September 23rd, 2010

The Pinon, Puertorican Cuisine, Plantains, Picadillo, Gluten Free

I am still trying to master cooking with plantains; a versatile vegetable used in a lot of the Latin cuisine.

So, I had some ripe plantains in my house and decided to make a Pinon.  This a Puertorican traditional dish.  It is basically a lasagna using plantains instead of noodles.

Still peeling and then slicing them lenthwise is tricky.   I would like to be able to slice them thin but it is hard.  Then, you have to fry them until they reach a golden color.

The word Picadillo means chopped; the ground beef, onions, olives, and everything you want to add to the meat.

I had to sit down and write the recipe because it was one of those that you add a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  Oh, let’s try that spice or let me add more raisins, you know, making it your own.  So, here it goes.

Pinon de Carne

5 ripe plantains  (yellow skin)

oil for frying

2 tbps. olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 green pepper chopped or a red one

1 garlic clove or a tsp. of garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup sliced olives with minced pimientos

8 ounces tomato sauce

pepper to taste

salt, optional

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 small boxes of raisins

1 can french style green beans

4 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel plantains and cut lengthwise.  Fry them in the oil until golden.  Take out and place on paper towels to drain.

Frying plantains

Ready to take them out

In a separate frying pan put the olive oil and add onion, pepper, garlic, oregano, cilantro, cinnamon, cumin and any other spices that you might like to add.

Sautee for about 5 minutes.

Then add ground beef and break it down as it cooks.  Add olives, tomato sauce, 1/2 of the canned beans and raisins.

Cook for another 5 minutes or longer until it becomes a “picadillo”.

Picadillo

Taste and season to your liking.

Grease a 12 x 71/2 x 2 baking dish.  Beat 2 of the eggs and place on the bottom of the baking dish.  Arrange 1/2 of the plantains on top of the egg mixture.  Then put 1/2 of the picadillo and spread, pat it down, and then the rest of the canned beans on top. 

Once that is done then arrange the rest of the plantains, beat the eggs and put that mixture on top of the plantains.  The idea is that when it bakes the eggs will hold everything together and you will be able to slice it without crumbling.

Ready for the oven

Place it in the oven for about 30 minutes or so.

Ready

Serve with a green salad and you have dinner.

Serving piece

Remember cooking comes from your heart….Talk to you later….

Note:  To make a Gluten Free recipe always read the labels.

May 21st, 2010

Bold Latin Flavors, Plantains, Mangoes, Puerto Rico, Los Igualitos, Again?

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…..