Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: sauces (page 1 of 8)

CARAMELIZED ONION-CURRY SAUCE

November 25, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This is a fabulous easy to prepare sauce that will win raves from everyone in your circle. That is assured. And it goes great with vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, vel or, as we did it, with lamb. You have an all-purpose sauce for any occasion. The onion mixed with curry is a godsend. Makes me wonder, why didn’t think of this? The onion is browned and combined with the curry to give it  a smooth delectable taste and texture. So, go at it, my friends. You won’t be disappointed.

CARAMELIZED ONION-CURRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup peeled and sliced onion
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup chicken broth
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoons water
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet or frypan heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
  2. Stir in curry powder, lower neat and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
  3. Cook sauce, stirring occasional for about 5 minutes or until it has been reduced by 1/3.
  4. In a cup or small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in the water. Remove sauce from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Make sure it is thoroughly mixed into sauce.
  5.  Return sauce to heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Lower heat and cook for 2 minutes.
  6.  Add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
    Yield: 4 serving servings (makes about 1 cup)

PARSNIP STIR-FRY

November 11, 2025 / / 0 Comments

It’s wintertime here in the northeast, and if you’re seeking vegetables, you have to go with what you’re got. So, I came across parsnips in the local market. For the record, I normally do not cook parsnips. I do know that it’s a comestible you either love or hate. But it’s a winner—if it is done properly.  Like the way we did it, in a sauce.

I decided to stir-fry the bunch of parsnips I got. Parsnips can also be boiled or roasted. But, to me, stir-frying brings out its natural flavor. They become sweet and delicious when prepared this way. And we served them with bucatini, a hardy string pasta. But you can use spaghetti, or tubular pasta like macaroni or penne. Or skip the pasta and use rice, or couscous. Whatever you decide, you can’t go wrong with this marvelous root vegetable. Also, I added raisins to this recipe. That gives parsnips an added dimension that enliven the taste buds.

Note that there are about 4 medium parsnips in a pound. Thus, to be on the safe side, figured two pounds should be enough for a dinner of 4-6 people. Again, use your judgment and common sense. Do not be troubled, the recipe will come out delicious and memorable. Even those who hate parsnips, and by that I mean kids, will come out loving this dish.

PARSNIP STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

2 pounds parsnips (about 8 medium-sized to large parsnips)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 cup water or broth (either chicken or beef, your choice)
Salt to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ ground coriander
¼  teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black raisins

Instructions:

  1. Peel parsnips and slice into bite-sized pieces, either rounds or matchsticks, you’re choice. Be aware that rounds will take longer to cook, where matchsticks will be done sooner.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large fry pan or skillet.
  3. Add Parsnips and garlic, and stir-fry until parsnips are slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add water or broth, salt, oregano, coriander, turmeric and raisins. Cover, lower heat and simmer until parsnip’s are soft and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. This is where their juices and sweetness will become apparent. Also, while cooking, you can add a little more water, mixed with cornstarch, if the sauce is too thin.
    Yield: 4-6 servings

 

BÓCOLI CON CURRY (Curried Broccoli)

November 6, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Recently I had some vegetarian friends over for dinner. Being a meat eater, I asked myself, “What the hell do I do now?” Luckily, I had some broccoli on hand and then I thought, how about how about doing a curry sauce with it? Thus, was born Brócoli con Curry, or Curried Broccoli. Think of it as a new take on Nuyorican cuisine. Let me add that the perfect accompaniment to this dish is rice; but you can substitute couscous, quinoa or pasta, either tubular like penne or string like spaghetti or linguini. The choice is endless. I think you’re gonna like this one.

BRÓCOLI CON CURRY
(Curried Broccoli)

Ingredients:

1 medium to large head of broccoli, about 2 pounds (can use frozen if can’t find fresh)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1½ cups broth or water
1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse broccoli under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into florets.
  2. Heat oil in large skillet or frypan over medium -high heat
  3.  Add onion and garlic and stir-fry until onion is soft and translucent.
  4.  Mix water with curry powder and add to broccoli. Stir to mix, cover, lower heat and cook until broccoli is tender, about 7 minutes.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

INDIAN LAMB

October 9, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our crowd, lamb has always been a favorite. So, I’m always on the lookout for good lamb dishes. Thias recipe, Indian Lamb, I got years ago. I can’t recall from whom, but it’s been a favorite in our repertoire ever since. It contains all the popular Indian spices we’ve come to know and love. We normally serve this dish with rice, as we did this time with parsley rice. Burt you can substitute couscous, quinoa or eben pasta such as orzo. No telling what you can pair with this dish. Or you can sreve it, as traditional done in India with pita bread and cucumber-yogurt salad. The possibilities are infinite. Enjoy this one.

Let me add that this dish is spicy, that’s how we like ity. But, if you want it less spicy, cut the curry powder to just one teaspoon.

INDIAN LAMB

Ingredients:

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, peeled and minced or 2 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 bay leaf
4 loin lamb chops (3 ounces or more, 1-inch thick) can substitute rib lamb chops
salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ cup water
½ cup raisins
1 teaspoon flour
1 cup chicken or beef broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Rinse chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  In a large deep skillet or frypan. heat olive over medium-high heat.
  3. Add onions and garlic and stir-fry until onion is soft, about 3-4 minutes.
  4.  Stir in ginger, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon and bay leaf. Cook 2 minutes.
  5. Add lamb, salt and prepper. Cook until brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  6.  Add water and raisins. Brin water to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about20 minutes.
  7.  While lamb is coming, in a small saucepan, whisk together flour and broth, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens.  Add to lamb along with the cream. Cook a couple of minutes more to serving temperature. Srev with your faborite side dish.
    Yield: $ servings.

LETTUCE-TOMATO TUNA SAUCE

September 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This is one of those meals that came out of necessity. I had some lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, and what could I do with them besides making an ordinary salad??  Simple, combine them with some canned tuna fish I had in the cupboard, and create a fabulous sauce. Now, this is not your typical salad or sauce. In this recipe I added one of the archetypical Nuyorican seasonings: Sasón Accent.  This is an ingredient that can be found in any Latino market or specialty store. These days you can even find it in your local supermarket. Goya foods make a good Sasón. All you do is combine it with water or chicken broth along with cornstarch as a thickener and add it to the sauce. Note that, if for some reason, the sauce is still too thin or too thick, you can add more cornstarch or water as desired.

For the recipe given you can use whatever lettuce you have on hand. It can looseleaf, chicory, romaine, escarole, arugula, even iceberg. Whatever you can find, as long as its fresh is okay.

Let me add that with canned tuna, the weight factor may depend on the brand. Some cans are 4 ounces, some are 4.5 ounces, and others are 5 ounces. The ones I used, Natural Catch White Albacore Tuna Fillets were 4.5 ounces. That was good enough for us. By the way, we served this sauce over linguine, and it was a perfect match, You’re the boss. You can pair it with rice, couscous or, serve by itself with a good crusty loaf of bread. Whichever you choose, the result will be magnificent.

LETTUCE-TOMATO TUNE SALAD

Ingredients:

1 large head lettuce of your choice (see above)
2 medium-sized tomatoes, washed and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cans tuna, preferably albacore
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ cup water or chicken broth
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 packet Sasón (see above)

Instructions:

  1. Wash lettuce leaves under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Finally, coarsely chop the lettuce.
  2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan or frypan over medium-high heat,
  3. Add lettuce and tomatoes and cook until lettuce is wilted,
  4. Stir in tuna. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
  5. In a cup, combine water or chicken broth with cornstarch and Sason mix.  Add it to the sauce. Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently until desired consistency, and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

ASIAN BROCCOLI

July 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I call this recipe “Asian Broccoli” simply because it’s broccoli in a white sauce, to which we add soy sauce and sesame oil.  Nothing could be more satisfying. Apart from the aforementioned soy sauce and sesame oil, I also included onion and garlic to give the sauce more heft. Keeping the Asian theme in mind, I served it with Lo Mein noodles. The dish came out great! If desired, you can substitute any string pasta such as spaghetti, linguini, capellini or angel hair for the Lo Mein noodles. Whatever accompaniment you use, you have a simple yet sumptuous meal to please any palate—even finicky kids who “hate broccoli.”

ASIAN BROCCOLI

Ingredients:

I packager (12oz. to 1 pound) Lo Mein Noodles
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
1 cup milk (can use whole milk or 2% fat milk)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 head broccoli (about 9 oz.) with florets and stems cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions:

  1. First, you boil the Lo Mein noodles. However, there are two types: Pre-cooked and Uncooked. With uncooked Lo Main noodles, you rinsed them in a colander and then boil them for 3 minutes in boiling water. It’s best to cook them until they are al dente, meaning they are cooked through but still have a slight firmness. With pre-cooked, I still boil them for a minute or so. Thal’s just my thing. Some folks just run them under warm water before cooking. Use what suits you best. Drain in a colander, set aside and keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper and oregano, Stir until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil and cook about 1 minute more.
  4. Add broccoli stems and cook for 2 minutes. Add the florets and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste to determine if it’s tender enough. It might need a little more cooking time. You decide, especially when you see that bright green color capture your imagination. Serve over Lio Mein noodles.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

 

CHULETAS FRITO (Fried Pork Chops)

July 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Who doesn’t like pan-fried pork chops?  Unless you’re a vegetarian, that is. Back on the block in Spanish Harlem, pork chops were a very common staple. Why? At the time they were cheap, and easy to prepare. The recipe today follows that vein. It harks back to what we had in olden days. And normally the chops were served with rice. This time around we had them with potatoes. These can be boiled or baked, your choice. The sauce rendered by the pork chops makes a great glaze for the potatoes. Nothing else is needed. So, bring the lowly pork chop to prominence with this dish.  You won’t be disappointed. In fact, you’ll love the suckers.

In the old days, we would cook the chops for about 40 minutes. That is no longer the case. You do not want the chops to be overcooked and rubbery. For this recipe, cooking time is about 18-20 minutes. If you’re still not sure, just use a meat thermometer. The meat should register 140 to 145 degrees F. As for preference, in this dish we recommend boneless pork chops. You can use bone-in, if desired, but it may take maybe about 5 minutes more to cook. Again, just use a meat thermometer to be sure.

Also, some folks like to add 2 Tablespoons wine at the last minute over high heat. Supposedly, it adds a richer flavor. The wine used is open to question. It could be a red wine, sweet or dry, or white wine, again sweet or dry. This is an individual option left up to the cook. Your choice. You’re the boss.

CHULETAS FRITO
(Fried Pork Chops)

Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops cut about 1-inch thick, about 10 ounces each
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon marjoram
1 small to medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rounds
½ stick butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon cumin (cumino, in Spanish)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse pork chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place the pork chops on a large plate. Prick the chops all over with a fork, about 1/8 inch deep. Flip the pork chops and repeat pricking the other side.
  3. Rub each chop thoroughly with the pepper, salt, garlic, oregano, and marjoram.
  4. Place chops in a heavy skillet or frying pan (we prefer cast-iron) and brown over moderate heat on both sides, about 4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown.
  5. Add onion, cover and cook about 5 minutes.
  6. Add butter, olive oil, and cumin. Cover and cook about 5-7 minutes (or until chops reach 140-to-145-degrees F).
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

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ZUCCHIN IN A CREAM SAUCE

June 27, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Back in 07/27/22 I posted a recipe titled, Salade à la Crѐme. It’s just a basic cream sauce from French continental cuisine, and it’s normally served over Boston or Bibb lettuce. So, I thought, why not try it with zucchini, one of our favorite vegetables? Indeed, why not? Particularly now that summer is upon us and, let’s be honest, if you live on the east Coast or in the heartland the weather has been, well, awful. Some places have reach temps in triple digits. A nice salad is the recommendation in such circumstances. Especially a salad that’s easy to prepare, cool and soothing. So, here it is, a Nuyorican treat, Ensalada de Zucchini con Salsa de Crema, or Zucchini in a Cream Sauce since that’s just what it is. Want to impress family and friends then say it’s Zucchini in Salade à la Crème. Whatever.  In this one you can experiment with any other favorite vegetable beside zucchini.  It is a recipe of convenience.  And forget about heating up the stove. You most likely have all the ingredients you need in your fridge or cupboard. With a good loaf of bread and some chill white wine, or beer, it’s a dish tailor-made for a sulfurous day, or any day for that matter.

ENSALADA DE ZUCCHINI EN SALSA DE CREMA
(Zucchini in a Cream Sauce)

Ingredients:

3 small to medium zucchini
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 teaspoons wine vinegar
5 tablespoon heavy cream
3 tablespoons peanut oil

Instructions:

  1. Wash zucchini under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Do not peel.
  2.  Cut into thin round slices. I find that, for this, a simple handheld slice cutter works best than trying to cut individual slices with a kitchen knife. Use what suits best. Place zucchini in a salad plate, set aside.
  3.  In a small bowl or cup, combine the pepper, salt, vinegar and cream. Beat with a whisk for 20 seconds. The mixture should be creamy and foamy.
  4. Add the peanut oil and mix with a spoon to blend. Drizzle or pour overf the zucchini slices and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

SOY SAUCE TOFU

June 23, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This dish is just tofu with soy sauce.  We could just call it that, but my wife thought that Soy Sauce Tofu was a snazzier title. So, we’re going with that. When using tofu, it is a good idea to press the tofu before cooking. Pressing tofu removes excess water leading to a firmer texture and better Absorbtion of flavors. This is especially good for stir-fried dishes, like the one we’re preparing today. My experience has been that, if you don’t press the excess liquid out of the tofu, when cooking, it will crumble.  With this dish you don’t want that. You want crisp and firm cubes with a dryer texture. Pressing is an easy enough process: Just remove the tofu from its package and drain liquid.  Next, wash the tofu and place in a double layer of paper towels. Then put wrapped tofu on a plate atop a cutting board with a heavy weight on top, such as a cast-iron skillet or heavy books, or stack of cans. Allow tofu to press for at least 30 minutes or preferably up to an hour or more. Note that the longer you press the tofu, the more water you’ll remove, which is what you want.  Finally, remove the weight and cook per recipe instructions. For this process I like to use extra-firm tofu. This variety is denser and holds its shape better during pressing. 

This time around we served this dish with spaghetti. But any other ringed or tubular pasta will do, as well as any good grain like rice, couscous or quinoa. As stated many times before, with regard to Nuyorican cooking (or any good cuisine), the possibilities are endless.

SOY SAUCE TOFU

Ingredients:

2 (14-oz) block extra tofu
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup back olives, sliced in half

Instructions:

  1. Press tofu as instructed above and then cut into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Dredge tofu in flour seasoned with pepper, oregano and garlic.
  3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, frypan or wok
  4. Add tofu and stir-fry until golden, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in soy sauce and olives and cook 3 minutes.
  6. Add wine and cook 2 minutes more.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

SALMON STEAK WITH CHEESE SAUCE

June 16, 2025 / / 0 Comments

A dish that is rich and delicious: Salmon Steak in a Cheese Sauce. And when I say rich, I mean salmon in a succulent sauce that even finnicky kids will like. The recipe is simple enough, season salmon steaks with salt, pepper and oregano. Then bake for 15-20 minutes. While the fish is baking, make the cheese sauce. Then serve the fish with the sauce. That’s it. A piece of cake, as they use to say in the old days. So, go at it. Amaze everyone with this delight.

Ingredients:

4 fresh or frozen salmon steaks, about 1-inch thick
Salt to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ cup butter
1 small onion, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons minced parsley

For sauce:
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 package (8-oz.) American cheese, diced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Wash salmon steaks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  Sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper and oregano. Place side by side in a greased shallow baking pan or skillet (we prefer cast-iron, but that’s relative).
  4. In a small bowl, combine butter, onion and parsley; and spread over salmon. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes if fresh. Or bake 20-30 minutes if frozen.
  5.  Meanwhile, while fish is baking, melt butter in a saucepan, and stir in flour. Gradually add milk. and stir constantly over low heat until sauce bubbles and thickens.
  6.  Gradually stir in cheese until sauce is smooth.
  7.  Stir in Worcestershire sauce, and serve salmon topped with the cheese sauce.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

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