Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

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QUICK-OVEN STEAK

March 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Back on the block, we called this biftec rápido al horno. It translates to ‘quick-oven steak.’ Initially, we would experiment with various condiments to place over the steak before baking it. On trick my mom used was to season the steak, then sprinkle it with a package of dry onion soup mix and then bake it. Sometimes it was just Worcestershire sauce over the meat. Well, I happened to have some left-over barbecue sauce that was about to reach its expiration date, and I decided to use that as a topping. The result was really good, and my parents would have approved.

For this dish you can use any cut of meat on hand, or which you can afford. I use sirloin; but round steak, flank steak, rib-eye or even chuck steak can be used.  How much barbecue sauce you use for the topping depends on you. Some like their steak smothered with sauce, others less so. Let your taste buds be the judge.This is a simple no-nonsense preparation that renders a good meat dish within 25 minutes or so depending on the cut of meat. Enjoy.

QUICK-OVEN STEAK

Ingredients:

2 to 3-pound round or sirloin steak
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Barbecue sauce

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
  2. Season steak on both sides with salt, pepper and oregano. Rub or splash with barbecue sauce to cover meat.
  3.  Place in an oven-roof dish or pan and bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes to desired doneness.
    Yield: 4-5 servings.

 

GREEN-TOPPED CAULIFLOWER

March 7, 2021 / / 0 Comments

I’m told that dish dish is either Austrian or Hungarian in nature. Or it could have come from that old monarchy known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire that lasted from 1867 to 1918. Whatever it’s genesis, it’s a great way to liven up cauliflower. It makes for a great vegetarian dinner.

The green topping here consists of frozen peas— with the addition of a dash of sugar, heavy cream and parley. The mix is then blended in a food processor. This is spooned over the cauliflower, and there you have it. It makes a superb side dish on its own, but we like it served over pasta or rice, or any grain of choice. This time, we served it with linguini, and it was delicious.

Note that in this recipe you should use fresh, prime cauliflower. If the cauliflower has been in the fridge for  few days, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. And be sure to add 1½ teaspoons of white vinegar to the cooking water.

GREEN-TOPPED CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

1½ to 2-pound head cauliflower, leaves trimmed, core removed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 whole scallions, bulbs and green tops, minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 10-ounce package frozen peas
Pinch of brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. In a pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, and cook cauliflower until jut tender, 10-12 minutes. Drain.
  2.  Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Place whole cauliflower in a deep serving dish, pour melted butter over it and keep warm in a preheated 275-degree oven.
  3.  In a medium skillet, over medium-low heat, sauté scallions and garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas, sprinkle with sugar and cook 4 minutes. Add parsley and cream. Transfer to a container of a food processor and process until smooth. Reheat in a saucepan but do not boil. Spoon over cauliflower and serve.
    Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

 

 

 

 

ZUCCHINI AND CHICK PEA SAUCE

March 1, 2021 / / 0 Comments

I’m always experimenting on sauces that I can use with a grain or pasta. This one combines two of my favorite veggies: zucchini and chick peas. And I always want something that’s easy to make. This one fits the bill. Served over spaghetti, as we do it here, it makes for a great vegetarian dish; or even as side dish with your favorite cut of meat.

ZUCCHINI AND CHICK PEA  SAUCE

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
½ pound small zucchini, cut in rounds (do not peel)
½ teaspoon basil, crumbled
½ teaspoon thyme, crumbled
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (15.5 ounces) chick-peas, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini, basil and thyme. Cook, covered, for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2.  Stir in tomatoes, chick-peas and pepper. Cover and simmer 5 minutes or until zucchini is just tender
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

TORTILLA CON ESPINACAS (Spinach Omelet)

February 24, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This is your basic omelet, but with the addition of spinach. It’s our version, Tortilla con Espinacas. Back in Harlem, when we prepared this dish, we used frozen spinach. I guess you can use fresh spinach (if it’s in season); but my mom always used frozen. I reckon it was a choice of chance and economics. In this one, we also add a tomato to the recipe. This dish, to us, was not a breakfast deal.  We would serve it at dinner over rice, a cheap and delicious meal. But it also goes good as a brunch special with some crusty bread. Either way, a wonderful repast.

TORTILLA CON ESPINACAS
(Spinach Omelet)

Ingredients:

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium-sized tomato, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced parsley
4 eggs
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Cook spinach in a medium-size saucepan following label directions. Drain well, add the 3 tablespoons oil, garlic, tomato and parsley. Heat, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  2.  Beat eggs lightly in a medium-size bowl, just until mixed. Add salt, pepper and the spinach mixture; stir well.
  3.  Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 9-inch skillet (with an oven-proof handle) to the sizzling point. Pour in omelet mixture, spreading evenly.
  4.  Cook, covered, over medium heat for  10 minutes (mixture should be fairly firm)).
  5.  While omelet is cooking, heat broiler. Put skillet under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to set top of omelet. Cut into wedges and serve.
    Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

EASY CASSEROLE

February 21, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Back on the block we called this a Cacerola Simple, or a simple, or easy casserole. When times were lean and you needed something easy, fast and cheap, this was the go-to dish.  We would take ground beef, or chicken, or turkey, add to it tomato sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, and whatever tubular pasta was on hand be it macaroni, ziti, penne, elbows or, our favorite, bow ties (also called farfalle). Imagine my surprise when I discovered years later, from my lovely wife, that they did the same thing in the Midwest, albeit with different seasonings. So, when my mother prepared her caserola simple, other moms did the same in Indiana.  I wonder  if they also called it an “easy casserole?” I’m sure that even today, this dish graces many an American table.

Although this dish is called a casserole, we do not bake it in a casserole dish. I do it the way my mom made it: she would cook everything in  a cast-iron pan, and then bake it in the same pan. It’s called a cacerola, so if you want to use an oven-proof casserole dish to bake and serve, go right ahead.  We, in the Rivera family, never stood on formality.

EASY CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
½ of a large green pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 pound ground beef (can substitute chicken or turkey)
1 ½ cup bow tie pasta, or other (see above)
1 15-pounce can tomato sauce
½ cup grated cheese
½ teaspoon fresh chopped oregano, or ¼  cup dried
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large skillet (we prefer cast-iron), heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic, pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Crumble in ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in bow ties, tomato sauce, cheese, oregano, salt and pepper.
  3.   Place in oven and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
    Yield: 6 servings.

CHULETAS DE CORDERO EMPANADA (Breaded Lamb Chops)

February 17, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This is a Rivera family favorite, Chuletas de Cordero Empananda. Simply, Breaded Lamb Chops. The lamb chops can be coated with flour or breadcrumbs. In the Rivera clan, we prefer the bread crumbs.  The seasoning used you can probably find in your cupboard right now. Note that back in the old days you would have fried the breaded lamb chops in shortening. I still prefer shortening, though today you would most likely use canola or vegetable oil, or a mix of olive oil and butter. We usually serve this dish with a side of parsley potatoes and carrots. But you can complement it with whatever side dish you prefer, or rice, as we did back in Spanish Harlem.

CHULETAS DE CORDERO EMPANANDA
(Breaded Lamb Chops)

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup bread crumbs
½ teaspoon each, garlic powder, dried oregano and marjoram
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
8-10 lamb rib chops, ¾ to 1-inch thick
1 cup shortening or vegetable oil to cover the pan by ½-inch

Instructions:

  1. Beat eggs with Worcestershire in a shallow pan.
  2.  Mix together bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano, marjoram, salt and pepper. Coat chops with egg then bread crumbs.
  3.  Melt shortening or heat oil in  a large skillet. Fry lamb chops a few at a time over medium heat until well-browned, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Chops may be kept warm in oven until all are fried.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

LEMON CHICKEN

February 11, 2021 / / 0 Comments

One of the favorite dishes in our family was Pollo con Limón, or Lemon Chicken. We had it often, and we enjoyed it often. It was chicken fillets enclosed in lemon slices, topped with Nuyorican spices, and baked in chicken broth. So, I’m always on the lookout for something similar; and then I came across this version which is much simpler to prepare. Here the chicken is given an Asian edge and soy sauce and honey is added, along with garlic powder and herbes de provence, which is a mixture of dried herbs popular in the cuisine of Provence, a region of southeastern France. Today the mix can be found in almost any market or shop. Also, the dish is broiled, although I’m sure you can bake it if desired.

As noted, this dish is different from our pollo con limón, but just as tasty.

LEMON CHICKEN

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, , split, with skin removed
Juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons honey

Instructions:

  1. Sprinkle herbes de provence, lemon juice, garlic powder, soy sauce and honey on chicken.
  2.  Broil 15 minutes and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS CREOLE STYLE

February 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Brussels sprouts is one of those veggies that you either hate or love. Usually its the former category. And that’s because, usually, the only way it’s served is boiled. For the record, I do not eat plain boiled sprouts. However, there are great ways to enhance this lowly vegetable; and the recipe given below gives the best in taste and quality. It’s done creole style.

Creole cooking is popular in the southern United States, and it blends West African, French and Spanish influences. In Spanish, the word translates to criollo, a type of cooking also very popular in the Caribbean. Once you’ve prepared Brussels sprouts this way, you’ll love them. This dish goes great as vegetarian meal combined with rice or any favorite grain. This time around we served them over couscous, and it was marvelous. Oh, yes, you can also served them as a side dish with anything from an omelet to the Sunday roast.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS CREOLE STYLE

Ingredients:

1½ pounds fresh or frozen Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 green pepper, white pith removed, seeded and chopped
1 pound tomatoes, washed and chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon dried basil
Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. With a sharp knife, trim any tough or discolored outer leaves from the sprouts, and wash them thoroughly. Cut a cross in the base of each sprout.
  2.  In a heavy, medium saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sprouts, salt, pepper and basil.
  3.  Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve as is or, if preferred , transfer to a warned serving platter.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

FISH BAKED IN MILK

February 8, 2021 / / 0 Comments


This is a recipe I acquired from my Jewish brethren. It’s Fish Baked in Milk. In my culture, we would never consider baking fish in milk. But leave it to the chosen people to come up with this dish which, by the way, is delicious. Nothing could be simpler to prepare with minimal ingredients. Served with a baked potato, or with a grain, or even pasta, it’s a dish made in heaven.

FISH BAKED IN MILK

Ingredients:

1 pound fish fillets, your choice
Flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste pepper
Pinch  of dried oregano
1¼  cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  Placed in a greased baking dish. Dust with flower, sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Pour milk over fish and bake about 30 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

POT ROAST

February 5, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The Sunday pot roast dinner is hallowed ground in America. We have our version of it in Puerto Rican cuisine. We call it Carne Mechada. Thus, I’m always on the lookout for good recipes. The one given today is one of the simplest yet tastiest versions I know. This recipe can make pot roast go from the plebeian to the divine. The secret is to marinate the roast overnight. And what is the marinade? Ordinary barbecue sauce along with dry red wine. Once marinated, the meat is then cooked with traditional vegetables associated with pot roast. We cook it with potatoes, onions and carrots.  If desired, you can add traditional winter vegetables such as turnips and parsnips.

This dish resembles more the traditional Yankee pot roast beloved in New England.  It is not my family’s Nuyorican pot roast. But it will be one of the best meals you can prepare for Sunday or any other day of the week.

POT ROAST

FOR THE MARINADE
4 pounds boneless chuck or round roast
1 bottle (18 oz) all-purpose barbecue sauce
¼ cup red wine

Place beef in a bowl. Pour barbecue sauce and wine over it. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

NEXT DAY:
2  tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2¼ cups water
1 cup red wine
1½ pounds potatoes, washed and halved
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in diagonal chunks
2 large onions, peeled and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

  1. Drain meat. Reserve marinade.
  2.  Heat butter and oil in  large pot. Brown the meat on all sides.  Pour marinade, 1 cup water and 1 cup wine over roast. Cover and simmer 2 hours.
  3.  Add vegetables and continue simmering 30 minutes. Mix remaining water and flour. Stir into pot. Raise heat slightly and cook until sauce gently boils.
  4.  Arrange meat on a serving platter,  surrounded with vegetables. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve gravy sauce on the side in a gravy bowl or sauceboat.
    Yield: 6 or more servings.

 

 

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