Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

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WALNUT CAULIFLOWER

April 16, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I’ve gotten into a cauliflower jag lately. Maybe it’ the coronavirus. Maybe I’ve just been lucky and found fresh cauliflower at the market. Whatever. It has enhanced my love for this venerable vegetable. When I was a kid I didn’t like it that much. But once I became an adult, a transformation happened. I discovered the wonderful ways that cauliflower can be prepared; and I don’t mean just boiling or steaming. You can make some really scrumptious dishes—like Walnut Cauliflower. That’s right, walnuts. Very healthy in the time of Covid-19. Not to mention, delicious. You can serve it, with its creamy mustard-flavored walnut sauce, as an accompaniment or as a meal in itself. It’ll hit the spot.

WALNUT CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1½ cups milk
¾ cup light or heavy cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
1 medium-sized cauliflower, cooked until tender and kept hot

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Remove the pan from the heat and, with a wooden spoon, stir in the flour to make a smooth paste.
2. A little at a time, add the milk and cream, stirring constantly and being careful to avoid lumps. Add the egg, vinegar, sugar and mustard.
3. Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is thick and smooth. Do not allow the sauce to come to a boil or the egg will scramble. Stir in the walnuts and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
4.  Remove the pan from heat. Place cauliflower in a serving dish and pour the sauce over. Serve at once.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

SARDINES AND VEGGIES WITH FUSILLI

April 15, 2020 / / 0 Comments

This dish came about because of a wine that was sent to me by Laithwaite’s, my wine purveyor. It was a 2018 Portinho do Covo, a Portuguese blend with ripe fruit flavors and full-bodied character that make it ideal with roasted red meats, and sardines? (yes, sardines). I had to try this. I enjoy red wine, even with fish. I don’t buy that hard and fast rule of white wine with seafood.  You enjoy the wine you like with any food. But this sardine recommendation intrigued me.

I had to come up with a dish. I checked the cupboard found and I had tons of pasta, and a few cans of sardines. Now, for this recipe, I recommend wild canned sardines, if you can get them.  The rest I made up as I went along. I combined onion, garlic, tomatoes and some broccoli stalks that I had saved to make cream of broccooli soup.  The soup would wait. I cut the stalks into little pieces and added them to the mix. If you don’t like broccoli stalks then you can use broccoli florettes.

For the pasta, any tubular pasta will do. It can be penne, macaroni, elbow, ziti, even rigatoni. I decided on fusilli since I hadn’t had it  in a while.  You can also try a grain like rice, couscous or quinoa. As stated before, you are only limited by your imagination (and what’s on hand).

SARDINES AD VEGGIES WITH FUSILLI

Ingredients:

1 pound fusilli
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup broccoli stalks (cut into serving pieces), or broccoli florettes
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3  4.4-oz cans  sardines
1 large tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions:

1. Cook fusilli according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add broccoli stalks (or florettes) and cook 2 minutes. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in sardines with their liquid. Mix in tomato and oregano.
3. Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl. Top with sardine-veggie mixture and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

LAMB SHANK STEW

April 13, 2020 / / 0 Comments

This was a last minute dish that we made yesterday for Easter. Usually I prepared a leg of lamb and have my usual group over for the traditional Easter Dinner. In the age of Covid-19, that was a no-go.  All my friends and acquaintances, as well as Holly and I, are self distancing and hunkering down until this pandemic is over. Honestly, what with the coronavirus and alI I hadn’t planned a holiday dinner. Then, at the last minute, Holy reminded me of the holiday tradition. Problem was, we had no leg of lamb available. We looked in the freezer, and we did have some lamb shanks. I got to thinking, maybe this time I can still do something special with lamb shanks.

One of my favorite entrées is a Middle Easter dish known as Mozaat. Actually, it’s a veal dish, But, not what you think: it’s a shin of veal preparation where the veal shin is steamed along with herbs and spices. I figured, Why not try the same thing with lamb shanks?  The result is what some people would call a stew. It is rich and flavorful; and is usually served with couscous. We had rice on hand, and we use that grain as an accompaniment.  The results were magnificent.

