Elite life
Puerto Rico (Puerto Rican Recipes)
Ingredients:
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup wine vinegar
Cooking Instructions:
Peel and mince the garlic. Mix the garlic, oregano, olive oil, and wine vinegar together in a small jar. You can use the adobo as a marinade for steak or for other meats. Simply allow the meat to marinate in it for 24 hours or so in the refrigerator. Makes 1/2 cup.
Ingredients:
1-3/4 pounds yautia (taro root)
3 pounds unripe (green) bananas
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons annatto oil plus some to coat aluminum foil
1 tecipe Basic Beef Picadillo
2 cups corn oil
Cooking Instructions:
Peel the yautia, and the green bananas. Grate each vegetable separately on the finest (smallest) side of the grater. Combine the grated vegetables with the salt and annatto oil in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Brush a small amount of oil on an 8 x 10-inch square of aluminum foil. Spread on 1/4 cup of the dough. Place 1 tablespoon of picadillo on top. Fold the foil so the filling is completely covered. Smooth the fritter out with the back of a spoon. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough. When ready to fry, carefully remove the fritters from the foil. In a skillet, heat the corn oil until but not smoking. Fry a few alcapurrias at a time until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
3 cups long grain white rice
3 3/4 cup of water
1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Cooking Instructions:
Place the water and salt in a pan over moderate heat. Mix until the salt has dissolved completely. Add the oil to the water. Rinse the rice and add to the water. Let it come to a slow boil. Move the rice once while the water is boiling. When the rice is almost dry, set the heat to low, move the rice and cover it. Let it cook for 15 minutes then move the rice. Cover the rice again. Let it cook for another 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 cups long or short grain rice, rinsed
3 cups of water
2 Tablespoons of sofrito
16 ounce can of gandules (pigeon peas)
2 tablespoons of alcaparrado without liquid
1 packet of Sazon with achiote
1 ounces of tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons of oil
Salt to taste
Cooking Instructions:
In a medium size pot add the oil, tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and sazon. Cook at medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients, and enough water into the pot so the rice is submerge one inch below the water. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Bring to a boil and allow most of the water to be absorbed. Once the water has been absorbed, stir gently from bottom to top, cover and turn the heat down to low. Stirring once in between cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Ingredients:
Arroz Con Pollo
3 cups of short or long grain rice, rinsed
2 lb's of chicken parts, skinned
4 1/2 onces of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of alcaparrado
2 teaspoons of salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons of Sofrito
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
4 cups of boiling water
1 packet of sazon with saffron
Cooking Instructions:
Wash the rice, drain and set aside. In a large dutch oven. Brown the chicken parts with the oil, 5 minutes each side. Remove from the pot and set aside. Leave the chicken drippings inside the pot and add all the other ingredients except for the rice, water and chicken. Mix well in medium heat and cook the sofrito for 5 minutes, taste to see if there is enough salt. Add the chicken and rice to the pot and mix well. Add the boiling water until the water is about 1 inch above the rice, mix well again. Don't cover the pot until the water is absorbed. Once the water is absorbed use a wooden spoon and gently stir from bottom to top. Cover and lower the heat to low for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Ingredients:
1 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
Adobo to taste
3 tablespoons annatto oil
4 ounces smoked ham, diced
1/2 cup basic Recaito
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup alcaparrado
6 cups water
2 cups short-grain rice
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup green peas, cooked, for garnish
1/2 cup diced pimientos for garnish
Cooking Instructions:
Season the chicken with the adobo. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large soup pot and saute the ham over medium heat. Add the recaito, tomato sauce, and alcaparrado. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and water, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, salt, and pepper, and turn the heat to a medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice is done. The soup should have a thick consistency. Serve in bowls and garnish with the peas and pimientos.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 cup of pink beans
3 teaspoons of salt
1 medium potato
2 tablespoons of sofrito
1 ounce green bell pepper
2 bay leaves
5 green olives
2 ounces of smoked ham
1 teaspoon of olive oil
6 ounces of tomato sauce
3 1/2 quarts of water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Cooking Instructions:
Wash the beans and soak in 2 quarts of water already mixed with the white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let the beans soak overnight. Rinse the beans and place in a pan with 1 quart of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the beans have softened. Discard water used to soften the beans. Set aside Peel and dice the potato into 1/4" size pieces. Set aside Dice the smoked ham into 1/4" size pieces. Set aside. Dice the green bell pepper into 1/8" pieces. Set aside. In a pan add the sofrito, 1 teaspoon of salt, tomato sauce, olives, smoked ham, potato, green bell pepper, bay leaves, olive oil, and 2 cups of water. Cook at moderate heat until it starts boiling. Lower to moderate low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. stir once while simmering. Add the beans. Continue to simmer at moderate low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans are fully cooked. Stir avery 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
For pastelles:
2 cups cornmeal
1 oz butter
2 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 cups boiling water
For beef fillings:
2 lb lean meat, finely cut or minced
6 red and green cooking peppers cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Tomato ketchup to your taste
1 lb capers
2 lb. raisins plus 2 tablespoon for chopping
3 onions chopped finely
Spanish thyme
French thyme
Basil
8 olives
Banana leaves/aluminum foil
For vegetarian fillings:
1.5 - 2 lbs lentils
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoon raisins
12 olives
2 carrots
3 pimentos
1 sprig celery
Cooking Instructions:
Put cornmeal into mixing bowl, add chopped butter, oil and seasonings. Pour in boiling water, and quickly blend using a round-edged knife. Heat oil, add garlic. When pale brown, remove garlic. Add meat and saute until light brown. .Add chopped onions, tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer on low heat for about five minutes. Add herbs, chopped olives, capers, raisins, cooking peppers and simmer on low heat, until meat is tender and flavour is developed. Stock may be used at this stage and cooking continued at low heat. Filling should be tender and moist. Prepare banana leaves. Wilt in boiling water, or over a flame. Wipe leaves dry and cut in squares. Rub the leaves/foil with oil. Make sure leaves are well oiled before putting on corn. Spread a small ball of corn on the leaf. Pat down. Place a square of wet muslin over the corn mixture and roll out thinly, using a rolling pin or pastelle press. Put about a tablespoon of meat filling in the center adding some raisins, a bit of olives and capers. Fold half of leaf over, bringing with it the flattered corn mixture. Fold over the other half to cover. Now fold leaf to make a parcel. Place into another leaf of opposite grain or if using foil, omit the second leaf covering. Tightly fold over the ends, if foil is used. If leaves are used, tie and put into boiling water, with a little salt and sugar to taste. Cook for one and a half hours. Drain immediately and place pastelles on a flat surface. When pastelles are cold, they remain in whatever shape they were put.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
4 portions of boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 medium potatos
2 teaspoons of salt
3 tablespoons of sofrito
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
5 olives
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 ounce green bell pepper
2 cups of water
Cooking Instructions:
Place the chicken in a pan with enough water to cover the chicken by 1/2". Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook at moderate high heat until the water starts to boil, then lower the heat to moderate and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain all the water. Let the chicken cool for approximately 15 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1/2" pieces and set aside. Peel and dice the potatoes into 1/4" size pieces. Set aside Dice the green bell pepper into 1/8" pieces. Set aside In a pan add the sofrito, 1 teaspoon of salt, tomato sauce, olives, potato, green bell pepper, bay leaves, olive oil, and 2 cups of water. Cook at moderate heat until it starts boiling. Lower to moderate low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. stir once while simmering. Add the chicken. Continue to simmer at moderate heat for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup garlic cloves or to taste, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup salt
Black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1 cup corn oil
1 10 to 15-pound suckling pig, cleaned and ready to cook
Extra corn oil for basting
1 orange, optional
Cooking Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and oregano with the oil. Wash and dry the pig thoroughly. Marinate it in the garlic-and -oil mixture for a few hours or overnight. Set the pig in a large roasting pan. Insert a ball made of aluminum foil into the pig's mouth. Fold the hind legs under the belly and tie them in place. Cover the ears with small pieces of foil. Bake for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with corn oil, until the leg juices run clear when pricked with a fork. To serve, transfer the pig to a serving tray and insert the orange into its mouth. Let the pig rest for 10 to 20 minutes before you carve the meat.
Ingredients:
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
3 blades culantro (also known as recao or saw tooth)
3 stems cilantro, leaves only
2 tablespoon annatto seeds (achiote)
1 ounce salt pork, chopped
2 ounces smoked ham, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablspoon tomato sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Cooking Instructions:
Wash and seed the peppers. Chop peppers, onion, garlic, culantro and cilantro. Set aside in a bowl. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and annatto seeds over low heat for about a minute or until the oil turns a rich amber color, to make achiote oil. Stain the seeds from the oil, taking care as seeds and oil strain. Return the achiote oil to the pan. Add the salt pork and ham and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the reserved vegetables and herbs and stir in the oregano and tomato sauce. Saute for 5 minuts or until the garlic, onions and peppers are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or store in a covered container for several days in refrigerator, or place in ice-cube trays in the freezer. One tablespoon of sofrito is generally used per serving of the bean, stew or rice dish.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb. ground beef Liver, heart & gizzard of bird, ground or chopped very small (optional)
½ cup chopped onion
½ seedless raisins (optional)
1 teaspoonful alcaparras/capers
8 olives stuffed with peppers/aceitunas
con pimientos morrones
1 tablespoon salt
15 prunes, dried (black) seedless/chopped (optional)
1 can approx. 7 oz. roasted red peppers (chopped)/with its juice
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 hard boiled eggs/chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 jar (one lb.) applesauce
Cooking Instructions:
In a medium bowl mix ingredients in first group. Heat oil in a large caldero, add mixture from first group and mix well and cook on medium high until meat is cooked. Reduce heat and cook for another 12 minutes. Add ingredients in second group, mix well and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Cool completely before stuffing the turkey. Wash the turkey inside and out and dry. Season (adobe) the turkey with the following Puerto Rican adobo recipe. These ingredients are for one pound of meat only. Multiply the ingredients times the number of pounds of your bird.
Adobo: Mix together: 1 teaspoon of each: garlic, black pepper, salt, olive oil; ½ teaspoon each vinegar and dried orégano. Season your bird with this adobo mix inside and out. Sew together the neck area. Stuff from the tail end with the above stuffing mix. Do not overstuff. Sew the tail end together. Immediately put in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound salt bacalao, cooked and shredded
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons basic Recaito
1/2 yellow and 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cups water
2 cups corn oil
Cooking Instructions:
Combine the bacalao, flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, garlic, recaito, and bell pepper in a bowl. Add the water and mix well. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot but not smoking. Drop the batter by spoonfuls and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Keep the fritters warm in a low oven until you finish frying.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons annatto oil
1/2 cup sliced chorizo (red Spanish sausage)
1/4 cup diced smoked ham
3/4 cup Basic Recaito
1 can (about 16 ounces) gandules (green pigeon peas) or 1-1/4 ounce bag frozen
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups short-grain rice
4 to 4-1/2 cups water
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the chorizo and smoked ham and fry lightly. Add the recaito, gandules, and tomato sauce. Mix well and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the rice and water to cover. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the water is entirely absorbed. Add salt and pepper, stir, and turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. To serve, turn the rice out onto a platter. Scrape off the crusty layer that will have formed at the bottom of the pan, and top the rice with it.
