This is a recipe that I obtained from an old cookbook I found at the bottom of some desk drawer somewhere. The cookbook, an old softcover, was published by the Rival Manufacturing Company in 1982. The “Rival” brand name is still around and they manufacture small kitchen appliances. Whether they still published the cookbook, Time to Enjoy: A Quick and Creative Recipe Collection, I do not know.
The recipe intrigued me simply because I enjoy kebob (kebab) cooking. That is, broiling or grilling meat and/or veggie on a skewer. The recipe is termed “Polynesian.” I gather because it has pineapple chunks. Somehow, somewhere along the line, adding pineapple to a dish made it Hawaiian or Polynesian. Just as adding soy sauce to a dish makes it “Asian.”
This is a very easy to prepare recipe that calls for Italian salad dressing, the type found in any store or supermarket. If you’re loath to use a processed product that comes in a can or jar, you can make your own. Here’s a quicky method: combine in a salad cruet or quart mason jar with a tight fitting lid, 3/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 finely minced garlic clove or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried; 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or 1 tablespoon dried. If desired, you can add 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, but this is optional. Some like, some don’t. Shake well, and serve. It renders about 1 cup of salad dressing.
Note that in this recipe, I served the kebobs with couscous. But you can serve it over rice or any other grain.
POLYNESIAN KEBOBS
1 pound beef sirloin, cut in 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 zucchini, cut in bite-size chunks
1. In bowl, combine sirloin cubes and salad dressing. Allow to stand a few minutes.
2. Drain pineapple chunks, reserving liquid. In small saucepan, combine liquid, brown sugar, soy sauce and cornstarch; heat until boiling and thickened.
3. On skewers, alternate beef, pineapple and zucchini. Brush with remaining salad dressing marinade.
4. Broil 10 minutes or until beef is cooked, turning skewers half-way through cooking. Serve with sauce.
Yield: 4 servings.
Sofrito is ubiquitous in Caribbean cooking. One could safely say that Puerto Rican cuisine would be wanting without it. It is an aromatic mix of herbs and spices that is a base for cooking countless criollo dishes. This concept can be found in other cultures as well. One example is the Indian mix called garam masala which is also used as a base flavoring. Or kimchi, the fermented cabbage condiment, so popular in Korean cooking. The word sofrito is a generic term that has no correct English translation. “Frito” in Spanish means fried. Sofrito could be taken to mean stir-fried. Although this would not be entirely accurate. As the recipe shows, sofrito can be whipped up in a few moments’ time in a blender or food processor. And it can be stored in a closed tight jar the refrigerator for three to four days or, in the freezer compartment, indefinitely.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language describes cassava as a tropical American plant with a starchy root from which tapioca is derived. To us Latinos from the Caribbean, it’s yuka (yoo-ka). Yuka is most commonly served peeled and boiled with a bit of olive oil sprinkled on top. But it also yields a bitter or sweet starch known as manioc which is used in the making of farina and, of course, tapioca. For those interested in arcane terminology, manioc is a word of Tupian origin, attributed to the Tupis, a group of American Indian tribes living along the coast of Brazil and the Amazon River valley. To explorers from the Old World, this new food was a wonder.
Coquito is what my folks called Puerto Rican moonshine. And they were not too far off the mark. Coquito is a made at home in the traditional way, mainly for special gatherings. Some people liken coquito to potent homemade eggnog. And it can be very strong, or very mild, depending on how much rum you put into it.
Mofongo, I love the word. It’s pronounced just like it’s spelled. A popular Caribbean dish but undoubtedly of African origin. Basic mofongo is simply a mixture of crushed plantains with fried pork crackling served with a sauce. In the Puerto Rican version, we prepare it as individually shaped mofongo balls, similar to meatballs. Cuban mofongo differs in that the mixture is shaped into one large ball which is served in a bowl. More modern variations have this type of mofongo stuffed with beef or seafood. Whatever method you prefer, it is a delicious appetizer, side dish, or meal on its own.
I do not know what salmorejo means. Neither does anyone else in my family. My Uncle Carlos surmised that it was a word native to Puerto Rico that can be roughly translated as a “salad.” Perhaps. There are many crab salmorejo recipes. In some instances, sweet chili and capers are added. Our version is simple and no nonsense. The only liberty I’ve taken is in adding a little white wine. May not be exactly criollo*, but it supplies a bit of dash.