Be aware that this dish includes potatoes. I usually do NOT peel the potatoes. The potatoes skin is what gives it its nutrients. Problem is, that most potatoes these days are sprayed with every kind  chemical. Thus, we always purchase organic potatoes as sold in a health food store, a local farm, or food coop. If you can’t find fresh organic potatoes, then you’d be advised to peel the things. But, if you are fortunate enough to get organic or farm-grown ones, cooked unpeeled.

Ingredients:

4 lamb shanks
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 potatoes, sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
½ teaspoon turmeric
Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions:

1. In a large pan or pot, heat the oil over medium flame and sauté the lamb shanks, turning them to brown all over.
2. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and turmeric. Half-cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours or until the meat is soft and the sauce reduced. Add a little water during this time if necessary, and turning the shanks occasionally.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice over the pan just before serving.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

BUTIFARRON (Meat Loaf)

April 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments

In this time of pandemic, good home-made  meals come to the fore. You know what I mean: those stick to the ribs favorites that every family has a time-honored recipe for. So, this time around, it’s my Mother’s Meat Loaf. In Spanish-Nuyorican cuisine it’s Butiffarón (pronounced “Boo-Tee-fah-ron”).

We all have a favorite meat loaf recipe. It goes with the turf. There are as many meat loaf recipe as there are cooks. They range from the renowned preparation found on the back of the old Quaker Oats box to meat loaf made with bulger wheat and peaches (I dare you to try that one). Like everyone else we have our own version in the Rivera clan. Back on the block, my mother would make it for us at every request. And it’s the best we ever tasted.

Note that among the ingredients for this dish, we have aji dulce, or sweet chili peppers. These can be found in any Asian or Latino market. These peppers are sweet, not spicy. If you use the spicy ones, you have problems—it will ruin the taste.

Added Note: As an accompaniment to this meal we added white beans. Why? We had some on hand, and we prepared it it Nuyorican style—soak 1 pound  beans  overnight in water to cover by about 2 inches. Next day, drain, and place in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven with 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over moderate-low heat until beans are almost tender, about 1 hour. Add 3 tablespoons sofrito (recipe in post of 08/11/2010), 1 beef bouillon cube, salt to taste, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ¼ cup tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until beans are completely tender and the sauce has thickened somewhat.  Enjoy with the meat loaf.

BUTIFARRÓN
(Meat Loaf)

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef
8 whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 aji dulce, seeded and chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup milk
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 cup unsalted cracker crumbs

Instructions:

1. Place meat in a bowl.
2. Combine peppercorns, garlic, oregano and salt in a mortar, and crush with a pestle. Add this to the beef and mix together.
3. Add the remaining ingredients in order of which they are given.
4. Mix thoroughly and pack into a greased loaf pan.
5. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 1 hour or until well browned
Yield: 6-7 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VEGGIE DINNER: CAULIFLOWER AND PEAS

April 2, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Still on lock-down, and still experimenting with varied cuisines. I know. Most of us are home, enclosed by four walls, perhaps with kids and spouses demanding attention—and what the hell is for diner tonight? Or, perhaps, you just have time on your hands until the all clear. And you’re told you have to eat healthy in order to fight this coronavirus thing. That means a good veggie dinner—that even the kids will like.

Indian cooing is ubiquitous with regard to vegetarian dishes. They invented the thing. So I go back to the Indian repertoire. And cauliflower and peas is one of my favorites. It’s quick, delicious and nutritious. What more can you ask for? The normal accompaniment to this dish is white rice. Now, genuine Indian steamed rice is a little different from, let’s say, our Nuyorican  or even Mediterranean version. They don’t spice it up like we do, so that it complements the heat in an a spicy entrée. Here’s a basic recipe: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in large pot.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup washed and drained rice. Add 1 tablespoon butter, stir and cover tightly. Simmer for 20 minutes. If, at the end of that time, the rice is not yet completely cooked and there is no water left in the bottom of the pan, add 4 tablespoons of warm water and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes.  The rice should feel soft and fluffy.

Note that in this recipe you can use either fresh shelled peas or frozen. If using fresh shelled peas, they are added first (as noted in recipe). If using frozen peas, the are added later (again, refer to recipe)

CAULIFLOWER AND PEAS
(Ghobi Aur Matar)

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower, about 1 pound
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon coriander powder
¼ cup water
Juice of half a lemon

Instructions:

  1. Separate the cauliflower into individual small buds or flowerettes. Wash, drain and set aside.
  2.  In a small wok or frying pan, heat the oil over medium flame. Add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds have stopped popping and the cumin seeds have turned brown,  add the cauliflower pieces, turmeric and salt. Sauté the cauliflower for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for another 5 minutes.
  3.  Uncover the pot and add the fresh shelled peas, if using, at this point, and the rest of the spices. Stir and mix together.  Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the water and frozen peas, if using, at this point, and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the vegetables. Mix once and serve with white rice.
    Yield: 4 Servings

 

A GREEK DINNER: BAKED FISH AND GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES

April 1, 2020 / / 0 Comments

In these times of sheltering at home and self-imposed isolation, I find it’s a good opportunity to discover and experiment with cuisine other than my native Nuyorican repertoire.  Following that vein, one of my favorites is Greek cooking.  The Greeks have been cooking since 1000 B.C.E.  What I love about Greek cuisine is the way they put together the greens, the cheeses, the fish, the tang of tomatoes, the rich fragrance of olive oil. You can taste the sun-drenched wonder of the Greek Isles.

Below are two recipes that encompass this rich diversity. One is baked fish (psari plaki). The other is braised green beans and potatoes (fasolakia me potates yiahni). Both recipes hail from an old cookbook I’ve stored on my shelf: Greek Cooking by Ruth Kershner (Weathervane Books). I do not know if the book is still in print. It was published in 1977. If you collect old cookbooks and you have it, then you are blessed.

For the record, the only change I made is in the green beans and potato recipe. I had some red-purplish potatoes on hand as well as regular potatoes. So I did a combination of both. I reckon you can use whatever potatoes you have be they brown, yellow or red. Be creative is my motto.

BAKED FISH
(Psari Plaki)

Ingredients:

1 pound fish fillets (sole, flounder, or red snapper)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ teaspoon seasoned salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
3 slices lemon
2 tablespoons white wine

Instructions:

  1. Arrange fish in an 8-or-9-inch square baking dish (I use round cast-iron). Sprinkle with the parsley, lemon juice and seasoned salt.
  2. Heat the oil  in a small skillet and fry the onion and garlic until limp.
  3.  Top the fish with the onion mixture, including the oil from the skillet. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the onion mixture, then place the lemon slices between the tomato slices. Pour the wine over all and bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.
    Serve with Braised Green Beans and Potatoes (recipe below). Makes 3 servings.

BRAISED GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES
(Fasoulakia me Potates Yiahni)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped onions
1 pound green beans, ends nipped, and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 medium potatoes, pared and cut into ¼-inch slices
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon oregano

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauté onions until  limp. Add the beans and stir to combine with the onions. Arrange the potatoes on top of the beans. Pour on the chicken broth and sprinkle with salt and oregano. Heat to boiling. Cover and lower the heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes 4 servings.

 

 

 

CARAMELIZED VEGETABLES

March 21, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Caramelization is the process of browning when sugar is heated. This process can also be used in vegetables when the sugars found in fruits and vegetables turn golden brown and form new flavors. This oxidation or browning reaction is used extensively in cooking. It produces such foods as caramel sauce, crème brûlée, and caramelized sweetened milk (dulce de leche). You’ve probably seen it in French onion soup whereby the onions are caramelized before incorporating into the soup.

In the home kitchen, caramelized vegetables are very easy to make. Almost any vegetable can be turned into a great side dish or even a vegetarian meal by itself.  There are two basic methods of cooking the vegetable: roasting (baking) method or the stove-top method.  Both work equally well.  So, you want to make a quick pasta or rice dish? Simple: prepare the vegetables while the pasta or rice is cooking. My favorite vegetables in this process are broccoli, cauliflower or carrots, or combination thereof. Enjoy.

Roasting or Baking Method:

Rinse vegetable under running water, pat dry and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss them with live oil (1-3 tablespoons depending on how much vegetables you have).  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread them on a sheet or baking pan (I prefer cast-iron) and bake at 425 degrees F. or higher until they become tender and caramelized.
When they come out all nice and tender, squeeze on a little lemon juice (usually juice of ½ lemon) or sesame oil.

Stove-top Method:

Stir-fry cut vegetables in a very hot wok or pan slicked with a little peanut oil (1-2 tablespoons or more). As above, the vegetables will take on the sweetness that comes from caramelization, which can be balanced with a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar.

SHRIMP MARINARA

February 19, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Sometimes the best meals are those done at the spur of the moment. You’ve been there: “What’s for dinner, honey?” Reply: “I don’t know, what we got?” You look around, and inspiration strikes. Or doesn’t. In which case, you order pizza. But what if you don’t want pizza? There’s the challenge. And this is one of those meals. I look in the fridge, and I have some shrimp. I look in the cupboard, and I find a can of Marinara sauce (or it can be spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, or even tomato sauce). Th rest is history, and a great meal. Add a good crusty bread, and a red wine like a Chianti or Zinfandel (or whatever the hell you want, even a white wine), and you have a delicious spur-of-the-moment dinner. It may not be haute cuisine, but it hits the spot.

SHRIMP MARINARA

Instructions:

1 pound capellini (angel hair) pasta (or any favorite pasta)
1 can (24- oz.) Marinara, spaghetti, or tomato sauce
¼ cup dry white or red wine
1 pound large or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions:

  1. Cooked pasta according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or skillet, bring the Marinara, spaghetti, or tomato sauce  to a boil. Add wine and shrimp. Reduce heat, add salt, pepper, and oregano. Cover, simmer for 7 minutes.
  3.  Drain pasta, place in a serving bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and serve.
    Yield: 4 or more servings.

 

HABICHUELAS CON CHORIZO (Beans with Sausage)

February 12, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Whether you call them, habicheulas,  frijoles, or granos,  beans are a popular foodstuff in Puerto Rican cooking. In my parents day, during the dark times of the Great Depression, beans and rice is what staved off hunger on the island. It was cheap and nutritious. When Boricuas first came to New York during the mass wave in the 1950s, they brought with them their penchant for beans . I was raised on beans and whatever grain was available. And the dish given below was one of our favorites. It’s Bean with Sausage. The sausage being chorizo, the cured, spicy Spanish sausage so beloved in our culture. They come in an 8-ounce package and, for this meal, you’ll need three.

Now, if you’ve acquired my book, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Running Press) you will note that I give two  methods for soaking beans. Most likely you’ll be getting dried beans from a store or supermarket. They require soaking in water before cooking if for no other reason that the dry beans you pick up could be older and drier than last year’s meatloaf. I prefer overnight soaking as oppose to the quick soaking method. It follows that the more soaking time, the more tender the product. But, if you’re pressed for time you can do quick soaking: put the beans in a pot with water to cover (about 2 inches). Bring water to a boil and cook beans for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and let soak for 1 hour. Drain the beans, rinse and cook according to recipe.

