Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

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CHULETAS GUISADAS (Stewed Pork Chops)

September 15, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

The beloved black sheep of our family was Uncle Phillip, my mother’s brother. He was bigger than life, a raconteur, storyteller, lover of food and drink, an unabashed lady’s mab. Among his many amours was a lady named Margie who live in Harlem. She was a fabulous cook who loved making the dish given today. What we call Chuletas Guisada, and what she called, just Stewed Pork Chops. Whatever name you gave it, the dish, to us, was the best rendition of pork chops we’ve ever had.

At Margie’s   place, the accompaniment to this dish was always, steamed white rice. In most Nuyorican households, we would serve the chops with Spanish yellow rice. Your choice. If desired, you can serve it with potatoes, mashed or fried. Thar’s the beauty of this recipe; any good side dish will do. Enjoy.

CHULETAS GUISADAS
(Stewed Pork Chops)

Ingredients:

4 loin pork chops
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried Marjoram
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 (28-oz.) can plum tomatoes

Instructions:

  1. Rinse pork chops in cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  In a cup or small bowl, mix salt, pepper, oregano and marjoram. Blend in olive oil and vinegar.
  3.  Rub each chop thoroughly with the seasoning
  4.  Place chops in a heavy skillet or frypan and brown over moderate heat on both sides (about 5 minutes per side).
  5.  Add onion, cover and cook about 5 minutes.
  6.  Add plum tomatoes and their liquid, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 30-35 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

LETTUCE-TOMATO TUNA SAUCE

September 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This is one of those meals that came out of necessity. I had some lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, and what could I do with them besides making an ordinary salad??  Simple, combine them with some canned tuna fish I had in the cupboard, and create a fabulous sauce. Now, this is not your typical salad or sauce. In this recipe I added one of the archetypical Nuyorican seasonings: Sasón Accent.  This is an ingredient that can be found in any Latino market or specialty store. These days you can even find it in your local supermarket. Goya foods make a good Sasón. All you do is combine it with water or chicken broth along with cornstarch as a thickener and add it to the sauce. Note that, if for some reason, the sauce is still too thin or too thick, you can add more cornstarch or water as desired.

For the recipe given you can use whatever lettuce you have on hand. It can looseleaf, chicory, romaine, escarole, arugula, even iceberg. Whatever you can find, as long as its fresh is okay.

Let me add that with canned tuna, the weight factor may depend on the brand. Some cans are 4 ounces, some are 4.5 ounces, and others are 5 ounces. The ones I used, Natural Catch White Albacore Tuna Fillets were 4.5 ounces. That was good enough for us. By the way, we served this sauce over linguine, and it was a perfect match, You’re the boss. You can pair it with rice, couscous or, serve by itself with a good crusty loaf of bread. Whichever you choose, the result will be magnificent.

LETTUCE-TOMATO TUNE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 large head lettuce of your choice (see above)
2 medium-sized tomatoes, washed and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cans tuna, preferably albacore
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ cup water or chicken broth
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 packet Sasón (see above)

Instructions:

  1. Wash lettuce leaves under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Finally, coarsely chop the lettuce.
  2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan or frypan over medium-high heat,
  3. Add lettuce and tomatoes and cook until lettuce is wilted,
  4. Stir in tuna. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
  5. In a cup, combine water or chicken broth with cornstarch and Sason mix.  Add it to the sauce. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently until desired consistency, and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

INDIAN-STYLE LENTILS

September 8, 2025 / / 0 Comments

If you like Indian food, you’ll love this recipe. I grew up on Nuyorican food but, when I reached my young manhood, I started scouting around in order to discover other cuisines. In this endeavor, Indian food became one of my favorites. And to this day, I still love the spices and norms it provides.  One memorable recipe is Indian-Style Lentils.  I consider it a supplement to that Nuyorican stand-by, Arroz con Habichuelas, or Rice and Beans. Like the Puerto Rican namesake, it’s simple, filling and delicious. So, today, amaze family and friends with this one. It will not disappoint. As noted, the accompaniment to this dish is plain white rice (or brown rice if that’s your preference).  You can also serve it with couscous, quinoa or millet. On the pasta sider, you can try it with orzo.

INSIAN-STYLE LENTILS

Ingredients:

2 cups dried lentils
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 slices (½-inch thick) fresh ginger, peeled
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 lemon, sliced into 6 rounds (about 1/8-inch thick), seeds removed

  1. Wash and drain lentils under cold running water.
  2. In a large pot or Durch oven, combine lentils, water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Then cover, lower heat and simmer gently until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
  3. While lentils are cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet or frypan over medium-high heat. Add crushed cumin seeds and cook, stirring, about 1 minute until lightly browned and fragrant. Add to lentils along with salt, pepper and lemon. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice or other (see above).
    Yield: 4 servings.

SALMÓN EMPANADO (Breaded Salmon Steak)

September 2, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our family, we love fresh salmon whether it’s broiled, baked, or sautéed. To us, It’s one of life’s great culinary pleasures. Today’s recipe is one of the easiest ways to prepare this great seafood It’s simply breaded salmon steak. Now, salmon is often cooked as is in a butter-wine sauce but, in our crowd, we like the crunchy edge the breadcrumbs bring.

Let me add that this recipe can be prepared two ways: broiled or sautéed on the stovetop. Since it’s summer and it was a fairly hot day when we prepared the dish, we decided to cook it on the stove. Also, for the teetotalers among us, you will note that the recipe contains rum in the breadcrumb mixture, and we add wine while cooking on the stove. Do not be troubled. You will not be affected by the alcohol. You will not get a buzz. The alcohol content dissipates in the cooking.  All that remains is the flavor. So, don’t worry about Uncle Harry getting tipsy and pinching everyone’s bottom.

Final note: this recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, which is in its third printing. Enjoy the meal.

SALMÓN EMPANADO
(Breaded Salmin Steak)

Ingredients:

4 salmon steaks, about ½-inch thick
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Puerto Rican rum (white or gold)
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup dry white wine

Instructions:

  1. Rinse salmon steaks and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Brush both sides of steaks with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. In a small bowl, combine butter, salt, pepper, garlic, rum and breadcrumbs.
  4. Coat both sides of salmon with breadcrumb mixture.
  5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or frypan.
  6. Add salmon and cook 3 minutes on medium-high heat. Then carefully turn over and cook 3 minutes on other side.
  7. Add wine, lower heat to medium, cover and cook 5 minutes more.
    Yield: 4 servings.

FUSION PICADILLO

August 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I call this dish “Fusion Picadillo.” Why? Because it’s a novel take on Picadillo (pronounce “peekahdeeyo”). One of the most popular dishes in Puerto Rican cuisine. It was, and is, fairly inexpensive, delicious and satisfying. If you wanted to feed the family back on the island, or in Spanish Harlem in New York city, it was the go-to dish. The recipe today is a variation on traditional  picadillo (see post of 03/12/16). As in the original recipe, it incudes ground beef and the usual Nuyorican seasoning. But we add canned cream of mushroom soup rather than tomato sauce or anything else. The ingredients are minimal, but the result is outstanding.

In terms of the meat, back on the block we used ground chuck or ground round. Now, if you want to use a finer cut like sirloin, go right ahead. For those who want to replace the beef, you can substitute ground turkey, or even ground chicken.

I know there are purists out there who would never consider adding canned cream of mushroom soup to a dish. What can I say? I can hear them crying out, “Sacre Bleu” (“My Goodness!” or “Heaven Forbid!” in English). Linguistics aside, consider that this recipe is easy, delicious and comforting to the tummy. So, why fret? Just try it out. With rice, couscous, pasta, or whatever side dish you prefer, this meal will be a winner for you, family and friends.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon dill
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in large skillet or frypan.
  2. Add beef and cook on high heat until meat loses its red color
  3. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and garlic, and sauté until until onion is soft and meat is brown (about 3 minutes).
  4. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and dill.
  5. Add cream of mushroom soup and stir to combine. Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with favorite grain or a good loaf of bread.
    Yield: 4 servings.

SPINACH, SALMON AND AVOCADO SALAD

August 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

Mid-summer is the perfect time for a nice, cool salad. You know what I mean. Even with A/C, the idea of slaving over a stove is a non-starter.  So, here today we have a nice salad just right for the occasion. With regard to making salads, I’ve grown fond of spinach. Yet in the recipe given any choice green will do, be it romaine lettuce, arugula, loose leaf, mesclun or even iceberg. Use what’s available and what suits you best. In this rendition, we add salmon. Mainly smoked salmon. This usually comes in either a 4 or 6-ounce package. Again, go with what you’ve got.  Note that hot-smoked salmon is fully cooked and ready to use as is.

The other thing to consider for this recipe is avocados. When the avocado arrives at the store, usually it’s hard as a rock. Or if left outride for a while, it gets mushy. So, how do you know when the sucker is ripe for consumption? Simple, pick up the fruit and gently squeeze on its surface. You should feel a slight give on the peel. Also, the color of the skin should be a dark green.  If it’s too soft, pass it.

Also, for this recipe I use regular tender young spinach. Some chefs dictate that baby spinach is best for salads and regular spinach is best for cooking. I’m practical, I use what I have on hand. If you prefer baby spinach, go for it. If you have regular spinach, then use that. To me, once sprinkled with the vinaigrette, there’s no difference in the flavor profile.

Ingredients:

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces spinach (regular or baby spinach)
4 smoke salmon fillets (4 or 6 ounce each)
2 medium sized avocados, peeled and sliced lengthwise about ½-inch thick

Instructions:

  1. First thing is boiling the eggs. I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is: Place eggs in a small saucepan or pot, fill with cold water to cover by 1-2 inches. Then bring the water to a rolling boil on high heat. Once it starts boiling, cover pot, remove from heat and let sit for 14 minutes. Some say just 12 minutes. My experience is that I want them truly hard-boiled eggs with a tender yolk and a firm white skin. Thus, I let them stand a bit longer. Peel eggs, cut into halves, and garnish salad when ready.
  2. In a bowl or cup, mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. This is known as a vinaigrette.  Set aside until ready to use
  3. Remove stems from spinach. Place under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  4. Rinse salmon fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each fillet lengthwise into ¼ to ½ inch slices.
  5.  Arrange spinach on a serving platter or salad bowl. Adorn with alternate rows of salmon slices and avocado. Garnish eggs in center of dish. Drizzle olive-oil vinaigrette over spinach and serve
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH WINE

August 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I discovered the art of steaming food back in my young manhood when my social circle and love of a good meal expanded. A prime influence was my dear friend, Edward Hor. Yes, that was his name, Hor, pronounced “Whore.” It’s interesting to note that the younger generation in his family all changed their names to Ho. But Eddie, rebel that he was, never changed his name. It was a sense of pride. He was born with the name, and that’s the way it was. Besides being a raconteur, lover of women, and all-round good guy, he was also a great cook, one of his many talents. My fascination and love of Asian cuisine came from Eddie. He was eclectic and innovative. Whether it was Japanese or Thai, or Korean cooking, he was a dedicated exponent of good cuisine. It was from him that I learned about steeming foods. And it has been a longtime passion ever since.

Thus, I’m always on the lookout for a good, steamed dish, especially chicken. Full disclosure, I’ve posted steamed chicken recipes in the past, If interested, you can check my steamed chicken posts of 06/04/10 and 10/03/18. These are classical Asian steamed recipes with varied ingredients inclusive of such standbys as soy sauce and sesame oil. Today’s recipe is much simpler with just a few ingredients (salt, scallions, ginger, sherry wine). It’s easy to prepare in a wok or steamer. If you don’t have either, you can improvise:  place chicken, cut up, on a plate, put plate atop a small 8-ounce can inside a large pot or Dutch oven; pour two cups water inside pot, bring to a boil, cover and steam the chicken. As they say, easy as pie.  The accompaniment to this dish is, you guessed it, rice.  But you can substitute couscous, quinoa or your favorite pasta, be string like spaghetti or linguine, or shells like penne or macaroni.  You’re in charge, my friends.

Not that the recipe calls for a for dry sherry. If desired, you can substitute any dry whiter wine like Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc or even a semi-sweet wine such as Riesling.

STEAMED CHICKEN WITH WINE

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 1½-2-pounds)
Salt to taste
2 scallions, white part only
4 slices ginger (do not peel)
½ cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons hot olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Rinse chicken under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Rub chicken inside and out with salt. Cut into bite-sized pieces—except for the drumsticks which you can leave whole, if desired.
  3. Arrange on a plate, preferably breasts side up.
  4. Spread scallions and ginger on top. Then pour sherry over chicken.
  5. Place in streamer and steam over boiling water for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is tender.
  6. Heat olive oil in microwave or on stovetop in a small pan, and drizzle over chicken. This will sizzle the chicken, and that’s what you want for greater flavor.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

LAMB CURRY

August 8, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Despite what you may think, this dish is simplicity itself. Some call it Curried lamb, some just say, “Lamb Curry.” Whatever name you give it, you can’t go wrong. In the Barrio on 110th Street we would experiment with lamb by adding curry powder to it. My father and I like it spicy so we would use 1 to 2 tablespoons of curry, depending upon how hot we liked it. My mom would use perhaps a teaspoon. She liked her curry dishes mild. That’s the beauty of this recipe; you prepare it according to your taste.

Actually, this recipe is a variation on the classic lamb stew, Caldo de Cordero, we prepared back in Harlem, and which is featured prominently in in the lamb section in my first cookbook: Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Running Press). As noted, only difference is that we add curry to it.

To this day, we normally serve this dish with pasta or rice. As our circumstances and palate have grown, we paired it with other grains, such as couscous or quinoa. A couple of times we’ve paired it with kasha (whole wheat groats) and it still comes out good. You’re never limited by a good, delectable recipe.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into ½-inch chunks
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil (some prefer a mix of olive oil and butter)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth, or more as needed
2 carrots, washed (do not peel), sliced about ½-inch thick or more

Instruction:

  1. Wash lamb under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
  3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
  4. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste. Cook and stir until golden in color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Whisk in chicken broth. Cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes more. If needed, add more broth to reach desired consistency,
  6. Add 2 tablespoon curry powder (or to taste). Stir to combine.
  7. Add lamb, cover, reduce heat and cook until lamb is tender, about 15-20 minutes. I’ve seen recipes where they say cook lamb for 1 hour or more. My experience has been that lamb cooks pretty fast if cut into ¼ to ½-inch cubes. You don’t need to cook it an hour or more. Just use common sense.
  8. Stir in carrots, cover and cook for 8 minutes more. Serve with lamb over favored grain or pasta.
    Yield: 6 servings or more

 

DILL BRAISED PORK CHOPS

August 5, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Back in the olden days in Spanish Harlem, fried and braised pork chops were an old standby. Pork chops were cheap then and served with rice or potatoes they made for a delicious and economical meal. With fried pork chops we did it too ways: either seasoned and then fried in olive oil, or sometimes, we dredge them in seasoned flour and then fired in butter. It all depended on how we felt and the time requirements.

And then, pretty often we have Dill Braised Pork Chops. Though, sometimes, we might try other herbs such as fresh sage or cilantro, for some reason, dill was the favorite way of braising pork chops. The braising liquid was either red wine or red wine vinegar, interchangeable in our world. Some preferred just plain red wine, but often it was red wine vinegar that won the day.

So, go for this easy to prepare and, yes, delectable recipe. You won’t be disappointed.

DILL BRAISED PORK CHOPS

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless, center cut about 1½ to 2-inch thick
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped or ¼ teaspoon dried
3 teaspoons olive oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Have pork chops prepared. That is, rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Then season generously on both sides with salt, pepper and oregano.
  2. Heat oil and butter in a heavy duty pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Add chops and cook about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chops. They should be well seared and golden
  3. Add dill and wine vinegar. Stir to mix, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or even longer depending on desired tenderness. Serve with favorite side dish or grain.
    Yield: 4 servings.

ASIAN BROCCOLI

July 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I call this recipe “Asian Broccoli” simply because it’s broccoli in a white sauce, to which we add soy sauce and sesame oil.  Nothing could be more satisfying. Apart from the aforementioned soy sauce and sesame oil, I also included onion and garlic to give the sauce more heft. Keeping the Asian theme in mind, I served it with Lo Mein noodles. The dish came out great! If desired, you can substitute any string pasta such as spaghetti, linguini, capellini or angel hair for the Lo Mein noodles. Whatever accompaniment you use, you have a simple yet sumptuous meal to please any palate—even finicky kids who “hate broccoli.”

ASIAN BROCCOLI

Ingredients:

I packager (12oz. to 1 pound) Lo Mein Noodles
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
1 cup milk (can use whole milk or 2% fat milk)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 head broccoli (about 9 oz.) with florets and stems cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions:

  1. First, you boil the Lo Mein noodles. However, there are two types: Pre-cooked and Uncooked. With uncooked Lo Main noodles, you rinsed them in a colander and then boil them for 3 minutes in boiling water. It’s best to cook them until they are al dente, meaning they are cooked through but still have a slight firmness. With pre-cooked, I still boil them for a minute or so. Thal’s just my thing. Some folks just run them under warm water before cooking. Use what suits you best. Drain in a colander, set aside and keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper and oregano, Stir until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil and cook about 1 minute more.
  4. Add broccoli stems and cook for 2 minutes. Add the florets and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste to determine if it’s tender enough. It might need a little more cooking time. You decide, especially when you see that bright green color capture your imagination. Serve over Lio Mein noodles.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

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