Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: all (page 25 of 77)

SALMON CON LIMON Y PIMIENTO (Lemon-Pepper Salmon)

December 17, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This dish is a family favorite. We like it because it’s one of the easiest ways to cook salmon.  Just mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and that’s it. Initially we would bake the salmon fillets at 375 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Later on I discovered that the salmon could also be broiled, an even quicker method of preparation—and that’s how we’re serving it today. Back on the block, we would serve the fillets over white steamed rice, or yellow rice. This time around we’re pairing it with farro, that ancient whole-grain popular in Italy. But, whatever side dish you prefer, you won’t be disappointed with the piquant delicious nature of these fish fillets.

Note that, in our family, we always referred to pepper, ground or otherwise as pimiento. If you check a Spanish dictionary, it is noted as pimienta. In other words. a feminine pronoun. For linguistic purists, my apologies, but I’ll stick with the family designation. To us, pepper was pimiento, and what can I say? Just enjoy the dish.

SALMÓN CON LIMÓN Y PIMIENTO
(Lemon-Pepper Salmon)

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets with skin (about 6-8 ounces each)
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
fresh chopped rosemary or tarragon for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Rinse fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  Mix oil, lemon juice, pepper and salt in a bowl with a fork until blended.
  4.  Place salmon fillets in a greased broiler pan (we prefer cast-iron), 6 inches from heat source, skin side down. Drizzle half of the juice mixture over the salmon and place in the broiler for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from broiler and drizzle remaining oil mixture over the fish and top with slices of red onion.
  6.  Place salmon back in broiler. Turn off the broiler and let salmon stand for 5 minutes or until the edges of the fish turn golden brown and flake with a fork. Garnish with rosemary or tarragon and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

LASAGNA ROLL UPS

December 3, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Lasagna roll ups have been around for a while. But I never considered them until recently. They are easier to prepare than regular lasagna; and you can use as many lasagna noodles as needed for any given meal. That makes them a dish worth trying, and enjoying on a regular basis.

Now, there are recipes that call for making them with just 9 lasagna noodles, or 10. I would suggest, in this case, use a 9″x9″ baking dish. In my rendition I used a whole one pound package of lasagna. As for  the baking pan, I used a standard size (15½”x10″); and  it held 13 roll-ups. The rest I used in another recipe which entail stuffing the noodles with baked, flaked fish  fillets. That’s the beauty of this recipe. You can stuff the noodles with meat, veggies or seafood. You are only limited by your imagination. With some crusty bread and a good chianti, you have a good but inexpensive banquet.

LASAGNA ROLL UPS

Ingredients:

1 pound package lasagna noodles
2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil (and more for topping)
Pinch of black pepper
2 cups marinara sauce (and more for topping)

Instructions:

  1. Boil lasagna noodles and cook until just soft enough for rolling (soft but not soggy, about 12-15 minutes). When they are done, drain in  a colander.
  2.  While noodles are cooking, prepare the filling. Thaw the packs of frozen spinach in a microwave and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. In a bowl, combine and mix well the spinach with the garlic, basil, black pepper and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
  3.  When the noodles and filling are ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare  a baking dish or glass casserole by coating lightly with olive oil or butter.
  4.  Remove noodles from water, and lay side by side on a clean surface. Spread about 1/4 cup of the spinach-cheese mixture on top of each noodle. Roll up each noodle, making sure nothing squishes out in the process.
  5.  Spread about 1/4 – 1/3 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with more marinara, then sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. When fully cooked, remove from oven and top with fresh chopped basil.
    Yield: 6 servings

GREEK MEATBALLS WITH RICE

November 15, 2021 / / 0 Comments

One of my favorite ways of preparing  meatballs is how our Greek brethren do it. I have long been a fan of Greek cuisine. They have 3,000 years of history in terms of cooking. We can learn a thing or two from them. So, you can consider this posting as a Greek meal. Simply, it’s meatballs  (keftaides) over rice with fideo (pilafi me fides). The latter dish  is just rice combined with cut thin spaghetti (fideo). Back in Spanish Harlem almost every household would add fideo to their soups. We never thought of combining it with rice (another innovation by our Greek brothers and sisters).

