Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: all (page 27 of 77)

GRILLED STUFFED BURGERS

July 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

GRILLED STUFFED BURGERS

If you like grilling burgers (and who doesn’t), you’re going to love this recipe. It takes the lowly majestic hamburger to a higher level. Here we have stuffed burgers. And the stuffing is mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Think of it as a stuffed pizza burger. And you can use whatever stuffing you want, be it onions, broccoli, olives, you name it. I would not suggest pepperoni. You’ve already got the meat, and adding pepperoni would be having meat stuffed with more meat. Pepperoni lovers would swoon; but some may not. Nevertheless, I assure you, once you try the stuffed burger, you’ll be hooked.

GRILLED STUFFED BURGERS

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 pounds lean ground beef
4 slices mozzarella cheese
9 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, combine onion and garlic powders with ground beef. Form the beef into patties around the cheese, tomatoes and basil. Make sure the stuffing is completely hidden so none leeks out during cooking. Add salt and pepper.
  2. Grill patties until desired doneness and serve on a warm bun with a side salad or any other accompaniment desired.
    Yield: 4 servings.

GRILLED DUCK BREAST

June 26, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This recipe takes grilling to new heights. It’s way beyond the purview of just plain franks, burgers, and chicken. This would be the epitome of grilling. No less than duck breast. Yes, it’s a mite on the expensive side. Again, these ain’t beef burgers. But the taste will be rich and magical. Served with grilled potatoes and zucchini, as we did it,  will render that special meal, even if it is on the grill. If desired, you can have it with a salad, or whatever side dish you want. So, be adventurous today. Take grilling one step further into nirvana (and I don’t mean the rock band).

The only suggestion I have when grilling duck breasts, is to sliced them lengthwise. A duck breast, say 1½ pound, is a thick slab of meat. Slicing it into a thinner piece will facilitate better grilling and quicker preparation.

GRILLED DUCK BREAST

Ingredients:

2 duck breasts
½ cup water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoons kosher or Himalayan salt
1 bay leaf
4 whole black peppercorns
Couple of slices of white ore red onion

Instructions:

  1. Rinse duck breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice duck breasts in half lengthwise and set aside.
  2.  Mix all remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. This is the brine for the duck breasts. Bring the brine to a light simmer. Turn heat off, and mix to allow salt to dissolve. When it cools, add duck breasts, cover and let sit in  the fridge for up to 24 hours. The longer the breasts sit in the brine, the better the flavor.
  3.  Remove breasts and rinse well with fresh water. Dry thoroughly. Cook on medium-heat grill until medium rare or to degree of doneness desired. Remove from grill and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

TERIYAKI MEATBALLS

June 24, 2021 / / 0 Comments

It always amazes me how the Americanization of other cuisines has been so prominent in our culture. You know what I mean. Think of Chinese-American cooking, which is nothing like the cuisine you would encounter in China.  Think of what we did with French cooking. For example, Vichyssoise is not French. It is an American invention. It was invented in 1917 at the Ritz hotel by a French chef. Then there’s Tex-Mex cooking. You will not find chimichangas in upscale restaurants in Mexico City. Again, another America addition. When I was in Italy, pasta was mainly served as side dish. We made it the main course with such things as spaghetti with meatballs. And, thinking of meatballs, that is where I came across this tidbit, Teriyaki Meatballs. Again, another Americanization of another traditional cuisine, this time, Japanese.

I tried this recipe and it was nothing short of marvelous. You may not find teriyaki meatballs in a restaurant in  Japan (unless they’re catering to Americans), but you can make it at home and enjoy the essence of all the diverse flavors in this dish. With plain steamed rice, it makes for a great repast.

The recipe includes sazón accent (Goya makes a good brand) which is, honestly, a substitute for MSG and can be found in any food store these days.  It is optional in the recipe if you have any qualms.

TERIYAKI MEATBALLS

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
¼ cup diced scallions
1 egg
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Butter or oil for frying

Sauce:
½ cup soy sauce
White pepper to taste
Sugar to taste
1 packet sazón accent (optional)
Pinch of allspice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions:

  1. Mix ground beef thoroughly with parsley, chives and scallions. Stir in egg and bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Shape into balls about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter.
  2.  Heat butter or oil in a heavy skillet. Add meatballs and fry for about 5 minutes or so or until browned on all sides.
  3.  While meatballs are frying, prepare sauce. In a small saucepan, heat soy sauce over low heat. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, sazón accent, allspice and ground ginger.
  4.  Pour hot sauce over meatballs. Let stand for 5 minutes so flavors can blend.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

TROUT WITH ALMONDS

June 15, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Recently we got some fresh trout. About the only time we get trout is when some friend goes fishing in some nearby lake and brings back some. The classic way of cooking trout is the way we did it when we went camping: breaded and fried in a cast-iron skillet. The I thought about the elegant Trout Almondine, or trout with almonds. Wanna make the ordinary trout shine? This is it. It’s a great dish that goes well with boiled parsley potatoes, and your favorite vegetable. Add a well chilled white wine, like a Pouilly Fuisse, and you have the makings of an unforgettable meal.

TROUT WITH ALMONDS

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized trout, cleaned
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lemon  juice
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup butter
1 cup slivered almonds

Instructions:

1. Placed fish on a working surface and rub them all over with the salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice.
2.  Season the flour with the nutmeg and thyme, and place in a shallow dish.  Place the milk in another dish. Dip the trout, one by one, first in the milk and then in the seasoned flour.
3. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet large enough to hold the fish in one layer, melt half of the butter over moderate heat. When the foam subsides, add the trout and fry from 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until the flesh flakes easily. With a spatula, transfer the fish to a warmed serving dish.
4. Add remaining butter to the frying pan. When the foam subsides, add almonds and remaining lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the almonds are lightly browned. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the trout. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

ENSALADA DE TOMATE, QUESO Y CEBOLLA (Tomato Cheese and Onion Salad)

June 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Here’s a quick summer salad that, back on block, was popular with my family: Ensalada de Tomate, Queso y Cebolla (Tomato, Cheese and Onion Salad). It’s easy to prepare and goes great with a crusty loaf of bread and a chilled white wine (or lightly chilled red like a Gamay or Bardolino).

ENSALAD DE TOMATOE, QUESO Y CEBOLLA
(Tomato, Cheese and Onion Salad)

Ingredients:

5 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1½ pounds), cored and thinly sliced
2 medium red onions, peeled and cut in thin slices
1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh shredded basil

Instructions:

1. Arrange alternating layers of tomatoes and onions on a large serving platter. Top with cheese slices.
2. Combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a cruet or tightly covered jar. Shake and pour over salad.
3. Sprinkle with basil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 6 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS, TUNISIAN STYLE

June 7, 2021 / / 0 Comments

I’m always on the lookout for good grilling recipes, and this one is unique. Its’ lamb chops Tunisian style. Honestly, I did not know that grilling is popular in Tunisian culture; and this dish is a departure from the usual burgers and hot dogs. The only difference I see in this recipe is that it uses grated lemon rind and lemon juice. That gives the recipe a pleasant tang and elevates the lowly lamb chops to a whole other level. So, set up the grill, whether charcoal or gas, and go at it. This dish is a change from the norm, and you won’t be disappointed.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS, TUNISIAN STYLE

Ingredients:

4 large lamb chops, or 6-8 small chops, about 1-inch thick
Salt and ground back pepper to taste
1½ to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1 to 1½ tablespoons  lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Heat grill over high heat until almost smoking.
  2.  Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper and brush them with the olive oil. Grill chops, turning after 3 minutes and cooking until desired doneness (3 minutes for medium rare and 3½ minutes for medium).
  3.  Arrange on a platter, scatter the lemon rind, onion and parsley over them and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Serve at once.
    Yield: 4 servings.

SALMON FILLETS WITH LEMON, TARRAGON AND GARLIC SAUCE

June 5, 2021 / / 0 Comments

We are fans of salmon, and we are always experimenting as to how to cook salmon fillets in unusual fashion.  Here’s a result from that on-going experimentation: Salmon Fillets with lemon, Tarragon  and Garlic Sauce. Technically, summer is here, so you should find fresh tarragon at your local grocer. Garlic is always in season. Now you have the makings for a great sauce to top that fillet. A quick, easy and delicious entrée. With a veggie or potatoes on the side, some crusty bread, and a good white wine  (or red, for that matter), you have a great repast.

SALMON FILLETS WITH LEMON, TARRAGON AND GARLIC SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets |
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried

Instructions:

  1. Rinse salmon fillets under cold running water and pat  dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
  2.  In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard,  2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and tarragon. Set aside.
  3.  Put the remaining  2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron, non-stick or carbon steel skillet over medium high heat, and heat until the oil shimmers. Cook the salmon fillets flesh-side down for 5 to 7 minutes,  depending on how done you want them. Flip and cook the skin side for 1-2 minutes. Serve with the sauce.
    Yield: 4 servings.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS REDUX

June 1, 2021 / / 0 Comments

On 09/08/20 I posted a recipe on grilled portobello mushroom burgers. In that dish, the mushrooms were marinated in a mix of Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper; and they were topped with mayonnaise. I’m always experimenting with portobello’s since they are the closest vegetable to beef burgers in terms of taste and texture. The new recipe featured below I call Portobello Burgers Redux. In this outing, the marinade is a combination of soy sauce, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper, plus the option of adding hot sauce. It’s a very simple recipe and you can add whatever topping you want to the mushroom burger, be it tomato, lettuce, scallions or avocado.

What’s convenient about this dish is that you can grill it, broil it or, as we did it, in a skillet atop the stove, cooked in a some olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Either method will render a terrific tasting veggie burger.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS REDUX

Ingredients:

Marinade:
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 clove garlic, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon black pepper
hot sauce to taste (optional)

4 large portabello mushrooms caps
4 large hamburger buns
4 slices cheese (Swiss or  Muenster)

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients together. Place each mushroom in another bowl, gill side up. Pour ½ of the marinade over each mushroom, pouring a little in the bottom of the bowl first, to wet the upside down cap, and the remainder into the upturned cap. Marinate for  five-10 minutes. Do not marinate longer as the mushrooms will absorb too much marinade.
  2. Grill mushrooms on a gas or charcoal grill, a wood fire, under the broiler or, as we did it, in a hot skillet on the stovetop. Two-three minutes per side will usually do, or until mushrooms are brown and tender. If desired, add a slice of cheese on top during the last minute of cooking. Serve on burger buns with toppings.
    Yield: 4 servings.

VELOUTE SAUCE

May 27, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Once in awhile I like to go back to classical French cuisine. In the canon, my favorite are the sauces. Auguste Escoffier, the chef who in the early 20th century popularized French cooking, is credited with categorizing the “mother sauces.” You know of them: espagnole, tomato, béchamel, hollandaise, et al. Among them is velouté sauce which, despite its fancy name, is the easiest to prepare. Velouté sauce is simply broth thickened with flour, butter and stock. Velouté is the French word for “velvety”; and this sauce renders a creamy, delicious miracle that goes well with streamed or pan broiled fish, or even poultry. It can also work as a base sauce that you can enhance by adding other ingredients such as herbs, wine, shallots, or meat drippings and make it into  a gravy. You are only limited by your imagination. Prepare this beauty, and  witness the amazing results.

VELOUTÉ SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Salt to taste
A few grains of peeper
1 cup chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1/3 cup cream

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Take care not to let it turn brown or burn. Add flour, salt, pepper and blend well with a wire whisk.
2. Add chicken stock slowly, stirring constantly to make sure it’s free of lumps. Bring to a boil, add cream, reduce heat, stirring constantly to make sure the sauce doesn’t scorch the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring, to desired consistency. The sauce should be smooth and velvety. If it’s too thick, whisk in some more of the broth. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Use immediately, or keep it covered in a warm bowl until ready to use.
Yield: About 1 cup.

 

 

 

 

 

BROCCOLI WITH BLACK OLIVES

May 12, 2021 / / 0 Comments

I’m old enough to remember when George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, loudly proclaimed on TV, “I hate broccoli.” I must say, that was an ill-conceived comment. Somewhere in some prep school, someone must have forced the vegetable on him and this was the result. And I know that a lot of kids (and adults) most likely share his view. Which is shame. Broccoli is not only healthy but, when prepared well, it can be quite tasty. Unlike the late President, I am a proponent of broccoli. Always have been, even as a boy back during the Punic Wars.

The recipe given today emphasizes this ethos. It’s simple but delicious. Broccoli does not have to be smothered in a sauce to make it palatable. This unusual way of serving broccoli turns it into a savory dish. The broccoli is combined with black olives, onion, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Green olives may be used instead of black, but black olives give it a more contrasting color which makes the dish more interesting. Served over rice (or your favorite grain), this dish makes a great vegetarian dinner, which even non-veggies will like. It can also be served as an accompaniment to grilled/broiled steaks or pork chops.

BROCCOLI WITH BLACK OLIVES

Ingredients:

1½ pound broccoli
1¼ cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small-to-medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Salt and black ground pepper taste
¾ cup pitted black olives, halved
4-5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. Wash the broccoli, remove the leaves and break the florets into fairly large bunches.
  2.  In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Cover the pan and cook the broccoli for 10 minutes over moderate-high heat. Drain the broccoli.  Reserve the water in which the broccoli was cooked.
  3.  In a large frying pan or skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cook the broccoli for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add some of the water in which the broccoli was cooked if the pan gets too dry.
  4.  Add the olives to the pan and  cook for another 2 minutes. Place the broccoli and olives in a warm serving dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.
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