Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: all (page 17 of 78)

MAJERETE (Corn Pudding)

May 12, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Majerete (Mah-heh-reh-teh) is a dessert that is popular in the Caribbean but, depending on where, it has variations. Traditionally, majerete is a corn pudding made from freshly husked corn.  Think of it as a smooth corn-type custard. The Spanish verb majar  means to grind or crush, and in the old days that’s  how it was done, with a mortar and pestle to grind the corn. The other thing is that, in some recipes, they use rice flower and still call it majerete. In our family we didn’t do the rice majerete, we used canned corn. Yes, canned corn. In the summer, when sweet corn was available, we would use fresh corn. However, year round, we found that canned corn is just as good. We are not purists in that regard.

Initially, the pudding was made from just 4 ingredients: corn, milk, sugar and cinnamon. In our version we add cornstarch to give it a thicker texture. In Spanish Harlem, we had people who preferred using coconut milk instead of regular whole milk in the preparation. We stuck with the milk. It was the flavor we were use to. Whichever way you spruce it up, you’re gonna love this dessert.

Ingredients:

2 cans (15.25 oz.) corn, drained
2 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
2 cinnamon sticks
Ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a food processor, add corn, milk, salt, sugar and cornstarch. Blend until pureed.
  2. Strain the mixture through a metal or wire-mesh sieve removing all the corn kernel pulp and leaving just the liquid. You may have to strain it a few times or, if desired, you can use a cheese cloth.
  3. In a medium saucepan or deep skillet, add the corn liquid and cinnamon sticks. Stir to combine until the sugar is dissolved. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and the mixture has thickened to a smooth, pudding-like consistency, about 45 minutes. Rule of thumb: you know it has thickened when it coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Discard cinnamon sticks and transfer the mixture to 6 small dessert cups or one medium size serving bowl. Cool about 10 minutes. Place in refrigerator and chill until cold and set, at least 45 minutes. Garnish with ground cinnamon, if desired.
    Yield: 6 servings.

PECHUGA DE POLLO CON RON (Chicken Breasts with Rum)

May 10, 2023 / / 0 Comments


I always thought there was a classical French cuisine component to this dish. Reason being, it’s partly cooked in a rich white sauce which gives it that smooth, creamy texture. But it has that Caribbean slant to it: we prepare it with rum; and by that I mean Puerto Rican rum. The best there is.

It’s simple enough: halve the chicken breasts, season, dredge in flour and fry until lightly browned. Then simmer with heavy cream. That’s it. The secret ingredient is that you flame the chicken with dark rum to give it that unique taste. Don’t worry about getting tipsy on the booze. The alcohol content disappears and only the sweet rum flavor remains.

Enjoy this one. You won’t be disappointed.

 

PECHUGA DE POLLO CON RON (Chicken Breasts with Rum)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, boned
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
4 tablespoons butter
¼  cup dark rum
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions:

 1. Rise chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Halve chicken breast, sprinkled with salt, pepper and thyme. Dredge the halves in flour to coat them lightly.
3. Heat butter in a heavy skillet or frying pan over medium heat, adding more butter as needed. Add breasts and sauté until lightly browned
(they do not need to be cooked through to the center).
4. Heat the rum, pour over the breasts and ignite with a match. Add cream, cover skillet and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add paprika and season to taste. Arrange the breasts on a warmed serving platter. Strain the sauce remaining in the skillet over the chicken  and  serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

SPICED RUBBED STEAK CARRIBEAN STYLE

May 8, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Yes, we Nuyoricans like our food with a bit of spice. It goes back to our heritage on the island of Puerto Rico, and which continued with the vast migration to the mainland.  Back in Spanish Harlem (East Harlem these days) we would spice up our steaks with whatever was available in the kitchen cupboard; and we had enough spices on hand to make a go of it. Like this spiced rubbed steak that you can whip up in 15 minutes. The spice rub gives the meat a sweet and sour flavor whether the steak is grilled, broiled or sautéed.  This dish can be done with 4 individual steak servings using porterhouse or club steaks. You can also cook up 2 pounds of  other meat such as bottom round  ribeye or (if times are lean)  chuck steak, and then cut into serving pieces. Lastly, if you want it really spicy you can add cayenne pepper. As noted, this is optional.

We normally do steak in a cast iron skillet;. but some prefer a nonstick skillet. Go with what’s best for you. Traditionally this meal is served with rice.  You can also add a side vegetable, if desired   Buen apetito.

