Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

Page 32 of 84

ISRAELI CHICKEN WINGS

November 1, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I am a partisan of chicken wings. My wife makes them dredged in flour and then fried. The other way is to use bread crumbs instead of flour. Each method has its following. So, I’m always on the lookout for good and unique recipes for this favorite. Israeli Chicken Wings are my newest passion. I got this recipe from a cookbook published in 1982, Cooking Time Around the World. These were recipes compiled by the International Council of Jewish Women, who published the book. The book contains recipes from around the world, even from such places as Finland and Zimbabwe. From Israel, they catalogued this majestic dish.

You will notice that the recipe calls for “parve ” cream.  Jewish dietary law does not allow for the consumption of meat together with milk products. Now, parve heavy cream can be made from such items as rice milk or soy milk. You can get parve cream at any kosher Jewish market. If you don’t belong to the tribe then regular heavy  cream will do.   Also, these chicken wings are not fried. They are baked in a marvelous white gravy. When we did it, we served it with potatoes (cooked in butter and chives).  You can substitute rice or any favored grain, or pasta. You won’t be disappointed.

CHICKEN WINGS / Israel

12 chicken wings
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of sweet red paprika
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup water
½ cup white table wine
½ cup parve cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Clean chicken wings thoroughly. Fry onion in oil until golden brown. Add chicken wings and brown on both sides. Add spices and crushed garlic, sprinkle with flour and stir. Add all liquids, stirring constantly. Simmer until chicken wings are very tender. Serve warm with freshly chopped parsley.

Yield: 6 servings

 

 

 

ROAST BREAST OF TURKEY

October 26, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Roast Breasts of Turkey could be considered that special meal just like the Sunday roast that everyone enjoys. And it’s easy to cook. You probably have all the ingredients needed in your cupboard at this very moment. Back in Spanish Harlem, our family served this dish with yellow rice. Today we’re doing it with farro, a grain popular in Italy; and which has graced our shores for sometime now. Farro is a wild cousin of wheat. If you like barley, you’ll love farro. When cooked it looks like giant puffed rice. It has a nutty flavor and slightly crunchy texture. You boil it  and then simmer just like rice, in water or broth. It takes about 20-25 minutes to cook.

Don’t wait until Sunday dinner. Try this delicious turkey rendition any time; and not just for that special occasion.   With a good red wine to match, say a Barbera, Valpolicella or Merlot, you got yourself a winner.

ROAST BREASTS OF TURKEY

Ingredients:

1 4-pound boneless turkey breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Rub turkey breast on all sides with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice the turkey breast  so that you can create a pocket, and rub with thyme inside and out. Place turkey breast, skin side up, in a roasting pan and place onion, cut side down, around it. Add garlic and bay leaf inside the breast and place in the oven. Bake 30 minutes and cover with foil.
3. Baste and continue baking 15 minutes. Remove turkey breast from roasting pan and pour off most of the fat. Discard onion. Return turkey breast to the pan, skin side up, and pour the broth around it. Return to the oven and continue baking 10 minutes, basting. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. Carve and serve with pan gravy.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARROZ CON CHORIZO (Rice and Sausage)

October 19, 2020 / / 0 Comments

One of our favorite dishes is Arroz con Chorizo, or Rice and Sausage. The sausage usually entails chorizo, the Spanish pork sausage most common to Puerto Rican cuisine. But for this dish you can use any preferred sausage be it beef, pork, chicken or turkey. The recipe also calls for sofrito, a common base flavoring in Nuyorican cooking. You can find a recipe for sofrito in our post of 10/16/20. If you don’t have the time or ingredients for sofrito, you can use achiote, as we did in this version. Achiote is easy to make. Just heat ½ cup olive oil in a small skillet or pan. Add 1 tablespoon annatto seeds (found in most supermarkets or Hispanic markets). Cook, stirring frequently on low flame until the oil turns a bright orange-red color. Use as needed, cover and refrigerate. The achiote will give not only flavoring,  but also that bright color that defines the rice.

