This recipe comes to us by way of Jamaica, where curry has been an ingredient in the cuisine since the 1800s. Think of such dishes as Curry Goat and Curry Chicken. We Nuyoricans have adopted and followed up on it with today’s dish, Ternera con Pollo de Curry, or Curried Veal. There are those who question using curry in such a delicate meat as veal. And we respond, Why Not? This is not veal that is pounded thin as in Veal Scallopini. These are veal chunks and the curry give it a true piquancy.

True to its original concept, we add raisins to the dish to give it a hint of sweetness. In Caribbean cuisine the dish may also be tempered with shredded coconut and such cut-up fruit as apples and apricots. If desired, go for it. We like to keep it a simple as possible, thus raisins and nothing else.

Curry is that unique dish that defies wine convention. In the tropics, beer is the usual preferred beverage. But if, like myself, you like wine, I’ve discovered that a wine from Germany’s Moselle River Valley is a perfect accompaniment, anything from the Falkenberg, Lay or Juffer vineyards. If Moselle is not available, then a Gewurztraminer. I know, it’s a tongue twister, but it’s a crisp, white wine with a hint of spice that  favorably complements the curry.

An added note. This recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America. Buy a copy. If I could, I would personally every one of them.

TERNERA CON POLVO DE CURRY
(Curried Veal)

Ingredients:

2 pounds shoulder of veal, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt and ground back pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and  sliced into thin rings
1 medium green bell pepper, or a combination of red and green peppers, cored seeded and chopped
2 clove garlic, peeled and mince
1 ½ cups chicken broth or bouillon
½ teaspoon curry powder or more to taste
¼ cup black raisins

Instructions:

1. Wash veal and pat dry with paper towels
2.  Season veal with salt and pepper.
3.  Heat oil in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté over moderate heat until tender.
4.  Add veal chunks and cook until browned.
5.  Add chicken broth, and stir in curry and raisins.
6.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes or until veal is tender.
7.  If necessary, the sauce can be thickened with a mix of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water.
   Yield: 4 serving
   

Some recipes come out of necessity: see what you have available in the cupboard or fridge and then crate something. Sometimes it happens by accident: you recall an old recipe and tweek it.

And this is where this option comes in. It’s just chicken in a marinade composed of sherry wine and mustard. You can use Dijon mustard or regular ball park mustard. Whatever is convenient or available. You can add a tablespoon of honey to the marinade and make it Honey-Mustard chicken. Or you can use another fortified wine like Marsala or port a make it Mustard-Port or Mustard-Marsala chicken. The possibilities are endless. You’re only limited by your imagination.

The recipe can also be done in either of two ways: once the chicken has been breaded, it can it be fried in oil or, baked in the oven, the way it’s presented below (a healthier alternative to frying). But, then, it’s a matter of preference. As for the chicken, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken cutlets, or, what I used, chicken thighs (bone in). Again, it’s a matter of what you can get or have on hand. Enjoy.

MUSTARD-SHERRY CHICKEN

Ingredients:

¼ cup mustard
¼ cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon  dry Italian seasoning, dried herbes de provence or dried tarragon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1½ pound chicken breasts, cutlets or chicken thighs
1 cup bread crumbs
Olive oil or nonstick spray

Instructions:

1. Place the mustard, sherry, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a  zip-lock bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and shake well, coating the chicken with the mustard mixture. Let marinate in the fridge for 1-8 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Fit a baking rack on a large baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with foil to catch drips and make cleaning easier. Or you can place a rack atop a baking dish, lining the dish with foil. Lightly spray or brush the rack with olive oil to keep chicken from sticking.
3. Place bread crumbs on a plate. Remove the chicken from the marinade with tongs or a fork, and toss in crumbs to coat on all sides.. Place breaded chicken on rack and top lightly with olive oil (or nonstick spray). Bake chicken until cooked through (160 degrees). Cooking time will vary between 35 to 45 minutes depending on type of chicken used, whether boneless or bone-in thighs.
   Yield: 4 servings.

 I love garlic, and I love shrimp. That should be obvious from the previous posts I’ve had on what we call Camarones con Ajo , or Garlic with Shrimp (10/2717 and 03/01/18). In both case it was shrimp cooked the Nuyorican way, with the usual condiments: garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and a touch of brandy. This is a different garlic shrimp recipe. It comes from the Solera restaurant, now closed, that was on East 53rd Street in New York. The restaurant offered Iberian style cuisine, and tapas. among them Garlic Shrimp tapas.

I miss the restaurant, but I did get their recipe for Garlic Shrimp. And it’s a eye opener, and a joy. It’s spicier than the usual Camarones con Ajo, but great nevertheless, with nuances of flavor that just enlighten the taste buds. Though it may be a tapas dish, it goes good with rice as a main  dish, or any other grain of choice. I served it atop whole wheat linguine. It did not disappoint.

Ingredients:

½ cup olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
28 to 32 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
bay leaf
6 tablespoons shrimp or chicken broth
½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is sizzling (reduce heat if garlic colors too quickly), about 1 minute.
2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to pan. Add paprika and bay leaf. Sauté until opaque on the bottom, about 1 minute. Turn shrimp over. Cook about 10 seconds.
3. Add broth. Simmer until shrimp are cooked, about 1 minute. Remove shrimp from pan with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add lemon juice to cooking liquid. Taste and correct seasonings.
4. Spoon sauce and sprinkle the parsley over the shrimp. Serve immediately.
   Yield: 4 servings.