Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: poultry (page 5 of 6)

Cooking with Paprika

May 25, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Paprika is a spice that I love. I use it often and in countless recipes. I love its flavor and color. And I discovered it has many uses, and not just as a spice. If you want to make a quick, spicy, tangy pilaf rice, add some paprika to the rice while cooking. It will impart a deep color (depending upon how much you use) and a unique taste to the rice. My experience has been that, in American cookery, you won’t find paprika used that often. And that’s sad. Because once you start experimenting with it, it will intrigue you. That being said, I find that most of the prepackage, processed American paprika sold in supermarkets is kind of mild. To my palette, pure Hungarian paprika is best. If you can’t find that, then go for Spanish paprika (pimentón), it’s just as good.

Paprika is actually a powder which is made by grinding the pods of various kinds of peppers known as capsicum annuum. The pepper varieties range from bell peppers (mild) to chili peppers (hot). And it is the fourth most consumed spice in the world. Its the national spice of Hungary (think of Hungarian goulash). There are different grades of Hungarian pepper; but the favorite variety (specially in the U.S.) is édesnemes, or “noble sweet,” which is slightly pungent and a bright red color.

Dishes which highlight this great spice include such stalwarts as deviled eggs, and the famous chicken paprikash. The dish I give below is chicken with a paprika sauce. Its tasty, innovative, and delicate. So, go out, get some chicken breasts, some paprika, and go to town. You won’t be disappointed.

CHICKEN WITH PAPRIKA SAUCE

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds, halved
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium to large sweet red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips about 1/4-inch wide
1 small onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
2 teaspoons paprika (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (about 2 tablespoons)

1. Rub  chicken breasts with pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan or skillet. Add the breasts and cook about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn and cook 1 1/2 minutes on the other side.
3. Scatter the red pepper strips and onion over the chicken. Then sprinkle with the paprika.
4. Cook over low heat, uncovered, for 4 minutes.
5. Add vinegar, chicken broth, and cream. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook an additional 8 minutes.
6. Remove to serving platter, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.  

Chicken with Prunes

April 15, 2015 / / 0 Comments

I know, you’re saying, “Chicken with prunes—what?” Yeah, chicken with prunes. Prunes do not generally come up in American cooking. If at all, it’s in prune juice—which supposedly makes one regular. In Jewish cooking you sometimes have them as a filling for Hamantashen, a popular sweet during the festival of Purim. In the TV series, Star Trek, prune juice was the favorite drink of  Lieutenant Worf, the Klingon crew member who considered it  to be a “warrior’s drink.”

Prunes, however, are very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. And it goes back a long way. In the Kitab al Wusla il al Habib, a medieval Arabic cookbook, there is a dish of chicken cooked with prunes. And today, in Morocco, a similar dish, Tagine with Prunes, is very popular.

I recently  had some prunes on hand and decided to give this combination a try. And it came out very tasty. Scoff all you will. Once you prepare this dish, you won’t be disappointed.

CHICKEN WITH PRUNES

1 3-pound chicken, skinned and cut into serving pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into rings
1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
Salt to taste
1 pound prunes, soaked overnight

1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken and onion in a large pot, heavy kettle or Dutch oven.
3. Sprinkle with saffron, ginger, oregano and salt. Cover chicken with water, bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer gently, covered, until chicken is tender and the stock is reduced (20-30 minutes).
4. Add prunes and continue cooking with the pan uncovered until the prunes are soft and the sauce is considerably reduced (about 1/2 hour longer).
5. Serve the chicken covered with the sauce over steamed rice or couscous.
    Yield: 4 servings.

Pollo con Limón – Lemon Chicken

February 17, 2015 / / 0 Comments

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.
    

Nuyorican Chicken Wings

January 2, 2015 / / 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.

Super Grains: Amaranth with Roast Chicken (Pollo Al Horno)

September 27, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Today we discuss the second of our super grains. The first was Pearl Barley (see post of  09/20/14). This one is on amaranth (or amaranthus), an ancient grain that was cultivated in Mexico, Guatemala and Peru. Nowadays it’s cultivated as a leaf vegetable in Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, India and East Africa. But outside of such tropical countries it was virtually unknown until recently. At one time it was the main grain consumed by the Aztecs prior to the Spanish conquest. After that conquest, the cultivation of the amaranth seed was outlawed. And it wasn’t until the 1970s that it was revived in Mexico as a popular snack mixed with chocolate or puffed rice.

First of all, apart from being tasty, amaranth is good for you. It’s a good source of protein, and is rich in amino acids, vitamin A,C, thiamine, calcium and iron. It makes a great side dish or even a main course. In Greece it is served as a popular dish called vlita (or vleeta), where it’s mixed with olive oil and lemon juice and eaten as a salad. Amaranth is very easy to cook. And in this recipe I’ve combine it with a Puerto Rican favorite, Pollo Al Horno (Roast Chicken). Most recipes for amaranth call for measurements of 1 cup of the grain to 1 1/2 to 3 cups water or chicken broth. For those who want a more porridge-like consistency, they may use more water. I like amaranth tender but drier, so my measurement is 1 1/2 cup amaranth to 3 cups water. Again, it’s an individual choice. Either way, the recipe is great. You won’t be disappointed.

                                              AMARANTH WITH ROAST CHICKEN
                                                             (POLLO AL HORNO)

1 3 to 3 1/4 pounds roasting chicken, cut into generous bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 cups chicken brioth or water
1 cupo amarnath

1. Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl or cup, mix olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, tarragon  and crushed garlic. Pour over chicken, rubbing seasoning thoroughly into the skin. Cover bowl and let stand 15 minutes or, better still, overnight. You can also place the chicken in a large zip-lock bag and marinate that way.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a shallow roasting pan. Turn once during roasting, and bake until golden brown and juices are no longer pink, about 30 minutes. 
4. While chicken is cooking, bring water to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan or pot. Add amaranth, cover, lower heat, and simmer until grain is tender and all the water has been absorbed, 20-25 minutes. You can serve the chicken over the amaranth or on the side
    Yield: 4 servings.

Persian Grilled Chicken

June 10, 2014 / / 0 Comments

One of my favorite cuisine is Middle Eastern. And I’m told this is the favorite way of preparing chicken in Iraq; and it harks back to the Persian Empire. The recipe can be done over hot coals on an outdoor grill or in an oven broiler. I like this recipe because its very similar our method of broiling chicken in Puerto Rican or Nuyorican neighborhoods. The only difference being that we add oregano to the marinade. And Iraquis marinate the chicken overnight, just like we do. Farther afield, in Turkey, they like to flavor the chicken with a little cumin instead of the garlic and lemon in the marinade.

PERSIAN GRILLED CHICKEN

1 3-pound broiler fryer chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
Juice of 1 lemon
1 small onion, chopped and crushed to extract juices
1-3 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper to tatse

1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken in a bowl or large zip-lock bag. Add the remaining ingredients. If using a bowl, rub the seasoning thoroughly into the chicken parts. If using a zip-lock bag, make sure the chicken parts are thoroughly coated with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
3. If using a grill: place the chicken pieces on an oiled grill (preferably over a charcoal fire) that is very hot and glowing, and no longer smoking. Grill the pieces until golden brown but still pale and tender inside, basting with marinade and turning once.
4. If using oven broiler: broil in a pan (I prefer cast-iron), rack or greased aluminum foil 7 inches from heat source for 30 minutes. Turn once during broiling and baste frequently with the marinade.
    Yield: 4 servings.

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Chicken and Dumplings – PR Style

April 24, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Chicken and dumplings is one of the ultimate comfort foods. It’s great any time of the season, and it warms the heart and stomach. In Puerto Rican cuisine we have domplines (dumplings—pronounced dom-plee-ness) and pollo frito (fried chicken), and it’s a great combination. In our tribe, the person who made the best dumplings was my grandmother, Adelaida, known to all as Doña Lala. She would make domplines for breakfast with ham and eggs, or for dinner with the fried chicken. She had it down to a science and could whip up a batch of dumplings in minutes. The domplines recipe given below is her magic creation. The fried chicken recipe is my mom’s—and she cooked it too ways. The first variation was simply marinated chicken pieces which are floured and then deep-fried. That’s the second recipe noted. She also had another variation in which the chicken is cooked in  its own marinade combined with chicken bouillon or broth, lending a more heady flavor. It you want that recipe, then get my cookbook Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Avalon Books – Running Press) where both versions are highlighted along with a host of other Nuyorican wonders. 

         DOMPLINES
(Puerto Rican Dumplings)

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

1. Combine flour, baking powder and shortening in a glass 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 the 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. Heat until oil is very hot. Break off a small piece of dough and shape into a round patty. Dip patty into skillet and stir-fry until golden (about 5 minutes). Repeat until dough is all gone. Remove and drain on adsorbent paper towels.
    Yield: About 20 dumplings.
Note: If a little color is desired, 4 or 5 tablespoons of achiote (annatto seeds cooked in olive oil—again, recipe in cookbook) can be added to the flour during the first step. This will reder truly golden-yellow dumplings.

POLLO FRITO
(Fried Chicken)

1 fryer chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds, cut into generous bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup flour

1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold, running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken in a bowl and rub with crushed garlic. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and onion powder. Rub seasoning well into chicken pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Mix to combine. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. If you really want strong flavors, refrigerate overnight.

3. Heat a generous amount of oil (1″ to 1 1/2″ deep) to medium temperature (about 340°) in a heavy bottomed pot, large skillet or deep fryer.
4. Remove chicken from marinade and dust lightly with flour. Use your hands to toss and coat each piece thorougly.
5. Add chicken pieces to hot oil, a few at a time and deep-fry until golden brown and crisp (3 to 5 minutes),  turning the individual pieces as they cook. Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels. Serve piping hot with the domplines.
    Yield: 4 servings.
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Limonia

April 9, 2014 / / 0 Comments

I came across this recipe while I was researching my second cookbook, The Pharaoh’s Feast, also published in the United Kingdom as Feasting with the Ancestors (Sutton Publishing). In this tome I traced the history of cooking from prehistoric times to the present. This particular recipe comes from a fourteenth century anonymous manuscript containing two different recipe sections, known respectively as Book A and Book B. The actual book title was Anonymous Southerner (Anonimo Meridionale), because the author used southern Italian expressions, especially from Naples. Limonia is from Book A, which contains 164 recipes.

