Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: sauces (page 2 of 7)

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.

 

PECHUGA DE OLLO CON CREMA (Chicken Breasts with Cream)

July 18, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

We call this recipe, Pechuga de Pollo con Crema, or Chicken Breasts with Cream (or Chicken Breasts in  Cream Sauce). As you  can imagine, the cream is what gives this dish its pizzazz, or glamor. It’s a simple enough recipe: floured chicken breasts cooked in lots of heavy cream. In our Nuyorican version,  we do not pound the chicken breasts until they are relatively thin. That is something that our Italian brethren do. We like the suckers ample and meaty. As with most Boricua dishes, we usually serve this over rice. But you can substitute pasta, couscous, farro or favorite grain. In fact, it can also be a stand-alone dish with a hefty loaf of bread or bread buns. Your choice. Either way, everyone present at the table will love it (except for vegetarians or vegans, of course).

PECHUGA DE POLLO CON CTREMA
(Chicken Breasts with Cream)

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts
½ cup flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¾ teaspoon oregano
¼ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons dry sherry

Instructions:

  1. Slice or split each chicken breasts into 4 fillets.
  2. In a large plate or platter, season the flour with salt, pepper and oregano. Dip or dredge each chicken piece into seasoned flour.
  3. Heat oil in a large frypan or skillet. Add chicken fillets and fry on medium heat until tender and brow. Depending on size of skillet you may have to do this in batches. Remover to a hot serving dish and set aside.
  4.  Remove all fat from the skillet except for  2 tablespoons. Add chicken broth and cream, stirring until thickened.
  5.  Add dry sherry and cook  2 minutes longer.
  6.  Add chicken and mix with sauce until heated through. Serve immediately with favorite grain or pasta, either tubular or stringed.
    Yield: 4 servings.

CHICKEN PICCATA WITH ARTICHOKES

July 12, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Chicken piccata is nothing more than chicken breast cutlets, dredged in flour, browned, and served with a sauce of butter, lemon juice, capers, and either stock or white wine. It’s a dish that I love because of its piquant taste. For all you purists out there, piquant means food that has  a pleasant spicy taste.  With Piccata it’s a sharp taste and appetizing flavor. Being contrary, I attribute this to the lemon in the recipe. To me, chicken piccata means lemon piccata.

What I like about this recipe is that it includes another of my favorites: artichokes. It makes for a pleasing and delicious combination. And it’s great over orzo or any other small pasta shape for soaking up the delicious sauce. We did it, this time, over ditalini,  also referred to as tubettini because it’s shaped like a small tube. In some quarters it’s also known as “salad macaroni.” In my culture i.e. Nuyorican cuisine, it would undoubtedly be served over rice.

Let me add, giving credit where credit is due, this recipe comes Chicken Night (Weldon Owen , Inc.. 2014) by Kate Mcmillan

CHICKEN PICCATA WITH ARTICHOKES

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1½ pounds
½ cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jar artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and quartered
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

  1. Cut chicken breasts in half through the thickness (as if you were going to open it like a book, but cut all the way through). Working 1 half at a time, place chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound  with the flat side of a meat pounder or other flat-topped heavy metal object to a thickness of about ¼ inch.
  2.  Pour the flour onto a large plate and season it well with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding, add the chicken and cook, turning once until golden brown on both sides and opaque throughout, about 4 minutes per side.
  3.  Return frying pan to medium-high heat; do not wipe the pan clean. Melt one tablespoon of the butter in the remaining one tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and artichoke hearts and sauté until garlic is soft, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, lemon juice and capers, Reduce heat to medium, bring to a gentle simmer, and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, stirring until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Return chicken to the pan and turn to coat each piece with the sauce. Cook just until is warmed  through,  about 2 minutes. Serve right away.
    Servings: 6

 

ALBONDIGAS GUISADA EN SALSA (Meaatballs cooked in Sauce)

April 12, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

We all are familiar with meatballs, especially when paired with spaghetti.  In Nuyorican cuisine we also have our version of meatballs, or Albondigas Guisadas en Salsa i.e. Meatballs Cooked in Sauce. Most of the time we serve this dish with rice or potatoes. In some recipes, a lot of what we call criollo items are added such as pimentos (sweet bell peppers), Spanish olives, chili peppers, cilantro, etc. In the version given below, we keep it simple: stewed in tomato sauce.

This recipe calls for beef. You can substitute ground pork or lamb. If you’re health conscious, you can use ground turkey or chicken. Whatever  meat you use, it’s a very delicious dish.

Note that in this recipe we include sofrito, that aromatic mix of herbs and spices common to Puerto Rican cooking. In this blog, back in 11/08/10, I posted a sofrito recipe. You can also access a sofrito video I did on 07/10/14. If that’s too much of a bother, you can just sauté 1 teaspoon of turmeric in 2 teaspoons olive oil and add to the recipe. Or simply substitute a packet of Goya Sazόn or Sa-zόn Accent, an ingredient you can find these days in most supermarkets.

ALBONDIGAS GUSISADA EN SALSA
(Meatballs Cooked in sauce)

Ingredients:

1½ pounds lean ground beef
8 whole black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
1 egg lightly beaten
½ cup flour
Vegetable oil for frying (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons sofrito (see above)
1 cup tomato sauce

Instructions:

  1. Place meat in a bowl.
  2. In a mortar, crush peppercorns, garlic, oregano and salt. Blend in olive oil and vinegar.
  3. Add spices to the meat, along with bread crumbs and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Form meatballs into balls. (Note: we like large meatballs. I mean the size of Spauldings.  If you’re more conservative in your tastes, you can make the meatballs spoonful size).
  5. Coat balls with flour.
  6. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil, add meatballs and cook evenly over medium-high heat until brown (about 10 minutes). Cover, remove from heat and set aside.
  7. In a small saucepan, sauté the sofrito over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Lower heat, add tomato sauce and simmer, covered, about 5 minutes,
  8. Return meatballs to stove. Add tomato sauce and cook over medium heat, covered, for 15 minutes.
    Yield: 6 servings.
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