With this Greek dinner I took the liberty of adding saltsa bechamel to the meatballs. Saltsa bechamel is the Greek method of preparing béchamel sauce, that fame sauce attributed to French cuisine (although some historians state its origin is actually Tuscany—but that’s another story). Add some good Greek wine like a Agiorgitiko from Nemea or Xinomavro from Naoussa, and you’ll have a dinner that will transform you to a sunset evening in Athens. Don’t let the Greek wine tongue twisters deter you. An Agiorgitiko is similar to a Merlot. With a Xinomavro, think of a Barolo or Pinot Noir.

For this dinner, I would suggest making the béchamel sauce first. You can set it aside and heat it up again with the main course; then preparing the rice with fideo. While the rice is cooking, you can make the meatballs, which are served drizzled with the sauce.

SALTSA BECHAMEL

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Dash of nutmeg
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

Instructions:

Melt butter over low heat. Add  flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until blended into a consistent paste. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk and return to heat. Cook, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and gradually add egg yolks, stirring constantly. Yield: 2 cups

RICE WITH FIDEO

Ingredients:

1½ cups long grain rice
¾ cup fideo (or crushed vermicelli)
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried chives

Instructions:

Combine the rice and fideo and sauté in butter in a 2-quart pan or pot until golden brown. Add chicken broth and chives. Cover and cook over very low heat until the liquid is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Yield: 4 or more servings.

GREEK MEATBALLS:

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef or a mixture of beef and pork or lamb
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint or 1 teaspoon dried
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup ouzo or anisette
1 cup flour
½ cup olive oil (or more if needed).

Instructions:

  1. Combine meat, bread crumbs, salt, onion, parsley, garlic, mint, egg and ouzo. Mix well.
  2. Form into meatballs and roll them in the floor. Note that we like our meatballs medium-sized, not small. Place on a cookie sheet and chill for 1 hour.
  3.  Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan  and fry meatballs over medium-high heat until done, about 15-20 minutes. Serve them hot.
    Yield: Makes about 32 meatballs (4 to 6 servings).

 

 

 

 

 

BREADED FISH FILLETS WITH YOGURT

November 12, 2021 / / 0 Comments

One if my favorite recipes is breaded fish fillets. It’s an easy dish to make, and delicious. Another go-to recipe is fish fillets baked in yogurt (or a combination of yogurt and parmesan cheese). So I considered, why not combine breaded fish with yogurt? In this case, the yogurt is mixed with turmeric. This renders a nice sauce in which to cook the fillets. You’ll be amazed at the result. It is really good. This is a multi-dimensional dish that can be served by itself with some crusty bread, or with rice  or pasta.  Add a light red wine or good white wine, or even beer, and you have a winner.

For this dish you can use any good firm fleshed fillet, be it cod, turbot, halibut,  flounder, monkfish, etc. I would not recommend dover sole. It is just too mild and fragile for this recipe.

BREADED FISH FILLETS WITH YOGURT

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets, 6 ounces each
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ to 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 cup yogurt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  Place beaten egg in one dish, and breadcrumbs in another.
  4.  Mix turmeric with the yogurt. The turmeric will give the yogurt a pinkish color. Set aside.
  5.  First, dip fillets in egg, and then in breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly. Place fillets in a greased baking dish. Cover with turmeric-yogurt mix,  and bake until tender, about 25 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

ORZO WITH BEANS AND SAUSAGE

November 11, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This is another take on that famous Italian entry known as pasta fazool. In more renowned circle, it’s Pasta e Fagioli, or pasta with beans. In the post of 04/26/20 I gave my version of this classic dish. In my family, we prefer white kidney beans when we’re making this recipe. Still, we’re always experimenting and seeking to improve on it. And now we have another version: this time with red kidney beans and sausage. In this entry, the pasta base we’re using is orzo. That singular item that, to us, most resembles rice. And, yes, in past efforts we’ve used rice instead of pasta for this dish.

