all – Page 74 – Oswald Rivera

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Cooking with Wine – Part II (Marinades)

Using wine to marinate foods has long been a tradition in cooking. When we think of a marinade, we think of meat. And wine is perfect for it. It tenderizes the meat, gives body and strength to its texture and, at the same time, enhances the flavor. This works well with the less tender cuts of meat (i.e. cheaper cuts) and even game meats such as venison.

It is considered that the use of marinades began in the old sailing days. Sailors would use wines and spirits as marinades to preserve their meats. Otherwise a mariner would be eating rotten meat for the extended voyage. In time this process was taken up by landlubbers. Marinating is a simple enough procedure. The meat is placed in an enamel or glass container, then you add the wine and spices. The meat is turned every few hours until the marinade does its work. These days the meat is kept in the refrigerator.

Try the marinated beef recipe given below. You’d be surprised how an inexpensive cut of meat can reach such glorious heights.

BEEF IN MARINADE

Marinade ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck steak
2 cups dry red wine
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, sliced
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
4 sprigs parsley
10 whole black peppercorns

Cooking ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoons ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a deep glass or enamel bowl combine the marinade ingredients. Place the meat in the bowl and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Allow the beef to marinate for approximately 12 hours, turning two or three times.
2. Remove beef from marinade and dry on paper towels.
3. Heat three tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a casserole or Dutch oven pot, and brown the meat on both sides over medium heat.
4. Strain the marinade and add to the beef. Place in oven and bake for 2 hours or until meat is tender.
5. Remove meat from casserole and boil marinade over high heat until the liquid is reduced to one cup. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water and add to the marinade. Stir until thicken. Add ginger, salt, pepper, and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter.
6. Slice meat at an angle and serve with the sauce. This dish is good with dumplings or boiled potatoes.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

Colcannon for Saint Paddy’s Day

March 11, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 1 Comment

Saint Patrick’s Day is here again. According to legend, Saint Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. My father use to say use that, after hoisting a few drinks, all the snakes came back. Be it as it may, it’s time for festivity, joy, green beer, green hats and all that goes with this glorious holiday, at least on this side of the pond.

The traditional dish for Saint Paddy’s day is, of course, corned beef and cabbage. However, there is another Irish treat that I myself am partial to: Colcannon. This is a country dish that’s right up there with Irish stew and Irish soda bread; and it can be served on Saint Paddy’s day or any other day of the year. It’s a homey, delicious dish. Some would call it mashed potatoes plus. But that doesn’t do it justice. It’s far tastier and richer than ordinary mash potatoes. It goes great with a few rashes of Irish bacon or a few slices of smoked ham. Add a pint, and you’re in heaven.

COLCANNON

8 large mealy potatoes
8 small white onions, peeled
3 scallions, washed and trimmed
1 cup half and half milk
1 1/2 cups boiled, chopped Savoy cabbage
3 tablespoons melted butter
Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Boil potatoes, peel and mash. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Put the half and half in a small pan or skillet. Add onions and scallions and cook over medium-low heat until tender. Strain, reserving liquid. Mince onions and scallions.
3. Add the onions, scallions, and the half and half liquid to the potatoes. Mix well and whip until fluffy. Add more half and half milk if needed. Stir in all other ingredients and blend well.
Yield: 6 servings.

Tuna Fish Casserole – The Old Standby

March 1, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back in my youth, me and my dear friend, Paul Goldstein, use to share a place in the Bronx, not far from the Concourse. During our lean periods, we would have his famous tuna casserole which would keep us going until the next payday came in.

Today, my salad days are behind me but, once in a while, my wife and I prepare a tuna fish casserole which harkens back to those days of my young manhood. Actually, this dish is a great American invention if there ever was one; the best, quick pick me up meal I can think of. It’s easy to make, filling and nutritious. I’m sure there are as many tuna fish casserole recipes as there are grains in the sand. Yet, my limited palate considers Pablo’s creation to be among the best. And it is given below. So, the next time your significant other, or the kids, or any one else in the family, yearns for something fast and good, nothing beat this old standby.

PALIBACHI’S TUNA FISH CASSEROLE

2 5-ounce cans tuna fish

1 package egg noodles

1 can Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup

1 can Campbell’s cream of golden mushroom soup (absolutely need 2 different ones)

1 10-ounce package frozen peas and carrots

12 slices of Kraft American cheese or cheese of your choice

2 eggs

1 medium green bell pepper (pimento), sliced in rounds being careful to remove seeds

and fibers

1 tomato, sliced in rounds

Ground cinnamon to taste

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Cook egg noodles according to package directions, drain, rinse, and place in a large Pyrex or glass bowl.

3. Add both cans of soup. DO NOT ADD WATER. Drain tuna fish and add to bowl along with the peas and carrots. Add the eggs and mix well.

4. Add cheese slices so that they cover the top but leaving an open space in the middle of the casserole. Top with alternate slices of tomato and green pepper. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

5. Bake for 30 minutes (max).

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

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Prized Eggplant

February 20, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Eggplant is one of those things that you love or hate. Either you like it or you don’t. I’m in the former category. I love eggplant; mainly for its versatility. It can be boiled, fried, baked, grilled, whatever. Most people just dip it in bread creams or flour and fry it, using egg yolks as a binder. One of the easiest way to prepare it, I’ve discovered, is to layer slices of eggplant and tomatoes in a casserole. Then pour sour cream over the layers and bake. Easy, quick and delish.

But my all time favorite eggplant dish is the one listed below. This recipe was given to me 100 years ago by an old friend. Where she got it from I don’t know. It could have been a family recipe, maybe not. All I know is that it’s the most delicious eggplant preparation I’ve ever taste. It can be served an an appetizer or an entree as is. Or you can serve it with rice. It’s Moroccan so I assume it’s got a long pedigree, and it uses items such as cilantro and cumin. And it’s a great vegetarian dish for all you vegans out there.

MOROCCAN EGGPLANT

2 eggplants (approximately 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 small piece of fresh ginger (about 1-inch long), minced
1 teaspoon fresh hot pepper, minced
5 cups tightly packed cilantro leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
2 lemons, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prick the eggplant several times with a fork, and rub the skin of each thoroughly with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. Bake on oven rack for about 1 hour, or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade, process 3 tablespoons of olive oil with garlic, ginger, and hot pepper until smooth. Continue processing while adding cilantro leaves, lemon juice,cumin, salt, and the remaining olive oil. Process until smooth.
4. With a pairing knife, peel the skin from each eggplant, starting from the stem end and pulling the skin downward, leaving the stem attached. Starting just below the stem and moving down, slice peeled eggplant lengthwise into three strips. (Keep attached to stem.) Lay eggplants on a platter and slightly fan out the three sections. Spoon cilantro sauce over fleshy part of eggplant. Garnish with slices of lemon.
Yield: 4 servings.

Valentine’s Day Treat – Veal Marsala

February 10, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Normally, Valentine’s Day, apart from the flowers and candy, is a time when you and your special someone go to a restaurant, have the Valentine’s Day special, and make goo-goo eyes at each other while waiters hover about taking orders and carrying food. Well, here’s a thought: why not cook a special meal for that special someone? That’s right. Stay home, light up a few candles, put on a Barry White CD, chill the champagne, and make a special dish that will knock their socks off. If there are kids in the way, park ’em with your in-laws or shell out some cash for a baby sitter. Remember, Valentine’s Day comes but once a year. A good, romantic meal will make up for a lot, laddies and lassies.

And nothing lights up the sequence like Veal Marsala. I know, it sounds Frenchified, but it ain’t. Also, it’s quite easy to prepare. Not time consuming at all; so you’ll have more time to hold hands and do whatever. Naturally, you need Marsala to prepare the dish. It’s a sweet to semi-sweet fortified wine similar to port or sherry. You want to use the sweet Marsala (dolce—such as a Rubino). The wine gives a unique flavor to the dish that cannot be imitated by any other type of wine—so do not substitute. Only Marsala wine will do. I like to cook the veal in an electric skillet at the table since you have to flame the meat, and it adds that special elegance when you want to impress your partner. Be careful to use a long matchstick so it doesn’t backfire and you burn yourself.

Now, for that special meal, start off with a salad, or a cream soup such as mushroom or spinach. To enhance that continental flavor you can add some garlic bread. If you don’t know how to make garlic bread, you can substitute a round facaccia loaf, sprinkle some garlic on it, and drizzle it with a light olive oil (don’t worry about the garlic. At this point, you’re mind and body are going to be on other things). And to end the meal, nothing beats big juicy strawberries, halved and served with some light cream. Or you can take whole strawberries and dip them in cream or brown cane sugar and offer it to each other. You get the idea.

This entree can be served with rice or steamed vegetables and/or potatoes as an accompaniment. Veal Marsala can also be made with chicken breasts (Chicken Marsala). Just pound chicken breasts halves to about 1/4-inch thick or less and cook just like the veal. Either way, whichever ingredient you use, your true love is going to love you more.

VEAL MARSALA

1/2 pound veal, sliced wafer thin, or 4 veal cutlets (about 3 ounces each), thinly sliced
Note: if the veal cutlets are not sliced thin, you can pound them between two sheets of wax
paper or aluminum foil until 1/4-inch thick or less
3 tablespoons four
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup Marsala wine
2-3 parsley sprigs

1. Combine the flour with the salt and pepper. Dredge the veal in flour and shake off any excess.
2. In a skillet large enough to hold the veal comfortably in s single layer, heat the butter over medium heat. When it is hot, brown veal quickly on both sides.
3. Add shallots and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add Marsala wine. Place a lighted match to it and flame it. Saute all the ingredients until the flame dies down. This should be done rather quickly (you don’t want to overcook the meat). Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Yield: 2 servings.

Palibachi’s New York Cheesecake

January 27, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

My dear friend, Paul Goldstein, has live in Seattle for a few years now. But he’s just about had it. See, according to Paul, Seattle has no really good kosher delis. That’s right. Nothing in the vein reminiscent of his youth (and mine as well). No real New York style bagels or bialys, of stuffed kishka or derma, or even descent matzoh ball soup. Imagine that, loving in a place that has no genuine delis? Now, I’m sure Seattle is a wonderful town and, of course, it’s got great coffee houses, not to mention Rainier beer but, a place that doesn’t have a good old style deli? Well, I couldn’t live there. More than once I’ve had to ship Paul New York bagels and babka to keep him going.

I can sympathize since I am a partisan of old style Yiddish cuisine in the Ashkenazi Eastern European tradition. But there’s more. Paul asserts that he can’t find a real danish in Seattle. By his account, if you drop a New York danish, it drops to the floor with a heavy thud. That’s a danish. In Seattle they float down like a feather. But what was the last stray for Pablo, was the cheesecake saga—or lack of it. He says the cheesecake in his area leaves a lot to be desired. Nothing like the genuine creamy concoction we get here. Paul’s cheesecake jones has gotten so bad he’s been forced to make his own cheesecake. And that’s the recipe that follows below. It’s based on an original recipe but with reduced sugar. And it’s pretty good. Even if you live on the East Coast and have access to good cheesecake, this recipe, if nothing else, is fun to make, and you get to eat homemade cheesecake. For a cheesecake addict, it doesn’t get better than that.

PALIBACHI”S NEW YORK CHEESECAKE (with or without pie filling)

9-inch spring form pan required

Shell ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 stick of butter

1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

Filing:

5 8-ounce packages of Philadelphia cream cheese. YES, YOU NEED FIVE!

5 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy or light whipping cream

3/4 cup sugar (works well with cherry pie filling, a nice contrast)

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

Cherry pie filling (canned or commercial is okay)

To make shell:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. Melt butter in a small pot or pan, remove from heat. Add all the shell ingredients and mix together until thick. Remove bottom of spring form pan. Using about a 1/3 of the shell mixture, spread it over the entire bottom of the pan using your fingers and palm, covering the entire pan but no more than about 1/4-inch thick.

3. Place in oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown (while this is baking you can prepare the filling).

4. Remove and let cool.

5. Place ring around bottom making sure it is sealed properly. Spread the reminder of shell mixture around the ring using your fingers making sure ring sides and bottom are sealed (sides do not have to be thick).

Cheesecake Filling:

1. Soften the Philadelphia cream cheese packs. YES, YOU NEED 5! IT’S NOT A NEW YORK CHEESECAKE UNLESS YOU DO. Combine and mix in a bowl with the whipping cream. If you don’t have an electric mixer, a hand mixer works just as well if you first soften the cream cheese in the oven.

2. Add all other ingredients except cherry pie filling. Fill the spring form pan with the filling. If you are making a cherry cheese cake, pour just enough of the filling to cover the bottom of the pan then add the cherry pie filling. You can save a small amount to use as a large circle topping afterward if so desired.

3. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool in the oven, and then let it cool further on the counter top. Place in the refrigerator (Paul states it is best eaten the next day—if you can wait).

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Sukiyaki – The Perfect Party Dish

January 19, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back when I was a young man there was a hit song: “Sukiyaki,” sung in Japanese by a crooner named Kyu Sakamoto. As far as I know it was the only Japanese language song to top the charts in the U.S. It wasn’t until years later when I was in Japan that I discovered the dish, sukiyaki. This gem is a popular one-pot meal in Japan, and is the perfect winter dish. It is a dish cooked in the nabemono (Japanese Hot Pot) style; and normally consists of thin slices of beef slowly cooked or simmered in a pan or skillet with other ingredients such as vegetables, to which soy sauce, sugar and mirin (Japanese rice wine) can be added. A vegetarian version can be made with tofu.

The origins of sukiyaki are murky. Meat, especially game and poultry has been cooked in Japan since time immemorial. Farmers use to cook the meat (yaki) by grilling it outside on a spade or plow share (suki). Hence, the literal meaning, sukiyaki. In the 16th century Portuguese traders brought beef with them, and the Japanese started preparing sukiyaki with beef.

Today sukiyaki is popular world-wide, and can be found in many restaurant menus. It is the perfect party dish since it can be cooked at table with the ingredients already set individually or in a large plate. You cook the ingredients as you go. You don’t have to cook in the kitchen, as noted in the recipe below. And remember that sukiyaki is a communal thing. It cannot wait for the guests. Before cooking begins, have your guests comfortable and seated, nibbling on appetizers, and the hot rice served at the beginning.

SUKIYAKI

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin or flank steak
1 pound rice (it could be short grain, such as Nishiki, or medium or long grain)
1/2 pound transparent or silver noodles
6 scallions, washed and cut into thin slices (minus the root end)
8-10 white mushrooms, cut through the stem and crown so that it resembles a “T” shape.
1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 pound canned bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 pound bean sprouts, drained if canned. If fresh, blanch, then rinse and drain.
2 tablespoons peanut oil

Sauce:
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine (mirin) or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Put the meat in the freezer for about 1/2 hour to firm it enough so that it can be sliced into paper thin slices. If the slices are longer than 4 inches, halve them. Arrange meat slices on a round platter, slightly overlapping, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.
2. Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep it warm.
3. Place noodles in a bowl. Cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 minutes. Drain, and repeat procedure. Drain again and place in bowl.
4. Here you have a choice. You can either arrange all the vegetable on a large platter. Or you can put the onions and scallions in one bowl, each divided into one-half of the bowl; and the mushrooms, spinach, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts into their own small bowls as well.
5. Prepare sauce: In a small saucepan bring soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and sugar to a boil. Pour into a sauce dish.
6. Place wok (on top of a burner) or an electric frying pan in the middle of the table. Spoon rice into 4 individual bowls. Arrange all ingredients around the wok or fry pan. Heat oil in the wok or pan over high heat. Add one-fourth of meat slices and brown quickly on both sides. Sprinkle some of the sauce mixture over the meat, and push aside. Add one-fourth of each of the vegetables and noodles and stir-fry for approximately 3 minutes.
7. Each guest is given part of the cooked meal and starts eating while the second portion is being prepared. Each guest can add more sauce according to taste.
Yield: 4 servings.
Note: Traditional sukiyaki in Japan includes a bowl of raw beaten eggs. Each guest dips the cooked vegetables into the eggs before eating. I have a problem with raw eggs in any venue, even with cooked vegetables. If you want to include eggs, an alternative is to cook the eggs with the ingredients and then serve.

Comfort Food – Kugel

January 8, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Kugel is a dish that was introduced to me by my close and dear friend, Paul Goldstein. When I was a young man, we were roommates and shared a place together in the upper Bronx. I had just returned from Vietnam and, admittedly, my interests were in good drink, chasing the ladies, and having fun. Paul, on the other hand, apart from his many talents, was a good cook. See, Paul is the archetypical Renaissance man: he is a sculptor, writer, artist—and a damn good carpenter to boot. One of our culinary mainstays during those days was kugel.

For those unfamiliar with it, kugel is a Jewish casserole that may be served as a side dish or a dessert. The word itself comes from the German. It means “ball” or “round.” The dish was given this name because of the small round pot in which it was cooked. As noted, it is of Eastern European Ashkenazi origin. It is normally eaten on the Jewish Sabbath, as well as other Jewish holidays.

Kugels began about 800 years ago; and they were made from bread and flour. Today the base ingredient for kugel may include potatoes, noodles, or matzo flour. There are fruit kugels, vegetable kugels, and even (I’m told) Rice Crispy kugel (no lie). So herein is Paul Goldstein’s kugel, which is based on his aunt’s original recipe (with modifications). Whip it up tonight (or whenever you wish), and have a great time. Note that the dish can be served hot or cold, by itself, or with apple sauce or sour cream. You can even try it with vanilla ice cream.

PAUL GODLSTEIN’S KUGEL

8 ounces egg noodles
2 eggs
2 golden delicious apples, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 pear, peeled and cut into large pieces
1/3 cup raisins
cinnamon (to taste—lots of it)
Margarine or butter

1. Cook egg noodles according to package directions, drain and put back into the pot or pan.
2. Add apples, raisins, eggs, and cinnamon.
3. Heavily apply either the margarine or butter to a large cast-iron frying pan, making sure the sides are well covered with the margarine. Pour noodle mixture into pan and press down with hand and fingers.
4. Cook on medium heat until bottom is either blackened or slightly burned. Turn the kugel over into a plate, grease the pan again and slip the kugel back into the pan. Cook until other side is done. Usually the pan is covered while the second side is cooking.
Yield: about 6 servings.

Coconut Rice Pudding for Epiphany

January 5, 2010 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

We are coming up on January 6th, which is the time where in the Spain, the Caribbean, and Latin America, they celebrate the Epiphany. This commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and the visitation of the three Magi, or Wise Men from the east. These three royal wise men or kings were Melchior (representing Europe), Gaspar (Arabia) and Balthazar (Africa). They brought gifts, respectively, of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. The day is Known as El Dia De Los Reyes (the Day of the Kings); and it is also sometimes called EL Dia De Los Reyes Magos (The Day of the Three Royal Magi).

Traditionally, just like at Christmas, children receive gifts to commemorate the day. In Puerto Rico, in the old days, it was customary for kids to fill a box with grass or hay and put it underneath the bed. This was for the camels that the magi rode to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, following the star that led them there. You left the grass or hay so that the Wise Kings would be generous with their gifts. The custom is similar to kids in the U.S. leaving out milk and cookies for Santa Claus.

In Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of the Mardi Gras season, with the revels and parades the citizens of New Orleans are so familiar with.

In our culture, a traditional dish for the holidays, inclusive of Epiphany, is Arroz con Dulce (also known as Arroz con Coco). It’s a coconut based rice pudding. The normal way of preparing it involves using ripe coconuts, extracting the coconut milk, grating and using the coconut shreds to enhance the liquid used for cooking the dish. It’s great but time consuming. If you don’t have coconuts around, it perfectly alright to substitute coconut cream or milk which can be found in almost any supermarket these days. If you want the original recipe, check it out in my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group). Otherwise, just follow the condensed recipe given below.

ARROZ CON DULCE (Rice Pudding)

2 cups rice (either long grain or short grain)

2 cups coconut milk

1 5-ounce can evaporated milk

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup seedless black raisins

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

1/2 cup cracker crumbs

1. Place rice in a saucepan with water to cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.

2. Drain rice, place in a pot or saucepan and add 1 cup of coconut milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, cloves, salt, vanilla, raisins, 1 cup sugar, and butter. Cook on moderate heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 1/2 hour or until rice is tender.

3. Add second of coconut milk and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir to blend. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.

4. Spoon into a round serving platter or pie plate.

5. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs and allow to cool at room temperature before serving.

Yield: 10 servings or more.

Hoppin’ John – A Southern Tradition

December 30, 2009 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In my first foray down south, years ago, I discovered a traditional New Year’s ritual: Hoppin’ John (or Hopping John, for all you uppity types). Southern lore has it that Hoppin’ John is the birthright of every southerner. And it’s a double edged sword. See, Hoppin’ John is the dish that everyone south of the Mason-Dixon line must have on New Year’s day. It ensures continual good luck for the coming year. Skip it and you risk damnation and an accursed 365 days to come. If you don’t eat Hoppin’ John on January 1st, well, all bets are off.

I’ve taken this fable to heart. I partake of Hoppin’ John every New Year’s day. What is consists of is black-eyed peas and rice. Some variations have the beans and rice cooked together. I prefer cooking them separately, and serving the black-eyed peas over the rice.

I assume there are as many Hoppin’ John recipes as there are southern cooks. Most call for ham hocks, country ham, bacon, or ham steak added to the peas. I use ham hocks, which gives the dish an earthy flavor. So here follows the Rivera family version of a southern favorite. By the way, how the dish got its name, I have no idea. If anyone out there knows its history, please let me know.

HOPPIN’ JOHN

1 pound dried black-eyed peas

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium ham hocks

1 large onion, sliced into rounds

1 red or green bell pepper (pimento), chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 chicken bouillon cube

4 cups water

Cooked white rice (3-4 cups)

1. Preparing the peas: initially I would soak them overnight in water, drain, and cook the next day. I’ve discover that a more convenient (and better way) is to cover the peas with water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat, cover pan and let stand 1 hour. Finally, drain peas, rinse well, and set aside.

2. While peas are are being done, rinse ham hocks under cold running water, and pat dry. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sear ham hocks until browned. Add water just to cover ham hocks, bring to a boil, partly cover, lower heat and simmer ham hocks until tender (about 45 minutes).

3. Add peas, onion, pimento, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, salt, hot pepper sauce, bouillon, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until beans are tender (about 45 minutes).

4. Serve over white rice or, if preferred, you can mix the cooked rice and beans together.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher