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Tomatoes

June 16, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

It’s summer and juicy, ripe tomatoes are in season. It’s what we dream about in the depths of winter when all you can get are those mealy cellophane wrapped tomatoes that taste like sawdust. Then summer comes in with its the glorious abundance of plum tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, you name it. In January and February we would kill for one of these. In Summer they are all over the place, and we can’t get enough of them.

The season for fresh-picked tomatoes is June through October, the bumper crop time. Tomatoes, besides being tasty, are actually good for you. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, as well as potassium. They also contain what are known as antioxidants (minerals and proteins) which help control blood pressure and prevent the development of such diseases as cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.. They can be fried, broiled, boiled, baked, and prepared in hundreds of ways. They not only bring taste, but also color and nutrition to any dish.

Given below are four simple tomato dishes. Just a sample of the ways you can enjoy this treat.

1. RAW TOMATO SAUCE

In a bowl, combine 1 1/4 pounds chopped plum tomatoes, 1 large handful chopped fresh basil leaves, 2 tablespoons chopped pitted black olives, 1/2 cup diced part-skim mozzarella cheese (or grated pecorino), 1 clove minced garlic, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours to let the flavors mingle. And serve with freshly cooked pasta of your choice.

2. TOMATO AND OLIVE SALAD

In a bowl, combine about 1 pound diced tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes, halved), 1 bunch sliced scallions, 1/2 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives (otherwise known as Spanish olives), 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a salad, with tortilla chips, or (my favorite) over steamed white rice as a veggie meal.

3. BAKED TOMATOES WITH CHEESE TOPPING

Cut four beefsteak tomatoes in halve horizontally. Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese or grated Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in a preheated oven, 450 degrees F., until tender (about 15 minutes). Yield: 4 servings.

4. SALMON-STUFFED TOMATOES

Combine in a medium-sized bowl, 1 can (8 ounces) salmon, drained. Flake the salmon and combine with 1/4 cup mayonnaise (or salad dressing), 1 tablespoon chili sauce, 1/2 grated small onion, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon dillweed, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Slice off stem ends of 4 medium tomatoes. Gently scoop out pulp, leaving 1/2-inch wall. Finely chop pulp and combine with salmon mixture. Stuff each tomato with the salmon. Place on a serving platter and chill. Before serving, garnish each with parsley sprigs. Yield: 4 servings.

There you have it, terrific and enjoyable summer tomatoes for picnics, barbecues or even a dinner. Go at ’em.

Domplines – Puerto Rican Dumplings

June 3, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Almost every culture has dumplings as a staple. Usually, the dumplings are stuffed with some savory ingredient or other. In our culture we have domplines (pronounced “dom-plee-ness), which are our version of dumplings, except, they are not stuffed. It’s more like deep friend dough, which is a common staple in the Caribbean. Other places have it such as in Indian cuisine where they deep fry the dough and call it poori.

In our family, domplines have been with us forever. I remember my grandmother making them for breakfast with eggs, or at lunch or dinner with codfish. They are deceptively easy to make, and quite tasty. Given below is the basic recipe for domplines. If you want to liven up the recipe even more, you can add one or two minced cloves of garlic to the dough. This will give it an extra tang (if desired).The recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group: Running Press).

DOMPLINES (Puerto Rican style dumplings)

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Combine flour, baking powder and butter in a bowl.
2.Add salt to water and add to flour, a bit at a time, while mixing with a wooden spoon until it forms a doughy consistency.
3. Remove this dough to a lightly floured surface and knead continuously with hands until soft.
4. Form kneaded dough into a horseshoe shape and set aside.
5. Fill a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet halfway with vegetable oil (usually about an inch). Heat until oil is very hot. Break off a small piece of dough and shape into a flat round patty. Drop patty into skillet and stir-fry until golden (about 5 minutes). Repeat until dough is all gone. Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels.
Yield: about 20 dumplings
Note: If a little color is desired, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric to the flour during the first step. This will render truly golden-yellow dumplings.

Cream Vichyssoise Glacee

I know, it’s been a damp, raining, chilly spring, and the rapture didn’t happen, and you’re all bummed out. But, guess what, pretty soon the hazy, lazy days of summer will be upon us. And what better way to celebrate summer (besides hot dogs and baseball) than with cold soup? That’s right, “cold soup,” as in that classic dish, vichyssoise (pronounced “Vihsh-ee-SWAHZ”). Also, an added note,the fabled vichyssoise is an American dish. Not French. It’s a creamy potato-leek soup that’s served cold; and its creator was Chef Louis Diat of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City. Chef Diat conjured up the dish in 1917.

Still, we must give the French credit since the soup most likely evolved from the leek and potato soup very popular to France, potage bonne teme. In his tome, Cooking a la Ritz, Diat himself states that the name of the soup comes from Vichy, the French town near his childhood home. He calls it Cream Vichyssoise Glacee. Vichyssoise has entered the lexicon along with such nuggets as chicken tetrazzini, egg foo young, and English muffin (another American novelty). Vichyssoise is also very easy to prepare with a blender or food processor. If you desire, you can use scallions instead of leeks. In my version, I like to add cayenne pepper to it instead of ground black pepper. Either way, you can’t go wrong with Mr. Diat’s creation.

CREAM VICHYSSOISE GLACEE

2 leeks, white part, finely sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons sweet butter
2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth or stock

1 cup milk1 cup light cream
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
Finely chopped chives (optional)

1. In a saucepan, gently saute the leeks and onion in butter until soft, about 8 minutes. Do NOT let them brown.
2. Add potatoes, chicken broth or stock, milk, light cream, salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on low heat for 30-35 minutes.
3. Puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Let cool, and stir in the heavy cream. Chill thoroughly before serving. If you prefer, you can add finely chopped chives before serving.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

Tortilla Española

May 5, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

One of most popular food in the Spanish speaking Caribbean is a tortilla (pronounced: tor-tee-jah) But to us this is very different from the common Mexican-style tortilla. In Mexico, a tortilla is a flat bread; actually a flat thin cake made of corn or flour. Mexican corn tortillas are commonly eaten throughout America and Europe as tortilla chips. They are the mainstay of such dishes as enchiladas, tostadas, and flautas. What we know as the popular “taco” is usually made with a corn tortilla, a staple not only of Mexican cuisine but of Tex-Mex food as well.

A Spanish tortilla is different altogether. It is a round omelet-like egg dish originating in Spain. It is normally made with beaten eggs, pieces of potatoes and other ingredients such as bell peppers, onions and chives. The dish is cooked slowly in a little oil, and served hot or cold. In the Rivera family we have always referred to Spanish tortilla as just a plain Spanish omelet; and we’ve kept the same family recipe for generations.Only difference is we omit the potatoes. Don’t ask me why. That’s the way my mother has always prepared it.

So, here follows our version of the Tortilla Española (or Spanish omelet). It’s from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Thunders Mouth Press)

TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA (Spanish Omelet)

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium sweet red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
8 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Heat oil in large non-stick frying pan or skillet. Add onions, green and red peppers and garlic. Stir-fry over moderate heat until vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes).
2. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes more.
3. In a bowl, beat eggs lightly and add salt, pepper and oregano.
4. Add eggs to vegetables and cook over moderate-high heat, letting the eggs set in the bottom and sides of the pan.
5. When the eggs start to brown, reduce heat to low and cook until upper part is dry.
6. Here you have a choice, either:
     A. Run a spatula or knife around the outside of the tortilla. Place a large serving plate over the pan and     quickly flip the tortilla onto the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the frying pan and cook until set on the other side (about 10 minutes).
Or:
     B. Place tortilla pan under the broiler and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. (Be sure the pan has an oven-proof handle).
7. Serve the tortilla cut into wedges as you would a pie.
   Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Dry Chicken without the Teriyaki

April 25, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This entry is care of my friend, Paul Goldstein, who, every so often ventures to Thailand so he can get away from the damp and wet of a Seattle winter. He e-mailed me about this recipe, if it can be called that. He was dining was at a small restaurant in Bangkok “around the corner from the Grand Palace and art school” in that city when he came upon this dish. Basically, it’s dry teriyaki chicken without the sauce. Add a scoop of white rice and a pile of sliced white ginger, and there you have it. Pablo states that an interesting addition is sweet chili sauce. He does caution that the dish is “not for everyone.” But, it’s worth a try. The only drawback: white ginger may be hard to get in your area; so just substitute regular ginger. The heart of this simple dish remains the same.

CHICKEN WITHOUT THE TERIYAKI

2 pieces chicken thighs
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups steamed white rice
1 piece fresh ginger (about the size of your thumb), peeled and grated
Sweet chili sauce, optional

1. Wash chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken in pot or pan with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes until chicken thighs are tender.
3. Place a scoop of rice on a plate. Place a chicken thigh on top.
4. Spread some grated ginger on chicken and rice. Serve with sweet chili sauce, if desired.
Yield: 2 servings.

Note: If you desire, instead of boiling the chicken pieces, you can cook them in one tablespoon of oil over medium high heat until done (about 5-7 minutes). Then serve with rice and ginger, as noted. This is for those who prefer fried chicken instead of boiled chicken.

Easter Lamb

April 23, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Last year, around Easter, I posted this lamb recipe. It’s our favorite in the Rivera family, and it got a good response. So I’m posting it again for this Easter celebration. As noted, then as now, this dish goes well with a good Australian Shiraz, Argentine Malbec, or California Pinot Noir.

Enjoy, kiddies.

PATA DE CORNERO AL HORNO (ROAST LEG OF LAMB)

Leg of lamb, about 5 pounds

3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
10 whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Rinse lamb under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.
3. With a sharp knife make several slits in the lamb. Stud the slits with garlic slivers.
4. Place peppercorns, oregano, salt, thyme and marjoram in a mortar and pound until crushed. Blend in olive oil.
5. Rub seasoning over entire leg of lam.
6. Arrange lamb in A shallow baking pan, fat side up, and bake for 1 hour, basting occasionally. Arrange potatoes around lamb, and continue baking 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending on desired doneness.
Yield: 6 or more servings.

Kugel for Passover

April 13, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

One of the most festive of Jewish holidays is upon us, Passover. This is the ritual retelling of the liberation of the ancient Hebrews from bondage in Egypt. This is all immortalized in the Passover Seder, that gathering of family and friends to commemorate the occasion. At the Seder table the retelling is done from reading the Haggadah, an ancient work derived from the Mishnah, which is a compendium of Jewish oral tradition.

The Seder table highlights certain foods which are a must for this traditional holiday. Among these is Charoset (my favorite), a mixture of chopped fruits and nuts. It’s a brown, lumpy concoction which recalls the mortar used by the Hebrews to build the storehouses of Egypt. Whatever its appearance, it’s truly delicious and flavorful. Charoset serves to soften the taste of the bitter herbs (another traditional item) featuring grated horseradish and romaine lettuce. Other dishes served may include matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, roast chicken (another holiday standby), brisket, turkey, and lamb. The latter is popular among Sephardic Jews, that is, those Jews whose descendants hail from the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

The one dish that I enjoy most is kugel, typically considered a side dish. Kugel is a sweet pudding or casserole made from noodles or potatoes. The word itself is Yiddish for “ball.” It is Ashkenazi in origin. Ashkenazi Jews are those descended from medieval Jewish communities in Eastern Europe.

The kugel recipe given below is courtesy of my dear friend, Paul Goldstein. Me and Pablo go back a long ways. We first met in the 60s, and both of use are still alive and kicking. Pablo’s kugel is so good it can be served on its own. And even if you aren’t Jewish, you can still enjoy this savory creation on any occasion—even for Easter.

PABLO’S KUGEL

8 ounces of egg noodles
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 golden apples, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pear, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a pot or pan, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water, and put back in the pot.
3. Add apples, pear, raisins, eggs and cinnamon. Mix well.
4. Grease a skillet (preferably cast-iron) with butter or margarine. Pour mixture into the skillet, and bake for 1 hour or until top is brown.
Yield: 4 servings

Note: Kugel can be eaten either hot or cold. You can also serve it with apple sauce or sour cream. If you really want to be decadent, try with vanilla ice cream.

Carrucho

March 19, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 1 Comment

For the Chinese it is an affinity for abalone. For the Italians it’s scungili. We Puerto Ricans call it carrucho. What we are talking about is the flesh found in conch shells. This dish exemplifies the different mindset of different cultures. To most North Americans the conch shell is used solely for ornamentation. To Latinos—as well as people of the Mediterranean and Asia—this mollusk is used for food and ornamentation.

Conch meat cam be found in any Hispanic or Oriental fish market. Most fishmongers order it on request. You can purchase it already cleaned or you can save pennies and do it yourself. The excess film that covers the skin has to be removed. This can be done best under cold running water.

In the Caribbean, caruccho sandwiches are very popular. You can take the dish given below and place it between two slices of bread, or on a roll, on even on a bagel. Or you can serve it with white steamed rice or small red potatoes. It should be noted that the recipe given is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Books – Thunders Mouth Press)

CARRUCHO (Conch Meat)

3 pounds conch meat, cleaned
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons salt
8 whole black peppercorns
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/4 cup pimento stuffed Spanish olives
1/8 teaspoon sage

1. Place cleaned conch in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Remove conch meat to a heavy pot or kettle with water to cover. Add salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmered, covered, for 1 hour.
3. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, cut into small bite-sized pieces. Place in a serving bowl or casserole dish.
4. Crush peppercorns, garlic and oregano in a mortar. Mix with vinegar and olive oil. Add to conch meat.
5. Add onions, tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle with sage and toss well.
6. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes; and serve.
Yield: 4 servings

Buran – Eggplant/Lamb Recipe from the 13th century Arab World

March 7, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In these perilous times, in this part of the world, what we hear about Islam and Muslims in general is rather negative. And yes, it’s understandable, given the wars we are in. But does anyone realize that, at one time, the tables were turned and while Europe was in the throes of its dark ages, the Islamic world was at the height in terms of science, culture, and government? Not only that, while Medieval western man was dining on rancid meat, in the Arab world, they were dining on savories cooked with spices from China and India and exotic fruit from Central Asia. In the West they subsisted on salted pork, roots plants and fermented ale, if they were lucky. In the Arab world they were using rosewater in their cooking and enjoying truffles from the Arabian Desert.

One of the earliest cookbooks comes from this period. It dates from the 13th century, and its author is a famed gourmet of the time, al-Baghdadi (his whole name is Muhammad ibn al-Hassan Ibn Muhahad ibn al-Karim al-Katib al-Baghdadi). His recipes reflect the times: they are full of spices from the East and are replete with frying, mincing, boiling, staining and stewing, usually all in one pot. Al-Baghdadi’s masterworks are lamb recipes. He cooks lamb with rice, with chickpeas, even with noodles. But the recipe given, Buran (my favorite) is simply lamb kabobs served with friend and mashed eggplant.

So, tonight, imagine you’re in the court of the Caliphs, you’re the prince or princess of Persia and you’re dining on Buran, a gastronomic Arab delight.

BURAN

1 medium eggplant, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1 pound ground lamb
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Cook the eggplant in boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and let stand at least 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, use wet and oily hands to shape the lamb into small meatballs (about 20 to 30 kabobs). Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs over medium-high heat until well browned (about 10 minutes). Cover with water, bring heat to low and simmer until most of the water has evaporated and only some of the oil is left. Set aside and reserve.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet (or use the same skillet from before), and fry the eggplant over medium heat until golden on both sides. The frying may be done in several batches with more oil being added as needed. Place the eggplant in a bowl and mash with a ladle or large spoon. Add salt, coriander, yogurt, garlic, and mix well.
4. Transfer the eggplant to a serving dish, arrange the meatballs on top, sprinkle with cumin and cinnamon, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

Eggplant Parmesan/Provencal

February 21, 2011 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back in Spanish Harlem, in our family’s repertoire, one of the standby dishes was Eggplant Parmesan. Although we didn’t call it that. We are vociferous eggplant eaters, and the dish was just another version which we knew as eggplant Italian style because we added grated cheese. To us, back then, any dish that had Parmesan cheese in it was considered Italian; just like any dish that had soy sauce was considered Chinese. It was the innocence of the meat and potato days of yore.

What made our version delectable is that it contained crispy friend eggplant, which we loved. Add a little tomato sauce, grated Parmesan, some good crusty bread and you has a great meal. Later in life, I discovered the French Eggplant Provencal, which was the same damn thing minus the cheese. You just add some capers to it and baked the eggplant instead of frying. Also, to the French, Eggplant Provencal is normally served as an appetizer. Whichever method you use, if you’re an eggplant lover, you’ll savor the meal. And, even if you don’t like eggplant, you just might change your mind.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

1 medium-sized eggplant (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil (or more for frying)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce, heated

1. Blend flour, salt, pepper and oregano on a plate or piece of wax paper and coat each eggplant slice well with mixture.
2. Heat half of the olive oil in a heavy skillet, and fry as many slices of eggplant as can be accommodated without crowding until crisp and brown on both sides. Transfer slices to a shallow heat-proof platter or pie plate, and keep warm.
3. Add remaining oil to skillet and brown rest of eggplant slices. Sprinkle half of browned eggplant in platter with a tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese. Add remaining slices and second tablespoon of cheese.
4. Pour hot sauce over and around eggplant. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, place under a hot broiler from 3 to 4 minutes, and broil briefly until cheese melts and is slightly brown.

EGGPLANT PROVENCAL

1 medium-sized eggplant (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup capers

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Dip eggplant slices in olive oil, and arrange on a flat baking pan or dish (I prefer cast-iron). Bake 10-15 minutes or until tender.
3. Crush garlic and brown lightly in a little olive oil in a small saucepan. Add tomato sauce and cook until hot. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper and oregano.
4. Pour sauce over eggplant, sprinkle with capers and serve hot or cold.

For both recipes the yield is about 4 servings.

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher