Latin Pepper Steak

A variation of the Chinese dish with a latin twist.

Total time – 20 min

Yield – 4 servings

Serving suggestion – with white rice and tostones or ripped fried plantains on the side.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1lb. boneless sirloin or flank steak, cut into thin strips
• 2 medium red and/or green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 to 1-1/2 tsp. finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 package Brown gravy mix
• 1/2 tbsp cilantro

Procedure

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown beef.

Remove beef and set aside.

Add red peppers, onion and jalapeno pepper and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in water, lime juice and Brown gravy mix.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in beef and cilantro and simmer for about 5 min.

Buen Provecho!

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Spring time cocktails

Backyard entertaining season is just around the corner. Margaritas it’s probably the first cocktail that comes to mind to go along with your backyard cookout. However, if you want to try something different this season, here are a couple of spring time pitcher size cocktails that will keep your crowd entertained.

Watermelon and Raspberry Punch

Note: Can be made ahead and can be refrigerated overnight.

• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 3 sprigs fresh mint leaves
• 1 seeded, cubed watermelon
• 1 cup strawberry margarita mix
• 1 cup coconut-flavored rum
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 8 mint sprigs to garnish

Puree raspberries and mint leaves in a blender until smooth. Strain into a serving pitcher. Puree the cubed watermelon until smooth, and strain the juice into the serving pitcher. Stir in the margarita mix, coconut rum, and ice cubes. Garnish each glass with mint sprigs.

Puerto Rican Rum Punch

Note: Can be made ahead and can be refrigerated overnight.

• 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1 cup gold rum (8 ounces)
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup Grenadine (2 ounces)
• One 750-ml bottle sparkling wine, such as Spanish cava, chilled
• Fresh pineapple chunks, for garnish

In a large pitcher, combine the lime juice and sugar and stir briskly until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rum, orange liqueur and grenadine and chill the rum mixture for about 1 hour. Just before serving, add the sparkling wine and pineapple chunks and serve in punch glasses.

Caribbean Lemonade

• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup superfine sugar
• 4 cups dry red wine
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds and seeded

In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the wine and chill for about 1 hour. Add the lemon slices and serve in punch glasses.

Caribbean Rum Zing

• 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups guava nectar
• 1 cup amber rum, such as Mount Gay
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 1 1/2 cups cold ginger ale
• Splash of grenadine
• Freshly grated nutmeg

In a large pitcher, combine the orange juice with the guava nectar and rum. Add the ice and stir until cold; add the ginger ale. Pour into cocktail glasses, add the grenadine and nutmeg, and serve

Watermelon Sangria

Note: Can be made ahead and can be refrigerated overnight.

• 12 cups cubed watermelon
• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 3 cups cubed seeded watermelon
• 1 medium lime, quartered
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Place 9 cups of watermelon cubes in a blender; blend on high until very smooth.  Strain juice through a mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Pour the wine, vodka, triple sec, and simple syrup into the pitcher. Stir to combine. Mix the remaining 3 cups of watermelon cubes, the lime quarters, orange sections, and blueberries into the sangria. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

Buen provecho!

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Pan de Jamon (Venezuelan bread with ham)

Pan de jamón is a traditional Venezuelan Christmas bread, but you can enjoy it any time of the year. A sweet, soft dough is rolled up around savory ham, sweet raisins and pimento-stuffed olives.

Total Time – About 3 hr including making the bread dough from scratch.

Yields – 1 loaf of bread

Serving suggestion – just by itself……..

Ingredients

• Warm milk — 3/4 cup
• Butter — 4 tablespoons
• Sugar — 2 tablespoons
• Salt — 1 teaspoon
• Active dry yeast — 1 (1/4-ounce) package
• Lukewarm (110°F) water — 1/4 cup
• All purpose flour — 3 1/2 cups
• Egg, beaten — 1
• Butter, melted — 2 tablespoons
• Ham, thinly sliced — 1/2 pound
• Raisins — 1/2 cup
• Pimento-stuffed olives — 1/2 cup
• Egg yolks — 2

Procedure

Add the milk, 4 tablespoons butter, sugar and salt to a saucepan and heat, stirring until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Mix the warm water and yeast together in a small bowl and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to activate the yeast.

Add 3 cups of the flour to large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture, warm milk and beaten egg. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients and bring the dough together.

Remove the dough to a floured work surface and knead, adding extra flour as needed, until the dough is no longer sticking to your hands and is silky and elastic. Remove the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm corner until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and punch it down with your fists to deflate it.  Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 15 inches long.

