Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: sauces (page 1 of 6)

LENTEJAS CON CHORIZO (Lentils with Sausage)

April 17, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our family we love lentils. Perhaps because they’re part of the group of beans and legumes; and we cook them in a similar fashion. For this recipe, if you can find fresh lentils, then go for it. If not, dried lentils work just as well.  The only difference comes at first sight: fresh lentils look similar to the dried variety except they’re slightly larger and greener. In our crowd we’ve had both, and both are just as good.

This recipe combines lentils with sausage, specifically the Spanish variety known as chorizo, which is sundried and flavored with smoked paprika and salt. At one time, back in the old days, this type of sausage could be found only in Hispanic markets or fancy food shops. I remember that, back in Sanish Harlem, you would go into the local bodega where the owner kept an open can of chorizo on the counter, and he would scoop out whatever amount was needed for each customer.  Today, you can get chorizo almost anywhere, be it your local grocer or supermarket. With this dish, we seldom used any other kind of sausage. Though I’m sure the recipe will work with almost any variety, even Libby’s sausage from the can.

Note that this recipe calls for aji dulce, or sweet chili peppers. These are not the hot variety; these are mild and have a pleasant taste and aroma. If, for some reason, you can’t find aji dulce, then you can skip them and cook the recipe as is. Yes, there have been times when we have been in places where this item could not be found—until the next time.

Let me add that this dish is not a quick fix. It takes time to prepare. That being, said, the results are well worth the effort. You’ll have an entrée that will satisfy everyone and will leave family, friends and guests vying to get the recipe.  They will sing your praises.

The main accompaniment to this entrée was, and is, rice, be it white or brown rice. Burt I’m sure you can pair it with your favorite grain be it couscous, quinoa, or even pasta. The choices are endless.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh lentils, or dried, soaked overnight
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 chorizo sausage, sliced into ¾-inch rounds
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peed and crushed
3 aji dulce (sweet chili peppers), seeded and chopped
6 fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
1 bay leave to taste
4½ cups water or broth (beef or chicken)

Instructions:

  1. If fresh, pick over lentils, discarding broken or shriveled ones. Rinse under cold running water.
  2.  Place lentils in a heavy pot, kettle or Dutch oven with 4½ cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on moderate-low heat for 45 minutes.
  3.  While lentils are cooking, heat oil in a skillet or frying pan. Add chorizo and cook over moderate until browned (about 5 minutes).
  4.  Add onion, garlic, aji dulce, cilantro, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Sauté another 5 minutes.
  5.  Add skillet contents to lentils. Check water level, adding more liquid if necessary. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened somewhat.
    Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

PATAS DE POLLO EN SALSA DE HONGO (Chicken Legs in a Mushroom Sauce)

April 9, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our family, back in Spanish Harlem, we loved chicken cooked with mushrooms. Usually, it   was a whole cut up chicken, seasoned and fried until browned, then cooked in a sauce. One variation was using chicken legs or thighs when available at the local bodega or supermarket.  And that’s what we’re preparing today: Patas de Pollo en Salsa de Hongo, or Chicken Legs in a Mushroom Sauce. Let me add that this recipe can work with drumsticks or breasts, or other chicken parts.

In terms of mushrooms, we used white mushroom combined with portobello. But you can use whatever variety you prefer, be it shitake, cremini, chanterelle or other. Just let your imagination run wild.

This is an easy enough recipe that we normally served with rice. This time we paired it with spaghetti, another variation popular in our family circle. If desired, you can try it out with a favorite grain like couscous or quinoa or even kasha. Whatever suits the palate.

PATAS DE POLLO EN SALSA DE HONGOS
(Chicken Legs in a Mushroom Sauce)

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs, about 3 pounds
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice thinly
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 red pepper (pimento), washed and sliced thinly
1-pound mushrooms of your choice, washed and sliced thinly
½ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon heavy cream

instructions:

  1. Rinse chicken legs under cold running pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Rub chicken with salt, pepper and oregano
  3. Heat olive oil in large skillet or frypan over medium heat.
  4. Add chicken legs and cook skin side down until well browned, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken and cook on opposite sides until browned, about 5 minutes longer.
  5. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent.
  6. Add red pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until they’re tender and browned.
  7. Mix chicken broth and cornstarch and add to skillet. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Not that, during this time, the mushroom will also release their moisture. That’s why we’re using only ½ cup liquid. If the sauce has not thickened enough, you can add more cornstarch mixed with water, if desired.
  8. Add cream, lower heat and cook until chicken legs are tender and soft, about 10-15 minutes more.
    Yield: 4 servings.

TOFU WITH ONIONS AND PIMENTO

April 7, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

One of our favorite vegetarian meals is Tofu with Onions and Pimento (pimientos, in Spanish). By pimento we mean bell peppers. In this case, red bell peppers. But you can use green or yellow pimentos if desired. This is a simple and elegant dish that goes great with the usual rice or noodles, be it Chinese noodles, soba noodles, or regular pasta like spaghetti or linguini. You have a great choice here. Take advantage of it.

Note that, when cooking tofu (or bean curd), it has to be prepared for cooking. That is, all the excess moisture has to be removed.  This is done by wrapping tofu in sheets of paper towels; putting something heavy on top such as a frying pan, which you can weight down further with cans and jars. Press for 30 minutes, or more. The tofu will be about 2/3 its original thickness and up to 100 milligrams of water will have been removed, approximately ½ cup. Tofu is naturally packaged in water to maintain freshness, but this excess water can make the tofu delicate and cause it to crumble during cooking. Removing excess moisture from tofu, especially before cooking, is crucial for achieving a firmer, chewier texture, and allowing the tofu to crisp up and absorb flavors better. 

TOFU WITH ONIONS AND PIMENTO

Ingredients:

1 pound package extra firm tofu, prepared for cooking (see above)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red or yellow onion, peeled and sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper (pimento), washed and sliced about ¾-inch thick
½ tablespoon corn starch
½ tablespoon soy sauce (or more, if desired)
¾ cup water or chicken broth

Instructions:

  1. After bean curd has been prepared, cut into 1-inch squares.
  2. In a large skillet, frypan or wok, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and transparent.  Stir in pimento. Cook for about 2 minutes and add tofu
  3.  Mix corn starch, soy sauce and water or broth. Pour over tofu. Cook and stir until well heated and sauce is thickened.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

BEETS IN SOUR CREAM AND MUSTARD SAUCE

April 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

“How can you eat any pudding if you don’t eat your beets?”
–=Pink Floyd, “The Wall.”

Beets is one of those vegetables you either love or hate. I’m in the former category. The beauty of beets is that you can doctor them up in many ways.  Want a Chinese version? Just add soy sauce. Want a classical French version? Just cook them in a basic whiter sauce. Or you can experiment and cook them in a mustard and sour cream sauce. As in the dish noted below. Even kids, who may hate beets, will like this one. Also, with this recipe you can pair it with whatever accompaniment you desire, be it rice, couscous or other grain. This time we paired the beets with kasha. These are toasted buckwheat groats, a naturally gluten-free grain that has a nutty flavor and is very popular in Eastern European and Jewish cuisines. So, in answer to Pink Floyd’s hit song, you can eat your pudding and have your beets too.

BEETS IN SOUR CREAM AND MUSTARD SAUCE

Ingredients:

1¼ to 1½ pounds fresh beets
Salt to taste
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon mustard, preferably Dijon
2 tablespoons white vinegar
½ cup sour cream, or more to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Wash beets and place them in a large pot or kettle. Note: Do not cut off the root end of the beets.
  2.  Add cold water to cover and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until tender. This may take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the size and age of the beets.
  3.  Drain the beets and let cool. When cool, trim off and discard the ends of the beets. Peel the beets and cut them about a ¼-inch thick or slightly smaller.
  4.  Place beet slices in a mixing bowl. Add onions. In a small bowl or large cup, combine the mustard, vinegar and sour cream, and blend well. Pour the mixture over the beets and toss well.
    Yield: 6 or more servings.

PESCADO EN SALSA DE CÚRCUMA (Fish Fillets in a Turmeric Sauce)

February 18, 2025 / / 0 Comments

In our culture we love fish cooked in a sauce. Usually it’s a plain lemon-butter sauce. But sometimes we like to experiment, like today’s entre, Pescado En Salsa de Cúrcuma, or Fish Fillets in a Turmeric Sauce. Simplicity itself: Just make a simple white sauce, add herbs and turmeric for richness and color; and bake the fillets in this wonderful concoction. The usual accompaniment to this dish is, you guessed it, rice. But you can pair it with pasta, like spaghetti or linguini, or penne and macaroni. The possibilities are endless This time around we paired it with wild rice, and it made for a delicious combo. For the wild rice, you cook it just like regular rice, by bringing the desired amount to a boil. Then lower heat, cover and simmer, just like rice. Except it takes longer to cook, 50 minutes or so. Its nutty, earthy flavor goes well with this fish dish.

Note that this recipe calls for water mixed with a chicken bouillon cube. You omit this step and substitute chicken broth, if you have it available.

