Sometimes what's left sets the path for what's coming...or whom...

It amazes me how my personal beliefs fuse into my cooking style.  I love to be challenged, and I don't like to waste. When I think back at my college days, when I truly began cooking, I can't believe how much I used to spend on food shopping  to make the simple two-dimensional dishes that I started with back then. 

Sometimes the problem was having too many ingredients to choose from.  Having too many choices, getting comfortable with the same dishes, causes us to become complacent in the kitchen.  I smile as I type this because once again, isn't the kitchen just a metaphor for life altogether? 

After all of the shopping I did for the Paella this weekend, I had some key ingredients left over.  The next day, I met my son for lunch by his college and we planned on dinner together.  

As a mother, I can tell you that it brings immense joy to cook for your 18 year old son.  For a brief moment as he eats, and smiles without realizing it, fork in hand, it's your baby all over again.  

I challenged myself to make Eric a dinner he would love with a minimalist approach, and using the ingredients that I had left.  

Shrimp marinated in Sofrito and Lime 

Edemame

Potatoes

Fresh Mint Leaves

Fresh Pineapple and Banana

 Sometimes knowing your audience determines your technique.  My son and I love watching movies while we snack. This is where it gets fun!  Since I made the seafood in creole sauces this weekend, I decided to fry it for some texture and crunch.

Since I had the fresh shrimp marinating in Sofrito and Lime juice, I took out all of the ingredients that I would need...

The Sofrito-Lime Marinade goes deep into the shrimp.  This is especially perfect for frying because normally the breading can easily overpower shrimp.  With this marinade, you have a deep fresh garlic and herbal flavor in every bite.

 

 I made an egg wash with 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 2 eggs.  The heavy cream and egg wash help bind the breadcrumbs nicely, and don't fall apart when frying.

Then I mixed 50/50 Panko bread crumbs with course corn meal.  I love the color and texture that corn meal provides, and I find that it stands up to frying nicely.

 For the sides, I'm going to quickly slice some potatoes in the food processor with the 'slicer' blade and then throw in the deep fryer, and finish with some seal salt.  Fish & Chips, Caribbean-style, when served with a side of garlic-mojito dressing!

While I do that, I'm going to steam some Edemame in the microwave with about a cup of water that I'll drain after 10 minutes.

 Once the Edemame is ready, we sprinkle these with some sea-salt.

Now, we're ready to fry the shrimp, since our side dishes are ready.  This will only take a couple of minutes until golden.  Remember, seafood cooks much quicker than most meats. If overcooked, it can entirely ruin a dish.  Seafood should be watched closely so that you can achieve the perfect color and texture.

 After the shrimp is done, I set it on a plate lined with paper towels in order to absorb the excess oil.  I sprinkle with salt and pepper and then move on to serving dish, where I garnish with fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.

Now what to do with the left over mint leaves?  I decide to boil some water.  Easy, right?  

Then, I juice one whole fresh lemon.  I add the lemon juice and some honey to my tea.  

The pitcher that I've chosen is meant for tea and is heat-resistant.  

I add the mint leaves, some Splenda or sugar- your preference entirely.  

Lastly I add some black tea and hot water.  I let that steep together nicely.  

The result is a mellow, flavorful yet invigorating tea that will infuse your kitchen with a floral aroma that's unbelievable!  You can drink this hot or iced.  Either way, it's heavenly.

Tropical Fantasy Fondue

Sounds Fancy?  Maybe.  You should know that for as long as I've had them, I've been finding creative ways to entice my kids into eating fruits and vegetables as part of balanced daily servings.  My daughter never wanted to try pineapple until I made it with fondue.  I make very little chocolate.  I probably only have about 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips in here.  This fondue dish cost me about $7 in Marshall's HomeGoods.    

I melted the chocolate chips in the fondue dish for 2 minutes in the microwave, then I placed it on top of the tea-light dish, after mixing it with a spoon.  The chocolate becomes a rich, thick, creamy consistency that will compliment your cold chunks of tangy fresh fruit so beautifully.  

 I felt great that night.  I made my kids the crunchy comfort foods that they were craving while also ensuring that they had great nutrition.  The shrimp and Edemame were great sources of protein and fresh fruit & herbal tea for Anti-Oxidants, Potassium & Vitamin C.   

We ate, we talked and we laughed so much.  I loved watching the two of them, seven years apart, yet sharing  their own special moments.  

