By nando, on September 6th, 2011%
There is a special place in my heart (and stomach!) for Rosa Mexicano. As I’ve written in previous posts, my first date with my wife was at Rosa Mexicano, and we try to go on our anniversary whenever possible. I even have the Rosa Mexicano cookbook, an anniversary gift from my wife a few years ago. I was looking for some inspiration because I haven’t been cooking as much as I used to, so I turned to this cookbook and found this great recipe. I did change a few things, but the spirit of the recipe is mostly intact. The changes: I used shallots instead of red onion, added roasted corn, and used only one jalapeño pepper, instead of the two that the recipe called for (thought it would be too spicy for my wife but it ended up being too mild).
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: I served this dish with white rice and refried beans, but I didn’t take pictures of the sides.
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds peeled/de-vained shrimp (I used large, 21-25 shrimp)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup corn (about one large ear)
1 large shallot, sliced thin
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 cloves . . . → Read More: Shrimp in Cilantro Cream Sauce
By nando, on June 13th, 2011%
Homemade mayonnaise is so simple, I can’t imagine ever buying another jar of mayo. It’s superior to store-bought in every way I can think of, and cheaper to boot! Even if you’re a person who doesn’t like mayo, I suggest you give this recipe a try and then decide. Just think of it as a hollandaise sauce, except you use oil instead of butter. You can also personalize the recipe and make your mayo unique by adding lavender, garlic, rosemary, thyme, dill, and even horseradish! All you have to do is make a flavored-oil (heat the oil with the product you want to flavor it with, let it cool to room temp, and strain it) and then use it in your mayonnaise recipe.
I use my immersion (or stick) blender whenever I make mayonnaise. I’ve written about immersion blenders before, and I highly recommend you go out and purchase one (you can get one for around $25). I would imagine that it’s possible to use a food processor or a blender, but I would drizzle the oil in slowly instead of adding it all at once.
Check out the video at the end of the post and see . . . → Read More: Homemade Mayonnaise
By nando, on May 28th, 2011%
Even though this is a dish that you will find in virtually all Latin American countries, Arroz con Pollo has been adopted in Puerto Rico as a traditional dish. The difference between what you will find in Puerto Rico and in the rest of the world is that Puerto Ricans will traditionally use annato, sofrito (to include the recao plant), and pimentos or red bell pepper in their preparation. I have vivid memories (and can even smell it now) of my grandmother chopping the recao leaves to add to her version of the dish. The thought alone brings me back to the “good old days” of eating my grandmother’s cooking.
Needless to say, there is a special place in my heart for Arroz con Pollo. Most preparations of the dish call for the pieces of chicken to be left on the bone while cooking with the rice. However, I differ from this philosophy because I think the rice cooks better and more evenly if the bones are removed. This is pretty much my grandmother’s recipe (or what I can recall of it), so I hope you all enjoy it!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: About 2.5 hours, total
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: This recipe will serve . . . → Read More: Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)
By nando, on May 12th, 2011%
This is my first experience making stuffed peppers. I’d only had stuffed peppers once, that I can remember, and even that dish wasn’t all that memorable. But, since I was in the mood to try something new, I decided to go ahead and experiment with this dish. However, being who I am, I have to make everything difficult and decided to use ground turkey breast instead of ground beef in order to make it healthier (and more figure-friendly).
I also decided to serve with a vodka sauce instead of a red sauce. I think the creaminess of the vodka sauce really adds a gread depth of flavor and brings it all together. It was a definite winner! This is a dish I wouldn’t mind having a few times a week.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: About 60 minutes, total
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: This is an easy “make ahead” dish. You can also freeze the meat/rice mixture and just thaw right before stuffing the peppers.
Ingredients:
4 green peppers
1 cup cooked white rice (about 1/2 cup uncooked)
1/2 lb ground turkey
6 oz tomato sauce
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp feta cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each ground cumin and smoked paprika
salt . . . → Read More: Stuffed Peppers
By nando, on May 2nd, 2011%
I grew up in my grandmother’s kitchen. Since my family used to gather at her house for all holiday meals, I usually got to see/help with these dishes. One of my grandmother’s most famous dishes is her French Onion Rice. It’s basically French onion soup, beef consome, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and rice. Yeah, that’s it! Most recipes I’ve found do not include the mushrooms, but my grandmother always added them so my rendition of this dish will include them. The beauty of this dish is that it’s made from pantry staples that are easy to find, inexpensive to purchase, and keep for a relatively long time in your cupboard. MMMmmm…
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: About 35-40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: I call for butter in my recipe, but I’ve also seen it done with bacon/bacon fat. Feel free to experiment.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-12oz can each, French onion soup and beef consomme (I use Campbells)
1 8oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cups white rice
1 tbsp butter
Pinch of salt
Procedure:
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot (I use a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and allow them to sweat until they’re softened . . . → Read More: Arroz con Cebolla (French Onion Rice)
By nando, on April 25th, 2011%
The first time I made this dish I called it “Mexican Mac and Cheese.” However, after tasting it, I realized it was more reminiscent of the American Southwest (from Arizona to Western Texas) than of Mexico, so I changed the name. The inspiration came to me while trying to put a Mexican spin on traditional comfort food in honor of Cinco de Mayo. In a way, I guess it’s fitting that the dish is more American than Mexican since Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the U.S. than in Mexico (with the exception of Puebla).
I chose to cook my own beans, and to roast the peppers and the corn myself, but feel free to purchase canned versions if you’re interested in saving some time. The corn and the peppers can easily be roasted in the oven together (25-30 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing/turning as needed), and if you start with canned beans, it will only take you 20-25 minutes to simmer them with the correct spices (I used my recipe for Cuban black beans, but feel free to use canned).
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Notes: You can cook the bacon while the water . . . → Read More: Southwest Mac and Cheese
By nando, on April 18th, 2011%
I’ve been out of the “game” for a bit, so I thought I’d come back with something bold: a grilled cheese sandwich that tastes like a jalapeño popper. I’m sure most of you have ordered jalapeño poppers at a restaurant, or bought some frozen version that you can bake/fry at home, so the flavors and textures should be familiar. Most poppers are cheddar and/or cream cheese-filled jalapeños that are then breaded and baked/fried, some of them even have bacon. I decided to roast the peppers before placing them in the sandwich because I thought the crunch of the bread would be more than enough crunch for the sandwich. To roast the peppers, just toss them in some olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and roast them in the oven (400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning as necessary). You can then peel, seed, and slice them.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 plus 7-8 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: Feel free to add some bacon, if you wish.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter (melted)
Cream cheese (just enough to smear on one piece of bread)
2 Slices Cheddar cheese
2 Jalapeño peppers, roasted and cut into strips
2 Slices Sourdough bread (or your favorite type of . . . → Read More: Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese
By nando, on March 4th, 2011%
Arancini (Italian for “small orange”) are small rice balls, usually stuffed with mozzarella, that are breaded and deep fried. I’ve also seen them called Suppli al Telefono, due to the long strands of mozzarella resembling telephone cords (no joke!), but that is more of a northern-Italian name. Traditionally, cooks would use left over risotto to make the arancini because, try as you might, it’s impossible to get reheated risotto to taste as good as when it’s just been made. I guess you can say they were invented more as a way to enjoy the leftovers than by a stroke of genius (though some may argue that point).
I was first introduced to arancini in the winter of 2000, when I spent four months in Sicily as part of a military deployment. We stayed in a town called Motta Sant’Anastasia, and there was (literally) a hole in a wall in town where you could walk up and get whatever the cook (an old Sicilian woman) had made that day. Though the menu varied daily, she always had arancini ready to be flash-fried and served piping hot! I found arancini all over Sicily, but I never had a better version than these. Most places . . . → Read More: Arancini
By nando, on January 22nd, 2011%
I call them “indoor” ribs because they’re braised in the oven instead of cooked in a smoker or on an outdoor grill. They aren’t smoky but, what they lack in smoky flavor is more than made up by the tenderness and the great porky flavor that you get after a long, slow braise in the oven. I don’t say baked because even though no extra liquid is added, the ribs will release plenty of liquid on their own (thanks to the rub) and that liquid will help them braise when wrapped up in foil (I poured almost a cup of liquid from the foil pouch after cooking).
The key is to let the seasoned ribs sit in the refrigerator at least 8 hours prior to cooking. This will allow the salt to denature and firm up the meat. What results is a tasty meat that retains texture even though it’s so tender. One thing you do not want in ribs is for the meat to fall off the bone, so cooking them more than what I suggest will result in ribs that won’t hold on to the bone long enough to make the trip from the plate . . . → Read More: Indoor Baby Back Ribs
By nando, on January 18th, 2011%
It’s NFL Playoff season and everyone knows that nothing says football more than buffalo wings and beer (especially during the Superbowl!). Buffalo wings are normally fried to ensure that they have a crispy enough skin to hold up to the sauce they are then drenched in. Most baked wings become soggy because by the time the exterior gets crispy enough the wings are overcooked and dry. I’ve found a way to bake them and get them just as crispy as fried wings but without adding any oil, which ensures that the wings are nice and flavorful, yet never greasy. This recipe allows you to enjoy your wings and not have to feel guilty about eating fried food.
The key to getting them crispy in the oven is to dry them out and to coat them in a bit of baking powder to ensure the skin blisters when baked. The easiest way to dry the wings is to first pat them dry, then season them and place them in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 4 hours (overnight is best). I guarantee you will never fry your wings again!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: You . . . → Read More: Baked Buffalo Wings
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