Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

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PEPPER ENCRUSTED SALMON WITH CREAMY PICCATA SAUCE

June 28, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Time for salmon fillets. Haven’t had them in a while, and it’s like an itch that won’t go away. In our family, we love salmon. And normally, we like it simple, a piece of fish with a drizzle of butter and olive oil. But sometimes we pull out all the stops  and make it a banquet. I recently had that epiphany with one of my favorites, pepper encrusted salmon. To be honest, peppered salmon is not for everyone. Some folks, like my lovely wife, find the crusted pepper a bit strong. In fact, too spicy. So, I thought, why not have a sauce that could mitigate the pepper flavor; not necessary overwhelm it, but compliment it on the palette. And this was the result, Pepper Encrusted Salmon Fillets with Creamy Piccata Sauce.

A piccata sauce is one made with lemon juice, parsley and butter. It comes from the Italian “piccata,” or “larded.”It’s most popular incarnation is that popular dish, Chicken Piccata. In this recipe we add capers and sour cream to give it a refreshing tang. The beauty of this dish is that it can be served with any accompaniment. You can have it with rice, pasta, potatoes, or plain vegetables. So, treat family and friends to something special for dinner. No one will be disappointed.

Note that, for that genuine Nuyorican flavor, the recipe calls for the use of a  mortar and pestle to crush the peppercorns, garlic and salt. A mortar and pestle can be found these days in almost any store or supermarket. If you don’t have a mortar, simple place the ingredients between two sheets of waxed paper and pound  with a cleaver or heavy knife. You can cheat and use  ground pepper and garlic powder but, believe me, it won’t taste the same.

PEPPER ENCRUSTED SALMON WITH CREAMY PICCATA SAUCE

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets or 1 pound center-cut salmon cut into four pieces
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, peeled
Pinch of sea salt or to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
¼  cup sour cream

Instructions:

  1. Rinse salmon fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a mortar, crush well peppercorns, garlic and salt. Press peppercorn mix into  salmon, coating thoroughly. Set aside.
  3.  Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, and boil slightly until reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and capers. Cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.
  4.   Now, here, you can go two ways. You can place the the piccata sauce in a warm saucer or small bowl and set aside, then wipe the skillet clean with paper towels and use for the next step. Or,  you can heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in another skillet until the oil is hot but not smoking; add the salmon  and saute 2 minutes on each side or until it just flakes. Place the fillets in a serving platter, top with the piccata sauce and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.

PANZANELLA (TOMATO-BREAD SALAD)

June 25, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Panzanella (pant-sa-nella) is a tomato-bread salad that hails from Tuscany. Historians state that it’s origins is the 16th century, when Italians started mixing onions, oil and vinegar with bread.  It wasn’t until the 20th century when tomatoes were added, and that has become the norm. It makes for a great summer salad.

PANZANELLA
(Tomato-Bread Salad)

Ingredients:

1 baguette or country bread (about 8 ounces), day old is fine
1½ to 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Cube or tear bread into bite-sized pieces and place in a salad bowl.
  2. Add tomatoes, onion, cucumber, garlic and basil. Using your hands, toss together in the bowl. Sprinkle with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and toss again. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

ENSALADA DE ALMEJAS CON AGUACATE Y TOMATES

June 23, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Summer time again. The weather heats up and the thought of cooking over a stove, even with air conditioning, is insufferable. So here’s a quickie salad you may consider but may not have thought of.  It’s a salad of clams with avocado and tomatoes. A clam meat salad, you say? Yes, minced clams. In my family, back on the block, we loved minced clam meat. My mother would make a great salad with it which we all savored. Now, this was not necessarily whole clams and their contents, but clam meat that comes in cans. Yes, cans.  I know, the elites among you may turn up your nose at opening a can for dinner since it’s so . . . so déclassé. Well, I still love tuna fish sandwiches, and crabmeat, and they all come from a can. Yes, I’m a philistine and proud of it.  Besides, this salad makes it so easy. Mix some clam meat with olive oil and herbs, and add avocado and tomatoes, and you have a great salad for a hot humid day. Add some crusty bread and some good white wine like a Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio, or beer, and you have a summer banquet.

ENSALADA DE ALMEJAS CON AGUACATE Y TOMATES
(Clam-Avocado-Tomato Salad)

Ingredients:

5 (or 6) 6.5 ounce cans minced clams
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lemon, cut in half
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper  taste
1 fully ripened avocado
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 head lettuce (escarole, leaf lettuce, romaine, etc.) or a bunch of fresh spinach

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine minced clams, olive oil, vinegar, juice of ½ lemon,  garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. Cut avocado in half, peel and remove the pit. Cut each half into 6 to 8 wedges. Squeeze remaining lemon juice over avocado to prevent discoloration.
3. Make a bed of crisp lettuce leaves or spinach on a salad plate  or serving platter. Place clam meat in center of serving platter. Arrange  avocado and tomato wedges alternately around the clam meat. Sprinkled lightly with salt and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

CABBAGE WITH SOUR CREAM AND NUTMEG

June 19, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Cabbage is what I term one of those funny vegetables. About the only time you’ll see it is when it’s stuffed with whatever meat you like or in sauerkraut.  You’ll seldom see it as a meal in itself or even as side dish.  I know that in Europe, boiled cabbage was a meal as a necessity, since it was cheap. But we’ve come along way from the shtetl (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, rent or stream the movie Fidler on the Roof). Be as it may, the dish given below brings cabbage to the fore. And the lowly vegetable finally gets top billing. It shines as an accompaniment to any main dish course.

Note that when purchasing cabbage, choose a crisp, firm, compact head of cabbage. Avoid any that show even a hint of yellow.

CABBAGE WITH SOUR CREAM AND NUTMEG

Ingredients:

2-pound head green cabbage
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
½ pint sour cream
Nutmeg, preferably freshly grated

Instructions:

1. Carefully remove and discard any loose outer eaves. Then cut off stem at the base flush with the bottom of the cabbage. With a large knife, cut the cabbage in half vertically; lay the halves, cut side down, on a chopping board. Cut each halve again in the same manner. Carefully cut away the top of the triangular core, being careful not to cut too deeply (it is imperative that you leave a small amount of core in each quarter to hold the leaves together). Place the quartered cabbage in a large colander and quickly run cold water over the quarters. Let them drain while you prepare the steamer.
2. Pour  2 cup water into a 5-quart pot and add cabbage, arranging them cut side up and sprinkle each quarter lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, cover pot,  lower to moderate heat and steam cabbage for 5 minutes.  Test for doneness you prefer by piercing a cabbage quarter with tip of small sharp knife. Steam the cabbage for another 2-3 minutes (securely recovering the  pot) if your prefer your cabbage less crisp. Ideally, it should not only be to the point where it retains a bit of firmness, but is also a glistening green color
3. With tongs, transfer the cabbage to a heated platter and top each quarter with about 2 tablespoons sour cream. Sprinkle the cream with a few gratings of fresh nutmeg and serve at once.
Yield: 4-6 servings.
Note: If cabbage is not young and tender, steam 7-8 minutes then test for doneness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARINATED FISH FILLETS

June 16, 2020 / / 0 Comments

If you’ve followed my blog, you’ll know I’m a fan of serving marinated fish as an entrêe. Just follow the posts: Marinated Fish Salad (08/3815);  Fish Marinated in Garlic Oil (04/24/15); Rum Marinated Salmon (07/03/13). Thus I ‘m always on the lookout for a good recipe. And it so happens that the recipe given today is yet another way to marinate fish; and it’s probably the easiest way to do it. It is so simple: just marinate the fish in or soy sauce, olive oil and grated ginger, with an added dash of cayenne pepper thrown in. Then fry the thing.  Nothing could be less complex.

This dish calls for fish fillets like haddock, turbot, perch, cod, etc.; but you can also do it with fish steaks. That being said, we now get into controversial territory: the wine. I know, the usual format is that white wine goes with fish and red wine with meat. As I’ve noted before, this is BS. Serve the dish with whatever damn wine you like. I’ve discovered that this dish goes well with a light Chianti, like a DaVince Chianti. As long as the wine had a fruity edge, you can’t go wrong.

Since this recipe has Asian ingredients such as soy sauce and ginger, I suggest that the perfect accompaniment is brown or white steamed rice drizzled with a little olive oil. Or you can even serve it over pasta such as angel hair or linguini.  You are only limited by your imagination. So, go at it!

MARINATED FISH FILLETS

Ingredients:

1½ to 2 pounds, fish fillets
¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/3 cup sliced scallions
Canola oil

Instructions:

1. Wash fish fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a small mixing bowl or cup, stir together the soy sauce, olive oil, and cayenne. Place the fillets in a large zip-lock bag, add the soy sauce mix, close bag tightly and let marinate for 20 minutes, turning once or twice during marinating process.
3. Fill a large skillet with the canola oil to a depth of ½-inch. Heat the oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add fish fillets and cook for 2 minutes per side (or 1 minute if you like it very rare). Serve with steamed rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

BRAISING POT ROAST

June 5, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Back on the block, in our family, like almost everywhere else in America, Sunday was pot roast day.  And my mother would make it the usual way via baking or roasting in the oven. Lately, thinking back on those days, I started experimenting with pot roast. And one of the most successful method was braising instead of roasting. I subsequently discovered that braising made the pot roast juicier, more moist and less dry than the baking method.  It has become our favorite way of preparing a roast.

In the recipe given I use a chuck roast like my mother did back in Spanish Harlem. You do not need a fancy cut of meat in  this. Braising renders the meat succulent, whether it’s chuck roast or top loin roast. So, if you’re money conscious, use the good ole’ chuck meat. If you wanna splurge on a choice cut, that’s up to you.

Also note that this braising recipe can also be used for lamb, pork or fowl. It’s an all-purpose recipe, and that’s it’s advantage. You can use it with whatever meat you like. Though I do not thank it would work that well for fish. But, if you want to try it with fish and prove me wrong, go right ahead. That’s the beauty of experimenting with cooking: you can really come up with some great results (or not). And if not, keep at it. It will always serve you well.

BRAISING POT ROAST

Ingredients:

1 beef chuck roast, about 3 pounds
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Oregano, fresh or dried to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cups diced cabbage or celery
2-3 carrots, cut into rounds
½ cup dry red wine
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup tomato sauce
Bunch fresh rosemary or tarragon

Instructions:

  1. Rinse meat under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  Prick the meat all over with a fork or knife. Season on all sides with the salt, pepper, and oregano, rubbing the seasoning into the meat with the flat of the hand. Drizzle with the olive oil
  3.  Place the roast in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add and scatter all over with the cabbage and carrots. Add wine and chicken broth mixed with the tomato sauce. Top with a bunch of fresh rosemary or tarragon. Bring to boil, cover, lower heat to low-medium and simmer for an hour or so or until meat is tender. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

FRIJOLES CON TOCINO Y ARROZ (Columbian Rice and Beans)

May 30, 2020 / / 0 Comments

As you may have noticed in prior posts, in my culture rice and beans reign supreme.  It’s in our DNA. Thus, I am always on the lookout for requisite good recipes.  In Columbia they have their own method of  preparing this consummate dish. My Columbian brethren add plantains to the dish. Something we never do in Nuyorican cooking. We may have plantains as a side dish, either green plantains (tostones) or ripe plantains (platanos dulce).

Let me add that in Columbia, when making this dish, they use a type of bean called Bola. This is a red ball bean with a white eye.  Admittedly, they are hard to find, even on the East Coast.  I’m sure you can find them online.  I’ve discovered that red kidney bean do just as well in the recipe, and are quite tasty.  Also,  this recipe contains slab bacon, which gives it that added flavor.
Disfruté.

FRIJOLES CON TOCINO Y ARROZ
(Columbian-Style Rice and Beans)

Ingredients:

1 pound dried red kidney beans
8 ounces slab bacon, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium-ripe plantains, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse and pick through beans. Then soak overnight in a large pot of water (the pot does not need to be covered unless you prefer it that way).
2. Next day, rinse soaked beans well with cold water. Place in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, cover with water (for at least 2 inches) and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low- medium, cover, and cook for two hours.
3. In a skillet, sauté bacon (no oil is needed), onion, plantains, cilantro, garlic and salt. Add to beans. Continue cooking, covered, at low-medium heat for about 45 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally to make sure than beans do not stick to pot. When completely cooked, liquid should have the consistency of a thick soup. You can serve the beans and rice separately, or beans over the rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

SESAME TOFU

May 26, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I’m always on the lookout for good tofu recipes. Tofu, or bean curd, is something that I discovered in my young manhood. And I’ve been  a fan ever since. To me, Tofu by itself is tasteless. Yet the beauty of it is that it acquires the flavor of whatever seasoning you use. This is its crowning glory. And the recipe given below exemplifies that. It’s nothing less, or more, than tofu marinated in soy sauce and herbs and, then, for that added touch, sesame is added to the mix. You can’t go wrong with this one. Serve over steamed rice or noddles, this is a winner, In this case, I served the marinated tofu over Japanese green tea noodles, And it was delicious. It makes for a great vegetarian dinner. And even if you’re not a vegetarian, you’ll appreciate the mix of flavors this dish brings up.

Let me add that the Japanese green noodles I find in the stores come in  a 22.57 ounce package. If you can find a 12.8-ounce package then you’re set. Otherwise use half of the 22.57 ounce package for a dinner for four.

SESAME TOFU

Ingredients:

1 pound package (14-ounce) of extra firm tofu, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and mince
1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons peanut oil

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine tofu, soy sauce, garlic, ginger root and sugar. Stir to mix. Marinate or 2 hours.
  2.  Remove tofu from marinade and roll in sesame seeds.
  3.  In a wok or fry pan, heat peanut oil on medium heat. Add tofu along with marinade and cook tofu for 4 minutes.
  4.  Serve over steamed rice or noodles.
    Yield: 4 servings.

 

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

May 24, 2020 / / 0 Comments

In 1940 a little known cookbook came out, Hors d’Oeuvre and Canapés, by the incomparable James Bard. Among its recipes was one for stuffed mushrooms. In 1940 American, stuffed mushrooms were an oddity. To most it must have seemed totally alien. Today, stuffed mushrooms are everywhere.  Yes, we have come along way. Below is my recipe for this venerable dish. I like to serve them with tostones, or deep-fried plantains, as a meal in itself, not just an appetizer. For a good tostones recipe see my post of 10/16/16.

For the recipe given you can used portobello or white button mushrooms. Most recipes call for baby mushrooms for stuffing. I did a combination of portobello and white, and not all were baby mushrooms. So I ended up with some large stuffed mushrooms. It still came out alright.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
12 mushrooms or more, depending on how many people to feed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash mushrooms under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop stems. Set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add chopped mushroom stems and cook until most of the moisture is out, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the breadcrumbs to bind them, 3 minutes.  Add wine and let it cook until it almost evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly
4. In a large bowl, mix together mushroom stem mixture, cream cheese, parsley and thyme. Fill mushroom caps with filling and place in a baking pan or dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and bake until mushrooms are soft and tops are golden, about twenty minutes.

 

BECHAMEL SAUCE

May 19, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Another spur of the moment dinner. We had some leftover risotto, and decided to have it with organic turkey burgers that we had on hand.  But, to make it more interesting, I decided to make a Béchamal Sauce to go with the turkey burgers. It came out great.

Béchamel Sauce is basically a white sauce. Except that I add to it onions and garlic. The sauce given is a quickly version that I improvised—I add one envelope of instant chicken broth. The instant chicken broth I use is the Goya band. Why? It has a lesser salt content than the other brands. If you have liquid chicken broth on hand, you may use that according to the taste and texture you want in the sauce. My improvised version makes a velvety béchamel sauce.

BÉÉCHAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients:

¼ cup (½ stick butter)
1 small onion, peeled and chopped (¼ cup)
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 envelope instant chicken broth
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and sauté until soft.
2. Stir in the flour, instant chicken broth and pepper. With a wire whisk, cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thicken and bubbles, about 3 minutes.
Yield:   2 cups.

 

 

 

 

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