In the end, this is what cooking is all about for me.  I met my challenge of making a meal with odd ingredients on hand but delivering comfort foods that they love and are good for them.  Another great night, that started with a very simple notion, and a whole lot of heart.

Muy buen provecho!

She looks sweet, but she'll bite you back!

We've all been warned at some point in our youth not to judge a book by it's cover.  Some learn this lesson from their grandmothers, some in literature and if you're like my daughter, you learn it from the Disney Channel via some teen sensation sitcom show...

Like with most lessons that I've learned in my life, the same applies in my kitchen.  One of my favorite things to do as a cook is to yield a magnificent presentation with my dishes.  The fun part for me is to watch my guests taste the food.  I especially enjoy when they think they know what to expect and then, suddenly taking their taste buds on vacation someplace exotic. 

When cooking, versatile ingredients allow me to challenge their flavors with my own desires of what the final outcome of my dish will be.  It is not uncommon that without previously planning my dish, I look at one ingredient, and it will inspire not only the main entree, but also the entire meal.

Come to think of it, this is how I dress in the morning.  Sometimes when going through my jewelry I see a pair of earrings that I haven't worn in some time.  Then, I grab a blouse that complements those, and a pair of slacks with a flattering cut.  These slacks are wide at the bottom, so I choose  a pair of pointed slingback shoes that just peak out under the seam of the pants.  A couple of bangles and a handbag, all in some way complementing the pair of earrings that inspired the outfit.  Now I feel dynamite, and ready for a magnificent day. 

This is often how I cook.  I allow one ingredient to inspire me and take me to far away places; the Caribbean, India, Italy, China's Hunan Province,  Morocco...  Sometimes a mere ingredient can thread a theme through each course of a meal. 

I go into the kitchen inspired to make an enticing meal for guests.  My eyes fall on a bright yellow lemon, and I start to think... 

A mere lemon brings me to...

Warm salad with a citrus vinegarette, roasted garlic-lemon infused pork loin with a side of garlic-lemon Mojito for Tostones, and lastly lemon-glazed cake served with green tea with honey and lemon.      

Last Saturday when I had guests over for a glorious seafood feast, inspired around our Paella, I wanted an appetizer for welcoming my guests.  I was looking for something very light, but that would entice their appetites as well.  I looked over at the Mojitos I had made and thought to myself, "What goes well with that mint-citrus flavor, and that I already have in my fridge?"  

She wasn't in my fridge, she was actually out by the fruit bowl.  A pretty little cantaloupe, perfect and ripe waiting to be included with the symphony that was to be this magnificent meal.  It was so easy!

Slice the cantaloupe in half, and scoop out the seeds

 Slice each half into servings

Sprinkle generously with a fresh-squeezed lemon 

Sprinkle the cantaloupe slices all over with salt

 Sprinkle across with Tajin fruit seasoning     

I came across Tajin at the produce section of my local supermarket.  Never having used it before, it made it's way into my cart with one simple word, "Chile".  It's labeled as a fruit seasoning.  The concept seemed foreign to me...  Fruit?  Chile-lime seasoning?  It's made in Mexico so I asked my friend about it and she said it's very common over there, on almost any fruit.  How had I not heard of this before?

Actually, years ago while having dinner at my friend Sharoon's house, her father made a delicious Pakistani meal.  I remember him serving cantaloupe with salt and I loved it.  I tried Tajin, and have been hooked on it since. 

My guests expected the sweetness of fresh fruit but what they got instead was a sweet and tangy surprise that tickled their lips with just a hint of spiciness. It went so well accompanied by the Mint Mojitos and as a precursor to the layered flavors that were awaiting them in the Paella! 

Next time you're about to make dinner, I encourage you to look around and let one ingredient inspire your outcome from start to finish.  You'll be pleasantly surprised, and glad that you did!  And if you happen to have some Tajin around, allow yourself to be bold & playful!

Muy buen provecho!

The Paella Series, Part III: How To Make a Killer Paella

Forget about how it looks, what it does in your mouth is incredible!   

When it's done, you will see the steam dancing around the dish like a belly-dancer in a trance.  It will playfully bring you the enticing aroma of fresh seafood with Latin spices. 

Put your fork in and scoop up some of the rice.  You see that?  A shrimp and some chorrizo made it in there too.  Take a bite. This is Latin cuisine at its best.  Waves of the different layers of our dish will wash over you as you take it in. The seafood, the Latin spices, fresh herbs....    

