Hoppin' John - A Southern Tradition

Dec 30, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

In my first foray down south, years ago, I discovered a traditional New Year's ritual: Hoppin' John (or Hopping John, for all you uppity types). Southern lore has it that Hoppin' John is the birthright of every southerner. And it's a double edged sword. See, Hoppin' John is the dish that everyone south of the Mason-Dixon line must have on New Year's day. It ensures continual good luck for the coming year. Skip it and you risk damnation and an accursed 365 days to come. If you don't eat Hoppin' John on January 1st, well, all bets are off.

I've taken this fable to heart. I partake of Hoppin' John every New Year's day. What is consists of is black-eyed peas and rice. Some variations have the beans and rice cooked together. I prefer cooking them separately, and serving the black-eyed peas over the rice.

I assume there are as many Hoppin' John recipes as there are southern cooks. Most call for ham hocks, country ham, bacon, or ham steak added to the peas. I use ham hocks, which gives the dish an earthy flavor. So here follows the Rivera family version of a southern favorite. By the way, how the dish got its name, I have no idea. If anyone out there knows its history, please let me know.

HOPPIN' JOHN

1 pound dried black-eyed peas

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium ham hocks

1 large onion, sliced into rounds

1 red or green bell pepper (pimento), chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 chicken bouillon cube

4 cups water

Cooked white rice (3-4 cups)

1. Preparing the peas: initially I would soak them overnight in water, drain, and cook the next day. I've discover that a more convenient (and better way) is to cover the peas with water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat, cover pan and let stand 1 hour. Finally, drain peas, rinse well, and set aside.

2. While peas are are being done, rinse ham hocks under cold running water, and pat dry. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sear ham hocks until browned. Add water just to cover ham hocks, bring to a boil, partly cover, lower heat and simmer ham hocks until tender (about 45 minutes).

3. Add peas, onion, pimento, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, salt, hot pepper sauce, bouillon, and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until beans are tender (about 45 minutes).

4. Serve over white rice or, if preferred, you can mix the cooked rice and beans together.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Hangover Cures for the New Year

Dec 29, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

"My brain is melting into my feet."

---Mel Brooks

It's that time of year again, kiddies. New Year's is just around the corner; and you know what that means: the perpetual New Year's eve hangover. Yes, New Year's revels have been with us since the beginning, and so have hangovers cures. The ancient Romans recommended eating deep fried canaries as a sure-fire cure. The ancient Libyans quaffed a mixture of sea-water and wine. The ancient Greeks recommended eating sheep's lungs. The ancient Chinese swore that eating horse's brains was the cure. In the 1800s in the U.S. it was thought that soaking your feet in mustard would do it. Among our Irish brethren it was thought that burying the person up to the neck in moist river sand would generate a cure.

Today in Mexico the national cure is menudo, a broth made of boiled tripe. In Haiti, it's sticking 13 black-headed pins in the cork of the bottle you drank from that will deliver you from the hangover. In Puerto Rico, at one time, it was said that rubbing a lemon under your drinking arm would be the cure. In Poland, it is still recommended that drinking pickle juice is a good remedy (I would think twice about that one). A more modern cure among scuba divers is taking a blast from an oxygen tank. Some say a steam sauna is the best way to get rid of a hangover. But what if you don't have access to a sauna?

My experience with hangovers comes from my wild and misspent youth when I was known for more than my share of imbibing. The following remedies are what I consider to be tried and true options, as far as the primordial hangover is concerned.

1. Drink plenty of fluids. Booze dehydrates you. Replenish your system with fruit juices and water. Orange juice with its vitamin C content is especially good.

2. Take a hot shower. This relaxes constricted blood vessels and tense neck muscles.

3. Avoid caffeine. It dehydrates you more. Drinking black coffee will probably make you sicker.

4. Tray good ole Alka Seltzer the next morning. Avoid aspirin, Tylenol or Ibruprofen. Aspirin is a blood thinner, and just like alcohol it can intensify the affects of a hangover. Tylenol (acetamoniphen) can adversely affect the liver. Ibuprofen can cause stomach bleeding.

5. Sweat it out. Exercise the toxins out of your system. But beware that too strenuous exercise may dehydrate you more. I do a series of breathing exercises from our Kung-Fu Wu-Su system called 8 silk weaving. This is marvelous for easing a hangover.

6. Pop some vitamins. B vitamins (especially B6) help the body metabolize alcohol. B vitamin supplements also provide a boost of energy. Vitamin C helps detoxify the body naturally, reducing the affects of the poisons in your system.

7. Ginkgo Biloba (ginkgo seeds) is considered a good herbal remedy since ginkgo contains an enzyme that speed up the body's metabolism of alcohol.

8. Drink skullcap tea made from an herb (skullcap) that eases withdrawal from the alcohol. It can be found in capsule or tablets in health food stores. I like skullcap tea sweetened with pure, raw organic honey. Believe me, you'll feel better in an hour or so.

9. Another good tea drink is peppermint. The mint contains antioxidants which is a natural stomach soothener and digestive aid.

10. Ginseng tea or ginseng root (steeped in hot water) soothes the stomach and helps with stomach troubles (endemic to hangovers). I prefer Korean Panax ginseng tea (which contains fructose).

11. Which leads us to the next cure, fructose (or fruit sugar), which speeds the body's metabolism of alcohol by 25%. Or try putting some raw honey in your tea (it's more than 40% fructose). Recall that among old time bartenders the favored hangover remedy was just honey in hot water.

If nothing works you can always try the time honored "Hair of the Dog." That is, having a shot on booze, preferably gin or vodka. Something about the blood stream dealing with the new alcohol and thus ignoring the old alcohol, and the hangover in your system. For the record, I have never tried this, and I don't think I ever will. And then there's offering prayers to Saint Viviana, patron saints of drunkards and, concurrently, hangovers.

But my best hangover cure of all is simply, rest, peace, and quiet. Just sleep it off.

celebrate with COQUITO!

Dec 21, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

In Puerto Rican households of old, the traditional drink for the Christmas holidays was coquito. In Puerto Rico, I'm told, it was also the beverage that flowed during Las Fiestas Patronales, or the the Feast of the Patron Saints. Seems every town or village had a patron saint, and what better way to pay homage than by making coquito. My folks called coquito Puerto Rican moonshine. It's not too far off the mark. Some liken it to potent eggnog; and it can be made very potent or mild depending on how much rum you put in it.



In our family we still make coquito in the traditional manner. In my cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group), the family recipe is given, and it calls for ripe coconuts which are cracked open, and using both the coconut milk and the coconut skin to make the coquito. It is a great recipe, and it makes the finest coquito on earth. But, it's time consuming. I've modified the recipe using cream of coconut or coconut milk (readily available in most supermarkets) and there is no need to go buy coconuts and grate and pour and strain. If you want the traditional way of doing it, buy the book. Otherwise, just follow the steps given below. It produces a pretty good version.



An additional note: whichever way one makes coquito, my mother insists that only 151 proof dark rum should be used. Anything else is sacrilege.

COQUITO



3 cups cream of coconut or coconut milk (called coconut juice in some circles)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 egg yolks, ligthtly beaten
3 cups 151 proof dark rum

1. In a large bowl, combine coconut cream or coconut milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, egg yolks and rum. Pour in a blender or food processor and blend 10-20 seconds. If using a blender, this may be done in portions.
2. Pour into 1 liter or 1 quart containers (soda or wine bottles are fine), cap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Serve in glasses with a sprinkling of nutmeg or cinnamon.
Yield: 14 servings or more, depending if you serve in a shot glass, pony glass, or wine glass.

Jewish Comfort Food - Matzo Brei

Dec 17, 2009 

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

As our Jewish brethren head toward the eighth day of Chanukah, I keep thinking of my favorite Jewish comfort foods. I've already posted on potato latkes, the traditional dish during the Festival of Lights, and kasha varnishkes, which we in the Rivera family love to eat. My other favorite is matzo brei. Traditionally you enjoy this during Passover. However, we make it all the time. It's my wife's favorite pick-me-up. Easy, quick, and scrumptious.

In my version of matzo brei, I add onion to it (which is not traditional as far as I know, but it does enhance the flavor). Matzo brei can be prepared two ways: either scrambled (which I prefer), or as a whole frittata-like omelet. It is served with sugar sprinkled over it or jelly.

MATZO BREI

4 matzos

4 large eggs, beaten

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 medium onion, thinly sliced in rounds

3-5 tablespoons olive oil or margarine

1. Break matzos into small pieces, and place in a bowl.

2. Cover with hot water for about a minute or two. Then gently squeeze out the water.

3. Add eggs, salt, pepper, and onion. Mix well with a fork.

4. Heat oil or margarine in a heavy 10-to-12-inch skillet or frying pan. Add matzo mixture and fry over medium heat, stirring constantly until eggs are scrambled and matzo begins to crisp, about 3 minutes. Or you can brown the entire matzo mixture on one side. Then turn over with a spatula and brown on the other side (figure about 4-5 minutes per side).

Yield: 4 servings.

How About Some Kasha Varnishkes?

Dec 12, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera


In the last post I included a recipe for latkes, a traditional dish served during Chanukah, to honor the Festival of Lights. Traditionally, my Jewish friends serve latkes with beef brisket. However, it has been my experience and preference that a great dish to serve with brisket is none other than that usual standby, kasha varnishkes.



Kasha is boiled or baked buckwheat. Actually, buckwheat that has been hulled and crushed. It is a side dish (think of rice or pasta) popular in Eastern Europe. It is traditional comfort food. I love kasha varnishkes, by itself, or as an accompaniment to a main meal. And I prefer that popularly known brand, Wolff's Kasha. So, without further ado, here is my version of kasha varnishkes.



KASHA VARNISHKES

1 cup kasha (medium grain)
1 large egg (or egg white, if preferred), slightly beaten
1/4 cup margarine or olive oil (being Latino, I prefer the latter)
1 large onion, thinly sliced in rounds
2 cups chicken broth or bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 cup bow-tie noodles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. In a small bowl, combine the egg and kasha. Using a wooden spoon or fork, mix well, making sure all the kasha kernels are coated with the egg.
2. Heat oil or margarine in a heavy skillet or frypan, and saute onions until translucent.
3. Stir in kasha mixture, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add broth or bouillon, salt, pepper, and oregano. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a medium-to-large pot of water to a boil. Cook the bow-tie noodles according to package directions. Drain.
5. When kasha is done, stir in cooked noodles. Put skillet or frypan in the broiler and brown under broiler flame (1-2 minutes).
6. Remove from boiler, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with gravy or as is.
Yield: 4 servings.

Note: You can also convert this dish into kasha pilaf by omitting the noodles, and sauteing 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms along with the onions. Or you can add 3/4 canned chickpeas, drained, to the broth or bouillon. This is the fancier way of cooking kasha.

Latkes for Chanukah - Puerto Rican Style

Dec 7, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

One of my favorite Jewish holidays is Chanukah (also known as Hanukkah). It is a time when family and friends come together to commemorate the holiday by lighting a candle on a menorah for each of the eight days of the celebration. Chanukah means "dedication," and it notes the rededication of the Holy Temple at Jerusalem by Judah Maccabee and his followers in 165 B.C.E. after its desecration by the forces of the Hellenistic King of Syria, Antiochus IV. This character invaded Judea, outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered an alter be erected to the pagan god Zeus, and pigs sacrificed on the alter.

Once the Maccabees ousted the invaders, they discovered there was only enough purified oil for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight days; enough time for more oil to be purified. My father of late memory use to razz his Jewish friends by asking if the Jewish liberators used Goya or Progresso olive oil. That would get a laugh all around. Anyway, in America and Europe, the traditional dish served on Chanukah is latkes, basically, potato fritters. I love latkes, and I have my own variation on it. Call it the Puerto Rican way of doing things. I've discovered that if you add some grated carrots to the recipe, it enhances the flavor.

Another note: Judah Maccabee was also known as Yehuda HaMakabi ("Judah the Hammer"). I reckon that today he would have made a good linebacker.

POTATO LATKES (RIVERA FAMILY STYLE)

3 large potatoes

1 small onion, chopped fine

3 eggs

1/4 cup grated carrots

2 tablespoons matzo meal

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon oregano

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Oil for frying (I use a combination of vegetable oil and olive oil, 1/2 cup or more)

1. Peel the potatoes and grate them into a bowl. You can do it by hand (the traditional method) or by using a food processor. Squeeze out the extra liquid into the sink.

2. Add onion, eggs, carrots, matzo meal, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. Mix well.

3. In a large heavy skillet (I prefer cast-iron), heat the oil. Using a tablespoon, carefully drop the potato mixture into the hot oil and fry until browned on both sides, turning only once (about 3 minutes per side). Some people prefer to flatten each latkes with a spoon. Use whatever method you desire. The latkes should not only be golden brown but also crispy.

4. Drain on paper towels and serve with applesauce, sour cream or preserves.

Yield: about 2 dozen or more latkes.

The Magic of Mofongo

Dec, 4 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

Mofongo. I love the word. Pronounced just like it's spelled. Undoubtedly of African origin. Basic Puerto Rican mofongo a mixture of crushed plantains and fried pork crackling shaped into balls, similar to meatballs. Cuban mofongo differs in that the mixture is shaped into one large ball served in a bowl. Modern variations have the mofongo stuffed with beef, poultry, or seafood, especially lobster. It is delicious as an appetizer, side dish, or a meal on its own. And, yes, the recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (Perseus Books Group).


MOFONGO (PLANTAINS AND PORK CRACKLING)

5 green plantains
1/2 pound salted pork, washed and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Peel Plantains and cut into diagonal slices about 1-inch thick.
2. Place plantains and diced salted pork in a pot with water to cover. Let soak for 10 minutes.
3. Drain and wipe dry both plantains and salted pork.
4. Place salted pork in a hot skillet or frying pan (no extra oil is necessary). Stir-fry over high heat until pieces are browned and crisp (about 5 minutes) and put aside. This is known as the chicharron or pork crackling.
5. Heat vegetable oil in the same skillet and deep-fry plantains until golden. Drain well on paper towels.
6. Crush plantains and pork crackling together in a mortar. This may have to be done in batches depending on size of mortar. Place in a bowl and set aside.
7. Crush garlic cloves in the mortar. Blend in the olive oil.
8. Add garlic-oil seasoning to the plantains and crackling, and mix thoroughly.
9. Scoop up a tablespoon of the mixture and shape into a ball (about 2-inches in diameter, or larger if desired). Repeat until mix is used up.
10. Serve by itself or with your favorite sauce, or gravy.
Yield: 12 or more mofongo balls.