Boricua Trukey

Nov 21, 2010

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

Last year at about this time I posted The Puerto Rican Thanksgiving Turkey. Our version of the holiday bird. I noted that we spice it differently and make it more flavorful so that it tastes like roasted pork, or pernil, the main holiday staple back on the island in the days of yore.

Here it is again, turkey a la criolla (creole style). A note on the term "Boricua." A Boricua (bo-ree-kuah) is an inhabitant of the island of Borinquen, the native Taino Indian name for Puerto Rico. Hence a Boricua is a native born Puerto Rican. However, these days we take the term to mean anyone of Puerto Rican descent, whether they were born on the island or not.

PAVO RELLENO A LA CRIOLLA
(Stuffed Roast Turkey)

1 8 1/2-pound dressed-weight turkey
5 cloves garlic, peeled
6 whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 teaspoons salt
1 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons paprika
1/4 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2-pounds lean ground beef
1 packet sason accent (Goya makes a good one with coriander and annatto)
1/2 cup stuffed Spanish olives
4 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup tomato sauce

1. Rinse and wash turkey, inside and out, and wipe dry. Do the same with the heart, liver and gizzard, and then chop innards coarsely. This will be combined with the ground beef when preparing the stuffing.
2. Pound together the garlic, peppercorns, oregano and 3 teaspoons salt in a mortar. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons paprika, vinegar and combine. Rub the turkey with the seasoning inside and out---what my mother calls "adobar el pavo" (seasoning the beast). This should be done a day ahead (the turkey should be left overnight, in a covered pot, in the refrigerator). This will allow it to absorb the flavors.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add the ground beef and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the meat loses its color. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the sason accent, olives, capers, tomato sauce and remaining teaspoon salt. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to complete cooking the stuffing.
4. Remove from heat and let cool. Stuff the turkey loosely about three quarters full. Truss the turkey (sew or skewer together the neck and bind the legs.)
5. Place the turkey in a roasting pan breast side down. To insure a golden brown exterior combine the remaining 2 tablespoons paprika with the remaining olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the entire turkey with this mixture and roast in a slow to moderate oven (325 degrees F.) for 3 1/2 hours. To brown bird, raise temperature to 350 degrees during the last 25 minutes of cooking. This is an excellent way of cooking if in doubt as to the tenderness of the meat. Some people prefer covering the turkey with aluminum foil while roasting, and removing this during the last 25-30 minutes of cooking time to brown the skin. I find that frequent basting during cooking gets the same results.
Baking theories abound. There is the old traditionalist view that allows 1 1/2 hours for the first pound and then 25 minutes per pound up to 7 pounds and 20 minutes per pound after that. Thus a 5 pound bird would take 3 hours and 10 minutes, a 7 pounder would take 4 hours and 10 minutes, and a 10 pound bird 5 hours and 10 minutes. But in my view, there's no set rule. Some birds take more time to roast, some less. In the Rivera family we go by general common sense: figure a 7 to 8 pounder takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours to cook; a 10 pounder maybe 4 1/2 hours, and a 12 pound turkey maybe 5-5 1/2 hours. Rule of thumb: turkey is done when drumstick and thigh move easily.
6. For gravy: remove turkey from roasting pan and keep warm. Drain drippings from roasting pan into a sauce pan. Skim off fat but retain 1/4 cup of the drippings. Add 2 cups water or 1/2 cup dry white wine and 1 1/2 cups water to pan drippings. Bring to a boil over high heat while stirring in the 1/4 cup fat. Lower heat and thicken slightly with a little cornstarch and water combined. If you want to reduce the grease content, mix 3 teaspoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Add this to the strained pan drippings and heat, thereby omitting the remaining fat content.
Yield: 6 to 7 servings.
Note: serve with a light Valpolicella wine, lightly chilled; a full-bodied red such as a Zinfandel or Rioja; a white Burgundy with a full and flowery bouquet; or even a good-bodied ale.

Latkes - Reprise

Nov 16, 2010

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

Last year about this time I put up my recipe for Puerto Rican latkes. We discovered latkes from our Jewish friends when they celebrated Chanukah (also known as Hanukkah). We Latinos love every manner of fritters and, to us, that's what latkes were. In our family we soon started making our own, Caribbean version. We make then every year and we grew to love them. While experimenting with them, we also discovered that if you add some grated carrots to the recipe, it enhances the flavor.

So, here again are potato latkes, Puerto Rican style.

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 prefer to flatten each latkes with a spoon. Use whatever method you desire. The latkes should not only be golden but crispy.
4. Drain on paper towel and serve with applesauce, sour cream or preserves.
Yield: about 2 dozen or more latkes.

Sofrito

 Nov 9, 2010

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

Sofrito. I love the word: "Soh-free-toh." Without it, Puerto Rican cuisine would be scant indeed. It is an aromatic mix of herbs and spices that is a base for cooking countless dishes. This concept can be found in other cultures as well. Think of garam masala, the Indian mix that is also used a a base flavoring. Or kimchi in Korean cusine. We use sofrito when cooking chicken, fish, pork, beef, you name it---almost everything except desserts.

Sofrito can be whipped up in a few minutes in a blender or food processor. The word itself is a generic term that has no correct English translation. "Frito" is Spanish means fried. Sofrito could be taken to mean stir-fried, although this would not be entirely accurate. Sofrito can be stored in a closed, tight jar or container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or, in the freezer compartment, indefinitely. It's the kind of product where the basic recipe can be doubled or tripled, depending on how much you may want to use. Given below is a quick recipe.

Sofrito

8 leafy stems of cilantro (available almost anywhere these days)
1 medium green bell pepper (pimento)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 pound aji dulce (small, sweet chili peppers found in most bodegas or Asian stores and sold
loose by the handful or in packets of 1/2 to 1/4 pound. A 1/4 pound packet contains about 28
peppers) They should be sliced in half with inner seeds removed.
6 whole leaves recao, chopped (recao is a small, green stemmed herb also found in Caribbean
and Asian markets). If you don't have recao, you can substitute curly parsley. In the Cuban
version of sofrito they disregard recao altogether. Let you tastebuds be the judge.

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until it has a smooth, sauce-like consistency, adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil while pureeing. This will yield about 1 1/3 cups.
In terms of storing sofrito, a great idea is to freeze it in ice trays. A regular size ice cube is equal to approximately 2 tablespoons of sofrito. You simply plop a cube into the skillet or stew pot, and it's much easier than scooping out tablespoons of the stuff from a can in the freezer.

Okay, how do you use it? Simple. You can just add it as is to a stew or soup to enhance its flavor; or to a pot of beans, or almost any other dish to give that added kick. If you want to make flavorful, colorful rice, saute 1 or 2 tablespoons sofrito in 1 tablespoon olive oil or corn oil for about a minute or so to blend the diverse flavors. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce or tomato paste and cook a minute or 2 longer. Add rice, water, and cook as you normally would. It makes plain white rice LUXURIOUS.

A final note. There are now on supermarket shelves many erzats sofrito products. Skip 'em. All you're getting are chemicals and assorted crap. Nothing beats homemade sofrito. Besides, it's so easy to make.

The Color of Rice

Nov 1, 2010 

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

My friends marvel when I serve them rice pilaf or yellow rice dishes. Invariably they ask: what colors the rice? It's a complex question, depending upon the dish. Fragrant colored rice has been in my culture since the beginning. It was the Spaniards who got the method from the Moors, when the Arabs introduced saffron as a flavoring and coloring agent in Southern Spain. Saffron is still the best thing around---but it's expensive. If you can afford it, more power to you. All you do is add a few strands of the stuff to the rice while it's boiling to get that great arroz amarillo (yellow rice) hue.

My parents came from the Greatest Generation (as it is called by some). So, during the Great Depression, they and their fellows developed equitable shortcuts to using safron (which they couldn't get and, even if they could, they couldn't afford it). Below are easy, ready to use alternatives that give rice whatever color you want; and also add to its flavor. I've used these alternatives, at one time or another, depending upon my financial condition, and it's given me a marvelous rice dish every time.

Achiote - This is simply annatto seeds cooked in vegetable oil or olive oil. It's our favorite product for coloring food. You can find it in most supermarkets in 8-ounce jars. Annatto is the pulp of the tropical tree Bixa orellana; and annato dye is used in coloring some cheeses. To prepare: just cook 1 tablespoon annatto seeds in 1/2 cup olive oil, on low heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. During cooking, the oil will turn a bright orange-red. The longer the seeds steep in oil, the deeper the hue. Remove from heat, let cool, and strain into a glass jar or container. You can keep it in the fridge indefinitely. Use as you wish, from 1 to 3 tablespoons when cooking rice, depending on the color you want to attain.

Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste - This will do when you don't have annatto seeds. But, depending on how much you use, it will render a more reddish color to the rice. Now, experts in my family contend that tomato sauce will give a better color, while tomato paste will give a better flavor. It's all a matter of personal preference. To prepare: cook 1/3 or more cup tomato sauce, or 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste, in 3 tablespoons olive oil. If you want to enhance the flavor, you can add 1 small chopped onion and/or 1-2 cloves finely diced garlic. When you reached desired consistency, add a couple of cups of rice. Stir to mix, add water, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and cook the rice as you normally would.

Tumeric - This spice is known as Indian saffron, since it's widely used as an alternative for the more expensive saffron. You get it in the supermarket in the form of a dry root powder. It not only adds a custard-like yellow color to rice but it also impart a distinct flavor. Tumeric is extremely strong, and it gets stronger as it cooks. A little goes a long way. Be judicious in its use. As noted, it's a powerful yellow dye, so try not to stain your apron or clothes with it while cooking. To use: just add 1 teaspoon (or more, but be careful) to two cups of rice when it comes to a boil. Cover and simmer as you normally would.

Dry mustard - That's right, dry yellow mustard in the powdered form. I know. You're thinking about mustard on hot dogs, burgers, etc.; but mustard, in its own right, adds great flavor and color to foods. Like tumeric, it tends to be strong. Figure it this way, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dry yellow mustard for 1 teaspoon tumeric. Just add to rice when it comes a boil, cover, and cook as instructed.

Parsley - For green rice. Yes, it's hard being green. But in rice it's okay. Adds another dimension and flavor to the dish. Simple: take 1 bunch of parsley (I prefer the curly Italian type parsley), wash and chop finely (by hand, or in a food processor). Saute it in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil with a couple of finely chopped garlic cloves thrown in. To enhance the flavor you can even add a chicken bouillon cube, and (if you want) 3 tablespoons light cream. Add rice, water, and cook as you normally wood. It will give you deliciously green-hued rice.

Black Rice (Arroz con Calamares) - This is rice cooked with squid or cuttlefish. The color comes from the dark color imparted to the grains as they cook with the squid in its ink. It's a favorite in my crowd. The trick here is that the rice will come out darker if canned squid is used. 4-ounce cans of squid in their ink can be found in most supermarkets or Asian and Caribbean stores. To prepare: saute, in 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 green bell pepper (cored seeded and chopped), 1 small onion (chopped), and 1 clove garlic (finely minced). Add 1/2 cup tomato sauce, and 1 chicken bouillon cube. Stir in 3 cans squid in this ink plus 6 pimento stuffed Spanish olives. Stir in 2 cups rice, water to cover by about 1/4-inch, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is absorbed (about 20-25 minutes).

There you have it, friends, different and varied ways to add delicious color to your rice dish. Experiment, see which one you like best---and enjoy!