Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: Appetizers (page 3 of 3)

Stuffed Plantain Balls

January 28, 2011 / / 0 Comments

I love plantains, especially green plantain, the type that we prepare in fritters called tostones. But you also have ripe plantains; essentially green plantains that have ripened to a deep, dark yellowish color. Some people prefer the ripe plantain since they give a sweeter flavor. In my family we prefer tostones. Although once in a while we cook ripe plantains with eggs for breakfast; or in a traditional dish called pinon (pronounced peen-yon) , a layered casserole of ripe plantains, beef and kidney beans.

Another of our favorite uses of ripe plantains is cheese-stuffed plantain balls. Think of it as fallafel balls but with cheese inside and a luscious, sweet exterior. Believe me, once you’ve had these plantain balls, you’ll be hooked. They can be served as an appetizer or as a main entree accompanied by rice—a perfect vegan dish.

CHEESE-STUFFED PLANTAIN BALLS

6 ripe plantains, unpeeled and cut in half widthwise
8 cups water
Salt to taste
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch plus cornstarch for shaping balls
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
Oil for deep frying (vegetable oil, corn oil, canola oil, olive oil, etc.)

1. Drop the plantain halves into boiling salted water and cover. Cook rapidly for 20 minutes. Drain. Peel the plantains and mush the pulp. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons cornstarch and mix well. Let cool enough to handle.
2. To shape the balls, coat the palms of the hands with cornstarch. Pick up about 1 tablespoon of the pulp (or 1 teaspoon, depending on the size desired) and flatten slightly between the palms. Add a portion of the cheese and mold the plantain around it, shaping the whole into a ball. Repeat until all the balls are formed. Be aware that you can make the balls as large or as small as you desire. In the Rivera family we like big plantain balls. Other folk may prefer smaller variations similar to Swedish-type meatballs.
3. Heat the oil for deep frying. Drop the balls into the oil and cook until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.
    Yield: 8 to 12 balls, depending on size.

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Latkes – Reprise

November 16, 2010 / / 0 Comments


Last year about this time I put up my recipe for Puerto Rican latkes. We discovered latkes from our Jewish friends when they celebrated Chanukah (also known as Hanukkah). We Latinos love every manner of fritters and, to us, that’s what latkes were. In our family we soon started making our own, Caribbean version. We make then every year and we grew to love them. While experimenting with them, we also discovered that if you add some grated carrots to the recipe, it enhances the flavor.

So, here again are potato latkes, Puerto Rican style.

POTATO LATKES (RIVERA FAMILY STYLE)

3 large potatoes
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 eggs
1/4 cup grated carrots
2 tablespoons matzo meal
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Oil for frying (I use a combination of vegetable oil and olive oil, 1/2 cup or more)

1. peel the potatoes and grate them into a bowl. You can do it by hand (the traditional method) or by using a food processor. Squeeze out the extra liquid into the sink.
2. Add onion, eggs, carrots, matzo meal, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. Mix well.
3. In a large heavy skillet (I prefer cast-iron), heat the oil. Using a tablespoon, carefully drop the potato mixture into the hot oil and fry until browned on both sides, turning only once (about 3 minutes per side). Some prefer to flatten each latkes with a spoon. Use whatever method you desire. The latkes should not only be golden but crispy.
4. Drain on paper towel and serve with applesauce, sour cream or preserves.
Yield: about 2 dozen or more latkes.

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Hummus

September 22, 2010 / / 0 Comments



When I was a youngster growing up back on the block, we never heard of hummus. It wasn’t until my early adult-hood that I became aware of this Middle Eastern savory. Today its is ubiquitous. You see it everywhere. No party, wedding, birthday bash, or social function would be complete without it. It’s used as a spread, dip, or pita filling. Most people get it in the supermarket, with all the additives that come with it to preserve shelf-life. However, some of us would never buy the store bought stuff. Why? Because it is so EASY to make. Ten minutes, top, and you have grade A hummus.

Hummus is a concoction of chick peas (garbanzo beans), Tahini, or sesame seed paste. I use Tahini, which can be found in any store and is simply pureed roasted sesame seeds. Apart from using hummus as dip or over veggies, I like it over rice. Try it. It’ll spice up the old grain. But my favorite hummus recipe is with pasta and olives. Simple: cook any tubular pasta (penne, macaroni, rigatoni, ditalini, etc.) as per package directions. Drain, then add a cup of hummus, and one (6-oz) can medium or large black olives (drained under cold running water to remove excess salt, and sliced). Mix it all together, and you have a great, delish pasta dish. Quick and Nutritious.

Of course, you need to make the hummus first. So, here is my quick hummus recipe. You’ll never buy the shelf stuff ever again.