SPICED RUBBED STEAK CARIBBEAN STYLE

Ingredients:

4 porterhouse or club steak (8 ounces per steak, about ½-inch thick)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt an pepper to taste
½ teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenned (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Wash steak under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, combine spice ingredients and rubbed the mixture over the entire surface of the steaks.
  3. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until cooked to desired degree of doneness. Transfer meat to a carving board and let it rest 5 minutes before serving.
    Yield: 4 servings.

POLLO CON HABICHUELAS (Chicken and Beans)

May 5, 2023 / / 0 Comments

 

In our culture we love chicken and we love beans. So why not combine them together in a one pot meal, as we did back on the block with Pollo con Habichuelas. Just mix the ingredients, season, cook, and you have a marvelous one dish entrée.

In our family we use dried beans when preparing this dish. It will not work with canned beans, which are already precooked. You would have to prepare the chicken and beans separately, and then combine—which negates the idea of a one dish meal. Also, since it’s dried beans we’re dealing with, that means they need to be soaked for at least 8 hours or, preferably, overnight. This makes it easier to cook, and reduces the gas produced when the food is being digested.  There is a quick presoak method I’ve seen online: In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and soak for at least 1 hour. Full disclosure, I’ve never tried this method; so I can’t vouch whether it works or not. Proceed as you think best.

Note that we use white beans in this recipe, which cuts down on the cooking time (about 1 hour). It takes longer to cook other beans. For instance, black beans take 60 to 90 minutes, kidney beans, navy beans and pinto beans take 90 to 120 minutes. With those varieties, since we’re cooking the chicken and beans together, by the time the beans are done, the chicken will be overcooked and dry.

The usual accompaniment to this dish is rice. In out family we like it as is with a crusty loaf of bread. Whichever way you serve it, it makes for a great dinner and the leftovers taste better the next day.

 

POLLO CON HABICHUIELAS

Ingredients:

2 cups white beans
1 2½-3 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh chopped leaf oregano  or 1 teaspoon dried
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup black olives, sliced

 

Instructions:

  1. Day before, rinse beans, place in a large pot and add water to cover by 2 inches. Cover pot, and soak overnight. Note that the beans do not need to be refrigerated while soaking. Just leave in the kitchen counter while soaking or atop the stove.
  2. Rinse chicken under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, add salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Mix to combine. Let stand for 15 minutes so that the spices blend into the chicken pieces.
  3. Drain beans, place in large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and add chicken, bouillon cube and turmeric. Stir to mix. Lower heat to gentle simmer, cover and cook until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Add more water, if necessary, during cooking. Add olives, cook 4 minutes more and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

EASTER LAMB DISH

April 7, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Easter is upon us once more, and it brings back memories of the Easter meals back on the block. In Spanish Harlem it was either pernil (roast pork shoulder) or lamb. In my family, we preferred lamb (we had the pernil at Christmas). I didn’t find out about roast Smithfield ham for the holiday (as is popular in some Anglo households) until I left the block and my horizons expanded.

Today, lamb is still our favored dish for this time of year, and I’m always on the lookout for unique ways to prepare it. The recipe given below is Glazed Leg of lamb. The recipe itself is simple enough: we make slits in the lamb and stuff it with slivers of garlic; then we marinated it overnight in a mix of salt, pepper, turmeric and olive oil. When the lamb is roasted, the glaze used is a mix of apple jelly, rosemary and lemon juice. We serve the dish with sweet potatoes (yams). It makes for a great Easter meal or, for anytime you want that special leg of lamb extravaganza.

GLAZED LEG OF LAMB

Ingredients:

Leg of lamb (about 5 pounds)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
1 tablespoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup apple jelly
½ teaspoon rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup butter
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 pound sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into chunks

Instructions:

  1. Day before cooking, rinse lamb under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife make several slits in the lamb. Stud the slits with garlic slivers.
  2. In a small bowl, combine turmeric, salt, pepper and olive oil. Brush mixture over entire leg of lamb. Wrap lamb in aluminum foil, place in fridge and marinate overnight.
  3. Next day, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  4. Place lamb in a shallow roasting pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer registers 175 degrees for medium doneness.
  5. Meanwhile, combine jelly, rosemary and lemon juice in small saucepan. Brush on lamb during last hour of roasting time.

BAKED YAMS

  1. Combine butter, brown sugar and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Stir and cook over low heat until well blended.
  2. Pour butter mixture over sweet potatoes and arrange around lamb; and continue baking for the last 30 minutes of roasting time. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.
    Yield: 6 or more servings.

