Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Thanksgiving Criolla Style

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Looking to add a little latin flair to your holiday dinner?
I always looked forward to my Grandfather’s turkey feast on Thanksgiving!
Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
2 Heads of whole garlic – peeled
2 packets of Goya Sazon
3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of vinegar
Adobo or Salt, pepper and oregano

Mix all of the ingredients in a Pilon, or blend in a blender.

Once the mixture is made, rub 3/4 of it in between the skin and meat of the turkey.
You will need to carefully lift the skin in places to get the mixture underneath.

Spread the remaining paste completely on the outside of the turkey.

Then sprinkle some salt, pepper and another packet of sazon on top.
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours .

Bake the turkey according to package instructions, basting occasionally with the pan drippings.

He always stuffed the turkey with picadillo, but for something different try a Mofongo stuffing.
This is a yummy sounding recipe I found on Elboricua.com

Mofongo Turkey Stuffing

To make Tostones:
Use 5 large green plantains. Slice the peeled plantains diagonally into 1″ slices. Fry the slices in oil over medium heat until they soften. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Using a tostonera (a press), slightly mash each piece to about half an inch in thickness. If a press is not available insert the pieces between a folded piece of brown-paper and press down using a saucer. It is best to press all the pieces first before going on the next step. Dip each piece in warm salted water and fry again until crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Ingredients for Stuffing:
1 lb bacon, sautéed and chopped into small pieces (discard large chunks of fat)
3 tsp. chopped garlic
3 sweet chili peppers (ajíes dulces), seeded and chopped
1/3 cup olive oil

Combine the bacon, garlic, peppers, and olive oil. Mash 5 tostones with about 1/5 of the oil mixture in a pilon. Repeat the process until all ingredients are used up.

To make stuffing:
Combine mofongo and 1/3 cup chicken broth. Add more broth if it’s not moist enough. Stuff the bird.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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My Father's Picadillo

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

With Father’s Day just around the corner, I thought it only fitting to share this family recipe in case you are looking for ideas on what to cook this weekend! Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries, this Puerto Rican version is my fathers recipe and contains olives and capers. We traditionally had picadillo at Thanksgiving and Christmas, where it was either used as stuffing inside the turkey or served as a side dish along side rice and beans.

INGREDIENTS (Per pound of meat)

1 pound Ground Beef or Turkey

1 Onion

1 Green Pepper

2 Garlic Cloves

3 Bay Leaves

1 15 Ounce Can of Tomato Sauce

Capers and Olives (no pits)

Olive Oil, White Vinegar, Salt and Pepper

THE SOFRITO

Mince the garlic, onion and green pepper

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan, when oil is warm add the garlic being careful not to let it burn.

Add the onion and pepper and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the mixture is mushy. This is an eyeball thing. You don’t want the onion and pepper al dente, and you don’t want to overcook it until its dry. When done, set aside.

THE MEAT

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a separate frying pan. When warm, add the meat until it is browned. When done, place in a colander and drain the drippings.

THE FINALE

Warm the sofrito over a medium flame for  a brief moment, then toss in the browned meat and stir. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaves, capers, olives and 3 ounces of vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly. When everything begins to bubble, simmer for 30-45 minutes.

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