Now, for this recipe you can use whatever beans are available. It can be red kidney beans, black beans, white beans, Lima beans, pink beans, black eye peas, or green peas (what we call pitipuas, a mispronunciation of the French petitpois).  This time around I used pinto beans, which we hand on hand. Yes, you’re saying, who not just use beans from a can. You could, and it would be convenient, but it just wouldn’t taste the same. Believe me, the result would be different.  If nothing else, dried beans are healthier (canned beans are chock full of salt).

Also, in preparing the beans, I use sofrito as a condiment.  Sofrito is an aromatic mix of herbs and spices that is a base for cooking countless dishes. In my cookbook I give a recipe for making sofrito. You can also access a recipe from my post of 11/08/10. Or you can prepare the recipe without it. Some cooks use Sazón Accent (Goya makes a good product).  And, of course, the perfect side dish for this recipe is white or yellow rice

HABICUELAS CON CHORIZO
(Beans with Sausage)

Ingredients:

1 pound package of whatever bean desired
3 cups water
½ cup olive oil
3 chorizo sausages, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
2 tablespoons sofrito
¼ cup tomato sauce
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions:

1. Rinse the beans in a colander under cool running water. Check and discard any stones or other debris. Soak overnight in a pot with water to cover.
2. Drain and rinse. Place in heavy kettle or Dutch oven with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over moderate-high heat for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil. Add chorizo and stir-fry on moderate heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add sofrito, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Sauté another 5 minutes.
5. Add sofrito mix to the beans. Stir, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve with rice.
Yield: 6 servings.

 

 

 

ROAST PORK WITH FENNEL

February 6, 2020 / / 0 Comments

 

I’m always on the lookout for particular ingredients that can enhance my cooking. This recipe falls under that category. I’ve always been curious about fennel, an aromatic and flavorful herb, very similar to anise, from which comes that popular cordial, anisette. Fennel is used in the cooking of many cultures such as Indian, Afghanistani, Middle Eastern, and is one of the ingredients in Chinese five-spice powder. But, in western cuisine, how would it hold up on its own? Let’s say, if we pair it with meat? I pondered this and decided to combine it with some pork loin which I had on hand. The results were marvelous. And that is the genesis of Roast Pork with Fennel. You will not be disappointed in the results.

I’m sure this recipe can also be paired with steak or lamb. It would be too overpowering with fish.  I would say the same for chicken. But, who knows, it you want to try it with these other staples, go at it and let me know.

I served this dish with mashed potatoes, since the pork loin rendered a great gravy to go with it. A side dish such as rice, couscous or quinoa would complement it as well. Add a good red wine, such as a Cabernet, Zinfandel, or a lighter  Valpolicella or Beaujolais, and you have a feast.

ROAST PORK WITH FENNEL

Ingredients:

1 3½ to 4 pound boneless pork loin roast
3 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon crushed fennel
½ cup chicken broth

Instructions:

1. Wash the roast under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Make gashes at various points in the roast, top, back, sides. Stud the holes with the garlic slivers. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper. Rub the roast with the fennel seeds.
3.  Place in large zip-lock bag, bowl or pan with a cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Remove roast from refrigerator and arrange fat side down on a shallow baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn over on meat side and continue roasting another 30 minutes.
5. When the roast has baked a total of one hour, add the chicken broth. cover lightly with foil, and bake 30 to 45 minutes longer depending on size of tenderloin. Note that roast should register 140 to 145 degrees on a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meant when done.
6. Remove from oven, and pour fat and drippings into a medium pan. Place roast on a cooking board and let it rest while you prepare the gravy:  Sprinkle 4 tablespoons flour onto the roast drippings over medium heat, and quickly stir with a whisk. Slowly add a cup of water or chicken stock, whisking vigorously. Allow the gravy to simmer and thicken, adding more liquid as needed until you have 2 cups of gravy. Now, some people insist that the gravy should be strained and then served. I do not do this. I like the gravy as is. Your choice.
7. Serve roast with the gravy.
Yield: 4-5 servings.

 

 

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