Limonia was a popular dish in medieval and Renaissance Italy. Different recipe collections term it lumonia, limonia, or limonea. It may have made its way to Europe via the Arab world. Arab texts as far back as the thirteenth century have recipes for laymuwiya, which are very similar to the one given here. According to the Anonymous Southerner, to make Limonia, all one has to do is brown chicken lard together with chopped onions and almonds. Stir in more pork lard and spices, and cook. Add lemon juice when it’s done, and serve. This sounds very much like modern day chicken piccata, although I’ve never heard of almonds being added to it. In the original recipe, lard would give it the flavor. These days, olive oil is a healthier alternative. I like this dish served over steamed white or brown rice.

LIMONIA

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
Juice of one small lemon
1/4 cup blanched almonds*
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes and cook until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for a minute or two.
2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice and almonds. Stir well to dissolve brown particles in the bottom of the pan. Add butter, blending it well into the sauce.
3. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

    *To blanch almonds, simply drop the shelled almonds (with their brown skin) into boiling water to cover. Boil exactly one minute. Drain. Press the almonds between your fingers until the almonds slip out of their skins, and pat dry.

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Roasted Turkey Breast

March 11, 2014 / / 0 Comments

In the Rivera family, roasted turkey breast was one of those special occasion dishes. Mainly we had a whole turkey during the Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey breast was that optional treat instead of the Sunday beef or pork roast. We liked it because our family rendition came out moist and juicy; and the whole thing could be done in about an hour or so depending on the size. Figure it this way: a small turkey breast weighing 3 to 4 pounds requires, on average, 1 to 1 1/2 hours cooking time. A larger breast weighing 6 to 7 pounds cooks in 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. In all cases, after roasting, always allow the breast to sit 15 to 20 minutes so that the juices have time to be absorbed throughout the meat. So, surprise the family or your significant other for that special dinner. You’ll get deserved applause.

ROASTED BONELESS TURKEY BREAST

1 4-5 pound turkey breast, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 lemon
3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup red wine or brandy
2-3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Rinse the turkey breast under cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place the turkey breast on a plate and spear all over with a fork. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub thoroughly with the salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder.  Pat the seasonings well into the skin. Place the breast in a plastic zip-lock bag; and skirt with the juice from the lemon. Shake the bag until the breast is thoroughly coated with the marinade.
3. Place the turkey breast in the refrigerator and let it marinate overnight.
4. Next day, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the breast on a roasting pan (I prefer cast-iron). Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, and remove the breast from the oven when the temperature reaches 155 degrees. Cover the breast with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. During this time the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise approximately 5 to 6 degrees higher. Increasing the temperature over 170 degrees will probably result in a dry and tough turkey breast—and you don’t want that.
6. While the turkey breast is resting, you can make the gravy: put the roasting pan over one of the range burners on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour into the pan juices, stirring for a few minutes. Add the red wine or brandy, and scrape the pan to lift bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute or so to burn off the alcohol content. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer, add the butter and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal and serve with the gravy.
    Yield: 6-8 servings.

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Pollo Frito – Puerto Rican Fried Chicken

February 20, 2014 / / 2 Comments

Everyone loves fried chicken (at least almost everyone). It’s one of the few dishes that if you have kids in the house, won’t create any problems in terms of picky eaters. We Puerto Ricans have our own unique take on fried chicken. Our version is fairly simple, but it’s more seasoned compared to other recipes. We also have plain fried chicken where you can skip the flour and cook the chicken in butter or olive oil instead of vegetable oil. The recipe given here is the classic floured chicken which is ubiquitous (I love those $20 words) in the fried chicken universe. Paired with mashed potatoes, some green veggies, and a good bottle of wine, you can’t go wrong.

Let me get in a plug here. This recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books – Running Press). Actually, in that book I give two versions of  Puerto Rican fried chicken: one is with plain flour (as in the recipe below) and the second version is cooking the chicken in its marinade combined with bouillon or broth, lending to a more heady flavor. Want that recipe—buy the book.

POLLO FRITO
(Fried Chicken)

1 fryer chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds, cut into generous bite-sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place chicken in a bowl and rub with crushed garlic. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and onion powder. Rub seasoning well into chicken pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Mix to combine. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. It you really want strong flavors, refrigerate overnight.
3. Heat a generous amount of oil (1-inch to 1 1/2-inch deep) to medium temperature (about 340 degrees F.) in a heavy-bottomed pot, large skillet or deep fryer.
4. Remove chicken from marinade and dust lightly with flour. Use your hands to toss and coat each piece thoroughly.
5. Add chicken pieces to hot oil, a few at a time and deep-fry until golden brown and crisp (3 to 5 minutes). Remove and drain on absorbent paper towels. Serve piping hot.
    Yield: 4 servings.

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