Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Category: vegetables (page 1 of 13)

POTATOES LYONNAISE (Nuyorican Style)

October 9, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

It’s amazing the cross-currents of culture when it comes to food. Case in point, back on the block we sometimes had potatoes as a side dish. It was a change from the usual rice that accompanied almost every meal.  Normally, the potatoes would be diced or cut into small bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano and some cumin, what we called cumino.  The potatoes would be boiled until almost tender, then  broiled until browned on top. It wasn’t till years later that I discovered what we were doing was a take on what, in French cuisine, is known as Potatoes Lyonnaise or, what some in my crowd, would call “potatoes lion-ass.” Let’s say this is our version, Nuyorican style. Let me add that this dish goes well with a good steak. You know, the usual potatoes and meat deal. In this instance we paired it with braised fish fillets and it was perfect.

POTATOES LYONNAISE

Ingredients:

3 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds all-purpose potatoes
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

  1. Wash unpeeled potatoes under cold running water and cut into bite sized pieces, about ½-inch.
  2. Place in a pot with water to cover, bring to  boil and cook until just tender.
  3. Meanwhile, In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil and 1 tablespoon butter combined until onions have wilted.
  4. Add the potatoes and toss together. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and cumin; and add an additional tablespoon of butter.
  5.  Pack the potatoes into a baking dish (we prefer cast-iron). Add remaining butter and place in the broiler (about 4 inches from the heat).  Cook until the potatoes are slightly browned.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

BUTTER-SCALLION FISH FILLETS

October 1, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This dish is simplicity itself. Just fish fillets baked with butter and scallions. It was something that came out of necessity. I had a bunch of scallions available, and what could I do with them?  So I mixed them with butter and lemon juice and the rest, as they say, is history. Also, any white, firm-fleshed fish fillet will do. By that I mean cod, striped bass, turbot, haddock, whitefish or tilapia. Use what is preferred or available.

Now, this dish uses a lot of butter, exactly one stick. For those who are weight or health conscious, you can substitute margarine. Honestly, I never get the same flavor with margarine as I do with real butter. If desired, you can us less butter, like half a stick, and maybe add some cream to it. But then, I can hear complaints about “Butter and cream? It’s still fattening!” I don’t know how to answer this one. I can only advise, use common sense and proceed accordingly.

Let me add that, in Nuyorican cuisine,  the accompaniment to this dish would be rice. But it goes well with pasta or potatoes. We paired it with couscous and it was delectable.

BUTTER-SCALLION FISH FILLETS

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets, about 3 pounds, 1-inch thick
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup chopped scallions
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons white wine

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  In a blender or food processor, combine butter and scallions. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano. Blend or process together until smooth and of spreading consistency.
  4.  Place fish in an oven-proof dish (we prefer cast-iron). Top with the butter and scallion spread. Drizzle with wine and bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

RICE AND PEAS

September 18, 2024 / / 0 Comments

The recipe  given today is an old standby when we need  a  satisfying  dinner that is both cheap and yes, delicious. Simply, it’s Peas and Rice. Nothing could be simpler or more nutritious. It’s a vegetarian dinner that even the carnivores in the family will love. You will note that in the recipe, when we cook the peas, we add water and tomato paste. Back on the block some families would use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste and water.  Your choice. What we have discovered through experience is that tomato sauce is good for given rice color as when you’re preparing  Spanish rice.  Tomato paste gives a better flavor,  as in this dish. Also, when we cook the rice for this entrée, we add scallions to the  rice. Again, to enhance flavor.

RICE AND PEAS

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped scallions
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound package frozen green peas
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup water
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Instructions:

  1. Wash rice at least 3 times under cold running water to rid of starch.
  2.  Heat olive oil in a heavy kettle or pot. Add rice and stir until grains are opaque.
  3.  Add water to cover by ¼ to ½ inch. Add scallions and salt to taste.
  4.  Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed about 30 minutes.
  5.  While rice is cooking, heat butter in a large skillet or frypan. Add frozen green beans and garlic. Season with pepper and oregano. Cook on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes.
  6.  Mix water and tomato paste. Add to peas and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes more or until green beans are tender. Serve over rice.
    Yield: 4 servings.

STEAK WITHS HALLOTS

September 11, 2024 / / 0 Comments

When I’m in the mood for steak, I want something brief and delicious. And nothing fills the bill better than steak cooked in butter and flavored with vinegar and shallots. No big mess here, just a dish that is simple and quick.

I’ve discovered that, for this recipe, I prefer using sirloin or rib steak, but any good cut will do. That’s the beaty of this dish. It can work even with chuck or flank steak for those lean times. So, carnivores, rejoice in a marvelous steak dinner that will go great with your favorite veggies or potatoes.

STEAK WITH SHALLOTS

4 boneless steaks, about ¾ pound each
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  1. Sprinkle meat on both sides with salt, pepper and oregano
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet or frypan and add the steaks. Cook over high heat for about 3 minutes. Cook longer if you want the steaks medium or well done. Turn and cook about 3 minutes or longer on the other side.
  3. Transfer the meat to a warm serving dish and add the shallots to the skillet or frypan. Cook about 30 seconds and add the vinegar. Cook another 30 seconds and add the remaining butter. Cook until butter foams. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve.
    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.

ESPINACA CON ARROZ (Spinach with Rice)

September 4, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

This is another one of our beggar’s banquet meals. When times were lean in Spanish Harlem, this was one of the go-to  dishes that was inexpensive, filling and delicious. It’s simply spinach with rice or Espinaca con Arroz. In our family this is served over plain white rice. We never paired it with Spanish yellow rice or pasta. But, I guess you can, if you want to. Consider this a cheapo dinner that vegetarians and even carnivores will love.

ESPINACA CON ARROS
(Spinach with Rice)

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt  and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound baby spinach leaves or fresh spinach washed and large stems trimmed
¼ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Wash rice at least 3 times in cold water and drain to rid it  of starch.
  2.  Heat  3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy kettle or pot. Add rice and stir until grains are opaque.
  3.  Add water to cover by at least ¼ to ½ inch. Add salt to taste.
  4.  Bring to a boil. Add chicken bouillon and stir until it has dissolve. Cover and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed (about 20-30 minutes).
  5. While rice is cooking, in a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook , stirring, until onion and garlic are soft, about 3 minutes.
  6.  Add spinach, salt, pepper, oregano and lemon juice. Cook, stirring, until jut wilted, about 3 minutes.
  7.  Remove from heat to prevent overcooking. Here you can go two ways: you can put the rice in a large serving bowl or platter and topped with  the spinach and all of its juice. Or you cam serve the rice in individual plates with the spinach. In each case, as a added touch, you can top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

FILETES DE PESCADO CON VEGETALES (Fish Fillets with Vegetables)

August 8, 2024 / / 0 Comments

 

This dish can be done with fish fillets, fish steaks or even a whole scaled fish. It is simply fish cooked with vegetables, This time we’re using fish fillets, thus the moniker: Filetes de Pescado con Vegetales. Back on the block,  some in my family preferred it with fillets and some with fish steaks. Use what suits you best in terms of taste or cost. It’s an easy enough recipe. You poach the fish in white wine or vermouth. Then you stir-fry veggies of your choice. We use onions, tomatoes and bell peppers (what we call  pimientos). These can be  yellow (as in this recipe), green  or red pepper.

In this recipe you can use fresh or frozen fish fillets. Let me add that it makes for a great summer dish since you can serve it at room temperature. In colder weather, you can make the vegetables first, then set side in a warned platter, cook the fish fillets and combine it with the vegetables. Either way. or in whatever season, it makes for a delicious lunch or dinner.

In Nuyorican cuisine the usual accompaniment to this dish is rice. But you can serve it over couscous, farro (a wheat grain popular in the Mediterranean and Middle east) or even pasta. With a good crusty loaf of bread and favorite wine (red or white), or even beer, it can’t be beat.

FILETES DE PESCADO CON VEGETALES
(Fish Fillets with Vegetables)

Ingredients:

1 pound fish fillets of your choice, cut into 4 portions, or 4 (6-8 oz.) fish fillets
White wine or vermouth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow bell pepper (can substitute green or red bell pepper)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, rinsed and cut in chunks
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons dry red wine
Ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano

Instructions:

  1. Rinse fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place in a large frypan or skillet with white wine or vermouth almost to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to simmer and poach for 6 minutes.  Remove from poaching liquid and let cool in a serving platter or dish. Discard poaching liquid or save for another use (such as stock or flavoring).
  3.  Wipe skillet clean. Place back on burner, add oil and heat until shimmering. Add pepper, garlic and onion and stir fry over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, capers, red wine, ground pepper and oregano; and simmer 5 minutes longer.
  4.  Spoon vegetables mixture over fillets and serve at room temperature.
    Yield: 4 servings.

Magic Beans and Broccoli

August 2, 2024 / / 0 Comments

In my lifetime, I’ve had an eclectic circle of friends. One of them was a gregarious sort who came from the heartland and called me, affectionately, “The Beaner.” There was a reason for this: I love beans. I would make great bean dishes and he would exclaim, “My God, Oz, you’re a beaner!” And he was right, Maybe it’s genetic, maybe it’s a cultural thing, I don’t know. But, give me a good bean dish, and I fall in love.  Recently, experimenting in the kitchen with what I had on hand, I enlarged the repertoire. I happened to have some broccoli and beans and decided, why not fused them together in a recipe? The result is what I call Magic Beans and Broccoli. Why? Because the beans are majestic, and flavorful.  For this dish you can use whatever variety of beans preferred, be it red beans, black beans, pinto bean, even garbanzo beans. As stated numerous times before, you’re only limited by you’re imagination.

I’m a traditionalist. When I cook beans I do them from scratch. That is, I soak them overnight in water and next day, drain, then place them in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven with water to cover by two inches, bring to a boil, cover and cook over moderate-low heat until beans are tender (about 1 hour).  I know, given today’s time constraints and rapid culture, most people  do not have the time or inclination to cook dry beans from scratch. In that case, use canned beans (but do not drain). You’ll get the same results. You’re choice.

Note that we like this dish by itself with a crusty loaf of bread. But, if desired, you can pair this dish with you’re favorite grain be it rice, couscous, quinoa or other. Even even pasta works but, in this case, I would prefer tubular pasta like penne, elbows or macaroni.

MAGIC BEANS WITH BROCCOLI

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rounds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and mince
2 medium to large head of broccoli, rinsed and cut into florets
2 cans (15 oz.) red kidney beans (can substitute red beans, pinto beans or other)
1 chicken bullion cube
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium  heat until wilted. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
  2.  Add broccoli florets and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
  3.  Add beans (do not drain). Add bouillon and wine. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Stir to mix. Lower heat and simmer 8-10  minutes more or until beans are cooked through.  Serve immediately.
    Yield” 4-6 servings.

PENNE WITH ZUCCHINI

May 28, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Sometimes a recipe comes about because of the things you have on hand, and just plain necessity. It’s serendipity really. You have some ingredients and you have to come up with something for dinner. This Penne with Zucchini dish is such an effort. It makes for a great pairing. With a crusty loaf of bread and some good red wine, you have a vegetarian banquet your family and friends will long remember.

Note that the recipe calls for water or chicken broth. The easiest way to make chicken broth is to add a chicken bouillon cube to the water. That’s it—unless you make your own chicken broth by steaming  chicken in water and then saving the water for later use. Use whatever method benefits you best. Also, it calls for sazón, an ingredient that has become very popular in Puerto Rican cooking. The two most popular brands are Sazón Goya or Sa-sôn Accent. Either one is good.

PENNE WITH ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:

1 pound package penne (or favorite pasta be it tubular or string)
2 medium zucchini, about 1½pounds, washed and sliced into¼-inch rounds
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups water or chicken broth
½ teaspoon oregano
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 packet Sazόn Goya or Sa-sόn Accent

Instructions:

  1. Cook penne according to package directions.
  2. While penne is boiling, in a sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until well blended and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  3. Gradually add water or broth, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Stir in oregano, salt, pepper and sazόn.
  5. Add zucchini and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
  6. Drain penne, place back in pot, add the sauce and stir to mix.
  7. Transfer to a serving dish or platter and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

STIR FRIED ZUCCHINI

April 16, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This is one of the easiest recipes to prepare; and makes for a satisfying  veggie dinner. This is not an Oriental stir-fry. This is a Nuyorican stir-fry. The traditional accompaniment to this dish is rice. In this sequence, we paired it with couscous, and it came out just fine. It desired, you can serve it with potatoes or with pasta. The possibilities are endless. This dish uses a minimum of ingredients, You have the usual Nuyorican touch: olive oil, garlic, onion,  oregano, ground pepper, etc. Also,  we added roasted red peppers for extra flavor.

STIR-FRIED ZYCCHINI

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, washed and slice into small rounds (do not peel)
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rounds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fresh chopped thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (7-oz.)  jar roasted peppers, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet or frypan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
  2. Stir in the zucchini, oregano and thyme leaves, and sauté until the zucchini is just cooked though and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and ground pepper.
  3.  Add roasted red peppers and stir to combine until heated.  As noted, serve over rice, couscous, potatoes or favorite grain.
    Yield: 4 servings.
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