 The Paella's known origin is actually Valencia, Spain.  To date, we can only surmise what the word's origin means.  The most common is that in Valencian dialect, Paella mean's "Pan".  But which came first, the chicken or the egg?  Did the association to a pan come because of the extremely large, shallow metal pan that is traditionally used to make a Paella?  Good luck fitting one of those large pans in my kitchen, much less on my stove.  I use two regular-sized cooking pots instead.  

By the way, what makes my pot special is that it was given to me by my grandmother, Mamita, when I got my first apartment, senior year in college.  How I miss her...   

Another theory is that the word Paella comes from the Moorish influence in Valencia Spain.  I don't exactly see how as it is surmised that it originates from the Arabic word for "left-overs", which is not even remotely in the same phoenetic ballpark as Paella.

The last theory is that the elaborate and ornate dish was made by a Spaniard when he was about to propose to his fiancee, because in Spanish the term "Para Ella" (for her) is often shortened to Pa'ella.

As much of a romantic as I am, I'm going to choose to go with this one although it seems to only be based on folklore.  Ladies, this is a good time to bat your eyelashes at your men.  Or, as my mom says;

Paella, y Pa' El tambien!  

(For her and for him too!)  

No double standards for my mom when it comes to this dish.  Dad, that means you can feel free to pull this card!  

As with anything that I share with you, this is my own personal rendition of this dish.  Very similar concept as the Spanish Paella, but I choose to make it with my own Latin-Caribbean flair.  Mine has additional ingredients, not always used.  Feel free to do the same.  Your dishes have your own magic in them.  I will always encourage you to explore what's within you, with your cooking.

My father, Carlos, actually taught me how to make his rendition of Paella, after I had a family of my own, during one of his visits to us Upstate.  It's not a dish that I grew up making because it was very expensive for us to make.  

In coastal regions and islands, where seafood is easy for the average fisher-man to come by, then that's not an issue.  This is one of the reasons that they surmise that the Arab Moors in Spain, called this dish the Arabic word for "left-over" [rice] .  In places where seafood is plentiful, it's foreseeable that we would throw in remaining ingredients into a rice dish, and so a masterpiece is born...

Over the years, I added in my own ingredients such as the chorrizo, crayfish and guandules.  You can also add in different types of meat if you like when you make yours.

Speaking of which, now let me show you how it's made, so that you can also make it for someone you love... 

Mi Paella

We'll do this in segments, so watch closely... 

First, get your ingredients together. How beautiful and fresh!  

First we're going to start by rinsing out the seafood really well.  You can use any types of shellfish and seafood that you like.  I always make sure to separate the shellfish so that it washes clean without getting anything else in the shrimps, (also scallops, squid or anything else you may have like that). 

The last thing that I want when I make seafood is for it to be overcooked and gummy, especially in Paella.  What we will do is cook the seafood in a separate pot for a much lesser time than the actual rice is cooking.  This is a critical step because the water that our shellfish cooks in will be the same water that I add to the rice because it carries that intense seafood flavor that we love! 

Before you add in your shell fish, sprinkle some olive oil   

Throw in several whole garlic cloves

Add in Coriander, Cilantro and Basil 

(No need to salt since your rice is well-seasoned already and seafood has a natural saltiness)  

  

Mix well then add in your shell fish.  I used lobster tails, lobster claws, Mussels and Crayfish.  

Allow that to cook, but be careful not to overcook.  It really doesn't take long at all.  Watch the color, the lobster turns an even brighter red color when ready.

Once cooked, turn off your burner, drain 3/4 of this seafood-infused water and set aside.  

The remaining 1/4 will stay in the pot and set aside with the seafood in it, not cooking any longer.  Just close the lid to keep it warm.  Now it's time to make your rice...

 

I love spicy Chorrizo in my rice.  I find that the best is Portugese Chorrizo.  I enjoy the Extra-Hot variety, especially as tonight it's an adult dinner and there will be no kids.  The hotter the better!

 This is going to be my base for the rice.  I've cut the chorrizo in chunks, diced garlic, purple onion and added bay leaves and coriander.  Let's heat our rice pot and sprinkle a little bit of olive oil.  Very little is necessary since the chorrizo is going to release it's own oil, which brings with it robust spices and layered flavor.

Now it's time to add in a can of Guandules (Pigeon Peas)

Add one can of tomato sauce 

 Add 2 tablespoons of Goya Spanish [green] Olives

Mix well 

add about 3 envelopes of Sazon (the one with Achiote/Annato)

Sprinkle Adobo generously, add powdered Oregano, about a teaspoonful 

Add in 2 chicken bouillon cubes  

 Now take a look at the video below so that you can see what this looks like...

 

Before moving on to the next steps, add about 4 cups of rice

 Mix well and cover with water about 2 inches above the rice level.  I don't measure.  

An old trick is to dip your index finger in the pot (while the water is still cold).  No matter how much rice you use, the amount of water should come to the first line (crease) on your index finger, if the tip is touching the rice.  The space is about 1.5 inches.  That's usually the perfect amount of water to add.  Needless to say, I never measure.  I don't like the rice to be sticky so if anything I always err on the side of caution and more water later if necessary.

Cover the pot once the water boils and then turn it down to Medium-Low.  

Try your best not to open that pot no matter how incredible it smells.  That steam is what's going to make sure your rice cooks through perfectly and fluffy.  Give it at least 40 minutes, then check it to ensure the rice is cooked.  You've now earned the right to carefully mix the rice with a spoon.  You can bring the rice from the bottom up to the top and cover once more.  Turn the rice down to low.

Now, as we're in the middle of prep, and we started the rice going, let's marinate the shrimp.  That's my homemade Sofrito to the right of the shrimp, which I've added in and mixed in well with some lemon juice.  

Since the rice is almost completely ready, let's add the shrimp in now.  In five minutes they will be golden and perfectly tender, without being overcooked inside the rice.  That's the benefit of waiting to add them in at the very end.

Mariscos en Salsa Criolla

 (seafood in homemade [creole] sauce.  In Spanish, creole or Criollo/a, means homemade.  A creole sauce usually is tomato-based with peppers, onions, Sofrito...)

 I had extra crayfish and mussels, so what to do?  I made a separate dish with the seafood in a                 Salsa Criolla 

I took a pan and drizzled olive oil, sauteed red onions & pepper, one envelope of Sazon, a sprinkle of Adobo, a splash of wine.  

It's absolutely inviting!  You just made an extra mouth-watering dish out of your leftover ingredients.  My absolute favorite part of this dish is that when you scoop the meat out of the shellfish, that delectable and savory sauce comes with it.

 Do you see the sauce at the bottom? It's a flavor you have to experience.

It's time to make our salad!

Tomato-Avocado Salad with Garlic Mojito Dressing

Line the bottom of the salad dish with some of your favorite lettuce

 Cut grape tomatoes in half , length-wise

Slice red onions and cut them small, but not diced

Toss lettuce, sliced carrots and onions together and placed in the center

Surround the salad with thinly sliced avocado  

Add salt & pepper to taste

Drizzle generously with fresh-squeezed lime and Garlic Mojito [dressing]

Garlic Mojito

In a salad dressing container, mix 1/3 cup homemade Sofrito with 1-2 fresh-squeezed lime(s).

Fill the remainder of the container with olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well. 

Use some as salad dressing but also serve in dish with a serving spoon, at the dinner table.

This is great on so many Latin-Caribbean dishes!

Remember how we left the shellfish covered in 1/4 of the water you cooked it in?  Turn that pot back on medium and quickly warm up for 5 minutes. Turn off the water then drain.

I'm also serving this with a side of Maduros (sweet/ripe plantains), fried until golden and caramelized- then topped with salt for that tantalizing sweet & salty flavor.

Now you are ready to assemble your Paella.  

 Fill a large serving dish with your rice

Add in your shellfish, and gently mix through together in your rice. 

At times, I've made it with Mussels and Clams right in the rice from the beginning.  

This time it worked out to cook separately because my cousin who was over for dinner, does not eat some of the shellfish.  This allowed me to set her rice aside before I mixed all the seafood in.  

 And now, the moment we've been waiting for..!

   From my heart, to your dinner table, here is our Paella.                ... I really enjoyed experiencing this with you.

Muy Buen Provecho!  

** Ingredients**

1. Fresh seafood.  You decide what goes in yours...
   
2. White rice, long-grain
3. 1 pack of Chorrizo
   
4. 4 Limes
5. 1 Lemon
   
6. Coriander 
7. Cilantro
   
8. Basil 
9. Fresh Bay Leaves 
10. 1 whole Garlic
11.  2 red onions
    
12. Avocado 
13. 2 sweet, ripened [yellow] plantains
    
14. Grape Tomatoes 
15. Sliced carrots (1/4 of the pre-sliced bag)
16.  1 green pepper 
17. Sazon (with Achiote/Anatto)  
18. Adobo  
19. 1 can of Goya Guandules (pigeon peas)
20. 1 can of Tomato Sauce
21. Goya Spanish Olives (green)
22. Powdered Oregano
23. 2 Chicken Bouillons 
24. Olive oil
25. 1-2 cups of Canola Oil (to fry your sweet plantains)

Stay tuned tomorrow to see what we had for dessert...

The Paella Series, Part II: The Making of The Mint Mojito

Paella is a dish that is usually made not only for friends, but with them.  I hope that you enjoyed our shopping trip to the Asian Market, during Part I of our Paella Series.   

Now that we're home, the shoes get kicked off.  Who am I kidding? I told you once that I'm a neat-freak- my shoes were carefully placed in the shoe rack, of my closet.  The hair clip and the apron comes on and we wash our hands...  

Can you reach over there for me and pass me that CD right there?  Yes, that one, thanks.  El Gran Combo.  There's nothing like classic Salsa while we're cooking this dish together.  Expect to dance with me in the kitchen and give me the occasional spin.  

I'm gonna start the prep work, so if you hear the door, please get it for me?  Our friends are gonna start trickling in one by one.  

Yes, you heard me right, prep work.  I know that I always have prep work done ahead of time, but Paella is one of those dishes where I need to satisfy my tactile sense as I work through it.  I need to feel the ingredients in my hands as I carve through the dish.  It adds to that sense of feeling that you are creating art. 

As we cook and welcome our friends, we're going to make fresh Mojitos to drink.  This is my own recipe because how it's made varies on the individual's preference.   A mint Mojito is one of those drinks that instantly transport you to the Tropics!

Salsa, palm trees and ocean with a playful breeze flowing.  You feel that?  We're on vacation, at home...

Mint Mojitos  

Bottle of Bacardi or Vodka (the Citrus varieties are great for this drink)
3 Limes 
Granulated Sugar  
Fresh Mint Leaves  
Ice
Sprite (7Up or any citrus soft drink will work) 

 

1. In a clear pitcher, fill 1/3 with your Bacardi or Vodka 
2. Add ice about 1/2 way through the pitcher 
3. In a Pilon (mortar & pestle), work through juice from 2 fresh squeezed limes, 1/2 cup of sugar and a 
4. Now it's time to introduce that syrup to your liquor.  Voila!  They like each other! 
5. Fill the remainder or the pitcher with Sprite.  Diet Sprite works perfectly fine as well.   
6. Lastly, garnish with a slice of fresh lime.  

The traditional drink is made with sugar cane syrup, which is replaced by our sugar and soda.  You can make it that way as well if you prefer.    In Upstate, NY, good luck to me trying to find sugar cane...   

 
Friends, now we toast and begin making our delicious Paella.  Are you ready?  I'm excited!  I'm proposing a toast to you and I, Reader.  This journey, and our friendship, is beginning to feel second-nature to me.

 Salud!

The Paella Series, Part I: It all starts at the Asian Market...

Let the treasure hunt begin!  Cooking for you is how I show my love for you.  This means that whatever I make for you has only the very best, freshest and healthiest ingredients.  This weekend, I dedicated myself to making you my personal rendition of a Latin-American favorite, The Paella.

In order to responsibly walk you through this experience (making Paella is not cooking, it should be an experience that you feel), I felt that I should break up the meal in segments so that you could be there with me every step of the way.  Welcome to Part I, where you, my best friend Lisette and I will go shopping together to the local Asian Market.

So right now you may be wondering what a Latina is doing shopping for ingredients to make a Latin dish, at an Asian Market.  Some time ago I realized that Latinos, Asians,West Indians, East Indians and Africans use many of the same ingredients.

The beautiful aspect of this is that the same ingredients are used to make entirely different dishes around the world.  There are things in this life that are universal;  to smile and laugh when we're happy, cry in sorrow, embrace with love, the use of arithmetic and to have your soul touched by music are all examples.

Another thread that binds us in this world is also the ingredients that we use to cook.  Just as any two artists from opposing corners of the world would pick up a paint brush and stroke their canvases with rhythm and abandon to create entirely distinct portraits, two cooks from anywhere in the world can use the same ingredients to create their own magic.  

Upon arriving there, we usually stop in their bakery section and have a warm Coconut-Pineapple bun with a Diet Coke.  We always end up splitting the soda because neither one of us can ever finish a can on our own.  My mom is the same way, I must have gotten that from her.

While shopping at the market, we met a Chinese man who happened to hear us immersed in a conversation about the vast selection of herbs that they had and what we used them for.  The interesting part was that Lisette and I were speaking in Spanish, and he joined in perfectly fluent Spanish as well.  We learned that what we would call Bay Leaves, he calls Curry . 