We prefer to use dried beans instead of the canned variety. True, it’s more effort in that you have to prepare the beans for cooking. This entails soaking overnight a one pound package of beans  in water to cover (by at least 2 inches). Next morning, draining the beans then placing in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven with 2 quarts (8 cups) water. Bring it to a boil, cover and cook over moderate-low heat until beans are tender (about 1 hour).  Now, because of time constraints and convenience, you can substitute 2 (15.5-oz.) cans of red kidney beans. We won’t fault you for that. But, again, it does not match the flavor you get from regular beans.

Note that this dish includes sausage. We prefer the sweet Italian type. Yet you can substitute any pork sausage, or even chicken or turkey sausage. If you’re health conscious, you can use organic vegetable sausages that have appeared in markets in the last few years. Be aware that some sausages come with a casing that has to be removed before cooking.

ORZO WITH BEANS AND SAUSAGE

Ingredients:

1 pound package dry red kidney bean
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (12 oz.) pack sweet Italian uncured sausage, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (16 oz.) package orzo

Instructions:

  1. Prepare beans by soaking overnight; and then cooking as instructed above.
  2.  While beans are cooking, heat olive oil over moderate-high heat in a frying pan or skillet. Add sausage and onion and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
  3.  Add sausage mix to beans. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato sauce, cover and cook until beans are tender.
  4.  While beans are being done, prepare orzo as per package directions. Serve beans and orzo side by side; or you can serve orzo in a large serving dish topped by beans and sausage. Also, if desired, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
    Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

 

 

POLLO CON POLVO DE CURRY (Curried Chicken)

November 8, 2021 / / 0 Comments

According to family historians the origin of this dish is Trinidad. My father, during the Second World War, spent time in Trinidad. That my be one of the reasons we acquired this recipe. It calls for curry powder, which is not a common  staple in Nuyorican cooking. That said, the dish is superb, especially for those who like a bit of spice in their dining.

POLLO CON POLVO DE CURRY
(Curried Chicken)

Ingredients:

1 3-to-3½ pounds chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled
8 black whole peppercorns
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried
½ cup olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 hot chili pepper, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl
  2.  Put garlic, peppercorns, salt and thyme in a mortar, and pound until crushed. Rub chicken pieces with this seasoning. Cover bowl and let stand at least 30 minutes.
  3.  In a large skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil. Add chicken pieces, two or three at a time, and fry until golden. Remove and set aside.
  4.  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from skillet. Add tomatoes, onion, chili pepper (if using) and curry powder. Sauté for 5 minutes.
  5.  Stir in 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender. This dish is best served with bianda (root plans such as yucca, yautía, green bananas, malanga, etc.) or, as we did it, with tostones (friend green plantains).
    Yield: 6 servings.

PAPPARDELLE WITH SALMON

October 28, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This is one of those spur of the moment recipes that garners accolades. You know what I mean. You check the cupboard and refrigerator, find out what ‘s available and create something magnificent. In this case it was pappardelle pasta and, yes, canned salmon. I know, here we go again, canned salmon. That’s right, the one that comes in tins. My wife, Holly and I, are partisans of wild caught Alaskan salmon. We usually get it fresh but, if we can find it in the canned variety, we scarf it up and buy as many as we possible. It comes in handy for a rainy day.

Now, the pasta we had this time was pappardelle, the ribbon-shaped pasta common in Italy’s Tuscany region. I like pappardelle because, as I term it, it’s a “manly-man” pasta. It’s thick, like fettuccini, or bucatini. Not a girly-man small pasta like angel hair or thin spaghetti. Holly disagrees. She prefers the fine pastas and pigs like me prefer the other stuff.  I answer that I am not a pig. I’m a piglet. Be it as it may, the salmon recipe can go with any pasta you have on hand, not just pappardelle; or any grain, be it rice or other. This dish is quick, has minimal ingredients, and it hits the spot. With some good Chianti and a crusty loaf, you have a feast.

PAPPARDELLE WITH SALMON

Ingredients:

1 package pappardelle (it could be 12 or 16 oz. pack depending on where you get it)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rings
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 (14¾ oz.) can pink salmon, preferably wild caught
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions:

  1. Cook pappardelle as per package instructions.
  2.  While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add salmon and garlic, cook 2 minutes. Stir in mustard and cook about 3 minutes more.
  3.  By this time, pasta should be cooked to your preference. Drain and remove to a serving dish. Top with salmon. Drizzle with melted butter and serve.
    Yield: 4 or more servings.

CRAB BISQUE

October 19, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This is my version of crab bisque. As we know, bisque is a creamy soup of French origin. The most common is lobster bisque. This time I decided to make crab bisque simply because I had some canned crab meat on hand. I know, the perfectionist among you are probably screaming, “Canned crabmeat? Sacrê bleu, what a travesty!” Well, get over it. The canned product can be just as good given the proper preparation and condiments.

This hearty soup is a bit on the spicy side. That’s  how we like it in our bailiwick. You can always adjust the seasoning as desired.  You’ll notice I do not use heavy cream in this recipe. Just milk and flour; and it comes out just as smooth and creamy. But if you want to make it half milk and half cream, be my guest. With some crusty bread and good Amontillado sherry to wash it down, you have a superb meal.

CRABMEAT BISQUE

Ingredients:

Half a stick of butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced small
1 cup flour
1 cup dry white wine (can substitute Riesling if you want a sweeter flavor)
1 gallon whole milk
4 cans (4½ oz.) crabmeat or 1½ pound fresh picked crab
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon Herbs de Provence
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 lemons zested and juiced
Bunch fresh chives

Instructions:

  1. In a large soup pan, heat butter on medium heat. Add onion  and, with a wire or plastic whisk, cook for 4 minutes. The onion should be translucent. Add flour and mix well. The mixture should look like thin frosting. Cook for 5 minutes.
  2.  Mix in wine and cook until wine is almost gone.
  3.  Slowly add the milk in 3 different batches letting the milk return to a simmer each time. Make sure to add and whisk the milk slowly so you do not get lumps. Mix in the salt.
  4.  Add crabmeat, Herbs de Provence, paprika, cayenne, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well. Return soup to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve with fresh chives on top.
    Yield: 6 or more servings.

STEAK DIANE

October 13, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is called Streak Diane Savola. I got it years ago and, honestly, I don’t remember from where. I do know that ‘Steak Diane’ is a dish in what is known as “Continental Cuisine.” According to Wikipedia, it was probably invented in London or New York in the 1930s. According to my research, the fancified Steak Diane contains varied ingredients such as Cognac, mushrooms, shallots, Dijon mustard and heavy cream. This version doesn’t have any of that. In fact, it’s a rather simple sauté with chives’ parsley, Worcestershire sauce and Amaretto Disaronno.

So, wanna really impress family and friends with something that is both retro and delicious? This dish is it. You can lie and tell them you slaved all day to create this majestic effort.

Ingredients:

4 steaks (rib, T-bone, sirloin or other cut)
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons Amaretto Disaronno

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the steaks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Heat the butter in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
  3.  Add the scallions and cook until soft. Add the steaks and sear on each side. Add remaining ingredients and sauté until desired degree of doneness.
    Yield: 4 servings.

SOY SAUCE BRUSSELS SPROUTS

October 11, 2021 / / 0 Comments

In my young manhood, a close friend was Eddie Hor. Let me state that Eddie was bigger than life. He was a recontour, ladies’ man and an exceptional cook. Until I met Eddie, I was never a fan of brussels sprouts. But he made me a convert to the edible bud (which is considered a leaf cabbage). Eddie simply sautéed the vegetable in soy sauce. Something so simple and direct—and it changes the whole flavor of the sprouts. Over the years I’ve tweaked the recipe by adding onion and garlic. It makes for a great vegetarian entrée or side dish to any meal. In the Rivera clan we prefer to serve it over steamed rice, either white or brown rice. It also goes great with couscous, quinoa, or even kasha.

SOY SAUCE BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Ingredients:

1½ pounds brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into rings
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/3 cup soy sauce

Instructions:

  1. Wash and trim the brussels sprouts. Run under cold water, removing any yellow leaves. Then, cut off the stems to help them cook.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add sprouts and onion and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until sprouts are golden brown. Add garlic and soy sauce and cook 2 minutes more, making sure the brussels sprouts are coated with the soy sauce. If the soy sauce starts to evaporate, you can add more sauce to taste. Serve immediately over rice.
    Yield: 4 servings.
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