Oswald Rivera

Author, Warrior, and Teacher

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MACARONI SALAD

June 22, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Summertime and the livin’ ain’t easy. Though it’s been a mild one thus far, the heat will come, that’s guaranteed (global warming deniers aside). Thus we think of salads for summer. And, for some time now, pasta salads have come to the fore. My favorite of these has always been that great perennial, Macaroni Salad. Nothing says better, pasta salad, than this one. It’s simple, it’s wonderful; and you can pack ’em with whatever you want be it herbs or vegetables.

I’ve experiment with this dish for years; and I’ve come up with what I consider one of the best renditions of all. For most, macaroni salad is just macaroni swimming in mayonnaise. If you like that, great. But I’ve discovered a novel variation: 1/2 mayonnaise and 1/2 sour cream. A marvelous combinations of flavors Add to it lime juice, seasoning, roasted  red peppers, cilantro and, for those who like to give it a kick, jalepeño pepper, and you’re set. Bring on summer!

Note that this dish can be served at room temperature or chilled. Your choice. If using at room temperature, it’s best to let the pasta sit for 20 minutes after preparing so as to let all the flavors come together. Some state that, if serving chilled, add a drizzle of olive oil and toss to have it glistening again.

MACARONI SALAD

1 pound package elbow macaroni
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup low fat sour cream
Juice of half a lime
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 (7-oz) jar roasted red peppers, chopped
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 jalepeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain under cold running water to cool.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, salt, pepper, and oregano.
3. Add macaroni and toss to coat. Fold in roasted peppers, cilantro, and jalepeño, if using
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

SAUSAGE WITH MINT

June 20, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Middle Eastern cuisine utilizes such savories mint as mint and rose water in their cooking. I always found this fascinating.  Here in the west, the only time we use mint in with the Eater lamb, if that. And forget about the rose water. Thus it came to mind recently when I acquired some fresh mint. I said, okay, it’s nice. I like mint tea—but what else?

That’s when inspiration struck. I had some sausages on hand. And I decided: why not try sausages with mint? (And see what happens). Now, in this rendition any good sausage can used. It can be Italian, smoked, Andouille, bratwurst, beef sausage, even chicken or turkey sausage. It’s a simple enough dish to prepare: cook the sausage rounds in olive oil, onion rings and garlic; season to taste, add the mint and serve. We served it over Spanish yellow rice. But you can have it with potatoes, couscous, quinoa, or your favorite grain. Or make great sandwiches with it.

SAUSAGE WITH MINT

Ingredients:

1 pound pork sausage
1 red medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh chopped mint

Instructions:

  1. Rinse sausages under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into ½-inch rounds. Note that if you’re using Italian sausage, the casing must be removed before slicing.
  2. In a large skillet or fry pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion. Stir fry until sausage is brown and onion is tender. Season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic, and cook two minutes more.
  3.  Add wine and cook, over high heat, until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.
  4.  Remove from heat, stir in mint, and serve over favorite grain.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

FISH FILLETS WITH SOUR CREAM AND HERBS

June 18, 2018 / / 0 Comments

There are those occasions where you have to do with what’s in the fridge. So it happened that I had some leftover sour cream, and needed to utilize it before the thing expired. Same  for some fish fillets that we had purchased.

Now, the most common and quickest way to combine these ingredients, is to bake the fillets topped with sour cream. But I decided to try something different. Rather than having to use the oven, since it is summer, I decided on steaming the fish. And then serve it with the sour cream packed with fresh herbs. Summertime is when fresh herbs abound in the market. This made it a no-brainer  The herbs I used were scallions, chives, dill, parsley and basil. But you can use whatever fresh herbs are available in your grocer. By the way, if you don’t have or don’t like sour cream, then mayonnaise, that old reliable, can be substituted. If you’re health conscious, you can use yogurt (plain not flavored).

