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Roman Pasta Salad

In the U.S., summer pasta salads have become ubiquitous (I love them $20 words, as my father would say). You see them at every outing or function. And it’s usually the same deal: chilled macaroni or ziti floating in a mound of mayonnaise or bottled Italian dressing, with some greens or cherry tomatoes added for color. That’s what I experienced during my youth until I took a trip to Italy—and discovered pasta salads unlike anything I had back home. No mayo, no bottled dressing, and simple, fresh ingredients. In fact, no chilling in the fridge. Back in the old days, refrigeration was at a premium, and pasta salads were made and served as is.

The recipe given follows that concept. I first had it in Naples, even though it’s commonly known as Roman Pasta Salad. If it were up to me I would call it Napoli Pasta Salad or Neopolitan Pasta Salad, but, then, what do I know? The salad works best with tubular pasta or shells. You can use rotini, penne, whatever. I used rigatoni. The dish is simplicity itself. Basically the cooked pasta is marinated in onion, basil, tomato, and black olives. If desired, you can add grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese—although this wasn’t done when I first had the dish. Also, as they do in Naples, serve at room temperature. Add a good hunk of bread, some light red wine, and you’re set.

ROMAN PASTA SALAD

5 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
1 bunch basil, rinsed and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 16-ounce can black pitted olives, drained and halved
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound rigatoni

1. In a large bowl, toss and mix together the tomatoes, onion, basil, olives, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Let stand at least 2 hours for flavors to develop.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss the warm pasta into the salad, season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Yield: 6 main courses or 12 side-dish servings.

Asparagus Salad

August 8, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Summer is archetypical salad time. But in my culture we never actually considered salads as a main dish. Back on the block, when I was growing up, salad was the side dish, not even the first course. This is common to Puerto Rican cuisine. We would never dream up such a thing as a huge chef’s salad. The idea of salad as a main course never entered out vocabulary until we reached the mainland. Back in the island of Puerto Rico a salad was considered nothing more than a simple amassing of greens served along with the main course. The arrangement was simple: lettuce and tomatoes slices drizzled with olive oil and vinegar. Party salads and such were the province of San Juan debutante society. Today, of course after three generations of Americanization, our salad repertoire is as vast and various as anyone’s.

Thus in this vein, in my family we’re always experimenting. We’ve come up with salad dishes that to some may seem more like vegetable dishes, for example using broccoli and artichokes as a main ingredient. The following recipe is within that category: an asparagus salad. I’ve always like asparagus, even as a kid. The salad given has a definitive classical influence. It consists simple of a vinaigrette spooned over the asparagus. The salad calls for raw onion rings (which in my family we love). If you don’t like eating raw onions, then soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, drain, pat dry, and then serve with the salad. Add some crusty bread, a light red or white wine, and you’ve got a fabulous summer meal.

ASPARAGUS SALAD

1 pound fresh thin asparagus
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon-style or whole grain mustard
2 medium tomatoes, cut into half-moon shapes
1 small or 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 hard boil egg, sliced into half-moon shapes
2 ounces fresh shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, using sharp knife, trim and discard any tough asparagus stem ends.
3. Place the asparagus in the boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes or just until the vegetable is bright green and tender but not soft.
4. Drain and transfer to a serving plate or platter.
5. Whisk together the lemon juice, oil and mustard in a salad cruet or measuring cup. Blend well to form a vinaigrette.
6. Arrange the tomatoes around the asparagus. Top with the onion and cheese. Spoon the vinaigrette over the vegetables.
7. Garnish with the egg slices and serve at room temperature.
Yield: 2-3 servings.

Grilled Pork Chops

July 31, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Grilling season again. And pork chops are a natural for this type of cooking. In this recipe we’re using pork loin chops. They’re real meaty, and with this zesty marinated recipe, real tasty. I’ve added fresh mint to the recipe for that extra zing.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS

4-5 loin pork chops (about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Wash pork chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
3. Prick pork chops on each side with a knife or the tines of a fork. Coat both sides of chops with marinade mixture, rubbing well into the meat. Place in a covered dish and let stand at least 2 hours in the refrigerator for flavors to develop.
4, Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill. Fire should be moderately hot.
5. Grill about 10 minutes per side or until done.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

Marinated Turkey

July 25, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

I’m a fan of marinades or, as others would say, marinating. In Puerto Rican cuisine, we marinate pork, as in pernil (roast pork shoulder); veal (as in veal chops a la jardinera); and, our favorite, fish (pescado en escabeche or pickled fish). Then I figured, Why not extend this to other things like, let’s say, turkey? By that, I mean, turkey breasts. And thus arose this recipe for marinated turkey. Turkey is a funny meat to marinate. The marinade cannot be either too strong or it may overpower the meat, or too weak, then it’s tasteless. So I kept it simple in terms of ingredients, adding maple syrup and ginger for a slight sweet-sour effect. The results were not too bad. In fact, it was delicious. If you don’t have maple syrup around, you can substitute honey. That, and common seasonings found in your cupboard make this a great meal. In Nuyorican tradition, the dish would be served with pilaf rice. If rice is not your forte, then it goes well with yellow or red steamed baby potatoes.

MARINATED TURKEY

1 boneless turkey breasts, about 3-3 1/2 pounds, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves

1. Wash turkey breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place turnkey in a glass dish or bowl.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and mix well. Set aside 1/3 cup of the marinade, cover and store in the refrigerator. Pour remaining marinade over the turkey. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain and discard marinade. Place turkey in a baking pan or dish, and pour reserved marinade over turkey. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until no longer pink, basting twice during baking.
4. Transfer to serving platter and serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

Alcapurrias – Stuffed Green Bananas

July 16, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In Puerto Rican cuisine the most favorite savory are frituras or fritters, and cuchifritos. These are snacks, side dishes and appetizers that are deep fried. Frituras are fried vegetables, some with meat stuffing, which are mainly for noshing between meals. Cuchifritos, the other hand, are fried pork products such as pork rinds. These delicacies have been in our culture since time immemorial. In the old days, pork fat or lard was used as the frying agent. These days it’s olive oil or vegetable oil. Within the vegetable category, the best would be safflower oil or a good canola oil, if nothing else because of reasons of health. True, even today, frying in lard or Crisco will give a better taste—at the expense of hardening your arteries.

Alcapurrias come under the heading of frituras. As to the term itself, alcapurrias (pronounced: al-kah-poo-reeas), could be a traditional Caribbean Indian word or island slang of a more recent derivation. Wherever the word came from, this snack is very popular with islanders and Nuyoricans alike. Basic alcapurrias are made with green bananas; what we call guineos (ghee-neh-os). Traditionally, the other way we serve green bananas is boiled and then drizzled with olive oil. So you’re probably saying, Who the hell would eat green bananas? Simple, anyone who knows how good they are, cooked in a sauce or, as we have it here, stuffed with ground beef.

The recipe below calls for achiote, which is an ingredient used for taste and coloring. It consists of annatto seeds cooked in vegetable oil or olive oil. Annatto seeds can be obtained in 8-ounce jars in most supermarkets or any Asian or Caribbean market. Simply heat 1/2 cup of oil in a small skillet or pan, add 1 teaspoon annatto seeds, turn heat to low and cook the seeds, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. If the flame is kept on high the seeds may crack and splatter. During cooking, the oil will turn a bright orange-red color. The longer the seeds steep in oil, the deeper the hue. Remove from heat, let cool and, using a strainer, pour into a small jar or container. Cover and refrigerate. In my family we use a lot of achiote. Some of our recipes call for a whole bottle of vegetable oil (32-ounces) and one jar of annatto seeds. This would be enough to feed an army.

If you’re interested in learning more about frituras and cuchifritos, you can always pick up my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books, Running Press) which has recently gone into its third printing. It’s chock-full of similar Boricua recipes. And even if you’re not native to the Caribbean, your taste buds will thank you for it.

ALCAPURRIAS
(Stuffed Green Bananas)

8 whole black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3 pounds green bananas
1 large green plantain
1/2 cup achiote (see recipe given above)
Vegetable oil for frying

1. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, salt and oregano. Blend in olive oil and vinegar. Add seasoning to beef and mix
2. Brown seasoned beef in a skillet over high heat (no extra oil is necessary). Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove meat to a bowl and set aside.
3. Peel bananas and plantain, and cut in half. Grate the bananas and plantain using the grating disk of a food processor or a hand held shredder. Mix in a bowl with the achiote, then mash with a fork or
potato masher.
4. Spread some of the banana-plantain mix in the palm of your hand (keep palms wel while doing this).
With your fingers make asmall nest in the center of the mix in your palm, and stuff with about a spoonful of the beef filling. Cover the filling with more mix and shape into a cylinder or croquette. Repeat until filling and bananas are used up.

5. Deep-fry in hot oil (375°) until golden brown (about 4 minutes each). Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels.
Yield: About 15 alcapurrias.

Soy Sauced Chicken

July 11, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

One of the standard dishes in Cantonese and American Chinese cuisine is soy sauced chicken. It’s facility for easy cooking makes it a very popular entrée. In the traditional preparation all you need is chicken, usually cooked whole, soy sauce, sugar, scallions and (sometimes) sesame oil. The cooked whole chicken is then cooled and cut into bite-sized pieces.

In my family, we’ve evolved another way of cooking this dish—the Nuyorican way. First of all, we cut up the chicken and season it with spices native to our palette. It makes for a slightly different dish from the traditional norm, but just as tasty and enticing. Served over plain steam rice or (if you wish) buckwheat noodles, it’s a great main course.

SOY SAUCED CHICKEN

1 fryer chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds, cut into serving pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water or dry white wine
2 tablespoons honey
4 stalks scallions, washed and chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken in a bowl with the garlic, pepper, oregano. Rub seasoning well into chicken pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Mix well to combine. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. In a wok or pan (I prefer cast-iron), add water or wine, scallions and honey. Add the chicken. Cover and cook on medium heat. The heat should be strong enough to bring the mixture to a boil, bubbling around and over the chicken but not too strong as to evaporate the liquid too quickly.
4. Turn the chicken pieces 2-3 times. If sauce gets too little in quantity, add no more than 2 tablespoons additional water (or wine).
5. After 25 minutes, pierce chicken with a knife or fork. If no pink juice comes out, the chicken is done.
6. Remove from heat, add sesame oil and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Potatoes Stuffed with Hummus

June 24, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This is the easiest appetizer to prepare—short of filling a plate with crackers and cheese. It is simple and delicious. Most everyone likes hummus, the thick spread made from chickpeas and (sometimes) sesame seeds, and which had become very popular worldwide over the last two decades or so. Given that fact, what’s easier than stuffing potatoes with it? Not only that, it’s a great beginning to any meal.

In the recipe given I use baby potatoes. But you can use regular Maine or Idaho potatoes. I know friends who prefer big potatoes with the hummus. To me, this is more of a first course than a run-of-the-mill appetizer. Use whatever suits best.

BABY POTATOES STUFFED WITH HUMMUS

1 bag (24 ounces or so) baby yellow and/or red potatoes, washed and scrubbed (not peeled)
1 tub (8-10 ounces) hummus, plain or any flavor desired.

1. Fill a medium pot or pan with water.
2. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until fork-tender. Do not overcook.
3. Drain. Let the potatoes cool (or rinse under cold running water for faster preparation). Cut the top third off from each potato, and just enough from the bottom so that it can stand upright.
4. Scoop out insides of each potato without cutting or collapsing the sides. Using a small spoon, stuff humus into the cavity.
5. Place on a serving dish or platter, and serve.
Yield: about 10 stuffed potatoes.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes

June 18, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Summer is the season when ripe, fresh tomatoes are in bloom. In the middle of winter when all you can get are those mealy cellophane wrapped imitations, one despairs. But now they are in their glory. You can make a great, hearty tomato based sauce over that pasta. And I’ve discovered you don’t need to spend hours over the stove cooking a marinara sauce. You can use fresh tomatoes as a summer treat. The simplest of all concoctions: tomatoes, garlic, olives and whatever else you want to add; and you have the perfect pasta meal for summer. Add a crusty loaf of bread, and a light red wine, or white if you want. This is not a meal where you stand on formality. A simple, joyous dish for this season.

In the dish given, I use linguine. Yet you can use whatever form of pasta you like, be it tubular like a penne or rigatoni, circular like a radiatore, or strands like spaghetti or fettuccine. Whatever you have in the cupboard will do.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES

1 pound fresh or dried linguine
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 8.5-ounce can artichoke hearts, cut into fourths
6 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1 6-ounce can pitted black olives, drained and sliced in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated Romano or Pecorino cheese

1. Cook linguine in a pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain, and place in a large serving bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil and vinegar with the artichoke hearts.
3. Add tomatoes, olives, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir to mix, and add to the pasta. Combine thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Stewed Potatoes – Papas Guisadas

June 11, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back in the old neighborhood, during our lean times, we had certain meals that would tie us over until the next paycheck came in. Examples of these renderings would such standbys as spaghetti with ketchup (yes, ketchup), or with blue cheese; or a stir-fry of franks and onions. But, invariably, our favorite was papas quisadas, or stewed potatoes. This, believe it or not, was served as a main entrée.

Now you’re asking yourself, Potatoes as a main dish? Crazy. No, not really. In our family this became such a popular dish that sometimes my mother would cook it as a treat. And it was to my father and I. We could never get enough of it. Steak, and chicken, and fish was good in times of plenty—but papas guisadas were good anytime.

Stewed potatoes is an easy enough dish to prepare: all you need is potatoes, garlic, tomato sauce and cilantro, that’s it. And served over plain steamed or yellow rice, it’s heavenly, whether on lean days or not.

PAPAS GUISADAS
(Stewed Potatoes)

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 1/2 pounds Maine or Idaho potatoes, cut into cubes. Note: if organic, unpeeled (if you prefer).
If non-organic, peeled.
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, or 1/4 teaspoon dried.
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, washed and chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet or frying pan. Add garlic and sauté until garlic is slightly browned.
2. Add potatoes and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato sauce and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat until potatoes are tender.
4. Serve piping hot.
Yield: 4 servings.

Fish Steaks with Lemon-Basil Sauce

June 5, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This is the time to get fresh basil. The beginning of summer and every farmer’s market is bursting with with it. One of my favorite recipes using this great ingredient is fish in lemon-basil sauce. You can elect to use fish fillets or fish steaks. I prefer fish steaks. To me they are a more hardy, stick to the ribs alternative. And nothing is simpler or easier to make: blend basil and some other herbs in a blender, spread over fish steaks and bake. That’s it. Served with boiled potatoes or plain, steamed rice, it’s a winner. Add a good chilled white wine (or light red, if you prefer), and you’re set.

FISH STEAKS WITH LEMON-BASIL SAUCE

1 cup fresh basil, washed and finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh leaf parsley, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon water
1 1/2 pounds fresh fish steaks (cod, halibut, tuna, ext.)
Additional basil for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Put basil, parsley, garlic, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, and water together in a blender; and puree. If desired, thin with more water.
3. Place fish fillets in a baking dish (I prefer cast iron). Pour lemon-basil sauce over fish. Bake 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
4. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher