumptious, sexy way to start the or end the evening. The recipe given does not contain champagne. It’s a typical salad for a hot summer day, and it’s from my second cookbook, The Pharaoh’s Feast (Four Walls Eight Windows); also published in the UK as Feasting with the Ancestors (Sutton Publishing).

TROPICAL SALAD

1/2 bunch watercress
2 ounces fresh mango, peeled and cut julienne style into strips
2 ounces red onion, peeled and julienned into strips
2 ounces cucumber, peeled and julienned into strips
1 scallion, diced
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
Splash of white rum
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh chopped mint

1. Rinse the watercress under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place in a salad bowl and add the remaining ingredients, tossing all together.
Yield: 2 servings.

Photo: courtesy of Drizzle Oils

Scones—Blueberry Friday!

If you’ve ever had a typical English breakfast, then you know what scones are. Think of an English breakfast biscuit, but on the sweet side. I like scones, especially when I discovered that on the Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine, it was the favorite breakfast dish of Dr. Bashir, one of the main characters on the show. Scones are a dense, rich pastry of Scottish origin, where it has been served since 1513. In Scotland it evolved as a quick bread that made its way to English tables to accompany tea. They come in several versions including soda scones (made with baking soda), potato scones, or griddle scones (which are cooked on a griddle). Some say the word “scone” comes from the ancient capital of Scotland (Scone, Scotland), where ancient Scottish monarchs were crowned.

My Seattle friend, Paul Goldstein, has a sweet tooth for scones. And this is his recipe. Now, scones come in various shapes: triangles, rounds and squares, with round being the most popular these days. They are sweet since the often contain such fruit as raspberries, cranberries, raisins. etc. Although this recipe calls for blueberry scones, you can use whatever flavored scones you like. Also, you can bake your own scones, but Paul goes the easier route—just buy them at the store or supermarket. An 18-ounce pack will yield you six scones. This is a very easy recipe to make that you can enjoy either for breakfast or as a quick dessert. Either way you can’t go wrong.

BLUEBERRY FRIDAY SCONES

2 blueberry scones
1 pint vanilla ice cream (preferably French vanilla)
1 pint blueberries, or more if desired
Whipped cream

1. Cut the scones in half. Spoon ice cream about 1/2-inch thick over each scone.
2. Place blueberries around the outside of the scones and then top with a generous amount of whipped cream. That’s it.
Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: courtesy of Bulldog Baked Goods

Papaya Preserve (A Glorious Dessert)

June 11, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back on the block, when I was coming up in the world, one of our favorite desserts was papaya, especially Dulce de Papaya, or papaya preserve. I love papayas. They are a delicate fruit whose peak season is from June until September. They are great right now. Although today, in most supermarkets, they are available year round. When papayas are green, they taste awful. But when ripe, they are delicious. Still, be aware that if too ripe they’ll dry out. You can discern ripeness by a smooth yellow color and tenderness to the touch. An overripe papaya will start to discolor. So seek out only that fruit which is mellow yet firm and unblemished.

For cooking purposes, a moderately ripe papaya will do. Some cooks say only green ones should be used for making a preserve. The problem with that is that more sugar is needed as a sweetener. I’ve discovered with the recipe given below that you can use sugar or maple syrup (which is my innovation). Since I spend my summers in Vermont, I prefer the maple syrup, which is healthier. Oh, yes, the recipe is from my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group, Running Press).

DULCE DE LECHOSA
(Papaya Preserve)

3 medium ripe papayas, peeled, seeded, and cut into into 1/2-inch strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 quarts water
2 sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground anise seed
1 cup maple syrup (or 2 cups sugar)

1. Place papayas in saucepan with water to cover. Add salt and let stand 5 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Place in a pot or heavy kettle but not aluminum for it will stain. Add 2 quarts water, cinnamon sticks and anise seed.
3. Bring to a boil and cook on low-to-moderate heat, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until tender.
4. Add maple syrup and continue cooking, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Note: if using sugar, cook until sugar is thick and syrupy.
3. Remove cinnamon sticks and allow papaya preserve to cool at room temperature.
6. Serve in a dessert bowl or store in glass jar or container in the refrigerator.
Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: courtesy of Vegetarian Times

Shrimp Cocktail

June 5, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In 1959, Italo Ghelfi, one of the original partners of the Golden Gate Casino, introduced the famous 25¢ shrimp cocktail to the casino and Las Vegas (photo: Welcome to the History of Las Vegas)

In his tome, American Cookery, published in 1972, the famous gourmand, James beard wrote, “There is no first course as popular as a cocktail of shrimp with a large serving of cocktail sauce.” Of course, he was describing the eternal shrimp cocktail, a concoction which was a variation on the “oyster cocktail” created sometime in 1860 by a miner in San Francisco—who accidentally dipped some oysters into ketchup. By the 1900s a cocktail sauce had been created and shrimp, popular in Cajun/Creole cooking, had become the standard in the sauce. By the 1950s every party or gathering had shrimp cocktail as a standby.

Today, shrimp cocktail has become rather passé. Admittedly, not many people make it or order it in restaurants, from what I’ve seen. And that’s sad. A well-made shrimp cocktail is a delight for the palette. I loved it when I was a kid. It made me feel like an adult, partly because of the “cocktail” moniker. Anyway, I still love the dish. Given below is my own humble recipe for this delightful appetizer.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL

For the cocktail sauce:

½ cup chili sauce (I prefer Heinz)

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Juice of ½ a lemon

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 clove garlic, finely minced

For the shrimp:

1 lemon, halved

1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

1 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

2 pounds large tail-on shrimp in the shell (about 30

1. Prepare the cocktail sauce: in a medium bowl, combine chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and garlic. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Have a large bowl of ice water ready to cool the shrimp. But first, to a large pot of water (about 8-quart), add the lemon, garlic, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, and when the water returns to a boil, the shrimp should be done (no more than 3 minutes total). They should be a bright pink and curled.

3. Remove with a slotted spoon to the ice water. When they are cool enough to handle (about 2 minutes), peel and remove the vein along the curve of the shrimp, but leaving the tail on. Serve at room temperature, or chilled, in a martini glass filled with cocktail sauce and the shrimp decoratively arranged and looped along the rim of the glass.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings, depending on size of cocktail glass.

Stuffed Cornmeal Balls

May 28, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In Puerto Rican cuisine there is a popular dish known as pastelitos, or meat pies. This dish entails the use of plantain leaves. A portion of cornmeal and meat filling is place on a leaf, which is then folded to give the meat pie its shape. Lastly, the meat is carefully removed from the plantain leaf and then deep-fried, hopefully retaining its form. We Nuyoricans found this time consuming and developed out own way of cooking this cornmeal dish. Nuyoricans, by the way, is the term applied to Puerto Ricans born or raised in New York. It was initially a derogatory term used by the islanders to described this populace. We then took the term as our own and as a measure of pride.

Our pastelitos omit the plantain leaf. We shape the cornmeal mixture with the hands or, better still, using two spoons and then deep-fry the mixture. In my family we never used the term pastelitos. To us these were simply Rellenos de Harina de Maíz or stuffed cornmeal balls. To this day they make a great appetizer or an entree served with vegetables or over yellow rice. The recipe enclosed is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Books – Thunders Mouth Press) .

RELLENOS DE HARINA DE MAĺZ
(Stuffed Cornmeal balls)

1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter or margerine
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1 packet sazón accent (or sazón goya)
1 cup lean ground beef, about 3/4 pound
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Boil water in a small saucepan and add the salt and butter.
2. Combine cornmeal and flour in a bowl. Add the boiling water, mixing well to form a soft dough. Set aside and let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet or cast iron pan. Add sazón and ground beef. Saute over medium heat until meat loses its color.
4. Stir in tomato sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
5. Using a serving spoon (like a big rice spoon), scoop out a handful of cornmeal mix. Smooth out the mixture so that it’s level with the spoon. Place a teaspoon of beef filling atop the cornmeal. Cover filling with another tablespoon filled level with the cornmeal mix and shape the whole cornmeal ball into an oval. Keep the spoons slightly wet while doing this. Some cooks prefer to shape the cornmeal balls by hand. Use whatever technique works for you.
6. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden.
Yield: About 8 stuffed cornmeal balls.

Photo: courtesy of Grain Plain Foods—online store

Simple Grilled Salmon

May 24, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend means the beginning of the grillin” season, particularly in the Northeast. We dig out the old barbecue grill from the back of the garage or the closet (if we live in apartments) and begin the annual ritual. So, this season, I’m starting off simple—as simple as grilled salmon. As I’ve noticed in other blogs, grilling fish, particularly fillets, the easiest of all procedures. And salmon works well. yeah, I know, the standbys are burgers, hot dogs, steaks, etc. But try some fish. You’ll be surprised at its juicy, succulent texture. And, if per chance, you don’t have a grill, you can still us the broiler–oven. Just broil the fish for 5-6 minutes, depending on thickness, or until easily flaked with a fork.

SIMPLE GRILLED SALMON

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Red wine vinegar to taste

1. Lightly oil grate, and preheat grill to medium-high.

2. Brush salmon with olive oil, and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, then place on grill.

3. Close lid and cook for 3 minutes, then flip the fillets and cook 3 minutes more.

4. Drizzle with vinegar and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Photo: courtesy of photo blog.dinghome.net

Szechuan-Style Noodles

May 16, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Like most Americans, when it came to Chinese food, I grew up eating basic Cantonese fare which had morphed into American-Chinese cuisine. You know what I’m talking about: friend rice, egg food young, chow mein, chop suey, etc. I recall that in the Rivera family (as in probably every other family at the time), Friday night we would trudge to Chinatown and go to the Hong Fat Restaurant on Mott Street and order our perennial favorites: the aforementioned fried rice, baby spare ribs, Cantonese noodles, chow fun, and (on special occasions) lobster in garlic sauce. Hong Fat is no longer around, having closed years ago. But Cantonese fare remains.

Then in the late 1970s, restaurants featuring Szechuan food started popping up in Asian neighborhoods. It was a far cry from American-Chinese. I was impressed, not by the spiciness of the food, but by the subtle uses of hot spices within the food. Szechuan dishes are not simply hot, they contain many flavors—sweet, sour, bitter, salty, fragrant, and aromatic. They not only stimulate the palate, they make us more sensitive to those flavors. After years of bland Cantonese-style food, this was a revelation. I was hooked.

What does give the hot component to Szechuan cuisine is in its use of chili peppers. But initially, chili peppers were not utilized in Szechuan cooking. The Chinese had their own milder variety, faraga, also called Chinese of Szechuan pepper. The cuisine became even more peppery when Portuguese and Spanish traders introduced chilies to the region during the 16th century.

The dish given below is one of my favorites. An inclusive, simple, all-in-one meal that harbors the taste of this fabulous cuisine. This particular recipe is from my second cookbook, Feasting with the Ancestors (Sutton Publishing, UK)

SZECHUAN-STYLE NOODLES

1 pound fresh noodles (Chinese thin noodles are the best, otherwise, angel hair pasta is a good substitute)
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1/2 pound shredded barbecued pork, store bought or home made*
1/2 cup bok choy, washed, drained, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup snow peas
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch (or as needed)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste with garlic (can use more or less depending on taste)

1. Parboil the noodles in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. To make sure noodles do not stick, loosen up the noodles with chopsticks as they boil.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the pork, bok choy, carrots, broccoli, snow peas and onion, and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a platter.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until thickened. Add the pork and vegetables and stir well until the mixture comes to a boil. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

*You can substitute a chicken breast, cut into strips, for the barbecued pork. In this case, stir-fry the chicken until nearly done, remove the chicken from the wok and continue as directed with the recipe, adding the chicken and vegetables to the sauce as the last step.

Photo: Courtesy of Tablespoon

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