The fish can be served hot or, as I prefer, room temperature. I turn off the heat and let the fillets stand  in the cooking broth while preparing the sour cream with herbs. Then I drain the fish and serve it lukewarm. It goes better with the summer weather. And it goes without saying, any firm-fleshed white fillets go with this dish. I used haddock fillets; but turbot, cod, pollack, tilapia, bass, snapper, or even sole can be used.

FISH FILLETS WITH SOUR CREAM AND HERBS

Ingredients:

For Fish Fillets:

2 pounds skinless, boneless fish fillets
8 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
¼ cup white vinegar
½ teaspoon dried thyme
6 sprigs fresh parsley

For Sour Cream with Herbs:

1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon mustard (preferably imported)
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Instructions:

  1. Place fillets in a layer in a skillet or pan. Add water to cover, peppercorns, bay leaf, onion, vinegar, thyme and parsley. Cover, bring to  a boil, and let simmer 5 minutes.
  2.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the herb sour cream. Blend well with a fork or hand beater.
  3.  Drain fish, place in a serving dish and serve with the herb sour cream.
    Yield: 4 servings.

PORK PATTIES WITH RICE NOODLES

June 12, 2018 / / 0 Comments

We recently purchased some pork patties from the the LeBlank Family farm in Vermont. What made these patties interesting is that they are flavored with maple. So we thought, um, great, pork patties. Now, patties are the easiest thing to cook. Fry them in butter or olive oil, and serve with a side vegetable. But, then, inspiration struck, and I decided on something different. I decided to cook ’em Vietnamese style.

I’ve been a fan of Vietnamese cuisine since my tour in ‘Nam back during the Vietnam War. Those days are long gone, thank the gods; and now I can experiment with their vibrant cuisine. I decided to prepare the patties with Nuoc Cham, a sweet-sour combination of fish sauce, garlic, sugar and lime juice very prevalent in Vietnamese cooking. Think of garam masala in Indian cooking, and the proverbial salsa in Mexican cooking.

The dish worked very well.  I added rice noodles to the mix plus a western twist, zucchini slices (we happened to have some zucchini on hand). For this recipe you can use prepared beef, turkey or chicken patties. Or you can make your own. Your choice. You can even utilize hamburger patties, if desired. Just adjust the cooking time to the size of the meat. The patties can also be done on a grill. This is the season for it. On a charcoal grill, heat coals until hot, and cook patties, about 5 minutes, turning once during grilling. On a gas grill, turn all burners to high, cover and cook patties 3 to 4 minutes per side.

PORK PATTIES WITH RICE NOODLES

Ingredients:

1 small green chili (or Thai chili), stemmed and minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1/4 cup hot water
5 tablespoons fish sauce (can be found in any Asian market or even most supermarkets these days)
Juice of 1 lime
1 medium-sized zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced, then slices cut in half
4 pork patties (or chicken, turkey, beef—whatever you have on hand), 4-5 ounces each, abut 1
pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces rice vermicelli or rice noodles
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large  of water to boil (at least 4 quarts).
  2. While water is boiling, in small bowl, combine the chili, sugar, garlic, water, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir to mix until sugar is dissolved and set aside.
  3.  In a pan or skillet, heat olive oil, and cook patties over medium heat until browned (about 3-4 minutes per side). Place on a plate or dish with paper towels to drain, and set aside.
  4. Add noodles to boiling water and cook until tender. Usually this means placing noodles in boiling water, cover, turn the heat off and let stand for 3-4 minutes. Loosen with a fork, drain, rinse with cold water, and you’re set.
  5.  Place noodles in a platter or serving dish. Arrange zucchini slices on top. Drizzle with the fish sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped mint; and top with pork patties.
    Yield: 4 servings.

Berenjena Trito – Fried Eggplant

June 5, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Back in Spanish Harlem, during our lean times, eggplant was one of the things we most enjoyed. It was cheap (still is, and highly versatile). I was amazed when I discovered from my Italian friends that you could incorporate in such things as eggplant parmigiana. Or in Indian cuisine, as in Ola, where you could bake it with yogurt. But I still hankered for the old Puerto Rican method of simple fried eggplant. This is one of the easiest dish to prepare, and not only for the vegan among us.

One of the hallowed rules concerning eggplant is that, prior to coking. It must be drained. That is done by peeling the eggplant, cutting into thin slices, sprinkling with salt and piling it on a plate. Then the slices are covered by another plate and set aside for about 30 minutes.  Finally, the slices are wiped cleaned and they are ready to be cooked. In our family we never enacted this ritual. Personally I think it’s a waste of time. Of course there are those who profess  the worthiness of this procedure, and more power to them. We’ve been making eggplant or way for generations; and we’ve never had any complaints.

In this recipe, I’ve given two ways to prepare eggplant: one with bread or cracker crumbs and eggs, and one with flour. Either one is just as good. Also, one can cut the eggplant into slices, if you have a large vegetable. Or, you can slice them lengthwise, if you have a small eggplants. In the recipe given, we’ve sliced them in the latter fashion. In all cases, the recipe yields 4 or more servings.

Added note: This recipe is from my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Running Press, Perseus Books).  If you enjoy Caribbean cooking, this book is it.

BERENJENA FRITA
(Fried Eggplant)

Method 1:

1 large eggplant or 3 small ones
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup bread or cracker crumbs
Salt and ground pepper to taste
¾ cup olive oil

1. Peel eggplant and trim off the ends. Cut eggplant into ¼-inch slices  or lengthwise, if preferred.
2. In a bowl, combine eggs with bread crumbs. Dip slices in egg-bread crumb mixture.
3. In a skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil and fry eggplant slices over moderate -low heat until golden brown and crisp.
4. Drain on paper towels and serve

Method 2:

1 large eggplant or 3 small ones
¼ cup flour
Salt and ground black pepper
¾ olive oil

1. Peel eggplant and trim off ends. Cut eggplant into ¼-inch slices or lengthwise.
2. Sprinkle slices with flour, salt and pepper.
3. In a skillet or pan, heat olive oil and fry eggplant over moderate-low heat until golden brown.
4. Drain on paper towels and serve.

 

POLLO CON ACHIOTE – ACHIOTE CHICKEN

June 1, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Achiote is one of the most popular condiments in Puerto Rican Cuisine. It is simply annatto seeds cooked in olive oil. It’s most common use used is as a coloring, particularly in rice, where the achiote gives the grains that bright orange color so definitive to us rice lovers. It’s other most typical variation is in Bacalao con Achiote, or shredded codfish cooked with the achiote.

Annatto is the pulp of the tropical tree Bixa orellana.  Annatto dye is sued in coloring some cheeses. In the old days, it was used by Caribbean and South American Indians for body paint.

I’ve discovered that achiote can be used in making other dishes, such as the recipe given today, Pollo con Achiote or, simply, Achiote Chicken. If you have achiote already on hand, then the recipe is a snap. If not, a quick recipe for making achiote is given. What’s marvelous about this recipe is that it can be prepared baked, steam, or grilled (this is the season for it). Whichever method is used, the result is a delicious and memorable rendition.

POLLO CAN ACHIOTE
(Achiote Chicken)

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1½ pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh crushed oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon annatto seeds
½ cup olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Rinse chicken breasts under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  3.  In a bowl, place chicken. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Mix to combine. Set chicken aside while preparing achiote.
  4.  In a small skillet, preferably cast-iron, heat olive oil. When oil is very hot, add annatto seeds. Turn heat to low and cook the seeds, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. If the flame is kept on high, the seeds may crack and splatter. During cooking, the oil will turn a bright orange-red color. The longer the seeds steep in oil, the deeper the hue.
  5.  Remove from heat and let cool. Using a small strainer, pour into a glass jar or container. Cover and refrigerate. It will last in the fridge indefinitely. Or you can freeze it. Again, the shelf time is indefinite. But once it’s thawed, it cannot be re-frozen. Don’t ask me why.
  6.  Add 2-3 tablespoons to the chicken (the more you add the greater the color). Place chicken in a baking pan (I prefer cast-iron), and bake 20-30 minutes until tender and chicken has bright orange-red tinge.
    Yield: 4 servings.Steaming: Place chicken in a pot or pan. Add water up to 2 inches in pan. Bring to a boil.  Place  chicken in pan, lower heat and steam 10 minutes or until chicken is tender. A bamboo steamer can also be used, if you have one.Grilling: Prepare grill to medium heat; and grill chicken until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Cover grill, and continue to cook chicken until cooked through, turning and moving to coolest part of grill if necessary to prevent burning, about 25 minutes.

