August 30th, 2010
I have already written the other day how all my figs were ripening at once. You can’t keep up with them. I decided to invent the following recipe. I thought the pork loins came out great but do not do justice in the picture. The taste was sweet and tangy at the same time.
Pork Loin with Fresh Figs
1 package pork tenderloins (2 in a package)
Rub:
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash onion and herb
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Italian Medley
2 tablespoons or a bit more of olive oil
juice of one lime
Prick the pork loins and rub the seasonings all over. Place in refrigerator at least 1 hour but the longer you let it marinate the better.
Brown pork loins on a skillet on all sides and while doing so then prepare the rest.
7 figs, chopped
10 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup of caper berries, stems off and cut in 1/2
1/4 cup of White Balsamic Fig Infused Vinegar. I used Alessi and you can get it in the vinegar section of a good supermarket.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup of Chutney. I used Crossed & Blackwell (any chutney)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt, optional
1 tblespoon chopped cilantro, optional
Take about 1/4 cup of the chopped figs, the vinegar, oil and chutney and process in the blender. After blending then set aside.
Line a cookie sheet with heavy foil, enough of it that you will be able to make a canopy over the pork loins.
After browning the pork loins place on the cookie sheet and arrange with the rest of the figs, shallots, caper berries, salt and pepper. Drizzle some or all of the blended figs/vinegar/chutney and sprinkle with cilantro, if so desired.
Bake at about 45 minutes to 1 hour in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.
Slice thin and make sure you put a couple of spoonfuls of the vegetables and juice on the sliced pork.
Serves 6.
Please note that I really do not use salt in my food so that’s why the Mrs. Dash is mentioned in the recipe. Fresh herbs and anything else you would like, would do just fine. I was just experimenting to see how the figs would do with the pork.
I decided that a Plantain Mash (Mofongo) would be good with it. The problem was that I had never made Mofongo. I decided to use my mortar and pestle. I would have to agree that if you do not have one, it would be hard to do in a bowl, not impossible, but hard.
The other problem I encountered with the mofongo recipe was that I thought it was a little dry. I need to experiment and see what else I can do to make it just right. Maybe someone from the Dominican Republic will give me a hint.
Plantain Mash (Mofongo)
3 green plantains
1 quart or 4 cups of water
1 tablespoon salt (optional) I put a tiny bit of salt.
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb. of pork crackling (Are you crazy? I don’t have that here. I used bacon.)
vegetable oil for frying
Best way to peel the plantains is cut the 2 ends and put in microwave, one at a time for 1 minute. Cut with knife lenthwise and peel.
Cut into 1 inch diagonal slices and soak for 15 mintues in salted water. Drain well.
Heat oil to boiling point and add the plantain slices. Fry for about 15 minutes or until golden but not browned. Drain on paper towels and reserve.
In a mortar (or heavy bowl), crush cloves well, add olive oil and mix. Remove from the mortar or bowl and reserve.
Crush in the mortar part of the fried plantain slices together with part of the bacon. Add some of the mixture of crushed garlic and olive oil and mix thoroughly. It is tricky, believe me.
You are supposed to shape into balls. I just let the shape of the mortar do it and turned it over. It was good, just a little dry; great taste, though.
Make them your own, that’s the pleasure of cooking!!
 My serving of Pork with Fresh Figs and a Plantain Mash (Mofongo)
P.S. “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” george bernard shaw
Talk to you later….
August 26th, 2010
I remember the first time I tasted a fresh fig. Well, there is nothing better. Fig Newtons? No way, not even close. I instantly became a fan.
Purplish brown, greenish yellow, and deep burgundy; the colors that are so characteristic of fresh figs.
 My Fig Tree Their season? August through early Fall. If you have a fig tree like I do and all of a sudden there are so many of them ripening at the same time, then be sure to keep them in the refrigerator because they can spoil quickly.
There are so many recipes. I love just eating them off the tree. Added to salads, broiled with feta or mascarpone cheese on top, muffins, sauces, in ice cream, the possibilities are endless.
The following recipes are easy and delicious.
Fig Muffins
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup milk, divided
1 cup chopped fresh figs, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Take 1/4 cup of the milk and 1/4 cup of the figs and blend together in the blender. It will be used when ingredients need to be added to the muffin mix.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, stirring just until moistened.
