Arroz Griego

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bacon

2 cups rice

1 cup beef broth

1 cup onion soup

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, julienned

1 cup cabbage, chopped

1 garlic glove, finely minced

1/2 stick butter

1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

In a deep heavy bottomed skillet, fry the bacon, then drain the rendered fat, remove bacon and set aside.

 

To the same skillet, over medium high heat, add butter, garlic, bell pepper and onion and sauté for 4 minutes, until onion is lightly browned. 

Add water, beef broth, onion soup, rice, bacon, and cabbage.

Bring to boil, cover, lower heat to low and cook for 25 minutes.

After the first 10 minutes, uncover, turn rice, recover and finish cooking the other 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups long grain white rice (washed and rinsed well)
3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons Recaito
1/4 cup chopped pork salt

1/4 cup chopped bacon
2 tablespoons Spanish olives

1 tablespoon capers

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can green pigeon peas, drained
1 envelope sazon with culantro and achiote
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground comino (cumin)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

Directions:

Start by heating the oil in a pot at high heat, and when the oil is nice and hot, add the salt pork.

When the salt pork is cooked but not crisp, add the bacon. 

Once browned, add Recaito, (a unique cilantro-based seasoning base that enhances the flavor) onions and garlic, olives, capers, comino (cumin), oregano, black pepper and envelope of sazon. Stir fry all together for about 1 minute.

 

Add pigeon peas, tomato paste, then add the water and bring to boil.

Wash rice under cold running water until water is clear and drain. Add rice to pot, chicken boullion and stir.

 

Once the liquid has began to boil and most of the water has cooked off, lower heat to lowest setting, and stir 1 more time, top with bay leaves, then cover with tight lid.

Let this cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat setting, remove cover and bay leaves, turn rice, and continue to cook at low heat for another 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Enjoy!

Tip:  Do not stir, but turn the rice with a large serving spoon. For a variation, add some cubed ham when adding the sofrito. The best part of this rice is the crust which forms on the bottom, called the pegao!

Mofongo (Puerto Rican Garlicky Mashed Plantains)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

4 green plantains

1 cup chicken broth

Oil, for frying

6 – 7 oz bag, pork cracklings/rinds (chicharron)

4 large, cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup, olive oil

Directions:

Peel plantains and cut into 1-inch chunks.

Pour oil into a deep medium skillet and heat to 350 degrees F.

Once the oil is ready, gently add the plantain chunks to the frying oil by holding them against the side of the skillet and allowing them to slide into the oil. Cook the plantains until golden brown, about 5 – 7  minutes. Carefully, remove from oil and set aside.

Process in two batches, while plantains are still slightly hot, add  1/2  cooked plantains into a food processor with ½ the garlic, 1/2 the chicken broth, ½ the pork rinds, and ½ the olive oil. Process the mixture to the consistency of mashed potatoes or dough. Follow same instructions for second batch.

Quickly shape the mixture into rough balls about the size of meatballs. 

Tip: Place the plantains in soup bowls and add some heated broth. Garnish, with lime rinds and pork rinds! Ladle shrimp scampi over the mofongo! Serve as a side dish!

Baked Yuca and Potato Fries

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 lb. peeled potatoes (1 large potato)

1 lb. peeled yuca (1 large yuca)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin (comino)

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt

Directions:

Prepare the potatoes, by peeling off the skin and cutting into thin French fry cuts, and set aside.

Prepare the yuca, by cutting of the ends, peeling off the tough waxy skin, including the pinkish-purplish layer.

Cut into three-inch sections, then in half and boil for 10-15 minutes, until fork-tender and the ends start to split open a little bit.   Remove from water and let cool.

Once the yuca has cooled, remove the thin, woody stock that runs through the middle.  Slice into fry cuts, then set aside.

In a large bowl add, olive oil, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and coarse Kosher salt, then mix thoroughly.

Place potatoes and yuca in bowl with olive oil mixture and thoroughly coat all the fries.  Being gentle, so as to not breaking up the yuca.  Let potatoes and yuca sit in bowl for about 10 minutes, while oven preheats at 425 degrees.  Then place them on a large dark non-stick sprayed rimmed cookie pan.

Bake in oven for minutes for 20 minutes or until slightly brown, and tender, turning once after 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Servings:  4

Tip:  Serve warm with hot sauce or an aioli.  For my dipping sauce, I used ½ cup mayo, ½ cup ketchup and 2 teaspoons of garlic paste and mixed thoroughly!  

Spanish Rice (Puerto Rican)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice, extra long grain

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup salt pork, chopped, 1/4"pieces

1/2 cup white onion chopped

1/8 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup pitted olive with pimentos, chopped

1 tablespoon capers

1 clove garlic, minced

2 packs of Sazon (Coriander and Annato flavored, see below)
2 1/2 cups water

Salt to taste

Directions:

In a heated 5 1/2 heavy bottomed pot, over medium high heat, add the olive oil, let heat up, about 30 seconds, add the salt pork and stir occasionally, until salt pork has browned.

Add cilantro, onion, capers, red bell pepper, olives with pimentos, and garlic. Stir for about 1 minute, add the contents of the Sazon packs. Add rice and water, and salt to taste. Be careful not to over salt. Depending on the brand of salt pork, it can be very salty. Taste the liquid for saltiness. You may not need to add any salt.

Bring to boil, let the water reduce until right at the rice level, cover with tight lid and lower heat to low.  Let cook for 25 minutes, until rice is tender.  Turn off and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tip: Most grocers today carry Goya Sazon. It usually be found in either the hispanic food or international food sections. With literally hundreds of different Spanish Rice recipes, the addition of the salt pork and Sazon bring this rice recipe to a whole new level of great taste! I've been making my rice this way for years!