Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: fish (page 1 of 8)

SIMPLE BAKED SALMON

February 27, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This is the easiest salmon recipe I know. Just simply baked with typical Nuyorican seasoning. No fuss, no bother. You can pair it with rice, any other favorite grain, or pasta. It renders a savory dish enjoyed by all—even finicky kids who don’t like fish.

SIMPLE BAKD SALMON

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets, about 6-8 ounces each
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2.  Place fillets skin side down on a greased baking dish (we prefer cast iron).
  3.  Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano.
  4.  Layer with onion and lemon slices. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
    Yield: 4 servings.

PESCADO EN SALSA DE CÚRCUMA (Fish Fillets in a Turmeric Sauce)

February 18, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our culture we love fish cooked in a sauce. Usually it’s a plain lemon-butter sauce. But sometimes we like to experiment, like today’s entre, Pescado En Salsa de Cúrcuma, or Fish Fillets in a Turmeric Sauce. Simplicity itself: Just make a simple white sauce, add herbs and turmeric for richness and color; and bake the fillets in this wonderful concoction. The usual accompaniment to this dish is, you guessed it, rice. But you can pair it with pasta, like spaghetti or linguini, or penne and macaroni. The possibilities are endless This time around we paired it with wild rice, and it made for a delicious combo. For the wild rice, you cook it just like regular rice, by bringing the desired amount to a boil. Then lower heat, cover and simmer, just like rice. Except it takes longer to cook, 50 minutes or so. Its nutty, earthy flavor goes well with this fish dish.

Note that this recipe calls for water mixed with a chicken bouillon cube. You omit this step and substitute chicken broth, if you have it available.

PESCADO EN SALSA DE CÚRCUMA
(Fish Fillets in a Turmeric Sauce)

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets (cod, halibut, sea bass, tilapia, etc.), about 6-8 ounces each
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups water or more as needed
1 chicken bouillon cube
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon turmeric or more to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Melt butter in an ovenproof saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat.
  3. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste; cook and stir until golden in color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Whisk in water and chicken bouillon. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
  5. Stir in turmeric, and cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes or more. Add more water to reach desired consistency.
  6.  Add fish fillets, cover with sauce and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10-12 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

MUSTARD- PARSLEY BUTTER FISH

January 14, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

This recipe is a unique way of cooking fish. It’s a mustard-parley butter mix that will enhance fish fillets like never before. And it’s so simple to make. Friends and neighbors will marvel at your cooking expertise., But there’s Nothing difficult about the dish. Just your favorite fish fillets, or what you have on hand, baked in a sumptuous mustard-parsley butter sauce. You can even try this dish over a whole fish (as long as it’s scaled and cleaned). The results will be just as good.

Let me add that in Nuyorican cooking this dish goes well with rice. You can also pair it with pasta. This time we did it with kasha, or buckwheat groats. Kasha is a specialty in Jewish cuisine. I discovered it in my young manhood and have been a fan of kasha ever since. It’s quite easy to prepare: In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups water or chicken broth with 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup kasha, salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). This makes about 4 cups kasha. You can   always double the recipe for more servings.

MUSTARD-PARSLEY BUTTER FISH

Ingredients:

4 white fish fillets (cod, turbot, halibut, whiting, flounder, etc.)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Juice of ½ lemon (or to taste) |
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F,
  2.  In a blender or food processor, combine butter, mustard and parsley. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cream together until smooth and of spreading consistency.
  3.  Place fish filles in an oven proof dish (we prefer cast-iron). Spread mustard-parsley butter mix over fish and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately
    Yield: 4 servings.

BACALAO CON FIDEOS (Salt Cod with Noodles)

December 23, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Hello again. This recipe is a combination of Nuyorican and Asian influences. You could it a “Fusion Dish” since, in this case, it combines Asian noodles with codfish, a favorite in Puerto Rican cooking; and ingredients such as hoisin sauce and tamari (a sauce made from soy and rice). Thus, you have two distinct categories of cuisines. So, you wonder, how did it come to this? Normally we cook cod in a tomato sauce and serve it with rice. This time around we decided, why not pair it with Asian noodles? For the latter you can use your favorite noodles such as Lo Mein or Udom noodles. If you can’t get or find these, you can always substitute linguini or other stringed pasta, even spaghetti. Where good cooking is concerned, we do not stand on ceremony.

These days you can find salt cod in your favorite store or supermarket. Also, it usually comes already boned and ready to cook. So, you don’t have to bother with removing the skin and bones after de-salting.  By that, we mean removing the salt content. There is a protocol to preparing salted codfish. By its composition, it contains a LOT of salt. Removing it is a simple procedure: You soak the cod in cold water to cover. Soaking time depends on the saltiness of the fish. The usual time is from 6 to 8 hours. The process is to leave it in a covered dish overnight. You can leave it on the counter or place in the fridge, your choice.  Then drain and rinse under cold running water. The cod is then placed in a pot of boiling water to cover and simmered gently for 15 minutes or so. Drain again and when cool, it is ready to cook. Before cooking, shred the cod or cut into bite-sized pieces.  I know, you’re saying, this is a lot of work for simply cooking the thing. But, believe me, it’s well worth the effort. Cod, when cooked, whether in a sauce or, as we do it today, combines with noodles, is a heavenly dish. Generations of folks can attest to that.

BACALAO CON FIEDEOS (Salt Cod with Noodles)

Ingredients:

1 pound salt cod, prepared for cooking (see above)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon tamari
4 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 ounces broccoli florets
1 medium red bell pepper, rinsed and diced
1 (14-16 oz.) package Asian noodles (see above)

Instructions:

  1. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on high heat. Mix in the hoisin sauce, tamari, water and cook for about 1 minute. Set aside.
  2. In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on high. Stir in the cod and garlic, Cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add broccoli and pepper and cook for 3 minutes more. Add noodles, toss gently and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
  4. Add sauce mix from step 1 and cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

BUTTER-SCALLION FISH FILLETS

October 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This dish is simplicity itself. Just fish fillets baked with butter and scallions. It was something that came out of necessity. I had a bunch of scallions available, and what could I do with them?  So I mixed them with butter and lemon juice and the rest, as they say, is history. Also, any white, firm-fleshed fish fillet will do. By that I mean cod, striped bass, turbot, haddock, whitefish or tilapia. Use what is preferred or available.

Now, this dish uses a lot of butter, exactly one stick. For those who are weight or health conscious, you can substitute margarine. Honestly, I never get the same flavor with margarine as I do with real butter. If desired, you can us less butter, like half a stick, and maybe add some cream to it. But then, I can hear complaints about “Butter and cream? It’s still fattening!” I don’t know how to answer this one. I can only advise, use common sense and proceed accordingly.

Let me add that, in Nuyorican cuisine,  the accompaniment to this dish would be rice. But it goes well with pasta or potatoes. We paired it with couscous and it was delectable.

BUTTER-SCALLION FISH FILLETS

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets, about 3 pounds, 1-inch thick
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup chopped scallions
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons white wine

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  In a blender or food processor, combine butter and scallions. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano. Blend or process together until smooth and of spreading consistency.
  4.  Place fish in an oven-proof dish (we prefer cast-iron). Top with the butter and scallion spread. Drizzle with wine and bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

FILETES DE PESCADO CON VEGETALES (Fish Fillets with Vegetables)

August 8, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

This dish can be done with fish fillets, fish steaks or even a whole scaled fish. It is simply fish cooked with vegetables, This time we’re using fish fillets, thus the moniker: Filetes de Pescado con Vegetales. Back on the block,  some in my family preferred it with fillets and some with fish steaks. Use what suits you best in terms of taste or cost. It’s an easy enough recipe. You poach the fish in white wine or vermouth. Then you stir-fry veggies of your choice. We use onions, tomatoes and bell peppers (what we call  pimientos). These can be  yellow (as in this recipe), green  or red pepper.

In this recipe you can use fresh or frozen fish fillets. Let me add that it makes for a great summer dish since you can serve it at room temperature. In colder weather, you can make the vegetables first, then set side in a warned platter, cook the fish fillets and combine it with the vegetables. Either way. or in whatever season, it makes for a delicious lunch or dinner.