QUESILLO BLANCO

April 6, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This is one of the lesser known desserts in criollo cuisine. It is a type of custard for which there is no English translation. Although queso means ‘cheese’ in Spanish, there is no cheese in this dessert. Why it’s called quesillo I have no idea. There are two types of quesillo: one is made with pineapple juice boiled  with sugar, which is then baked and chilled in a mold. The other is Quesillo Blanco. Or White Quesillo. That is the recipe given below. This version is made with eggs and condensed milk. Whatever it is called, forget the  semantics. It’s a truly delicious dessert that will cap a fine end to any meal.

Note that in the dessert, when baked, the custard will rise in the pan, giving it a sooth, delectable pink/russet color that will entice you with a tasty finish.

Quesillo Blanco

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated
1 14-ounce can sweetened  condensed  milk
Cinnamon for garnish.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  2.  In separate bowls, beat egg yolks and whites until light and frothy.
  3.  Add yolks to whites and beat well.
  4.  Stir in condemned milk and beat until blended.
  5.  Pour into a 1 quart mold or casserole.
  6.  Fill a baking pan ¾ full with hot water. Place mold in water and bake for 1 hour. The custard will rise in the pan, and is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  7.  You can serve as it or, if preferred, run a knife along rim of mold or casserole and unmold onto a serving dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

BAKED GROUND MEAT

April 3, 2023 / / 0 Comments

I’m told this recipe is of Lebanese origin. The recipe itself intrigued me in that in Nuyorican cuisine, at least in our family,  we would bake ground meat with cheese on top and serve it with bread. Later on, when my palate expanded I discovered Shepheard’s Pie and other ground meat dishes. So I’m always on the lookout for other baked meat specialties. In this rendition, the ground beef is seasoned and formed into meatball shapes and topped with slice onion, potato and tomato.  Le me add. if you want to cut back on your beef intake, you can substitute ground turkey or chicken, and it’ll be just as tasty. This dish is a meal in itself and, with a good crusty loaf of bread, makes for a sumptuous lunch or dinner.

BAKED GROUND MEAT

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground meat
½ bunch chopped parsley, washed and finely chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or more to taste
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
½ pound potatoes, thinly sliced (do not peel)
½ pound tomatoes, sliced
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
  2. In a bowl, combine the ground meat with the chopped parsley and onion. Add salt, pepper and cinnamon. Divide the mixture into a dozen equal parts and roll into balls. Now, you can make the meatballs as large or small as you like.  It could be anywhere from 6 large balls or a dozen small balls. Your choice.
  3.  Gently flatten the balls and place in a greased baking pan or dish (we prefer cast iron). Over each patty, place a slice of onion, a slice of potato and a slice of tomato.  Pour the tomato sauce over the patties, place in oven and bake for about 1 hour or until the patties are well cooked.
    Yield: 4-6 servings

 

BERENJENA RELLENA (Stuffed Eggplant)

March 28, 2023 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is the Nuyorican way of making stuffed eggplant. Eggplant is a popular vegetable in our culture.. We prepare it fried, stewed, baked, and, as in this dish, stuffed. What makes our dish different is that we stuff it with seafood. Specifically, crabmeat, conch meat or shrimp.  This goes back to life on the island of Puerto Rico, where seafood was a major component of the diet. And it transferred to when we migrated to the mainland. And, we did substitute some changes. In Spanish Harlem, our family, when times were lean, would stuff the eggplant with canned tuna and, you know what, it tasted just as good.

Th recipe itself is simple enough. Just mixed the eggplant pulp with the crabmeat, bread crumbs and seasonings and stuff the eggplant shell. Note that the seasonings include  aji dulce. Think of small chili peppers that are sweet. Aji in Spanish means ‘chili pepper’ and dulce means ‘sweet’ Some may consider this a contradiction in terms but, it is what it is. These peppers are popular in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine and can be found in Latino food markets and, even online.

This dish is not your usual stuffed eggplant recipe as in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cooking. As stated, this is our Nuyorican version and, as delicious as they come. Enjoy.

BERENJENA RELLENA
(Stuffed Eggplant)

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant
1/2 cup water
I pound crabmeat (canned is okay)
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
3 aji dulce (sweet chili pepper), seeded and chopped
6 fresh cilantro leaves, washed and chopped
2 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Scoop our inner pulp but do not pierce outer shell. Save pulp.
3. Pour water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add eggplant pulp and steam, covered, until soft. Drain, remove pulp and mash thoroughly.
4. In a large bowl, combine pulp, crabmeat, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, aji dulce, cilantro and eggs.
5. Brush inside of eggplant shells with olive oil. Stuff shells with crabmeat mixture. Dot each shell with a teaspoon of butter and bake for ½ hour.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HUEVOS AL HORNO (Baked Eggs)

March 20, 2023 / / 0 Comments

In our culture, eggs are an every time meal, not just for breakfast or brunch. Back on the block we had them for dinner or whenever times were lean. With that in mind, the recipe given below was especially popular. It’s Huevos al Horno, or baked eggs. The eggs weren’t simply baked, they were served with a white sauce to give it a certain panache. I’ve modified the sauce by adding turmeric to it for color and enhanced flavor. Traditionally, baked eggs was served over rice or with tostones (friend green plantains) or crusty bread. Yes, it’ s thrifty meal but, done right, it becomes a banquet.