Stir in the blended fig mixture, pecans and chopped figs.
Spoon muffin batter into greased and floured muffin pans, filling three quarters full.
Bake 18 minutes if you are using the mini-muffins or for 20 minutes for regular muffins.
They are best served warm. It will yield 40 mini-muffins or 20 regular muffins.
A Fig Cobbler
5 cups fresh figs, halved
2 tsps. lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 tblsps. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Cheddar pastry
Arrange figs evenly in a lightly greased 10 x 6 x 2 inch baking dish
Sprinkle with lemon juice
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well, and sprinkle over figs.
Dot with butter.
Roll Cheddar Pastry out to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut into 10 x 1/2 inch strips.
Arrange in lattice fashion over the figs.
Trim edges.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
Cheddar Pastry:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup or 1 ounce shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of cold water
Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Stir in cheese.
Sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, evenly on top.
Stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened.
Shape dough into a ball until ready to use.
Enjoy it and make it your own. Reduce sugar, if you want or use different flours for baking if you have a gluten allergy. Eliminate the nuts if you have that allergy, as well.
Talk to you later….
August 16th, 2010
 Al Fresco I was taking, Addy, my dog, for a walk early this morning. It was humid. So much more than yesterday and I started to wonder what would I want for dinner tonight. I have not had anything for breakfast yet, and already dinner was on my mind.
I think dinner is my favorite time of the evening. Having it al fresco makes it even better.
The following 3 recipes would be perfect for a day like today. They are easy too.
Flank Steak Wrap
1 beef flank steak – 1 to 1-1/2 lbs.
4 cups pre-cut coleslaw mix
1 cup chopped green onions
salt and pepper to taste
8 medium flour tortillas
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Dressing:
1 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
For the dressing, just combine the rice vinegar, honey and sesame oil in a jar and shake vigorously.
Place beef steak and half of the dressing in a plastic bag. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
Pour other half of dressing in a large bowl and toss with coleslaw, green onions, salt and pepper.
Place steak on grill over medium coals and cook 17 to 21 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness. Let it rest on a cutting board for a few minutes and sprinkle with salt (optional) and pepper. Slice into thin strips on the diagonal.
Warm tortillas 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
To assemble: Place beef slices, some coleslaw mix and peanuts on a tortilla and roll tortilla. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.
Note: Allergies? To make it gluten free, then you will need to find corn tortillas and read the ingredients on the peanuts. Peanuts are usually dusted with wheat. Crazy, isn’t it? Peanut allergy? Then you know what you need to do. But maybe you can give it a little “cha-cha” by adding chopped jalapenos instead of peanuts.
Raspberry-Lime Agua Fresca (Non-alcoholic)
If you like raspberries, then you will probably like this refreshing drink; definitely, better than soda.
3 cups or a 12 ounce bag of frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar (you may use sugar substitute, please adjust)
1/2 cup lime juice
ice cubes
fresh mint sprigs
lime wedges
Place raspberries, sugar and lime juice in a blender along with 2 cups of cold water. Puree, and then pour the mixture into a large pitcher.
Sir in 6 cups of cold water. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
Stir well before serving. Pour the agua fresca over ice and garnish with mint sprigs and a lime wedge.
Note: If you would like to spike it, then white rum or tequila would be the liquor to add.
White Sangria
There is nothing better than a good Sangria on a hot summer day. I will admit that my favorite is the traditional red one but it also good to alternate and serve a white one on a warm day.
1 green apple, cored and cut into 1 inch chunks
5 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks with 1/2 cup juice
2 limes, thinly sliced
one 750 ml. bottle of white wine
1/4 cup triple sec
1 cup orange juice (4 oranges)
1/2 cup lemonade
ice cubes
Combine all ingredients except the ice cubes in a large pitcher and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve the white sangria in glasses filled with ice, being sure to include a selection of the fruit in each glass.
Makes about 8 cups. Can easily be doubled.
Enjoy it and make it your own!!!
Talk to you later…you know I will…
June 28th, 2010
I was in the mood for some comfort food. I think if you ask anyone from Puerto Rico they will probably tell you that they consider “tostones” their comfort food.
Off to Giant, our local supermaket, I went and they did have plantains. I needed them green for the “tostones”. I don’t think there is a translation for “tostones”.
Plantains are from the same family as the bananas. They are a starch and they do have less sugar than the bananas.
The easiest way to peel the plantains is by cutting the tips on each end. Then, place the plantains in the microwave for 1 minute. Make a slice with a knife, lengthwise, just on the skin and peel it back. Cut the plantains in one inch chunks and place them in a bowl of water with a teaspoon of salt. I like my “tostones” thin so that’s why I gave you that measurement.
Drain the plantains and in a deep fryer or deep frying pan put enough Canola oil to submerge the plantain chunks. Fry them until they are golden.
Place them to drain on paper towels. Yes, it is too bad that they need to be fried but I am telling you, that’s why they are so good.
The next step is to flaten them. All you need is waxed paper and a plate. Put one chunk at a time in between the wax paper and flaten it with a plate. Continue to do so until all pieces are flatened. Believe it or not, it really does not take long.
Back again into the frying pan. Fry them until they reach a very deep golden color. They will rise to the surface of the oil. Drain again on paper towels.
Some people just eat them as a side dish and others like them as a snack. Some put just butter on top and a bit of garlic powder and some, like me, make a Mojo.
Yes, the Mojo really came before the alcoholic Mojito. It is one of those sauces made in a Pilon (Mortar and Pestle), if you have one. If not, then improvise. Garlic and salt are the first condiments of my Mojo. Then mash with the pestle. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, mixing everything in. Then add a small can of tomato sauce, the juice of a half a lime, cilantro to taste, pepper, and a dash of Tabasco or more. The measurements are not exact, as you can tell by the way I am writing. Some times I think it needs a little more lime, or maybe more cilantro so you will probably have to make this recipe your own.
The Mojo is a sauce used for a lot of dishes. I was making some shrimp with onion, peppers, olive oil, a little bit of butter. I just sauteed all the vegies and at the last minute the medium shrimp went in and cooked until nice and pink. I added some of that Mojo to give it a nice sauce.
I had gone to Tomato Sunshine and got really pretty tomatoes. Once summer starts giving us good tomatoes then I love to make mayonnaise. You wonder why? Well, it is homemade and delicious.
Homemade Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups salad oil
Aple Cider Vinegar
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of Tabasco
In a small bowl put mustard, salt and egg yolks. Mix together with a mixer on low speed. Then add oil, 1 tsp. at a time a t first, mixing well after each addition. For the first 1/4 cup be sure to add only a little at a time.
As the mixture thickens, thin with 1 tsp. vinegar. Keep mixing with the mixer.
After 1/4 cup of oil, you may add the oil a little faster. The first additions of oil make the emulsion. If by any chance it separates during this time, take another egg yolk in another bowl and start over. After you get this well started, you can add the old separated mixture to it. I don’t think you will have any problems.
When mayonnaise is finished, add a dash of Worcestershire and a dash of Tabasco to taste.
Enjoy and make it your own.
Talk to you later…..as usual….
May 21st, 2010
After 13 years not being in the Isla del Encanto, I find myself going there again after 6 weeks. Is it the calling of the Island, or the reunion of the “Igualitos”? You are wondering what in the world are the “Igualitos”. Well, these are the friends I grew up with in Humacao, on the eastern side of the Island. They are truly the core of my friendships so long ago. I have not seen a lot of them in probably 35+ years.
The word “Igualito” means the same. I doubt it very much if we are the same; so many of us have gone through a lifetime of experiences. And, regarding appearances, well I am sure we have changed a lot, as well. It will be interesting.
What I have been finding out since I reunited last year with some of these friends, is how easily we have picked up again. It is like we saw each other just yesterday. Someone said, some time ago, well if I have not seen them in all those years, why bother? I don’t agree. The connection is always there. I don’t know if it is nostalgic or not, but I am really looking forward to it.
One of my favorite fruits in Puerto Rico is the local mango. I like the round ones; no fibers, just very meaty. Mangoes are one of the most extensively exploited fruits for food, juice, flavor, fragrance and color.
There is a very good recipe called Coconut French Toast with Mango. The recipe comes from a cookbook called Isabel’s Cantina and here it goes:
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened dried coconut
6 thick slices of crusty bread
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Maple Syrup
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1/2 pint raspberries
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, sugar and eggs.
Spread out the coconut on a plate. Dip the pieces of bread in the egg mixture and then dip in the coconut, amply coating the bread.
Melt the butter on a griddle or in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the slices of bread on the griddle and cook until the coconut is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is golden and the middle isn’t soft or soggy, about 4 minutes.
Serve hot, topped with Maple Syrup, mango slices and raspberries.
Serves 4 to 6 people.
Another Island favorite is the Plantain. They are used as a staple food. Plantains are very tropical and are firmer and lower in sugar content than dessert bananas.
They require cooking. Usually they are used either when green and therefore more starchy or overripe and sweet.
The following is another simple recipe from the same book above mentioned. This can be served as a side dish with any kind of meat.
Sweet Plantains
3 large ripe plantains
About 1 1/2 cups canola or peanut oil, for frying
Kosher Salt
This recipe calls for the ripest plantains on the market; yellow with black spots. They do not need to be soaked before cooking.
To peel the plantain, just cut off the ends of each one and then use a paring knife to peel the skin off in strips from top to bottom. Cut each plantain on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Por enough oil into a large deep-sided saute pan to come 1/2 inch up the sides, and heat over medium-high heat until small bubbles begin to form on the bottom of the pan.
Place half of the plantain slices in the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute before turning the slices over with tongs or a slotted sppon. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes more, or until golden brown.
Transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray to drain.
Sprinkle with salt.
Repeat with the remaining plantain slices. Serve hot.
This recipe serves about 6 to 8 people.
Remember to be creative and make it your own.
Talk to you later…..
May 16th, 2010
It is that time of the year when I am getting into the spirit of the summer. Rehoboth and all the beaches are getting more crowded as the opening summer season will be arriving in the next couple of weeks.
I also start thinking of the casualness that makes living on the coast such a treat. The food, the attires, the overall frame of mind.
I am thinking of recipes that can be assembled in no time. The next ones, I think you will like:
Tarragon Chicken Salad
3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
1 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 celery ribs cut in 1″ pencil strips
1/2 cup shelled walnut pieces
1 tbsp. dried tarragon
sald and fresh ground pepper
Place chicken in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Spread evenly with creme fraiche or heavy cream and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Shred meat into bite size pieces and place in a bowl.
Whisk sour cream and mayonnaise together and pour over chicken.
Add celery, walnuts, tarragon, salt and pepper to taste. Toss well.
Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours. Taste and correct seasonings before serving.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Note: You may use 2 cups leftover chicken and halve rest of ingredients. Skip the first step, of course. I do prefer to bake the chicken for this recipe but I have been known to buy a rotisserie chicken in order to save time.
As usual, make it your own. If you are on a diet buy light sour cream. I also like the creme fraiche vs. the heavy cream on this recipe.
Creme Fraiche is a soured cream. It is thicker and less sour than sour cream. You might be able to find it in the grocery store but if not add a tablespoon of buttermilk to a cup of whipping cream and heat gently. Le it sit at room temperature for about 6 hours covered with plastic. Every couple of hours stir and taste. It should get thick and have a nutty flavor. But, if this is too much to do then just use the heavy cream mentioned above as a substitution.
Warm Spinach Salad
12 oz. baby spinach leaves (8 cups)
1 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. canola oil
8 slices bacon, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Place spinach and oinion in a large bowl and set aside. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir until salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring frequently until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar mixture and bring to a rapid boil.
Spoon the hot dressing over the spinach and onions in the large bowl. Toss for about 1 minute to slightly wilt the spinach.
To serve, spoon 2 cups of the salad onto each of 4 plates. Top each serving with half a shredded hard boiled egg.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: You may easily double this recipe. Add more bacon, more eggs, etc. Just make it your own. Enjoy!!
Talk to you later…
May 2nd, 2010
Every single time I take a bite of a softshell crab I say that I love them better than lobster. When they are cooked right, there is nothing better. So sweet and plump with just a hint of fat. Really, that is how it is.
The softshell crab is a crustacean seafood. You can eat it whole if cooked after molting (shedding) its hard shell.
Crabs grow larger in size and their shells cannot expand, therefore, they shed their exterior and have a soft covering in a matter of days.
This is when they are perfect for eating. I don’t know how many years ago, but I do remember having my brother for dinner and I served him softshells but he really could not eat them. I guess the sight of eating a whole crab, including legs was not the thing for him.
The softshells I got tonight were from Jimmy Lynn’s Seafood Carry Out. They are located at 18226 Coastal Highway, Lewes. Tel. 302-644-9329. I wrote a post on Jimmy Lynn’s back on 7/31/09. If you would like to read it all you have to do is click on July under Archives and scroll down to the date. You can find Jimmy Lynn’s Seafood Carry Out on Facebook, as well.
Jimmy Lynn’s Seafood Carry Out is “home of the crabs with attitude”. Tonight’s choice was delicious. I just dredged them in a little gluten free flour with just a bit of Old Bay Seasoning and sauteed them. They were perfect.
Years ago I got a recipe for softshell crabs over linguine. It was given by Mancini’s located at 907 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, Delaware. Tel. 302-537-4224. Website is www.mancinisbop.com. That recipe was so good so here it goes:
Fresh Softshell Crabs over Linguine
4 fresh sofshell crabs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
1/2 cup flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
juice of one lemon
Clean (or have the store do so) the softshells; dredge them in season flour (be generous with flour).
In a large skillet, melt butter. Add olive oil and garlic. When hot, saute softshells until slightly browned on both sides (approx. 5 minutes on each side).
Wheen crabs are browned, add wine, chicken stock and parsley. Saute until sauce thickens.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Serve over linguine.
The above recipe is very good and so easy. Just adjust seasonings to your liking.
Remember to make it your own. Talk to you tomorrow, probably…..
April 7th, 2010
One of my favorites is Shad. This is the time of the year for this delicate fish and Shad is very popular in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. You can only get it for about 6 or 7 weeks. The taste is so light; not fishy at all.
Shad spawns in rivers and traditionally it was caught along with salmon in set nets which were suspended from poles driven into the river bed and close to shore in tidal water. It is very bony, but I get mine, deboned. Some people like to cook the whole fish and in that case you would have to steam it in an oven for about 5 hours. The bones actually, disolve.
Shad is so flavorful that you really don’t need sauces, herbs or spices. It can be boiled, filleted and fried in butter or baked. The way I like is baked on a high heat; about 400 degrees. All I do is get a cookie sheet and line it with foil, then grease it a bit. Place the shad on the cookie sheet and basted with melted butter, lemon and some paprika. That’s all. Cook it 10 minutes to the pound. Want to test it to see if it’s cooked? Just insert a fork and tug and if it gives then it is ready. So easy.
Shad Roe is the egg of the females. It is another favorite in my household. There are so many recipes available but I just bake it on a lined cookie sheet, in a high heat oven (400 degrees). The important ingredient here is bacon. I wrap bacon around the shad roe to keep it moist. Sprinkle pepper on it. Just bake it for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked. You certainly do not want it dry. Then I cook a couple of extra bacon strips and put them on the side as a garnish.
Shad Planking? It is an annual political event inVirginia and it takes place in April, near Wakefield. It celebrates the James River running of shad. The shad is smoked on wood planks over an open flame.
The reason Shad Planking is a political event is because on the year of every gubernatorial election, would-be-candidates, lobbyists, campaign workers, and reporters gather in the town for shad planking in Wakefield.
Shad populations have been declining for years. It is due to blocked spawning areas by dams, habitat destruction/pollution, and overfishing.
Along with Shad and Shad Roe, my vegetable of choice is asparagus. Steamed and served with hollandaise sauce. The sauce is very easy to make, as well. Get your blender ready and put 3 egg yolks, juice of a lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper. In a small saucepan, melt a stick of butter or margarine. Turn the blender on to blend and with it running, pour the hot, melted butter or margarine and just blend it for a few seconds. That’s it.
If you like fish, then I think you will be happy with Shad and Shad Roe.
Note: Information on Shad and Shad Planking was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shad and from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shad_Planking
Talk to you later…
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