 

 

GREEN PEPPERCORN AND CREAM SAUCE

May 10, 2018 / / 0 Comments

We’re all familiar with peppercorns. Just check your pepper shaker next to the salt on the table. That’s just crushed black peppercorns. In Puerto Rican cuisine we use whole peppercorns that are crushed in a mortar and pestle. It gives a dish that extra zing. There are also green peppercorns, which are actually unripe black peppercorns that are either dried or preserved in brine or vinegar.  If using peppercorns packed in brine, they must be drained before crushing.

Green peppercorns have a milder taste than black, and they are often used in the renowned steak dish “Steak Au Poivre  Vert” or Pepper Steak. But their flavor also enhances poached chicken or fish dishes.  My favorite of these is Green Peppercorn and Cream Sauce  It is the easiest dish to prepare and renders that classic instance of continental cuisine sure to impress your friends and co-diners.

For those of you who are wondering how to prepare poached chicken or fish. Simple: place  rinsed and washed chicken (pieces or beasts)  or 1½ – 2 pounds fish fillets in a skillet or pan. Season with salt, oregano or herbs of your choice. Pour about 3-inches of liquid in the pan. This could be plain water or broth. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer until fish fillets or chicken are tender, usually 5-7 minutes for fish or 10 minutes for chicken. This will render 4 servings or more. For the recipe given I used perch fillets. But any light, firm fleshed fish will do (haddock, cod, turbot, flounder, etc.)

GREEN PEPPERCORN AND CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons green peppercorns, crushed
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions:

In a small skillet or pan, heat butter until melted. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add peppercorns and heavy cream, and cook for about two minutes more. Pour sauce over poached fish or chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Note: The recipe calls for crushing the peppercorns in a  mortar. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, place peppercorns between two sheets of waxed paper and, using your palm, crush with the side of a  cleaver or kitchen knife.

KASHMIR SPINACH WITH TOFU

May 4, 2018 / / 0 Comments

I am a fan of Indian cuisine, especially  for its vegetarian content. One of my favorite recipes is Kashmir Spinach with Paneer. Kashmir is in northwestern India and spinach, or palak as it is called in Hindi, is very popular in the region. Mixing palak with paneer, a fresh cheese popular throughout South Asia, is very common. In fact, in Kashmir the dish is known as palak paneer. In every case, the paneer is deep-fried and served with the spinach

But what if you don’t have any paneer cheese on hand? So, improvisation is in order. Why not use tofu instead? To my surprise, the dish works very well with beancurd. It is just as tasty, and healthy. As with the original, we serve it over rice, and it makes for a great vegetarian dinner. The spices present in the dish are perfect in livening up the neutral tofu flavor. No other enhancement is required.

Let me add that this recipe is spicy. You can use just one green chili or skip it altogether. You can make it as hot or as mild as desired. Either way, enjoy.

KASHMIR SPINACH WITH TOFU

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin powder
¼-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and mince
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
4-5 cardamom pod
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons fennel seed powder
3 Serrano chilies, slit along their length
1 14-ounce package extra firm tofu, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt to taste.
1 pound fresh spinach leaves, washed and cut into ribbons
¾ teaspoon cornstarch, made into a slurry with a few tablespoons of water

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a wok or pan on medium-high flame. When it simmers, add cumin, ginger, turmeric, cardamom,  garam masala, 1 teaspoon of fennel seed powder, and green chilies. Toss mixture with oil.
2. Add tofu and stir the mixture until the beancurd is covered with spices and oil. Add salt to taste.
3. Add about 1 ½ cups water to pan. Gently mix, cover and bring to a boil.
4. Lower heat to simmer. Uncover, and sprinkle over the remainder of the fennel seed powder. Stir in the spinach. Add cornstarch and stir to mix.
5. Cover and simmer for another 4-5 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Serve with steamed rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 

 

 

 

POTATOES ROMANOFF

April 9, 2018 / / 0 Comments

How about eating like a czar tonight? Literally eating like a czar. That’s where Potatoes Romanoff comes in. Think of a dish that’s sinfully delicious; a side offering that will eclipse everything else. Forget about mashed potatoes or potato salad. This is the epitome of it all. It’s perfect with a juicy steak or even hamburgers. But you can serve it with chicken, lamb, pork, or anything that calls for a side dish—but what a side dish!  Now, let me state right off the bat that Potatoes Romanoff is not a low calorie rendition. In this case, discard the freakin’ diet. It is a delightful pleasure for that special occasion. It is an easy to prepare, make ahead dish that you can reheat in the oven at your convenience.

The original Potatoes Romanoff calls for peeling the potatoes during the preparation. I discovered a long time ago that peeling potatoes robs them of their natural nutrients. I tend to purchase organic potatoes, and cooking them with skins and all. However, in the original dish, peeled potatoes are shredded in a grater. Since I prepare them unpeeled, shredding doesn’t work. Thus I chop them coarsely instead. If you can’t find organic spuds, just rinse them in water and scrubbed them with a sponge or brush. This should rid them of the nasty pesticides that cover the vegetable.

Also, the original recipe does not include garlic. I am a Nuyorican garlic head and I use it whenever I can. In this instance, it adds that extra zing to the taste.

 

Ingredients:

POTATOES ROMANOFF

4 medium-sized potatoes, washed and quartered
1 cup sour cream
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of paprika

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and chop coarsely.
  3. In a shallow baking dish (I prefer cast-iron), combine potatoes, sour cream, onion, about two-thirds of the Cheddar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and dust with paprika. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden.
    Yield: 6 servings.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

April 5, 2018 / / 0 Comments

For a pasta freak like myself, this is one of the easiest (and moist economical) dishes to prepare. And it’s quick and delicious. Think of the nerdy Sheldon on the comedy series The Big Bang, where he always rhapsodizes about his mom’s real “Eyetalian” spaghetti and franks dinner. In our family this is the equivalent.

For this preparation, any pasta can be used, whether string, round, oval or shells. In terms of types, I’ve always preferred what I call the the “hardy” ones, or as my Uncle Philip use to say, the “manly-man pastas.” By that I mean fettuccine, cannelloni, and my favorite, perciatelli. No angel hair for me. For this rendering we used rigatoni.

For the sausage in the dish, you can used mild or hot sausage links,  meat sausage, pork sausage, or even, Spanish chorizo. If you’re more health conscious, you can use chicken or turkey sausage.  Back in Spanish Harlem, during our lean days, we used canned Vienna sausage. You’re only limited by your imagination; which by now should be boundless.  With a good Chianti (or whatever wine you prefer), and some crusty bread, it’s a poor guy’s banquet.

Ingredients:

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1 ½ pounds preferred sausage (see above), cut into ½-inch rounds
1 pound package rigatoni
1 medium onion, sliced thin ( I prefer a red onion, but can use other)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1  jar (26-oz.) of your favorite pasta sauce
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

instructions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan (I prefer cast-iron). Add sausage and sauté until brown and tender. Depending on type of sausage this may take 5-6 minutes.
2. Cook rigatoni according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, add onion to skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in pepper and oregano.
4. Add pasta sauce and stir to mix. Cook until warm, 3-4 minutes.
5. Drain pasta, place in a large serving dish or platter. Top with sauce and parsley, and serve.
Yield: 4 or more servings.

 

 

 

 

 

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