I would suggest, for this recipe, while the eggs are being boiled, prepare the white sauce and place it on low heat in the back burner while cooking the eggs. That way the sauce will be ready when the eggs are baked. Or you can prepare the sauce earlier in the day and have it ready. Whatever works for you best.

HUEVOS AL HORNO
(Baked Eggs)

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
½ chopped bell pepper (green, red or yellow)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups basic white sauce (see below)
¼ cup grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2.  Slice hard boiled eggs in half lengthwise and reserve yolks. Set the hollow whites aside.
  3.  In a small bowl, mix eggs and cream. Set aside.
  4. Heat butter in a large skillet or frying pan. Add onion, garlic and pepper. Stir-fry until tender (2-3 minutes).
  5. Add eggs, salt and pepper and sauté briefly.
  6.  Stuff the hollow egg whites with the egg mixture. Arrange eggs in a baking dish.
  7.  Spoon white sauce over eggs and sprinkle with cheese.
  8.  Bake for 20 minutes, and serve.
    Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

BASIC WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1½ cups milk
½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions:

  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in salt and pepper.
  2.  Gradually add milk, stirring over medium heat until sauce thickens and comes to a boil.
  3.  Stir in turmeric and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
    Yield: About 2 cups

 

NUMIDIAN CHICKEN

March 16, 2023 / / 0 Comments

NUMIDIAN CHICKEN

As a self described historian, I’m fascinated by foods from bygone eras. I love checking out old, ancient cookbooks. One of my favorites is attributed to Apicius, a Roman gourmet who lived in the 1st century CE and who’s tome, De re culinaria or De re coquinaria  (On the Subject of Cooking) is one of the earliest cookbooks known to humanity. In it, Apicius notes the dishes enjoyed by the Roman elite during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.

The recipe given, Numidian Chicken (with modifications), is one of Apicius’ entries. Numidia was located in what is today Algeria; and had been a Roman province since 46 BCE. Obviously, Apicius considered their cooking on par with Roman cuisine since he included this recipe in his cookbook. Full disclosure: the recipe does contain ingredients that are hard to find. One of them is lazar root. an ingredient which is now extinct. The other is liquamen, a fish sauce that was used to salt dishes. To create liquamen today, even in a modern kitchen, is a long involved process that includes using fish blood. The only substitute I found online is simply mixing 1 teaspoon salt with 2 ounces white wine. I went with that. If you want it less, you can reduce the salt content to ½ or ¼ teaspoon.

The recipe itself is simple enough. It involves par-boiling a chicken (cut up), then roasting it. The final step is preparing an aromatic sauce with various ingredients and seasonings that are still available today. In Apicius’ time the idea was to pound the ingredients and seasonings. That is, crushing them (I guess in a giant mortar) then cooking to make a sauce that was poured over the chicken. It is not as complex as you think. For instance, instead of pounding the ingredients, I blend them in a food processor. One of the benefits of 21st century living. It just takes patience, and you have a meal a Roman Patrician would savor. Except, you are the Roman gourmand.

The dish goes good with rice, couscous, quinoa or farro. You can add a modern Italian bent to it and serve it over pasta. In our clan, we like it as is with a good crusty loaf of bread. With a fine wine, Italian or otherwise, you have a meal that Caesar and his contemporaries would find delicious—and so will you. Toga is optional.

Ingredients:

1 fryer chicken, 2½ to 3 pounds, cut into serving pieces
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup dried dates
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt mixed with 2 ounces white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2.  Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  Place chicken in a pan or pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.
  4.  Remove from water and place in an oven proof dish (we prefer cast iron), sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and bake 45-50 minutes or until tender.
  5.  Meanwhile, place dates, pine nuts, cumin, remaining pepper, coriander seed, vinegar, honey, salt-wine mixture and olive oil in a food processor. Blend and mix well. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of white wine to thin it. Or, if too thin, you can add a bit of starch mixed with water. Here, it’s a judgment call. I find that when I heat the sauce, it comes out on the thick side. Pour over chicken and serve, either in the oven proof dish or a serving platter.
    Yield: 4 servings.
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