Croquetas is one of the most popular tapas dish in Spanish cuisine.  They are very common in bistros in Spain, where they are enjoyed as a tidbit with dry sherry. In my family we savored them, but not as tapas appetizers. We made them as big as meatballs, to be served as an entrée.

Croquetas are usually accompnied with aioli, a Mediterranean sauce made with garlic and olive oil. In our version we add mayonnaise.

So, add a little Iberian flare to your dinner. Other than sherry, the dish goes great with any dry white wine, or red, for that matter. In our family, we never stood on ceremony where the wine was concerned—whatever you liked, was okay.

 CROQUETAS

1 package (12-oz) bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red medium apple, chopped
3/4 cup
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 cups milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs

Aioli

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon roasted peppers
Juice of half a lemon
Salt to taste

           1. In a medium skillet, add the bacon and onion and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and
translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the apple and cook until it begins to release water, about 4
minutes. Whisk in the butter and cook until melted. Add 3/4 cup flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the
milk, a little bit at a time. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour absorbed, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer
the mixture to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
2. Meanwhile, make the aioli: in a medium bowl, mix the mayo, roasted peppers and lemon juice. Season  with
salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. In another medium bowl, add the 1 cup flour. And in a third bowl, add the
breadcrumbs. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator. Using your hands, form into balls.  Again, we like
them big, about 1 1/2 to 2-inch rounds. Dip each ball into the flour, the eggs, and the breadcrumbs.
4. In  a large saucepan add enough vegetable oil to come four inches up the side of the pan. Or you can use any
deep fryer (we use a Fry Daddy). Heat the oil until very hot, add the breaded balls and fry until golden brown,
about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. You may have to do this batches since they are large  croquetas. Using a slotted
spoon, transfer the croquettes to paper towel-lined platter. Continue until all are fried. Serve hot with the aioli.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

 Pork tenderloin is perfect when roasted or slow cooked on the stove in a rich sauce. Since it’s still grilling season, I decided to try it that way. My fear was, how do I get juicy tender meat on a grill and not a charred slab with a raw interior? I know friends who have tried grilling pork tenderloin and it doesn’t come out right. On the stove-top that’s no problem, slow cooking will always get you tender meat. I figured the only way this could be accomplished was by using  lower than usual heat, and constant turning of the meat.

Turns out the technique was okay. I got a well-seared meat where the interior was fairly cooked. Now, I use a gas grill. How this will turn out on a charcoal grill, I do not know. Perhaps someone can try it on a charcoal grill and let me know how it comes out. Also, I decided to add a simple spice rub with maple syrup, cumin and coriander. This is optional. You can use whatever seasoning desired, even plain salt and pepper will work. You can also substitute honey for the maple syrup.

This time of year, zucchini is plentiful. Thus, I cooked a bunch of zucchini with the thing. If desired, you can grill whatever veggies come to mind. However, when using potatoes, I’ve discovered it’s best if they’re cut no bigger than half inch rounds.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup or hone
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 pork tenderloins (about 12-16 ounces)
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-incg round
Olive oil

1.  In a small bowl combine salt, maple syrup, cumin and coriander.
2.  Rinse  pork tenderloins and pat dry with paper towels. Rub spice mixture evenly on both tenderloins.
3.  Turn grill to high, using all burners. Cover, and heat until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high, but turn off other burners.
4.  Place tenderloins on oiled cooking grate. Cover and cook , turning every 2-3 minutes, until browned on all sides, about 8-9 minutes.
5.  Brush zucchini  slices with olive oil. Move tenderloin to cooler side of grill. Place zucchini on hotter middle center of grill. Cover and cook until charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Continue turning tenderloins every 2-3 minutes. Once pork registers 140 degrees on instant read thermometer, it’s done. It could be you may have to remove zucchini before pork is done. Once both tenderloins and zucchini reached desired level of doneness, remove from grill. Place zucchini on a plate, and tenderloins on a carving board. Tent pork with aluminum foil and let rest 8 minutes.  Slice about 1/2-inch thick and serve with zucchini (or any other veggie desired)
   Yield: 4-6 servings.

This is the Nuyorican way of grilling pork chops. Grilling season  inspires us in the myriad ways of cooking meat. In this one we use the spices traditional to criollo cooking.  For the recipe given you can use bone-in pork chops or loin pork chops. Both will work well, but grilling time may vary.

For this recipe I decided to add grilled plum tomatoes. A good addition to to the meat, and all topped with a tasty vinaigrette.

CHULETAS A LA PARRILLA
(Grilled Pork Chops)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon mustard (pref. Dijon)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
4 pork chops, about 2 1/2 pounds, 1-inch thick
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 plum tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Brush grill with vegetable oil. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, mustard, pepper,  and oregano. Stir in the capers and mix well.
3.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Grill until just cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, brush plum tomatoes with olive oil. Grill, cut-side down until charred, about 2minutes. Turn and grill 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.
5.  Serve pork chops with tomatoes and topped with vinaigrette.
   Yield: 4 servings.