BASIC HUMMUS

1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

1/3 cup Tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Place all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

2. Transfer to a serving bowl or dish. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture and serve.

Yield: about 2 cups (the recipe can be doubled for additional servings)

NOTE: Some people like to add cumin (about 1 teaspoon) and a pinch of paprika to the recipe for a more pronounced Middle Eastern flavor. Do whatever suits you best.

Latkes for Chanukah – Puerto Rican Style

December 7, 2009 / / 0 Comments

One of my favorite Jewish holidays is Chanukah (also known as Hanukkah). It is a time when family and friends come together to commemorate the holiday by lighting a candle on a menorah for each of the eight days of the celebration. Chanukah means “dedication,” and it notes the rededication of the Holy Temple at Jerusalem by Judah Maccabee and his followers in 165 B.C.E. after its desecration by the forces of the Hellenistic King of Syria, Antiochus IV. This character invaded Judea, outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered an alter be erected to the pagan god Zeus, and pigs sacrificed on the alter.

Once the Maccabees ousted the invaders, they discovered there was only enough purified oil for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight days; enough time for more oil to be purified. My father of late memory use to razz his Jewish friends by asking if the Jewish liberators used Goya or Progresso olive oil. That would get a laugh all around. Anyway, in America and Europe, the traditional dish served on Chanukah is latkes, basically, potato fritters. I love latkes, and I have my own variation on it. Call it the Puerto Rican way of doing things. I’ve discovered that if you add some grated carrots to the recipe, it enhances the flavor.

Another note: Judah Maccabee was also known as Yehuda HaMakabi (“Judah the Hammer”). I reckon that today he would have made a good linebacker.

POTATO LATKES (RIVERA FAMILY STYLE)

3 large potatoes
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 eggs
1/4 cup grated carrots
2 tablespoons matzo meal
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Oil for frying (I use a combination of vegetable oil and olive oil, 1/2 cup or more)

1. Peel the potatoes and grate them into a bowl. You can do it by hand (the traditional method) or by using a food processor. Squeeze out the extra liquid into the sink.
2. Add onion, eggs, carrots, matzo meal, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. Mix well.
3. In a large heavy skillet (I prefer cast-iron), heat the oil. Using a tablespoon, carefully drop the potato mixture into the hot oil and fry until browned on both sides, turning only once (about 3 minutes per side). Some people prefer to flatten each latkes with a spoon. Use whatever method you desire. The latkes should not only be golden brown but also crispy.
4. Drain on paper towels and serve with applesauce, sour cream or preserves.
Yield: about 2 dozen or more latkes.

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Plantains – Part I

September 29, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Plantains are an integral part of my culture. We boil them, we fry them, we add them in casserole dishes; we eat them as appetizers or with the main meal. They are ubiquitous in the Caribbean. Almost every island has a claim to them. To those if us who are not familiar with plantains (platanos), think of them as bananas on steroids. And in Puerto Rican cuisine there are two categories that we enjoy.

The first category are green, unripe plantains. These we serve as tostones, or fried green plantains. And that is what we will discuss today.

Green plantains, these days, can be found almost anywhere. My wife and I summer in Vermont. And even in Vermont we can find plantains. In the regular world, any Caribbean or Asian market will carry them. In the northeast, they are found in almost any supermarket.

I prefer tostones to their close cousin, the amarillos, the ripe plantains. Some folks prefer the ripe ones. It’s all a matter of taste. They are both equally delicious.

In the recipe included below the plantains are fried twice. In other parts of the Caribbean, notably Jamaica, the plantains are deep-fried just once. They are not pounded and re-fried. For those who follow our method, the unbroken skin of the plantain is used for flattening the tostones. Otherwise, you can acquire what is called a tostonera in any Latin market. This consists of two pieces of wood or plastic that hinge over to enclose the plantains slices. Here, again, I defer to tradition. Nothing beats the plantain peels and the flat of the hand for pressing the tostones.

The recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Book Group).

TOSTONES (FRIED GREEN PLANTAINS)
3 green plantains
4 cups water
2 tablespoons salt
Vegetable oil for frying

1. To remove the skin from the plantain, cut tips at both ends, cut a slit along the length of the plantain and peel off. To facilitate easier handling, some cooks dip plantains in hot water for 5 minutes and then remove the skin. Once plantains are peeled, cut into diagonal slices about 1-inch thick. Reserve peels.
2. Combine water and salt in a bowl and soak plantain slices for 30 minutes. Drain well.
3. Fill a cast-iron or heavy bottomed skillet halfway with vegetable oil. Heat oil until very hot (about 375 degrees). Deep fry plantains for 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
5. Place a plantain slice between two plantain peels, envelope fashion, and pound flat with the palm of the hand. Repeat until all slices are pressed. Return plantains to the skillet and cook until golden grown (about 5 minutes longer). Drain on absorbent paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Yield: 12 to 18 tostones.

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