Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: sauces (page 5 of 8)

FISH FILLETS WITH ONION SAUCE

December 20, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I had some fish fillets om hand and I needed a quicky recipe. So, I created this gem:, pouched fish fillets in an onion sauce. Now, for some explanation: Poaching is a cooking technique that involves heating food submerged in a liquid, such as water, milk, stock or wine. Poaching is differentiated from the other “moist heat” cooking methods, such as simmering and boiling; and ii uses a relatively lower temperature. There are three basic methods for poaching; shallow, submerge, or deep-poaching. Fish fillets are excellent for poaching. In the recipe given I used the shallow water cooking method. I also decided to use a good, easy and quick to prepare sauce to go with the fish. Onion Sauce came to mind, and it worked out pretty good.

The recipe itself  is multifaceted in that it can be served with pasta, a grain ( like rice, couscous, quinoa) or like we did it this time, with kasha (buckwheat groats).  Thanks to my Jewish Brethren, I’ve developed a fondness for kasha.

FISH FILLETS WITH ONION SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets of your choice, about 6-8 ounces each
½ cup white wine
8 whole peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. Wash fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place all the ingredients, except the fish, in a large skillet and add at least 2 inches of water. Heat the water on medium high heat until it is steaming. The water should be moving around but not bubbling.
  3.  Slide the fillets into the water. reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook approximately 8-10 minutes to poach. The pouching time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Once the fillets are tender to your satisfaction, carefully remove the fish to a serving dish or platter, using a slotted spatula. Serve immediately with Onion Sauce (recipe given below).
    Yield: 4 servings.

ONION SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 onions, peeled and slice thinly in circles
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
2 vegetable  bouillon cubes
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden.
  2.  Add flour, bouillon cubes and water. Turn heat to low and blend, stirring constantly until sauce has a smooth, gravy-like consistency.
  3.  Pour sauce over fillets, garnish with parsley and serve

 

 

BUTTER SAUCE (Sauce Bátarde)

December 5, 2022 / / 0 Comments

We are fortunate that there is an open air market nearby where a Mexican family sells home-made prepared tamales. We love the suckers. Recently, we bought a batch but then considered, normally we have the tamales with a spicy salsa or a marinara sauce. We thought, why not have something different this time? What would be a good sauce that would accompany the tamales?  The answer was immediate: how about a nice butter sauce? One of the tastiest butter sauce I know is sauce bátarde from the classic French canon of sauces. It’s mainly a hot, thick simple sauce that is usually served with vegetables and boiled fish. And it was delicious when combined with the tamales.

You’re not limited with this butter sauce. I’ve had it over chicken, venison, even steak. To me, it’s an all-purpose sauce, easy to make and simply delicious.

BUTTER SAUCE
(Sauce Bátarde)

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cold water
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups warm water, lightly salted
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Put the egg yolks into a bowl with the cold water. With a fork or a whisk, beat the mixture until it is smooth. Set aside.
  2.  In a heavy  saucepan or skillet over low heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add flour and stir until the mixture begins to bubble. Take the pan from the heat and add the lightly salted warm water, whisking rapidly. Return the pan to the heat and continue whisking until the mixture boils. Remove the pan, allow the mixture to cool for at least a minute, then add the beaten egg yolks. Return the pan to the heat and continue whisking until the sauce thickens slightly. Do not allow the sauce to boil.
  3.  Again remove the pan from heat, pour in the lemon juice, add the rest of the butter and whisk steadily until it is combined with the sauce. Serve immediately.
    Yield: about 2 cups sauce.

RERFIED BEANS WITH SAUSAGE (Nuyorican Style)

November 9, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I’ve always had a palate for Mexican refried beans. Mainly because it’s not something common to Puerto Rican cuisine. Thus the thought of refried beans has always intrigued me. Which set me to thinking? What if I made my own version  of it? A Nuyorican version? And why not?  So, here is my version of refried beans with sausages. That’s right. I’ve added sausage to it. Basically, spicy Spanish chorizo sausage which is a stable in  our cooking. For the recipe given, you can use any sausage you prefer, even turkey or chicken . I’m not a stickler to any rules here. Use what you like. The idea is to prepare something good and Nutritious.

Another innovation is that we used white beans for the dish. Mexican refried beans usually consist of pinto beans or black beans. I just figured most beans varieties could be refried. So I tried the white beans and they came out great.

In my culture we usually serve beans with rice. My Mexican brethren also serve refried beans with rice. But they also enjoy it with chips or in a burrito. Following that line of thought, this dish is so good that we serve it by itself with crusty bread. And we do not add chili powder like in some recipes. Remember, this is the Nuyorican version (and we don’t use chili powder) but, if you want, go right ahead and put some in while the beans are simmering. Your choice.

Also, you may like wine with dinner; but refried beans is the type of dish that goes great with beer.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup white beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup grated cheese of your choice

Instructions:

  1. Place Beans in a large pot (preferably cast iron) with water to cover with water by 2 inches. Cover and let soak overnight.
  2. Next day, drain beans, put them back in pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are softened.
  3. Use a colander to transfer the liquid from the beans, but reserve the liquid. Heat oil in the same pot (or a large skillet), add the grated cheese. Mix to combine. Add ¼ cup reserved water from the broth and gently smash the beans with a potato masher or fork until you get the right texture. The beans should have the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. Add more bean broth liquid if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed by adding more salt or pepper.

While beans are cooking, prepare sausage

Ingredients:

 2 chorizo sausages, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

 Instructions:

1.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté sausage until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
2.Add onion and oregano and stir fry for 5 minutes more, turning frequently.
3.Add to fried beans. Stir to mix, and serve immediately.
Yield: 4-6 servings

BROCOLI CON SALSA (Sauced Broccoli)

November 7, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Back in the Barrio, when times were lean, Brocoli con Salsa was a cheapy weekday dinner. Basically it’s broccoli cooked with tomato sauce and spices. Depending on where you came from, it was also called Brocoli Guisado (stewed broccoli). Normally, in our family, we served it with rice. Once in a while we substituted spaghetti for the rice. In the version given below we served it with penne pasta and black olives, topped with grated cheese. Let me add you can substitute any preferred pasta be it noodles or shells. Your choice. The dish makes for an inexpensive and filling vegetarian dinner that even carnivores will love. We’ve come a long ways from Spanish Harlem but this dish, then and now, is a winner. With some crusty bread and a good wine, preferably Chianti, it can’t be beat.

Note that this dish includes that archetypical Puerto Rican flavoring, sofrito. Today you can find sofrito in almost any store or supermarket. It’s become ubiquitous. In our family, we still make it from scratch. If you need a good recipe, you can go to my post of 11/08/10, or my video on Spanish Rice (07/11/14). If all else fails, then substitute 2 teaspoons turmeric and add a chicken bouillon cube to the sauce.

BROCOLI CON SALSA
(Sauced Broccoli)

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh broccoli
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
9 whole black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2½  cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sofrito
½ cup black olives, halved
Grated Parmesan cheese or cheese of choice

Instructions:

  1. Wash broccoli under cold running water.
  2. Curt off the florets and chop the top half of the stems into small bite-sized pieces.
  3.  Put garlic, oregano, peppercorns and salt in a mortar. Pound with a pestle until crushed. Add olive oil and mix thoroughly.
  4. Add seasoning and broccoli to a large skillet or frying pan. Stir fry for 2 minutes over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons water and cook for 3 minutes more or until water evaporates.
  5.  Add tomato sauce and stir in sofrito. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover pan and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
  6.  Add olives, stir to combine, and serve immediately with penne or rice. If using pasta, top with grated cheese.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

STEAMED MUSSELS PROVENÇAL

October 5, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Steamed mussels is a very popular dish in the Mediterranean. To be honest, back in Spanish Harlem, we never had mussels as a dinner dish. We had it in sandwiches, yes, sandwiches. Figurer that one out. It  wasn’t until my early manhood that I enjoyed steamed mussels. And invariably it was Provençal style. That is, infused in a broth with olive oil, garlic, onions, tomatoes, and a host of other herbs. The mussels are steamed in their own juices and served with crusty bread. In the recipe given, we serve them with fresh spinach, braised in the broth in which the mussels are steamed. Another good aspect of this dish is that leftover broth can be used as a base for a cream sauce for fish,  poultry or even steak.

Today we are fortunate that most markets have mussels that come already cleaned. So, you don’t have to spend time cleaning the suckers .But if you are not fortunate enough to get mussels already set, then you will have to go through the ritual of removing all the barnacles, seaweed material and sand from the shells. Then you will have to scrape off the “beards” from the barnacles with a clam knife or any bunt-edged knife. Afterward, you put the mussels in a deep bowl and cover them with cool water. It’s good to agitate them with your hands for 30 seconds or so. Finally you drain them well and discard the water.  You repeat this until the water is clear. Discard any mussels that open  before it is cooked.

Admittedly, the above procedure is a pain in the you-know-what. But, as stated, you’ll probably find cleaned and prepared mussels in most  markets.  Something that makes it all easier.

One of the great things about mussels is that you can use whatever variety of seasonings you desire. In French cuisine, the favorite ingredients are white wine and shallots, that’s it. As for myself,  I like to liven them up with whatever herbs and seasonings I have in the cupboard. So, give yourself and family a treat today. Get some mussels and go at it. It’s a cheap, delicious meal and, apart from the cleaning and preparation, the dish can be cooked in 5-6 minutes.

STEAMED MUSSELS PROVENÇAL

Ingredients:

2 pound fresh mussels
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup crushed canned tomatoes
½ teaspoon saffron threads (optional)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon (or to taste) crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

  1. If mussels come in a package, already clean, then proceed with recipe. If not, scrub them, remove beards and barnacles and wash in cold water. Drain well (see above).
  2.  Heat olive oil in a large pot or saucepan. Add garlic, onions and sweet red pepper, Cook briefly over medium heat until wilted.  Stir often and do not burn garlic.
  3. Add tomatoes, saffron, turmeric, red pepper flakes, wine, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 2 minutes.
  4.  Add mussels and parsley. Cover pan tightly and cook over high  heat until all the mussels are opened., 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
    Yield: 4 or more servings

 

CHICKEN RAGOUT

August 30, 2022 / / 0 Comments

It was in my young manhood that I first encountered a dish called Ragoût. When I saw it on the menu I pronounced it “rag-OUT.” It shows how far I’ve come in my culinary knowledge. Whatever you call it, the French categorize it as well-seasoned meat and vegetables cooked in a thick sauce. In essence, a  main-dish stew. Now, the Italians have their own thing, ragù, which  is a class of Italian pasta sauces made with ground or minced meat, vegetables, and occasionally, tomatoes.

Today’s dish follows the French pattern, though it’s a Lebanese dish,  Yakhnet Dajaj (Chicken Ragout in our vernacular.) For full disclosure, this is  from one of my favorite cookbooks, Lebanese Delights by Raymonda Khoury Naaman. It’s a compendium that features the art of Lebanese cuisine in all its glory. The recipe is a ragout unlike any I’ve ever encountered. It has cinnamon as an ingredient, and it gives the dish a unique taste and flavor. Rice is normally served as the accompaniment to this dish.

 

Ingredients:

1kg (2.2 lbs.) chicken breast (skinned and deboned)
3 tbsp. butter
½ kg (1.1 lbs.) tomatoes, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
3 cups water
1 kg (2.2 lbs.) potatoes
Salt, pepper and cinnamon as desired

Preparation

Rinse and cut the chicken breast into medium cubes.

Peel and rinse the potatoes, then cut them into medium cubes

Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a frying pan. Add the chicken cubes, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Cook until the chicken cubes turn golden in color.

Sautee the potato cubes in 1 tbsp. of butter.

Place the fried chicken in a cooking pot, add the potato cubes, the sliced tomatoes, the tomato paste (dissolved in half a cup of cold water) and the remaining water.  Boil until the chicken is done (about 25 minutes).

Serve hot with cooked rice.

MARVELOUS GREEN SAUCE

August 18, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I call this recipe ‘Marvelous Green Sauce.’  It goes specially well with fish, especially if fresh caught. Think of it as a green jade sauce since it also has a splendid  green color as well as taste. We recommend you prepare it several hours ahead of serving time to get a full blending of flavors. It’s a wonderful  summer meal when served cold over pouched or steamed fish. This time around we added pasta to the dish, using tagliolini, a type of ribbon pasta; but you can also use spaghetti, tagliatelle or capellini, or even rice with this dish. The sauce just makes it perfect.

MARVELOUS GREEN SAUCE

Ingredients: 

1¼ cups mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup finely chopped spinach leaves
½ cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
¼ cup finely chopped scallions
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream ,spinach, parsley, dill, scallions and lemon juice, Mix well.
  2.  Season with pepper and check to see it salt ifs needed. If so, add sparingly. Cover and chill thoroughly before serving. Flavors develop further during this time.
    Yield: 2½ cups (approx.)
    As noted above, in this recipe we served it over poached fish on a bed of tagliolini (or you can substitute any ribbon pasta).

CURRIED TOFU

August 15, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Curried Tofu is a popular vegetarian dish, and I have no own slant on it. So, here it is, my version of tofu (bean curd) in a curry sauce, Let me add you can double the recipe and serve a whole load of people, I normally serve it with steamed rice. Although I’ve also tried it with pasta and other grains such as quinoa and couscous, and it’s just as good. It’s a perfect dish, even in  summer, with a chilled dry white wine or a good ale or beer.

As noted in prior posts, it is recommended that tofu be pressed before cooking. Why? Pressing the tofu compresses it and squeezes out extra moisture, making it firmer and drier when cooking giving you a close grained interior and a crisp exterior. You do not want shredded tofu in your pan. Pressing mitigates that. So, how do you press tofu, especially if you don’t want or own a fandangle tofu press?  Simple: place tofu block on a plate;  then place a few folded sheets of paper towels underneath and a few on top. Finally, place a heavy skillet or pot on top. Fill the skillet or pot with something heavy such as a jar of sugar, a bag of flour, a few cans, books, etc.  You can press the tofu for 30 minutes or, ideally, up to one hour.  After the tofu has been pressed, remove the skillet and its contents and discard the paper towels. Cut the tofu into whatever size is desired and proceed with your recipe.

CURRIED TOFU

Ingredients:

1 16-oz. package extra firm tofu
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth or bouillon
1 small onion, peeled and sliced in thin rings
1 teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons green scallions, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Rinse tofu under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.  Do the pressing ritual as described above and cut tofu into cubes, about ½-inch thick or to your liking.
  2.  Melt butter in a wok or heavy skillet. Add flour and blend well over low heat,
  3.  Stir in chicken broth and blend with a fork or wire whisk until you have a smooth sauce as it cooks. Bring slowly to a boiling point and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Add onion and mix it in with the sauce.
  5.  Stir in curry and ground ginger. Mix well. You can season highly to taste adding more curry if desired.
  6.  Stir in tofu until it totally combines with sauce.
  7.  Sprinkle with scallions and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

SAUCED CUALIFLOWER AND SPINACH

June 20, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I happened to have some cauliflower and spinach on hand. So, what to do with it? I thought, how about cooking the suckers in a nice sauce? And the dish came out superb.

This is what I call a one dish meal. I find it’s best cooked in a wok. If you don’t have a wok, then a large skillet or frypan will do. It’s a simple enough project. Just make a nice white sauce, add the cauliflower and seasonings (inclusive of turmeric), cook some more, then finish with the spinach. The dish can be served over rice, quinoa, farro or pasta of choice. This time around we combined it with Israeli (or pearl) couscous. It made for a fabulous vegetarian meal that even carnivores will love.

SAUCED CAULIFLOWER AND SPINACH

Ingredients:

Half a stick butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken or beef bouillon
2 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 head cauliflower cut into florets
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups fresh chopped spinach

Instructions:

  1. Melt butter in wok or skillet over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. Add chicken bouillon and cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes until it makes a creamy sauce. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
  2.  Mix in cauliflower florets, salt, pepper, oregano and turmeric. Cover and cook about 10 minutes or until florets are fork tender.
  3. Stir in spinach and cook 2 minutes more. Serve immediately over couscous or preferred grain.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

MUSTARD SAUCE

June 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

There’s this old wives’ tale about mustard sauce being too strong for delicate fish dishes. The following recipe puts a lie to that old tidbit. Mustard sauce, if done correctly, can be as fine and smooth as the best velvet sauce. Simply, you just have to be careful in the amount of mustard you put in it.

As noted, the following recipe makes a great sauce for broiled or baked fish, be it fish fillets, fish steaks or a whole fish. Also, it’s quite easy to make. No fuss, no bother.  It’s perfect for a good seafood dinner. By the way, you can also use the sauce for vegetables or even by itself over rice or pasta. The possibilities are endless.

MUSTARD SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon mustard, preferably Dijon
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Melt butter over medium heat  in a small saucepan and add shallots, stirring briefly until wilted.
  2. Add wine and cook about 30 seconds, stirring. Add mustard and stir.
  3.  Add cream and bring to a boil. Cook down over relatively high heat about 3 minutes or until reduced to about ¾ cup
    Yield: About ¾ cup.
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