Brush the top surface of the dough with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the ham, raisins and olives evenly over the dough, leaving a margin of about 1 inch around the edges. Starting from the bottom, roll the dough up into a loaf. Pinch the seam and fold under the ends to seal.

Place the loaf seam-side down on a baking sheet and cover it lightly with a clean towel. Set aside to rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Beat the egg yolks with a tablespoon of water. Brush the top of the loaf all over with the egg yolk wash. Place the bread in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown on top and has a hollow sound when you tap on it. Remove and cool before serving.

Variations and shortcuts

• Add Swiss cheese to the filling
• If you don’t want go thru the trouble of making the bread yourself, try using the Pillsbury® refrigerated French loaf dough. Also, talk to a local pizza place or bakery to see if they would sell you the dough.

Buen provecho!

For great party trays and dinner packages ideas visit us www.piscolabiscatering.com

Ropa Vieja Cubana

The Ropa Vieja (shredded beef in a tomato sauce base) is a Cuban dish from Spanish origin. Very popular in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela.  In some countries is known as carne mechada or pabellon.

Total time –  This recipe uses a slow cooking technique so it can take from 4-10 hrs depending on the cut of meat you use. In this case, we are using flank steak for easy shredding.

Yields – 6 servings

Serving suggestions – with white rice and red kidney or pink beans (stewed Caribbean style) and fried plantains on the side.

Ingredients

• tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds beef flank steak
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Procedure

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.

Transfer the flank steak to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours.  At this point, the steak should have shredded by itself; if not, use two forks to shred steak apart.

Buen Provecho!

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Adobo-rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mango Mojo

This is modern variation of the popular Cuban dish; Puerco Adobado (adobo-rubbed) pork).

Total time – about 1 hr.

Yield – 6 servings

Serving suggestion –

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup achiote oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 sprigs cilantro, washed
• 2 pork tenderloin, 12-14 ounces, trimmed

Procedure: To make marinade, place all ingredients (except pork) in a blender and pulse 3 times for 3 to 4 seconds. Place the tenderloin in a shallow pan, pour the marinade over it, and place in refrigerator for 3 hours or, better yet, 24 hours.

Mango Mojo

Ingredients:

• 1 firm and ripe mango, skinned and diced
• 3 tablespoons diced red onions
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, washed, picked, and roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced very finely
• 3 ounces mango juice
• Juice of 4 limes
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation: In a bowl, mix all the mojo ingredients and let the flavors blend for about 1 hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of achiote oil. Add the tenderloin. Brown well on all sides, place the pan in the oven, and cook for 5 minutes more. Take the pan out of the oven and let the meat cool slightly before slicing. Serve with the mango mojo.

Buen provecho!

For great party trays and dinner packages ideas visit us at www.piscolabiscatering.com

Nidito de yuca con Salmorejo de jueyes

This weekend one of my regular customers put me out to a real test. American but married to a Puerto Rican, she called me with a last minute request for a small gathering she was hosting for a a small group of friends. “I want something traditional with a twist but accompanied with something really authentic”, she said. “How authentic you want the other thing to be?” I asked her. “Something that screams Puerto Rico”, she said. And for some reason and out of the blue, crabs came to mind.

In my opinion, no other dish screams Puerto Rico lauder than Salmorejo de jueyes (crabmeat salmorejo). It is all, traditional, authentic and very popular; from the mountains down to the beach kiosks all over the island. It is served in different ways, as an appetizer, as a main dish served with root vegetables or as the preferred filling for fritters. It is like comfort food. In the mountains they use land crab and in the coast they use blue crab. They both come from the same family of crabs and are harvested locally; even in the backyards of private homes.

The name Salmorejo comes from a Spanish dish made from a very tasty and thick tomato paste based stew. So thick that you can eat it with a a fork. The most popular Salmorejo in Spain is the Salmorejo de Conejo, (rabbit salmorejo). How or when the crabmeat was incorporated into this dish is unknown; however, whom ever came out with the idea is considered a genius in my books.

For her order, I incorporated the Salmorejo de jueyes with yucca (cassava); another traditional root vegetable, into an appetizer I called it Nidito de yucca con Salmorejo de jueyes. (Cassava nest with crabmeat salmorejo). Here is the recipe for that appetizer.

Total time – about 1 hr.