The most common accompaniment to this recipe is beans. It can be red kidney beans, black beans, white beans, ext. This time around we used pinto beans. This is the type of hearty meal that comforts the soul.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 chorizos or 4 preferred sausage (about 12-ounce pack), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 tablespoon achiote
Water or chicken broth to cover
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Wash rice until liquid runs clear. This is what they call  in Pennsylvania Dutch country as “washing in several waters” to remove starch from the rice.
  2.  Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet or pot (we prefer cast-iron).  Add onion and stir-fry  until onion is wilted and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
  3.  Add rice. Stir in achiote, and add water to cover contents in pot ¼ to ½ inch. Add salt and pepper.
  4.  Bring to a boil. Cover tightly and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed and rice is tender (about 20-25 minutes). Serve with beans.
    Yield: 6 servings.

 

 

ROASTED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS, PEPPERS AND OLIVES

October 16, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Scallops are a favorite in our clan. Normally, we just pan-sear them in a little olive oil, adding salt, pepper and oregano. Back on the block we usually served it over steamed rice. Recently I decided to try baking the suckers. Also, I happen to have some leeks on hand; and added that to it, along with a red pepper (pimento) and Spanish green stuffed olives. It turned out to be a successful experiment, and quite delicious.

In our group, we prefer sea scallops which are larger (1½ to 2-inch in diameter) than the smaller bay scallops. There are those who prefer bay scallops since the are considered sweeter and more tender. My experience has been that bay scallops are better in stews and casseroles. But if you want to use bay scallops for this recipe, go right ahead. Just be aware that the baking time may be less.

This time around, instead of rice, we served it with pearl (also known as Israeli) couscous. So, here it is, Roasted Scallops with Leeks, Pepper and Olives.  As noted, we used green stuffed olives. If desired, you can utilize Greek Kalamata olives (in fact, we added some to this dish) or black olives. Add a good white wine, such as Chablis, Soave, or even a Rhine wine, some crusty bread, and you can’t go wrong with this one.

ROASTED SCALLOPS WITH  LEEKS, PEPPERS AND OLIVES

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced leeks (about 2 large) white and light green part only
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch strips
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth or stock
2 pounds sea scallops, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup chopped pitted green olives (or a mix of green, black olives or Kalamata olives)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Place leeks, peppers, saffron and butter in a large oven-proof sauté pan, deep pot or skillet (we prefer cast-iron). Pour in the chicken broth. Cook over medium-high heat until the leeks are soft and the broth boils down to about one third of the amount you started with, about 12-15 minutes.
  3.  Arrange the scallops over the leek mixture. Add the lemon  juice, olives and pepper. Place in oven and bake until scallops are tender, about 25 minutes.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

LAMB CHOPS ITALIAN STYLE

October 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

On my mother’s side, the heritage is Italian. In fact, my crazy Uncle Phillip once made it his mission to track down the Italian connection and he discovered that the Bizardi’s, my mother’s maiden name, hailed from Brindisi in Southern Italy. This comes to mind with the dish featured today. It’s one of our family favorites. We love lamb chops with garlic and tomatoes. Sometimes my Mom would use ripe tomatoes. In the winter,  it would be canned Italian tomatoes and, when times were lean, marinara sauce. The dish never disappointed.

Through experimentation, the only changed I’ve made to the recipe is to add ground cumin. It improves and hightens the taste. Here it is, the Rivera family Lamb Chops Italian Style.  Any grain accompaniment or even pasta will go with the dish. True to our Boricua lineage, this time around I served it with tostones, friend green plantains. Want a good and  quick recipe for tostones? Check my post from 10/16/16.

Also, if you want to make this dish Tex-Mex, substitute 1 cup prepared salsa for the tomatoes.  Thus, the recipe gives you two dining options.

LAMB CHOPS ITALIAN STYLE

Ingredients:

6-8 lamb chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground cumin to taste
4 large tomatoes, chopped, or 1 medium-sized can  Italian tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

  1. Brush chops with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin. Heat a pan or skillet over medium-high heat and brown chops on both sides (2-3 minutes).
  2.  Add tomatoes and garlic. Lower heat, cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes.
  3. Top with grated cheese. Cover briefly to melt cheese. Serve immediately.
    Yield: 4-6  servings.

 

NIU JOU SUNG (Chopped Beef with Peas)

October 12, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I call this recipe “Asian Picadillo” because it’s so similar to the Picadillo dish so popular in Latino cooking. Picadillo, to us, is mainly stir fried ground beef with tomatoes, olives, raisins, pepper, salt and oregano. And, yes, sometimes we do add peas to it as in Niu Jou Sung (Chopped Beef with Peas).

Now, this dish is interesting in that there’s a Cantonese version which uses oyster sauce in its ingredients. A Korean version has ginger, sesame seeds and scallions in it. And some versions include monosodium glutamate. The version given below is much simpler. All it contains is soy sauce mixed with dry sherry, brown sugar and cornstarch. It’s so easy to prepare. Another one of its benefits, maybe 20 minutes to make, tops.

So, here it is, Niu Jou Sung served over plain steamed rice, the preferred accompaniment.

NIU JOU SUNG
(Chopped Beef with Peas)

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
Marinade:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dry sherry
¼ teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 package (16 ounce) frozen peas (completely thawed)
2 tablespoons peanut oil or corn oil
½ tablespoon cornstarch combined with
2 tablespoons cold water

  1. Combine ground beef with marinade ingredients. Set aside.
  2.  Heat pan or wok over medium heat until very hot. Ad oil, then beef. Stir-fry over medium heat until meat separates and has mostly changed in color (no red showing). Turn heat to high, add peas and mix them in with meat, letting them cook together for 1 minute.
  3.  Mix cornstarch- and- water combination well. Slowly add to meat and peas while you continue stirring until sauce thickens and coats everything with a clear glaze. serve hot with plain rice.
    Yield: 4 servings.

TRI-TIP STEAK

September 29, 2020 / / 0 Comments

This recipe came about because of the wine club I belong to. It’s Laithwaite’s Wine. It’s because of them than I can afford to drink premium wines. One of them is Tri-Tip Malbec from Lodi, California. Now, Malbec is normally associated with Argentina, where it is the star varietal. But Lodi, California, where Zinfandel is the star, is no slouch when it comes to producing mouth-watering Malbecs. Tri-Tip Malbec, with its inky color, hints of dark fruit, and berry flavors is a prefect match with the recipe given. It complements a steak grilled to perfection.

If you can’t get your hands on a Tri-Tip Malbec, then any good quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah (Shiraz), or Zinfandel will do.

For this recipe I used  sirloin steak. But, it doesn’t have to be sirloin. It could be any steak of choice, even the humble chuck steak. The marinating process make it all even out.

TRI-TIP STEAK

Ingredients:

2 1¼ sirloin steaks (or steaks of your choice)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon chipotle

Instructions:

  1. Wash steaks under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  In a bowl, combine all of the remaining ingredients. Rub mixture on steaks.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Or you can place steaks in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate.
  3. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before grilling.
  4.  Heat your grill to high. Then grill steaks over medium-high heat with lid closed until desired level of doneness, usually 5 to 7 minutes per side. The steaks should cook until golden brown and slightly charred.
    Yield: 4 servings.

ARISTA OF PORK AND BEANS

September 21, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Arista of Pork and Beans is the classic dish of Tuscany. It is made, traditionally, with pork loin. One can also use pork shoulder. My version is made with pork shank. In fact, there’s a theory that arista, in Latin, means upper part, possibly referring to pork shank, or upper part of the pig. The most popular story of how the dish got its name is that in 1430, the Byzantine Patriarch, Bessarion, came to Florence for an ecumenical council and, when he tasted the roast pork, he exclaimed “Aristos!”, the Greek word for best or excellent.

The beans in the dish refers to Tuscan Beans. That is,  white beans, either Great Northern or navy beans, and cooked with sage and plum tomatoes.

This is a special dish for that special occasion when you want to impress family and friends. However, anytime would be a great occasion for this classic. With a good Chianti, nothing could be better.

ARISTA OF PORK AND BEANS

Ingredients:

1 four-pound pork shank  or loin of pork
3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary or 1½ teaspoons dried
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 whole cloves
2 cups dry red or white wine
2 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Trim excess fat from pork. Roll garlic slivers in rosemary. With the point of a sharp knife, cut small incisions in the meat and in each incision insert a garlic sliver. Rub the meat with salt and pepper. Insert the whole cloves in the meat.
  3.  Place the pork on a roasting pan. Pour the water and wine in the pan. Cook for 2¾ hours, basting occasionally. Cut roast into thin slices and serve.

TUSCAN BEANS

Ingredients:

1½ cups small dried white beans, picked over and rinsed
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, chopped; or 1/3 cup canned, drained and chopped

Instructions:

  1. Soak beans overnight in a large bowl with water to cover.
  2.  Drain beans and place in a Dutch oven or large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes or until beans are just tender. Drain.
  3. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over moderate heat. Add beans, sage, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a fork, 3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and toss lightly to blend. Cook 3 minutes more and serve with pork roast.
    Yield: 6 servings.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

September 20, 2020 / / 0 Comments

This is my wife, Holly’s, Fried Green Tomatoes recipe. It’s her family recipe that she had frequently while growing up in Southern Indiana. It’s a hearty, simple no frills version that I’ve gown to love.  The only thing I’ve added is oregano; and I’ve combined olive oil, canola oil and butter for the frying rather than just frying it in Crisco as in the old days. It’s a basic dish of eggs, flour, salt and pepper. That’s it. And that’s another point on which Holly is adamant. In her family, it was always flour that was used for breading, not breadcrumbs or cornmeal or anything else.

The origins of fried green tomatoes have change since I first had it down south during my young manhood. It is now claimed that the dish is not southern in origin.  For example, the dish is mentioned in the International Jewish Cookbook by Florence Kreisler published in 1919. And there is a recipe for it in a 1902 cookbook, 365 Luncheon Dishes, published in Philadelphia. According to Robert A.  Moss, author of The Fried Green Tomato Swindle and Other Southern Culinary Adventures, the only Southern  mention of the recipe that he could find was from a 1944 Alabama newspaper. Southern dish or not,  it’s a great and unique dish. I mean, who would ever think of frying green tomatoes? A lot of folks, it seems.

Ingredients:

3 large green tomatoes, rinsed and wiped dry with paper towels
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup canola oi
3 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

  1. Slice tomatoes ½-inch thick. Discard the ends.
  2. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Pour the flour onto a plate, and season flour with salt, pepper and oregano.
  3.  Dredge tomato slices in flour and then dip in egg mixture.
  4.  In large skillet, combine olive oil, canola oil and butter. Heat over medium heat. Fry tomatoes in batches. Do not crowd tomatoes and they should not touch each other. Cook until browned on one side, 3-4 minutes. Flip and fry on the other side. Drain on paper towels.
    Yield: 4 servings.

WILD MUSHROOM SAUTE

September 18, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I want to the local farmer’s market and I came across a species of mushroom I’m not familiar with: ouster mushrooms. Pleurotus ostreatus, also known as pearl oyster mushrooms and tree oyster mushrooms are very popular in Chinese, Japaneses and Korean cuisine. But what could I do with these suckers? Then I figured, mushrooms are mushrooms. So why not sauté them in olive oil with herbs and chicken broth? The same as I would do with button mushrooms?  Whether it’s wild mushrooms picked in the forest or  store-bought, the process is the same. And, you know what, it always works out.

The recipe given can work with whatever mushroom type you can get your hands on, whether it’s Shitake, Portobello, Crimini, you name it. Still,  I call it Wild mushroom Sauté. Also, you can serve it as a side dish or an entrée  over rice, couscous or quinoa. I served it over spaghetti.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
4 cups mushrooms, rinsed, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped leaf thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh chopped leaf oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
½ cup chicken broth
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan or skillet, Add shallot and cook on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme and oregano. Sauté for 30 seconds.
  2.  Add chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Lower heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are softened.
    Yield: 2-3 servings
« Older posts Newer posts »

Menu

© 2025 Oswald Rivera

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