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Pollo con Limón – Lemon Chicken

This is a recipe that we in the Rivera clan discovered later on. The Nuyorican way of cooking chicken is by baking, roasting, frying, and stewing. But with lemons? Most likely it was our foolish, wonderful, wise Uncle Phillip, the black sheep of the family who, introduced us to this method of cooking chicken. He was a merchant seaman, and a world traveler. So, somewhere along the he discovered this gem. It is not native to the Puerto Rican repertoire. That being, said, it’s an easy, quick and delicious way to prepare chicken breasts. Served with steamed vegetables or rice, it can’t be beat.

Pollo con Limón
(Lemon Chicken)

2 lemons
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon marjoram
2 cups chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Wash lemons and slice into thin rounds.
3. Wash chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Place half the lemon slices on the bottom of a baking dish or pan.
5. Arrange chicken in baking dish and top with lemons.
6. Sprinkle with pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and marjoram.
7. Pour broth over chicken, and top with remaining lemons.
8. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender.
Yield: 4 servings.

Tuscan Eggplant

February 6, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Berenjena, or eggplant, is an important component in Puerto Rican cooking. In Nuyorican cuisine we’ve had it since I can remember. I also recall that eggplant is something you either love or hate like let’s say, peanut butter. In my family we love it; and prepare it in myriad ways. The most common being breaded and fried eggplant slices that we serve with fish and/or rice. Thus I’m always on the lookout for new recipes to prepare this great vegetable. Now, we are all familiar with the Italian dish, lasagna; and moussaka, the Greek version that also uses copious amounts of eggplant. There is another way of preparing it—and this is the Tuscan version. I’ve come to love this dish. It could be called Italian comfort food. It’s layered eggplant combined with all the wonderful flavors of the Mediterranean.

The one difference in this dish is that it calls for Herbes de Provence; which is simply a mix of dried herbs found in the province of Provence, in southern France. The mixture usually contains savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. For the American market they usually add lavender leaves (which is not an herb found in traditional southern French cooking). If you don’t have or don’t want to use Herbes de Provence, you can substitute regular Italian seasoning. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this hearty vegetarian entrée.

TUSCAN EGGPLANT

1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch rounds

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon garlic powder

5 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (or you can use your favorite cheese mix, grated)

1 7-ounce jar roasted peppers

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence (or can substitute Italian seasoning)

1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to broil. Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet large enough to hold in a single layer. Brush the eggplant slices on each side with the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder.

2. Broil eggplant for 3-4 minutes. Remove eggplant and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

3. In a baking dish (I prefer cast iron), layer half the eggplant, all the roasted peppers, half of the tomato sauce, a generous sprinkling of Herbes de Provence and all of the cheddar cheese. Top with the remaining eggplant and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

4. Put back in oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Yield: 4 servings.

Scallops Cooked in Garlic Butter

January 30, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Most people I know consider scallops to be one of these “exotic” seafood. Well, they’re not. They’re classified as salt water clams or the, fancy term, marine bivalve. Whatever fancy term you use, the fact is they’re delicious if properly prepared. In Asian cuisine, Caribbean cuisine, and European classical cuisine, they’re considered a delicacy. Scallops today are found almost everywhere; and they’re pretty easy to cook. The recipe given below is the quickest, most efficient way I know to make scallops.

The two types of scallops we’re most familiar with are sea scallops and bay scallops. Sea scallops are relatively large, maybe 1 1/2 to 2-inches in diameter. Bay scallops are much smaller; and they are considered sweeter than sea scallops. There are other scallops in the repertoire but, for our purposes, bay scallops and sea scallops are what we usually used in American cooking. In the dish given below you can use either. If the scallops are too large, just simply slice in half. The scallops are sauteed in butter with garlic. Add some pepper, salt and oregano, and that’s it. Nothing could be easier or tastier. It’s a Nuyorican take on a splendid, classical seafood. This dish is great over pasta. This time around we served it over brown rice.

SCALLOPS COOKED IN GARLIC BUTTER

1 pound scallops, fresh or frozen (if frozen, have them defrosted)
1/4 cup butter
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Juice of half a lemon
Tartar sauce

1. Wash scallops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a large saucepan or skillet, heat butter and garlic on medium heat, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the scallops to cover the bottom of the pan without crowding. Add salt, pepper and oregano. Cook quickly over high heat, stirring constantly, until scallops are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook about 1-2 minute longer. Remove from heat and serve immediately with tarter sauce.
Yield: 4 servings.

Pork Chops with Glazed Carrots

January 20, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

There are those of us who like pork chops, and there are those of us who like carrots. Problem is, how to mix the two together? In my family, following our Nuyorican roots, we normally served pork chops with yellow rice or bianda (assorted boiled root plants like taro, christophene and cassava). And, if bianda or rice wasn’t around, then we did potatoes. We seldom, if ever, served it with carrots. Then came the inspiration of cooking pork with glazed carrots. Now, for the glaze you can use either honey, marmalade or, my favorite, maple syrup. Nothing could be easier, or tastier. If you want to be fancy about it, add some cheese, preferably a soft cheese like Boursin, goat cheese, Camenbert or even brie. However, do not use a feta cheese—it’s too salty for this dish.Some also add roasted pistachios or almonds. This is optional, but it does give it a continental flair.

PORK CHOPS WITH GLAZED CARROTS

4 (10 ounce) pork chops
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup dry red or white wine
4 tablespoons butter (preferably unsalted)
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup maple syrup (can substitute honey or marmalade)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 ounces fresh Boursin, goat cheese or any soft cheese
2 tablespoons roasted pistachios or almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves

1.Wash chops under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a bowl, combine the pork chops with the olive oil, pepper, garlic and oregano. Rub the seasoning thoroughly into the chops.
3. Heat a large frying pan or skillet (we prefer cast iron) over high heat. Add the chops and sear on both sides (about 2-3 minutes). Add the wine, cover pan, lower heat to medium-low and cook until medium-well, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chops from pan, set aside and keep warm.
4. In same pan, add butter, and once butter starts to melt, add water and maple syrup. When liquid starts to boil, add carrots. Season with salt and pepper, cover pan and cook until carrots are just tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover pan, increase heat to medium-high and cook until carrots are glazed with the syrup.
5. Add dollops of cheese, roasted pistachios (if using), and thyme. Stir to mix.
6. Divide chops among four serving plates, and serve with glazed carrots.
Yield: 4 servings.

Shrimp Aglio e Olio

January 9, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This recipe is about the quickest shrimp dish I know. It could be called a shrimp quick fix. All you need is some shrimp and whatever pasta is available. For this recipe I use whole-wheat linguine. And if you don’t have linguine, spaghetti or macaroni hanging about, you can serve the shrimp over rice.

“Aglio e Olio” means garlic and oil, and by that, we mean olive oil. You just cook the shrimp is oil, add the seasonings and serve over desired pasta, with fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese on the side. . The cooking of the pasta and shrimp take about the same time. Thus you can start by boiling the linguine and, while it’s being cooked, prepare the shrimp. Nothing could be simpler. With bottle of Pinot Grigio or Chianti, and a crusty bread loaf of bread (or garlic bread if you want to fancy it up) you have a delicious, quicky meal perfect for any occasion.

SHRIMP AGLIO E OLIO

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pound whole-wheat linguine, cooked according to package directions, but reserve 1/4 cup cooking
liquid
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the shrimp and lemon juice, and cook 4 minutes.
4. Add salt, red pepper flakes, parsley and 1/4 cup cooking liquid from the pasta. Stir to combine.
5. Place cooked linguine in a large bowl or serving platter. Add the shrimp and serve, with the Parmesan or Romano cheese on the side.
Yield: 4 servings.

Nuyorican Chicken Wings

January 2, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 4 Comments

What better way to celebrate the dawning of a new year than by going back to homey comfort food? By that, I mean dishes that remain all-time favorites. Among these I include chicken wings. I know, we have all kinds of variations: Buffalo chicken wings, breaded chicken wings, broiled chicken wings . . . and the list goes on. We Nuyoricans have our own way of cooking. At least we do in the Rivera family; and it goes back to using tried and true methods and ingredients. You could say it’s baked chicken wings—but with that Puerto Rican élan (I know, it’s one of those fancy-dan words I discovered during my travels in Europe).

In our recipe, it calls for using a mortar to crush the seasoning ingredients. A mortar and pestle (at one time considered exotic) is a utensil that now can be found in most food outlets. If not, any Latino/Hispanic or Asian market will carry the item. Other than that, the recipe is no-nonsense, easy to prepare and delicious. Normally we serve it with yellow rice and/or tostones (fried green plantains—see entry of 9/9/10 for a quick recipe). If preferred, you can serve it with chicken gravy and mashed potatoes. Chicken wings, in whatever manner, is a dish that will never go out of style.

NUYORICAN CHICKEN WINGS

10 chicken wings
3 cloves garlic, peeled
12 whole peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse chicken wings under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, place in a bowl, and set aside.
3. Put the garlic, peppercorns, salt and oregano into a mortar and pound until crushed. Add this mix to the chicken and toss to combine thoroughly with the chicken wings. If desired, you can use another variation—which is to place chicken wings with seasoning in a large zip-lock bag and shake to combine. Use whatever method seems best.
4. Place chicken wings in a shallow roasting pan (I prefer cast iron) and bake for 1 hour or until crisp and cooked through.
Yield: 2-3 servings. If you want more, you can double the recipe for 4+ servings.

Black Rice and Sausage

December 19, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

We Puerto Ricans are inveterate rice eaters. It has been with us since anyone can remember. Mainly because rice was (and is still) relatively inexpensive; easy to cook; and we prepare it in infinite ways: rice with beans, rice with fish, rice with chicken, rice with squid, yellow rice, pilaf rice, ext. My Father, of late memory, ate rice everyday. It made no difference what the entrée was, a bowl or rice had to be there. In our culture it was, and still is, mainly white rice. In recent years some of us have become more health conscious, and some homes may serve brown rice. But, from what I’ve seen, this is more the exception than the rule.

Since my journey from the block, I’ve discovered that there are multiple varieties of rice out there. There is Jasmine rice, and Indian Basmati, Japanese Nishiki rice, aromatic Bengali Kalizira rice, red rice, wild rice, Italian Arborio rice, and the list goes on. According to the UK Rice Association, there are over 40,000 different varieties of rice. Go figure that one out.

Glutinous black rice is the unpolished whole grain of regular sticky white rice. It’s not actually black in color, it’s more of a dark purple. And it’s very healthy for you. It contains no fat, and a 1-cup serving has only one gram of sugar. It’s rich in protein, a good source of iron (which your body needs to make blood cells); and it contains no sugar or cholesterol. It’s a very popular and common dish in Southeast Asia, India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines.

In the recipe given below, I’ve combine glutinous black rice with sausages, specifically chorizo, the spicy Spanish sausage so unique to our cuisine. The nutty, chewy flavor of the black rice goes great with the chorizo. A criollo dish by way of Asia.

MILLED GLUTINOUS BLACK RICE AND SAUSAGE

2 cups milled glutinous black rice
4 1/2 cups water or broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
3 tablespoons sofrito (or 2 cloves minced garlic mixed with 2 teaspoons turmeric and 2 tablespoons
fresh chopped parsley)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 chorizo sausages, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Wash rice and drain.
2. Heat oil in a heavy kettle or pot. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add sofrito and tomato sauce. Sauté for about 3 minutes.
3. Add chorizo and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the rice. Add water or broth, salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings.

Boricua Squab

December 8, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In general, most of us out there seldom if ever cook squab. It’s one of those (as my father would say) “rare bird dishes.” In a way it might go back to our culinary habits. Throughout history squab was considered a dish of the more wealthy and upper classes. Well, I don’t come from the wealthy or upper classes, and I love the suckers. Squab has a moist, tender and richer taste than most game birds. Its dark meat and fatty skin gives a milder flavor than other game poultry. And it can be found these days in most Asian, Middle Eastern or specialty food stores. I get my squab in New York’s Chinatown.

Squab has a long culinary history. It was popular in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe where domesticated pigeons were consumed. That’s what squab is: a young domesticated pigeon, usually about a month old. Recipes for squab go back back a long ways. In the 4th century Roman cookbook, Apicius, there is a recipe for roasted squab in a sweet and sour sauce. The well-to-do Romans did know how to live.

In cooking squab it should be remembered that due to their delicacy and size, it normally takes half the time to cook than it does chicken or other poultry. To maximize its taste it should be served medium-rare. I cook squab in what I call Boricua Style, that is, the Puerto Rican way. I season it as my mother would season any game bird for roasting, using the herbs and condiments popular to our cuisine. It calls for crushing the condiments in a mortar. This device, either wood or metal, and native to our cooking, can be found in any Asian or Caribbean store. Even with the use of a mortar, the recipe is easy and no-fuss. With a good bottle of red wine, it can’t be beat.

BORICUA SQUAB

4 squabs, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each

4 cloves garlic, peeled
12 whole peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Rinse squabs, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place the garlic, peppercorns, salt and oregano into a mortar and pound until crushed. Rub the squabs, inside and out with the seasoning.
4. Place the birds in a shallow roasting pan (I prefer cast-iron). Drizzle with the vinegar, and pour in the olive oil to coat the squabs. Place in oven and bake 15-20 minutes (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the breast should read 145 degrees F.) Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Yield: 4 servings.

Holiday treat: Rice and Pigeon Peas

December 1, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In Puerto Rican cooking, rice and pigeon peas, or arroz con gadules, is the preeminent holiday side dish. When I was a kid back in the Barrio (Spanish Harlem) there wasn’t a home that didn’t have a steaming pot of arroz con gandules to go with the turkey at Thanksgiving, roast pork shoulder (pernil) at Christmas, ham or lamb at Easter. This tasty mix has been with us since I can remember, and it served as a change from the standard rice and beans.

So, what are pigeon peas? Well, they are a legume (or fruit pod) such as beans, peas, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa, etc. They’ve been around for about 3,500 years; and were first cultivated in eastern India, and from there spread worldwide. They were brought to the Caribbean islands by the slave trade; and until recently were virtually unknown in mainland North America. I remember that when I traveled to New England or the Midwest I couldn’t find the things anywhere. Today you can find them in any Hispanic or Caribbean market.

In the recipe given below, you can either prepare gandules from scratch, like you would do any beans, or simply get canned pigeon peas. I’ll tell you right now, there is no shame in using canned pigeon peas. I know, the purists will howl—but as viable shortcut when time is essential, the canned stuff is just as good. You may have to doctor the canned peas somewhat by adding spices such as black pepper and oregano, but the results will be acceptable.

Note that in the recipe, I favor the overnight soaking method for dry beans rather than the popular quick-soaking method where beans are covered with water, then cooked uncovered over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Afterward, they are removed from heat and left to soak for 1 hour. Then cooked as required. What bothers me about this method is that the package beans you pick up at the supermarket may be older (and drier) than last year’s leftover meatloaf. So it follows, the more soaking time, the more tender the final product. The recipe also calls for sofrito, the base flavoring used in criollo cuisine. If you don’t have sofrito, then in a small bowl combine 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1/2 onion, chopped; and 1/2 cooked chopped fresh parsley. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, and then add this mixture to the recipe.

One final plug: this recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, which is going into its third printing. Want to savor more gems kike this one? Buy the book, make me rich.

ARROZ CON GANDULES
(Rice and Pigeon Peas)

1 pound fresh or dried pigeon peas, or 1 pound canned peas
2 cups rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound salt pork, rinsed in cold water and diced
1/4 pound lean cured ham, rinsed in cold water and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium green bell pepper (pimento), cored, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons sofrito (or the substitute given above)
1 cup alcaparrado (olive-caper mix available in Latino markets)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt to taste

1. If you’re using fresh pigeon peas, you’re ahead of the game. They can be cooked just as is after rinsing in cold running water. If using dry beans, they need to be soaked overnight in water to cover by at least 2 inches. Drain beans and place in a pot or kettle (a Dutch oven is perfect for this) with 2 quarts (8 cups water) and bring to a boil. Cover and boil over moderate-low heat until beans are tender (about 1 hour).
2.   Drain cooked peas and set aside, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
3.   Wash rice and drain.
4.   Heat oil in a heavy kettle or pot (I prefer cast-iron). Brown the salt pork.
5.   Add ham and cook on moderate heat until golden-crisp (about 4-5 minutes).
6.   Add onion, bell pepper, cilantro, sofrito, alcaparrado and tomato sauce. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
7.   Stir in rice. Add peas, reserved cooking liquid, wine and salt.
8.   Boil on moderate-high heat, uncovered, until water is absorbed (about 5-8 minutes).
9.   Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
10. Turn off heat and let rice sit for 10 minutes before serving.
      Yield: 8 servings.

Tarragon Roast Chicken

November 20, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Tarragon is one of my favorite herbs. It is aromatic and flavorsome, with an aroma reminiscent of anise (as in anisette). Thus a little bit goes a long way. The dish that follows is quite popular in our crowd, mainly for it taste and ease of cooking. It’s simply roast chicken with tarragon as the main component. In fact, if you’re tired of the traditional turkey for this coming thanksgiving, cook one or two of these birds and serve it instead. Sometimes it pays to experiment.

TARRAGON ROAST CHICKEN

1 3 to 3 1/4 pound whole fryer-roaster chicken
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sat and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse chicken, inside and out, under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bush whole chicken with this mixture.
4. Sprinkle with the tarragon, inside and out. Put crushed garlic inside chicken, and place chicken in a roasting pan, breast side down. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours until chicken is brown and a fork can be inserted with ease.
Yield: 4 servings.

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher