vegetables – Page 14 – Oswald Rivera

Category: vegetables (page 14 of 16)

Papas Rellenas – Stuffed Potato Balls

Papas rellenas, or stuffed potato balls, makes a great appetizer or side dish for the Thanksgiving table. Yes, that venerable holiday is upon us again. So how about giving that potato dish a unique take. Tired of the old potato salad? Then papas rellenas is it. You family and friends will say, Wow! C’mon, liven up that Thanksgiving turkey. Make papa rellenas a part of your tradition. You won’t be disappointed.

This recipe calls for sofrito, the Puerto Rican seasoning that is ubiquitous in our cooking. A recipe is readily available in my posting of November 8th 2015. If that’s not good enough for you, you catch my video of July 10th 2014 on how to make sofrito, step-by-step. Otherwise, you can get it store bought in almost any supermarket—but it won’t the same as the genuine product.

By the way, this recipe, among many others, is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America, which is now in its third printing (Running Press, Avalon Books)

PAPAS RELLENAS
(Stuffed Potato Balls)

1 pound Idaho or Maine potatoes, peeled
2 quarts (8 cups) water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef (can substitute ground pork, chicken or turkey, if desired)
2 tablespoons sofrito
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Rinse potatoes under cold running water and pat dry.
2. Place in a pot or medium saucepan. Add water and boil on moderate heat, covered, until tender (about 30 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, for filling, heat oil in a skillet or fry pan. Add meat and stir-fry over medium heat until meat losses its color. Add sofrito, tomato sauce, oregano and salt. Mix and sauté 3-4 minutes.
4. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Drain potatoes, place in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.
6. Add butter, egg and one teaspoon cornstarch. Mix well and let cool.
7. Spread some of the potato dough mix in the palm of your hand (keep palms wet while doing this). With fingers makes small nest in the center of palm, and stuff with a spoonful of the filling. Cover the filling with more dough mix and shape into a ball. Brush lightly with cornstarch. repeat until filling and mix are used up.
8. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Yield: 6 to 8 stuffed potato balls, depending on size.

Creamed Spinach with Baked Eggs

November 4, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This recipe is my take on a Mediterranean favorite. Spinach with bake eggs is a popular dish in Spain, where they serve the eggs and spinach in individual ramekins or small cups. I’ve also seen it in Greek cuisine. In my version, the spinach is cooked with various seasonings and heavy cream. Then the eggs are baked on top. For the baking part you can use a reliable baking dish. But my preference is always for cast-iron. It’s a family thing. My mom cooked with cast-iron and so do I; and that goes for the baking part as well.

This recipe makes a great brunch dish. But it can also be served as a dinner entrée. With dinner, I serve it along with a grain, be it rice, couscous, or even kasha. A good crusty loaf of bread, a light wine, and you can’t go wrong.

CREAMED SPINACH WITH BAKED EGGS

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches fresh spinach leaves, about 1 1/4 pounds, coarsely chopped
2 clove garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat butter in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent.
3. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring a couple of times, until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove lid, add garlic. Cook, stirring, until most excess liquid is evaporated, 2-4 minutes.
4. Add cream, salt, pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Crack each egg into a section of the pan. Place in middle of oven and bake until eggs are set, about 15 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings.

Potatoes Stuffed with Hummus

June 24, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

This is the easiest appetizer to prepare—short of filling a plate with crackers and cheese. It is simple and delicious. Most everyone likes hummus, the thick spread made from chickpeas and (sometimes) sesame seeds, and which had become very popular worldwide over the last two decades or so. Given that fact, what’s easier than stuffing potatoes with it? Not only that, it’s a great beginning to any meal.

In the recipe given I use baby potatoes. But you can use regular Maine or Idaho potatoes. I know friends who prefer big potatoes with the hummus. To me, this is more of a first course than a run-of-the-mill appetizer. Use whatever suits best.

BABY POTATOES STUFFED WITH HUMMUS

1 bag (24 ounces or so) baby yellow and/or red potatoes, washed and scrubbed (not peeled)
1 tub (8-10 ounces) hummus, plain or any flavor desired.

1. Fill a medium pot or pan with water.
2. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until fork-tender. Do not overcook.
3. Drain. Let the potatoes cool (or rinse under cold running water for faster preparation). Cut the top third off from each potato, and just enough from the bottom so that it can stand upright.
4. Scoop out insides of each potato without cutting or collapsing the sides. Using a small spoon, stuff humus into the cavity.
5. Place on a serving dish or platter, and serve.
Yield: about 10 stuffed potatoes.

Stewed Potatoes – Papas Guisadas

June 11, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Back in the old neighborhood, during our lean times, we had certain meals that would tie us over until the next paycheck came in. Examples of these renderings would such standbys as spaghetti with ketchup (yes, ketchup), or with blue cheese; or a stir-fry of franks and onions. But, invariably, our favorite was papas quisadas, or stewed potatoes. This, believe it or not, was served as a main entrée.

Now you’re asking yourself, Potatoes as a main dish? Crazy. No, not really. In our family this became such a popular dish that sometimes my mother would cook it as a treat. And it was to my father and I. We could never get enough of it. Steak, and chicken, and fish was good in times of plenty—but papas guisadas were good anytime.

Stewed potatoes is an easy enough dish to prepare: all you need is potatoes, garlic, tomato sauce and cilantro, that’s it. And served over plain steamed or yellow rice, it’s heavenly, whether on lean days or not.

PAPAS GUISADAS
(Stewed Potatoes)

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 1/2 pounds Maine or Idaho potatoes, cut into cubes. Note: if organic, unpeeled (if you prefer).
If non-organic, peeled.
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, or 1/4 teaspoon dried.
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, washed and chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet or frying pan. Add garlic and sauté until garlic is slightly browned.
2. Add potatoes and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato sauce and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat until potatoes are tender.
4. Serve piping hot.
Yield: 4 servings.

Black Sea Cucumber – Odessa Style

March 27, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Once in a while I get a hankering for a vegetarian meal. Then I usually stir-fry greens: broccoli, spinach, green beans—the usual suspects. I add onion and garlic, and my favorite Nuyorican spices: oregano, pepper, recao, etc. and serve it over rice or some such grain. Recently, I deviated from my norm. I whipped up Black Sea Cucumbers, Odessa Style. I acquired this recipe years ago—and I can’t recall from where. I’ve never been to the Black Sea region, or Odessa, which is in the Ukraine. I have no conception of their cuisine, but the recipe is termed “Odessa” style. Thus I assume it is a Ukrainian or Russian variant. Now, there is something known as the Black Sea Cucumber, or Lollyfish, which is a species of marine invertebrate. But this has no relation whatsoever to the vegetable cucumber. So, how this dish, which uses average cucumbers, came to be called Black Sea Cucumber – Odessa Style, I have no idea. If somebody out there knows the origins of this dish, let me know.

The recipe is fairly easy to prepare. And it can be served as an appetizer. But, as noted, I serve over it rice, couscous, or pasta. It makes a great veggie meal. If you want to follow in the Odessa vein, forgo the wine and serve it with a good chilled vodka. Make believe you’re one of the Romanovs, vacationing in the Black Sea and dining on this dish—before the Revolution, of course.

BLACK SEA CUCUMBER – ODESSA STYLE

8 average cucumbers
1 large onion, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup mushrooms, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 1/2 cups beef broth or stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
Salt to taste (preferably sea salt)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)

1. Peel and slice the cucumbers. Place them in a pan or pot with cold, salted water to cover. Let stand 1 hour to firm them up.
2. In a large pan or skillet, heat the butter. Add the onion, mushrooms and garlic, and saute until the vegetables are lightly browned.
3. Drain cucumbers and add them to the onion pan.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the beef broth, tablespoon butter and flour; and thicken slightly, working into a smooth roux. Add to the pan, and simmer over low heat until the cucumbers are tender (about 4-5 minutes).
5. Season with salt and cayenne; and add the sour cream. Increase heat and bring gently to a boil. Add a sprinkling of caraway seed, if desired, and serve.
Yield: 6 servings.

Tuscan Eggplant

February 6, 2015 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Berenjena, or eggplant, is an important component in Puerto Rican cooking. In Nuyorican cuisine we’ve had it since I can remember. I also recall that eggplant is something you either love or hate like let’s say, peanut butter. In my family we love it; and prepare it in myriad ways. The most common being breaded and fried eggplant slices that we serve with fish and/or rice. Thus I’m always on the lookout for new recipes to prepare this great vegetable. Now, we are all familiar with the Italian dish, lasagna; and moussaka, the Greek version that also uses copious amounts of eggplant. There is another way of preparing it—and this is the Tuscan version. I’ve come to love this dish. It could be called Italian comfort food. It’s layered eggplant combined with all the wonderful flavors of the Mediterranean.

The one difference in this dish is that it calls for Herbes de Provence; which is simply a mix of dried herbs found in the province of Provence, in southern France. The mixture usually contains savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. For the American market they usually add lavender leaves (which is not an herb found in traditional southern French cooking). If you don’t have or don’t want to use Herbes de Provence, you can substitute regular Italian seasoning. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this hearty vegetarian entrée.

TUSCAN EGGPLANT

1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch rounds

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon garlic powder

5 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (or you can use your favorite cheese mix, grated)

1 7-ounce jar roasted peppers

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence (or can substitute Italian seasoning)

1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to broil. Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet large enough to hold in a single layer. Brush the eggplant slices on each side with the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder.

2. Broil eggplant for 3-4 minutes. Remove eggplant and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375.

3. In a baking dish (I prefer cast iron), layer half the eggplant, all the roasted peppers, half of the tomato sauce, a generous sprinkling of Herbes de Provence and all of the cheddar cheese. Top with the remaining eggplant and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

4. Put back in oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Yield: 4 servings.

Char Siu – Style Eggplant

June 26, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

In the Rivera clan we love eggplant. And we prepare it in whatever fashion: fried (breaded or not), braised, sauteed, baked, you name it. That said, I’m always seeking novel ways to prepare the vegetable—which led me to char siu– style eggplant.

Char Siu is is a popular way to flavor and cook meat in East Asia. Now, like everything else, there are variations in the way it is prepared. It is mainly a mix of soy sauce, sugar or honey, hoisin sauce and five-spice powder. Some recipes add ouster-flavored sauce and wine to it as well. In Cantonese cooking, char siu literally means “fork burn/roast,” where strips of meat, typically pork, are marinated in the char siu sauce, then skewered with long forks and cooked over a fire. In Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the sauce is mixed with rice. In Japan it is called chāshū and likewise is used in cooking meat, bu they omit the sugar and five-spice powder. In Hawaii, it’s used in cooking chicken, wild birds, and even goat meat.

So it came to mind: Why not try it with eggplant? If char siu can be used with meats and rice, why not vegetables? And the result is the dish given below. You can serve it as an appetizer, or side dish, or as an entree with rice, couscous or whatever grain desired. It makes for a great vegetarian meal. Coupled with a bottle of your favorite white wine (or light red, for that matter), you can’t miss on this one.

CHAR SIU -STYLE EGGPLANT

1 medium eggplant
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons oyster-flavored sauce
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder*
3 tablespoons white wine

1. Wash eggplant under cold running water. Trim off the end and cut eggplant into 1/4-inch slices (do not peel). Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, oyster-flavored sauce, five-spice powder and wine. Toss eggplant with the mixture and marinate at least 1 hour in the fridge. You can also place eggplant in a large zip-lock bag, add mixture and marinate that way.
4. Remove eggplant from marinade, place in a baking dish (I prefer cast-iron) and bake until tender (about 30).
Yield: 4 servings.

Note: Five-spice powder can be obtained in any Asian or Oriental market, or health food store.

Colcannon – The Saint Paddy’s Day Special

March 14, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Four years ago I posted a recipe for Saint Patrick’s Day, and here it is again: Colcannon. I decided to reprise the recipe because, apart from the usual corned beef and cabbage, it’s the dish I most enjoy on Saint Paddy’s day. It’s mainly spuds, and you cant get more Irish that that. A homey delight that could be called mashed potatoes plus. But it’s far richer and tastier than ordinary mashed potatoes. Along with a few slices of Irish bacon or smoke ham, and a bottle of Guinness, it’s heaven.

COLCANNON

8 large mealy potatoes
8 small white onions, peeled
3 scallions, washed and trimmed
1 cup half and half milk
1 1/2 cups boiled, chopped Savoy cabbage
3 tablespoons melted butter
Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper to tatse

1. Boil potatoes, peel and smash. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Put half and half in a small pan or skillet. Add onions and scallions and cook over medium-low heat until tender. Strain, reserving liquid. Mince onions and scallions.
3. Add the onions, scallions, and half and half liquid to the potatoes. Mix well and whip until fluffy. Add more half and half milk as needed. Stir in all other ingredients and blend well.
Yield: 6 servings.

Danish Stuffed Cabbage

February 6, 2014 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

Stuffed Cabbage, as we know it, has been around for a while. It was popular in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. It is part of the diet of Poles and Russians; and almost every country in Europe has some version of the dish. In Jewish cuisine its been around for 2,000 years and is traditionally served on the holiday Simchat Torah, or the annual celebration that concludes the public readings of the Torah (the first five books of the Jewish bible). Yet of all the stuffed cabbage dishes I have come across, my favorite is Danish stuffed cabbage. Whether it’s Danish or not is open to interpretation. Some Swedes claim they were the first to concoct the idea of stuffing a whole cabbage and not just the cabbage leaves. I love the dish because not only is it delicious but it makes a great presentation. And I discovered a long time ago that in good cooking the eye may be just as important as the taste.

Danish stuffed cabbage is also simple to make. It doesn’t normally include cooked rice as in most stuffed cabbage recipes. It doesn’t include tomatoes either; though in my version I add tomato paste to it—or you can skip it altogether. Like all such dishes, it can include ground veal, ground pork, ground beef or a combination thereof. I keep it simple and economical and use ground chuck, This is not a fancy dish, but if you want to use veal or a more expensive cut of meat, go right ahead. Note that traditionally this dish contains a lot of butter. If you’re worried about the butter content you can use olive oil to brown the meat and the follow the rest of the recipe as is.

DANISH STUFFED CABBAGE

1 medium firm green cabbage
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (without crusts)
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 stick plus 3 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground chuck
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1. Remove loose outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut a deep slice from the stem end of the cabbage (this slice will be used as a lid during cooking). Then, using a knife and spoon, hollow out the cabbage, leaving a wall about the thickness of six-seven leaves. You can save the hollowed out cabbage parts for another use such as cabbage soup or stir-fry, or other.
2. In a bowl combine 1 cup bread crumbs and the milk and soak until soft. Add the eggs, salt, pepper and sage to the soaked crumbs. set aside.
3. In a medium frying pan or skillet, heat 1/2 stick of butter, add the ground meat and cook over medium heat until meat loses its red color. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2-3 minutes more. Add the soaked crumbs and mix well. Stuff the cabbage shell with the mixture. Depending on the size of the cabbage you may have some meat leftover which you can use for another occasion.
4. Place the sliced lid over the cabbage and meat. Next, place the cabbage, standing up, in a saucepan and surround with boiling water about halfway up from the head. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about two hours. Check periodically to make sure you have enough water in the pan. You do not want the water to boil off and the pan to burn. Add more water if needed.
5. Remove the cabbage lid. In the frying pan brown the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and pour this mix over the top of the cabbage. To serve, cut the cabbage with its stuffing into wedges, and enjoy!
Yield: 4-5 servings.

Duxelles

October 18, 2013 / Oswald Rivera / 0 Comments

So you’re asking, What the hell are duxelles? Simple: think of chopped mushrooms cooked in butter with shallots and wine. They’re cousins to stuffed mushrooms. Some describe them as a mushroom confit. Okay, what’s a confit? Confit is a term for various foods that are coked in oil or sugar and preserved. Often they are sealed and stored for future use. The term originated in the Middle Ages when fruits were cooked and preserved in sugar. Duxelles can be cooked and stored in this way as well.

All this mishigas can be ascribed to one Pierre Francois de la Verenne. He is recognized as the first great French chef of the modern era. He was the first to codify the Franco-Italian cuisine that had evolved into la grande cuisine Francaise or classic French cooking. His cookbook, Le Cuisinier Francois, was published in 1650, and is regarded as a landmark in the history of European cuisine. He was the first to describe stuffed mushrooms and (you guessed it) duxelles. Don’t let the fancy French moniker scare you. Duxelles are very easy to make, and they are delicious when added to sauces and vegetable. They also make great fillings for omelets, fish or meat dishes.

DUXELLES

1 stick butter
2 pounds fresh mushrooms, washed, drained, and finely chopped (stems and caps included)
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons dry sherry or Marsala wine
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. In a medium saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over low heat (being careful not to burn it). Add mushrooms and shallots, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mushrooms give up most of their liquid. Add more butter as needed.
2. Add dry sherry and cook about 5 minutes longer until the mushrooms are black in color. You want the mushrooms to be somewhat dry but not bone dry. Season with salt and pepper. You can serve as is or store in a tight jar or container. They’ll be good for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
Yield: About 4 cups.

Note: Italians make duxelles as little differently. If you prefer the Italian style, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the shallots and mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes over moderate heat. Add 3 ounces of diced boiled ham, cook 5 minutes more, add 1/4 cup dry Madeira wine or brandy. Stir to mix until heated through.

Caption: courtesy of 500 Tasty Sandwiches

Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher