Okra (guingambo, kingombo, bhindi, lady fingers) is one ingredient I’ve been avoiding! I had read about its benefits, history and versatility, but what scared me the most, was their characteristic sliminess. I pride myself in that at least I try different flavors and ingredients, so when I got okra in one of my organic food…
Tag: recetas
Piñón de Plátano Maduro
I want to introduce to you the “Caribbean Lasagna”! Tiers of fried ripe sweet plantain strips, picadillo (cuban style ground beef) and mozzarella that is baked until golden brown. The mix of sweet and savory is absolutely perfect! A great alternative for boat trips, picnics, feeding large groups and easy make ahead meals. It goes…
Eggs in a Nest
If you have been following this blog, you already know we are “boat people”. I grew up spending many weekends and vacations on my father’s boat. The freedom and liberty you feel while navigating the ocean is exhilarating as well as therapeutic. There is something about being in contact with nature, on the open water…
Arroz con Salchichas
My grandmother Ita always says an “arroz guisado” (stewed rice) is as good as the “sofrito” you make. In Puerto Rico, sofrito refers to a blend of oil, onions, garlic, aji dulce (sweet peppers), bay leaf, tomato sauce, “alcaparrado” (a blend of manzanilla olives and capers), cubanel and bell peppers, culantro (recao) and sometimes, ham,…
Barrigas de Vieja (Pumpkin Fritters)
Barrigas de Vieja means “the belly of an old lady”, because they are flabby, soft and without a consistent shape. I know its a funny name, but these sweet pumpkin fritters are truly delicious. They are also called “tortitas de calabaza”. I grew up having these fritters sometimes as a snack or appetizer before dinner….
Three Bean Salad
Beans are a great source of protein, complex carbohydrates (the good carbs that give energy to brain and muscles) and dietary fiber. Also, beans have the “good fat” your body needs and a low glycemic index, meaning they have the ability to give you energy over a sustained period of time by slowly releasing its…
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
One of the best investments I have made for my “batterie de cuisine” is buying a good mandoline. A mandoline is a kitchen utensil used for slicing, julienne or crinkle cut vegetables. One of the many advantages is the speed and uniformity in the thickness in which slicing can be done with very little effort….
Arroz con Pollo
My Arroz con Pollo recipe is influenced by a mixture of recipes and tips I have picked up along the way and is the result of trials and errors in the kitchen. Arroz con Pollo is a one pot dish that feeds a large group and is excellent to make on a Sunday afternoon for…
Almond Mantecaditos
As a young girl my grandmother Ita would make Mantecaditos for me every time she came to visit from Ponce, the southern part of the island. I learned to make her recipe, a variation of Carmen Aboy Valdejully’s cookbook Cocina Criolla. Ita would alter the recipe and substitute vanilla for the almond extract and place…
Risotto alla Milanese
Happy New Year and Happy Three Kings Day! Best wishes to you and your loved ones and may 2010 be filled with peace, love and health to all. My first post of the year is the recipe people ask me for the most: my version of Risotto alla Milanese. Risotto is a classic dish from…