PESCADO EN SALSA DE CÚRCUMA
(Fish Fillets in a Turmeric Sauce)

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets (cod, halibut, sea bass, tilapia, etc.), about 6-8 ounces each
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups water or more as needed
1 chicken bouillon cube
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon turmeric or more to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Melt butter in an ovenproof saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat.
  3. Whisk in flour to form a thick paste; cook and stir until golden in color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Whisk in water and chicken bouillon. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
  5. Stir in turmeric, and cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes or more. Add more water to reach desired consistency.
  6.  Add fish fillets, cover with sauce and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10-12 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

TORTELLINI IN TUNA SAUCE

February 13, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This is one of those recipes that was a spur of the moment creation. I had some tortellini on hand, as well as a can of tuna fish.  So, how could I combine these items into a delicious family meal? Simple: make a sauce with the tuna to complement the pasta. This time around the pasta was Cheese and Spinach Tortellini. But any preferred pasta will work with this dish be it the aforementioned tortellini, or any good string pasta like spaghetti, linguini, capellini, etc.  By the way, in Spanish this dish is known as Tortellini con Salsa de Atún. With a loaf of hefty bread and a good Chianti, or favorite wine, it makes for fabulous beggar’s banquet (if you want to call it that).

Now, here is where we go into the weeds of the thing. For this recipe, any good spaghetti or marinara sauce will do. As you may have noticed, canned or jar sauces have gotten less and less per volume. This is the manufacturer’s way, thieves that they are. to undercut volume and charge more. Splendid capitalism at work. Today it is hard to find a 16-ounce jar of anything. If you can get it, more power to you. If not, you’ll have to settle for 15.9-ounce jar. Just the way things are in our glorious republic. Also, for this recipe, I find it good and convenient to add a packet of Sazón. This is a spice blend that is very popular in Nuyorican cuisine. It adds flavor and color to a dish. You can find it in most Hispanic markets. Goya makes a good product, or you can also acquire Sa-zón Accent, another favored brand.

TORTELLINI IN TUNA SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 package tortellini: (12 or 16-oz.)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small or medium onion, peeled and copped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 jar marinara or spaghetti sauce (see above)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 packet Sazón (see above)
1 teaspoon capers

Instructions:

  1. Cook tortellini according to package directions.
  2.  While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet or frypan (we prefer cast iron) over medium heat.
  3.  Add onion and garlic and stir-fry until onion is soft and translucent.
  4.  Add marinara or spaghetti sauce. Season with salt, pepper and oregano.
  5.  Stir in Sazón and capers. Cook until heated through, about 5-8 minutes.
  6.  When tortellini has cooked, drain, place in a serving dish (or same pan you used for cooking). Pour sauce over pasta and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

MUSTARD- PARSLEY BUTTER FISH

January 14, 2025 / / 0 Comments

 

This recipe is a unique way of cooking fish. It’s a mustard-parley butter mix that will enhance fish fillets like never before. And it’s so simple to make. Friends and neighbors will marvel at your cooking expertise., But there’s Nothing difficult about the dish. Just your favorite fish fillets, or what you have on hand, baked in a sumptuous mustard-parsley butter sauce. You can even try this dish over a whole fish (as long as it’s scaled and cleaned). The results will be just as good.

Let me add that in Nuyorican cooking this dish goes well with rice. You can also pair it with pasta. This time we did it with kasha, or buckwheat groats. Kasha is a specialty in Jewish cuisine. I discovered it in my young manhood and have been a fan of kasha ever since. It’s quite easy to prepare: In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups water or chicken broth with 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup kasha, salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). This makes about 4 cups kasha. You can   always double the recipe for more servings.

MUSTARD-PARSLEY BUTTER FISH

Ingredients:

4 white fish fillets (cod, turbot, halibut, whiting, flounder, etc.)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Juice of ½ lemon (or to taste) |
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F,
  2.  In a blender or food processor, combine butter, mustard and parsley. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cream together until smooth and of spreading consistency.
  3.  Place fish filles in an oven proof dish (we prefer cast-iron). Spread mustard-parsley butter mix over fish and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately
    Yield: 4 servings.

SPAINACH WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

September 9, 2024 / / 0 Comments

I’ve been on a spinach kick lately. I had a knee injury recently and my better half thinks that’s the reason I crave spinach (no, it’s not a Popeye thing). It’s because spinach is rich in calcium, which my body sorely needs at this point. Be it as it may, I’ve been experimenting with spinach recipes and I came up with this one: Spinach in a Blue Cheese Sauce. We had some blue cheese which I usually pair with pasta and thought, why not do the same with spinach? It worked out perfectly. A dish rich in a cheesy sauce that goes great with rice, couscous, kasha, or whatever grain you prefer. This time we serve it with farfalle, also known as bow tie noodles, and it was a delicious, festive meal.

So, enjoy this one. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a rich, colorful entrée. Kids will especially like it.

 

SPINACH WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound baby spinach leaves of fresh spinach washed and large stems trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon dry white wine (optional)
Cherry tomatoes, slice in half, for garnish

 

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until soft, about 2 minutes.
  2.  Add spinach salt, pepper, oregano and blue cheese. Cook, stirring constantly until spinach is wilted and cheese melts and forms a sauce, ., about 3 minutes. If you prefer a lighter sauce, you can add 1 teaspoon dry white wine. If prefer a thicker sauce, add more cheese.
  3.  Serve spinach and sauce over favorite grain or pasta, garnished with cherry tomatoes. As noted above, this time we did it with bow tie noodles.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

SAUCY BREADED LAMB CHOPS

September 3, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This recipe is simply breaded lamb chops cooked in a sauce, thus I call it Saucy Breaded Lamb Chops. Again, my own innovation. I had some lamb chops on hand and needed to invent a quick meal. Noting special here. Just lamb chops, flour for breading and eggs to coat the thing. The result was, well, marvelous. A delicious entrée or luncheon that goes well with your favorite grain, be it rice, couscous, millet or farro (as noted before, a type of ancient wheat grain popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine). With this dish, even pasta goes well with it.

Note that in this recipe I used bone round lamb chops. But you can use lamb rib chops, which is considered by many the most prized cut of lamb (and the most expensive). Or lamb loin chops, the equivalent of T-bone beef steak and very juicy. Most prefer lamb shoulder chops, Which are the most economical version. While not as tender as rib chops, if they are will seasoned (as we like it in Nuyorican cuisine) and slow cooked, they offer great taste and very good lamb flavor. You’re the boss, so pick what suits you best in terns of economics and preference.

Whichever cut of lamb you choose, with this dish you can’t go wrong.  It will impress family and friends. And leave them hankering for more.

SAUCY BREADED LAMB CHOPS

Ingredients:

4 lamb chops, preferably round bone, about 12 oz. each
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon dried chives
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
5 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup water
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons dry wine (red or white)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse lamb chops under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Season them well with the salt, pepper, oregano and chives. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil
  3. Dip each chops into beaten eggs and then press them in the flour to coat.
  4. Heat the reaming 3 teaspoons olive oil in a large frypan or skillet. Add lamb chops and cook 3-4 minutes per side.
  5. Mix flour and water and add to skillet, along with the wine. Cover and cook 4 minutes more or until done. You can cook them a little longer if you wan them well done.
    Yield: 4 servings.

FISH FILLETS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

July 31, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Fish fillets in sauce have always been a Nuyorican staple. Not so much  back on the island of Puerto Rico. This is something  that was appropriated by Boricua cuisine when they came to the mainland U.S. Honestly, I don’t recall fish with  sauce dishes when I was growing up back in Spanish Harlem. It was normally fried fish or in stews. But as our palate expanded, sauces began to be incorporated. So, today, fish in a sauce is one of our favorite takes on cooking seafood.

The rendition given is fish in a mushroom sauce. Now, this could be a whole fish, cleaned and scaled (with head intact) or with fish fillets, as in this recipe. In some variations, the fish can be steamed or, as we do it today, poached in a little water. The mushroom sauce is easy to prepare. All you do is sauté onions in butter, add some shallots and mushrooms. Then, when mushrooms have wilted, blend them in a blender or food and stir in some cream.  Simple, easy and delicious. This time around we serve the fish and sauce with quinoa. But you can use  rice, couscous, or even pasta, Whichever side dish you choose, it makes for a memorable meal.

FISH FILLETS IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless fish fillets such as cod, striped bass, turbot, haddock, whitefish, tilapia or snapper, about 1-inch thick, about 3 pounds
1 cup water
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
¼ pound mushrooms, washed and cut into thin slices
Salt and black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼  cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a large saucepan or skillet, place fish fillets. They could be layered if they all don’t fit in the saucepan. Add  cup water, bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and cook  for 5-8  minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Carefully remove the fish with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3.  Heat 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet or saucepan. Add shallots and cook over medium heat until wilted
  4.  Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Cook, stirring until wilted. Add the wine and simmer, uncovered, for about 3  minutes.
  5.  Put the mushroom mixture into a food processor or blender and blend thoroughly. Return to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Swirl in the remaining butter and stir in the cream.
  6.  Transfer fish to a warmed serving platter, add mushroom sauce and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

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