In Nuyorican cuisine the usual accompaniment to this dish is rice. But you can serve it over couscous, farro (a wheat grain popular in the Mediterranean and Middle east) or even pasta. With a good crusty loaf of bread and favorite wine (red or white), or even beer, it can’t be beat.

FILETES DE PESCADO CON VEGETALES
(Fish Fillets with Vegetables)

Ingredients:

1 pound fish fillets of your choice, cut into 4 portions, or 4 (6-8 oz.) fish fillets
White wine or vermouth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow bell pepper (can substitute green or red bell pepper)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, rinsed and cut in chunks
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons dry red wine
Ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano

Instructions:

  1. Rinse fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place in a large frypan or skillet with white wine or vermouth almost to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to simmer and poach for 6 minutes.  Remove from poaching liquid and let cool in a serving platter or dish. Discard poaching liquid or save for another use (such as stock or flavoring).
  3.  Wipe skillet clean. Place back on burner, add oil and heat until shimmering. Add pepper, garlic and onion and stir fry over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, capers, red wine, ground pepper and oregano; and simmer 5 minutes longer.
  4.  Spoon vegetables mixture over fillets and serve at room temperature.
    Yield: 4 servings.

FISH FILLETS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

July 31, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Fish fillets in sauce have always been a Nuyorican staple. Not so much  back on the island of Puerto Rico. This is something  that was appropriated by Boricua cuisine when they came to the mainland U.S. Honestly, I don’t recall fish with  sauce dishes when I was growing up back in Spanish Harlem. It was normally fried fish or in stews. But as our palate expanded, sauces began to be incorporated. So, today, fish in a sauce is one of our favorite takes on cooking seafood.

The rendition given is fish in a mushroom sauce. Now, this could be a whole fish, cleaned and scaled (with head intact) or with fish fillets, as in this recipe. In some variations, the fish can be steamed or, as we do it today, poached in a little water. The mushroom sauce is easy to prepare. All you do is sauté onions in butter, add some shallots and mushrooms. Then, when mushrooms have wilted, blend them in a blender or food and stir in some cream.  Simple, easy and delicious. This time around we serve the fish and sauce with quinoa. But you can use  rice, couscous, or even pasta, Whichever side dish you choose, it makes for a memorable meal.

FISH FILLETS IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless fish fillets such as cod, striped bass, turbot, haddock, whitefish, tilapia or snapper, about 1-inch thick, about 3 pounds
1 cup water
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
¼ pound mushrooms, washed and cut into thin slices
Salt and black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼  cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a large saucepan or skillet, place fish fillets. They could be layered if they all don’t fit in the saucepan. Add  cup water, bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and cook  for 5-8  minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Carefully remove the fish with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3.  Heat 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet or saucepan. Add shallots and cook over medium heat until wilted
  4.  Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Cook, stirring until wilted. Add the wine and simmer, uncovered, for about 3  minutes.
  5.  Put the mushroom mixture into a food processor or blender and blend thoroughly. Return to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Swirl in the remaining butter and stir in the cream.
  6.  Transfer fish to a warmed serving platter, add mushroom sauce and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

BACALAO CON HUEVOS (Codfish with Eggs)

May 3, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Salted cod or bacaloa, is a popular dish in Nuyorican cooking, even to this day, at least in my family. We still eat it frequently with rice. It all goes back to life on the island of Puerto Rico. Salt cod, at the time, was an inexpensive item, easy to find. It was cod packed in salt as a preservative. So, it didn’t’ need refrigeration. Thus, in bygone days, it was available everywhere, not only in the Caribbean but throughout the Mediterranean basin. And, to this day, it’s popular in Spanish, Portuguese, Greek and French cuisine; and prevalent in such far flung places as India and Canada.

As noted, salt cod is high in sodium content. That means it has to be prepared before cooking. This is simple enough: soak the cod overnight in cool water. Drain, then place the cod in a pot or pan of boiling  water to cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. This removes all traces of excess salt. Finally, drain the cod and, when cool, peel any skin and bones. Then flake so that it is ready to cook. Let me state that most salt cod today is packaged already peeled and boned so, at least, that part of the procedure is taken care of.