Yield – 4-6 servings

Serving suggestion – as an appetizer or side dish.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces crabmeat, which may be fresh, canned (drained) or frozen (thawed)
• 1 teaspoonful of ground garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls of chopped onion
• 2 or 3 olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoonful chopped green peppers
• 1/2 tablespoonful chopped red peppers
• two drops ofTabascosauce
• 1 tablespoonful of olive or cooking oil
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water (or substitute with 1/2 cup white wine!)
• 1/3 teaspoonful of salt
• 1 lbs of yucca
• Chicken broth
• Butter
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Procedure

For the cassava nest

The cassava nest is made from mashed cassava. Wash and peel the cassava using a potato peeler. Then cut into chunks, put them in a saucepan with salted water enough to cover them. Bring it to a boil and cook until tender; about 30 min. Drain and remove the wick-like core from the cassava. In a mixing bowl, mash the cassava the same way you would mash potatoes; with butter and adding the chicken broth little by little until you reach the right consistency. Not too dry, not too wet. Set aside.

Note: you can also use frozen cassava.

For the Salmorejo de jueyes

Sauté all ingredients except the crabmeat over medium heat for about two minutes, stirring continuously. Add the crabmeat, stir, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes over low heat. Stir and let stand for a few minutes, covered.

Putting it all together

You are going to need 4-6 ramekins or similar kind.

Grease the bottom and sides of each ramekin with butter.

Make the cassava nest by pouring in enough of the mashed cassava to cover the bottom and around the ramekin; pressing firmly with a spoon.

Pour in the Salmorejo de jueyes and leave some space on top.

Cover that space with more of the mashed cassava.

Sprinkle with grated Parmesan Cheese

Bake at 375 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until  golden brown. Serve hot.

Buen provecho!

Later that evening my client called to thank me for the memories. It happened that all of her guests were Puerto Ricans and the Salmorejo de jueyes triggered a long night of anecdotes and stories among her friends. What a coincidence, it had the same effect on me while I was preparing me. A lot of good memories ran through my mind. And that’s what comfort food it’s all about.

For great party trays and dinner packages ideas visit us at www.piscolabiscatering.com

Ceviche de Camarones

This recipe it’s a variation of my original posting; Fish Ceviche.

Total time – about 1 hr including refrigeration time

Yield – 4-6 servings

Serving suggestion – as an appetizer

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium-small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
• 3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 Serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cucumber, peeled diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Procedure

In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt.  Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp.  (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.)  Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain the shrimp.  Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces.  Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl.  Mix in the lime and lemon juice.  Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.

Mix in the chopped red onion and Serrano chile.  Refrigerate an additional half hour.

Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado

Buen provecho!

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Kitchen tools and golf.

Determining the most essential  kitchen tools to have reminds me when I decided to experiment with golf; almost 15 years ago. I remember going to a buddy of mine who at the time had a handicap of 4 for advice. “Don’t worry”, he said. “I’ll take care of you”.

The first thing he told me was to hold off the shopping spree and to just get a good beginner’s set of golf clubs with the essentials; a putter, a pitching wedge, a sand wedge (of course…) and a #7 iron . “And preferably second-handed; you know, just in case golf doesn’t work out for you”, he said.  And so I did. I went out and got me a second-handed, multi-branded, multi-colored beginner’s set. If I remember correctly, I didn’t spend more than $50 for the whole thing including the bag. Eventually I got into the sport and ended up buying a complete set. And guess what, my favorite clubs are the ones that I originally purchased; so now I have a couple of clubs I don’t need or use.

So why the story? Take a look at your kitchen drawer where you keep all your kitchen tools. Pretty full, isn’t?  Ok, to your defense, it’s probably not your fault as most of them were given to you as wedding gifts or you bought them for just in case you needed them some day. But think about it, how many of them you actually use.

Spring is around the corner, and besides of being the season of getting our landscape back into shape, it’s also that time for backyard cookouts and when we walk around the house collecting stuff we don’t use or need to move them to their new place; the garage or the attic. Or as we call it, Spring cleaning. Let me help you with your kitchen drawer.

In my opinion, these are some of the most essential tools your kitchen drawer most have. At the end, you and only you can determine which tools are best and most essential for you.

• Knives – No need for a 30 piece knife set.  There are four basic knives that will get the job done. A 10-inch chef’s knife; the workhorse of the kitchen and good for just about anything.  A flexible boning knife, a paring knife for smaller jobs and a long, serrated knife. for cutting breads, cakes, and things that are at risk from crushing when using a conventional knife.
• Kitchen shears – Not only to cut food but to handle any other cutting jobs where a knife it’s not enough.
• Digital timer – Any experienced chef will tell you that timing is key to the success or failure to any recipe. And while you develop your time keeping skills, a digital timer is your best friend.
• Meat thermometer – Success on grilling that perfect steak or baking the perfect  holiday turkey depends on two things; time and temperature. You already have the timing part with your digital timer; however, the meat thermometer will close the deal.  Probe thermometers are the most common ones. There are also digital and laser ones. If you go probe, go with the heavy-duty ones. I personally use one that’s a combination of all of them and I found it on-line for less than $100.
• Measuring cups – Preferably in individual sizes; 1/8 cup 1/4 cup 1/3 cup 1/2 cup 2/3 cup 3/4 cup and 1 cup.
• Measuring spoons – Because a “pinch” of salt can mean different things to different people….
• Microplane grater (aka zesters) – For when the recipe calls for just the flavor of ginger, onion, or citrus fruits….
• Scraper spatulas – For your baking projects.  A large and a small and made of silicone. They are more expensive but will last you more. I also use them instead of wooden spoons to brown ground beef. Wooden spoons can develop mold if not washed and dried properly.
• Regular spatula – For that perfect pancake flip.
• Whisks – For when using a mixer, blender or food processor is too much.
• A High quality can opener – There are many options out there. For food safety reasons, I use one that opens the cans from the side instead of the top.
• Tongs – A very versatile kitchen tool. I use them for everything, from blending salads to frying or for any task that requires a good grip

Unfortunately, I stopped playing golf some time ago after I started with my weekend catering business. So what happened to my golf clubs? Well, they are sitting somewhere in the attic next to a box labeled “Kitchen tools I don’t use”.

I hope your kitchen drawer looks much better now.

Happy cooking!

For great party trays and dinner packages ideas visit us at www.piscolabiscatering.com

Grilled Sirloin Steak Marinated in Sun-Dried Tomato Chimichurri

Another great grilled steak recipe with a twist on the Chimichurri sauce.

Total time – about 1 hr 45 min including marinate and grilling time.

Yield – 4 servings

Serving suggestion – your favorite steak sides.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless sirloin steaks (each about 8 oz. and 3/4 to 1 inch thick), trimmed of fat seasoned to taste.

For chimichurri:

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
• 3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 scallions, white and pale green parts thinly sliced

Preparation

Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper, and place in large glass or ceramic baking dish.

To make chimichurri: In blender or food processor combine all ingredients and blend until well mixed.

Cover both sides of steaks with chimichurri, spreading it evenly with spoon. Set aside remaining chimichurri. Cover dish with plastic wrap and let marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.

On very hot grill cook steaks until both sides are well browned, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove and let them rest covered with foil paper.

Use the remaining chimuchurri as a side sauce for the steaks.

Buen provecho!

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Churrasco con Garbanzos con chorizo

This recipe takes me to my youth when my dad used to grill steaks every Wednesday night. The Churrasco (skirt or fajita steak) was one of his favorite cuts and somehow he found out that the Garbanzos (chickpeas) con Chorizo mix very well with them.

Total time – about 30 min for the garbanzos and about 10 min for the steaks. Tip – prepare the garbanzos first and then grill the steaks

Yield – 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 well-trimmed outer cut skirt steaks (about 2″ thick each)

For the garbanzos

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 to 2 ounces Spanish-style chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 ounces bacon or Serrano ham, coarsely chopped (optional)*
• 1 small potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can chick peas, with liquid (16 ounces)
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation

For the Garbanzos

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chorizo, bacon or ham, potato, onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and sauté and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir for approximately 30 seconds; then stir in the chick peas and liquid.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the water and cover again. Continue to cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and break easily when pierced with a fork.

* If omitting bacon or ham, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt or season to taste.

For the steaks

Season steaks to taste. Skirt steaks are very flavorful so salt and pepper should be enough.

Pre-heat your grill to at least 375 degrees

Place steaks on the grill. Remember, we are grilling 2″ thick steaks so for medium to medium rare, grill them about 5 minutes each side turning them only once. Grilling them to above medium will result on a tough piece of meat.

Remove, cover with foil paper and let them rest.

Serving suggestion – pour the Garbanzos con Chorizo over the skirt steak and serve with white rice and fried ripped plantains on the side.

Buen Provecho!

For great party tray and dinner packages visit us at www.piscolabiscatering.com