Thankfully, the Rivera family has perfected  an easier method to desalt cod. In this case, you place the cod in a pot or saucepan with water to cover and let it stand 20 minutes. Then drain the cod, remove the skin and bones (if not already done), place fish in a skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. This method is quicker than the overnight soaking bit. But, we’re not done yet. The recipe given also calls for achiote,  which is simply cooking 1 tablespoon annatto seeds (found in most supermarkets in 8-oz. jars), in ½ cup olive oil, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Lastly, straining the oil  into a glass jar or container. The achiote gives the recipe a lovely bright orange-red color and distinctive flavor. If you pressed for time, you can substitute a packet of Goya Sasón or Sa-són Accent mixed in with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Yeah, I know you’re thinking, preparing this dish calls for a lot in terms of time and patience. But, my friends, believe me, it’s well worth it. Once you add the eggs to the codfish, you have a dish suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner—and one you will go back too time and again.

BACALOA CON HUEVOS
(Codfish with Eggs)

Ingredients::

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 pound salt cod, prepared for cooking (see above)
3 tablespoons achiote (see above)
6 eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large frying pan or skillet. Sauté onion and garlic until onion is tender and slightly brown.
  2. Add flaked codfish and achiote coloring. Cook for about 3 minutes.
  3. Add beaten eggs. Sauté over low heat until eggs are scrambled.
    Yield: 4 servings.

ARROZ ROJO CON PESCADO (Red Fish with Rice)

May 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

Back on the block, this was one of those cheapie dinners that got us through the lean times.  Rice was one of those common staples that we had frequently, and saffron was the ingredient that gave it color and flavor. But saffron, now and then, was expensive. So we would use tomato sauce  and, when times got really bad, tomato juice in lieu of saffron. Fish was also another cheap and natural accompaniment to the rice. The result was a delicious dinner we all enjoyed—regardless of economic circumstances.

In this dish, we would we would poach the fish and then combine it with the rice.  So it ended up as a one-dish meal that was great to behold, and marvelous.

ARROZ ROJO CON PESCADO
(Red Rice and Fish)

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
1¼ cups tomato juice
¼ cup water
1 pound halibut or any form-fleshed fish (cod, haddock, flounder, etc.)
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 strips lemon peel
4 whole black peppercorns
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
10 oz. package green peas, cooked to package directions
Paprika

Instructions:

  1. Wash rice at least three times in cold water and drain to rid it of starch. What in Pennsylvania Dutch country is known as “washing in several waters.”
  2. In a heavy kettle or pot, mix water and tomato juice and bring to a roiling boil. Add rice, cover and simmer on low heat until liquid is absorbed (about 20-25 minutes).
  3. Meanwhile, rinse fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a skillet or pan, add 2 cups water, bay leaf, lemon peel, and peppercorns. Bring water to a boil, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes or until fish is opaque.
  4. Remove fish from pan and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with the rice and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Place rice in a serving dish or platter. Make a well in the center and put in cooked green peas. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

SOPA DE PESCADO Y GARBANZOS

December 14, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This is a variation on the traditional fish soup we use to have back on the block. On the Island and the barrio, the soup was made with several whole fish. The fish was cut into thick slices, highly seasoned and simmered, while the fish head and tails were used to create a fish stock. Nowadays, fish fillets and water can be used instead of a whole fish.  Instead of water, you can also create your own fish stock by using half water and half clam juice. Also, in  the traditional fish soup, shrimp, clams and even mussels were added.

This recipe simplifies the whole process. It’s Sopa de Pescado y Garbanzos,  i.e. fish soup with chickpeas. You just sauté fish fillets (such as cod, haddock, whitefish, etc.) in olive oil with typical Nuyorican herbs. Add water (or the half water and half clam juice) and let it simmer until done. Add canned garbanzo beans and cook 5 minutes more, That’s it. With a crusty whole loaf, it’s a meal for the ages—and perfect for this time of year.

SOPA DE PESCADO Y GARBANZOS
(Fish and Chickpea Soup)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 cups water (or half water, half clam juice)
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
2 pounds white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 (15oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a kettle or pot. Add onion and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onion is soft and tender.
  2.  Add water or stock, parsley, oregano, thyme and bay leaf
  3.  Add fish, lemon juice and turmeric. Stir to mix. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
  4.  Add garbanzo beans and simmer 5 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf and serve.
    Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

 

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