While at the Seafood section of the market, which is enormous, we met a man from Ghana.  He was also so interesting to talk to about how we often frequent the market and the ingredient selection.  This man also knew how to speak Spanish.  I love how when I am there, I feel so connected to the rest of the world, if not by common languages, by common ingredients.

I take my kids there as well, to share in these lessons and the experience.  My little one in particular once told me that while there she feels like we are traveling and no longer in Upstate, NY.  Taking children shopping for ingredients, can be an eye-opening experience, and even a Social Studies lesson for them. 

I wanted you there with me as well, so let me walk you through some of my favorite sections...

Treasure Hunt the local Asian Market 

Come on, follow me... 

One of the parts that I enjoy the most about this is experience is shopping for fresh herbs.

I'm not familiar with all of the herbs here, but I'm certainly willing to try them at some point...

My absolute favorite herb is Reca'o (Coriander).  This is the essence of Sofrito.

Yuca (Casava)...  Now that's what I'm talking about!

Aloe for home remedies, and Papaya

Vast assortment of roots, such as Yautia (Tuber Root & Taro Root)

Radishes?  Yes, Mom.  Radishes...

I love watching people shop for ingredients.

Fresh fruit and the mangoes that I love so much.

I wish we could have gotten more pictures of the Seafood section, it's huge.  I was afraid of getting thrown out for excessive picture snapping.  <Flash, flash, flash...>     

 

We must have spent a good hour there.  The prices are [wholesale] amazing, especially for the area that I live in where there aren't too many Ethnic communities that are well-represented.  This market is a jewel shared by several communities, with a common goal; to make delicious meals with  the freshest and most delicious ingredients available.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of our Paella series.  I say ours, because it's yours and mine...



*Special thanks to Lisette, for helping me with the photos.




When I spoke about Aloe being a home remedy, it prompted me to send you this link.  I ordered the book for $.37 cents.  With shipping & handling the book was less than $5.00.  I love these things, and I'd like to share this with my daughter.

Homemade Cuchifritos and Apple Pie. No kidding.

Floods. Hurricanes and cool weather... it's feeling like summer's over, but I'm not sad about it.  I absolutely love the Holidays.

One of the best things that I feel that I've given my kids is Traditions.   For all their lives, this is what they know and expect;

• Once September comes around we go apple picking, come home and warm the house with the sweet smell of homemade apple pie that we've made together.  We also make homemade apple sauce which for those of you who've had it know that the store-bought kind does not compare.  When you make homemade apple sauce, it has this certain melt-in-your mouth, rich flavor that flirts with your taste buds with a hint of cinnamon.  I never enjoyed apple sauce, until I started making it myself.  We also have enough apples that at some point during the week, I will make Apple Fritters for breakfast.  They are amazing with coffee, and small side of some cheddar cheese.
• October comes around and we carve pumpkins.  This is my least favorite activity because I'm a neat-freak and pumpkin guts make me crazy.  I still love watching my kids do it.  My son is adorable because last year, even at 17 he really got into it.  My favorite part is making the roasted pumpkin seeds, which I've only been doing for a few years after getting the idea from my friend Kathleen.  I have the kids pull out all the seeds, which is a long drawn out process but for some reason the younger the child the more they enjoy doing it.  I then boil the seeds in salt water.  Once cooked, I line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place the seeds, sprinkle with a little olive oil, sea salt and bake at 350 degrees until golden.  Again, the store bought seeds do not compare to this.  I also love to bake Halloween cookies, cupcakes and treats with the kids.  Making costumes together is fun too.  I found with my kids, that they never forgot the Halloweens when we made their costumes together.
• Thanksgiving rolls around, and that's my Dad's favorite holiday so we have dinner there.  My Dad likes to go all out and make all the dishes on this day.  I will usually cook a small family dinner before Thanksgiving at my house, just so we also have our own moment to give thanks here at home too.
• Christmas:  Last year my daughter and I baked about 300 cookies to give away in tins, as well as coffee cakes and the famous Pistachio Cake.  We loved it.  She still remembers this as a labor of love and bonding moment.  There's also the celebratory Christmas Ham, Arroz Con Guandules, Pernil, Homemade Cornbread, etc... Also, the making of a gingerbread house is a very big deal in my home.  The kids look forward to this very much.  By this time I'm all baked out so I usually order the "parts" to the house from our local bakery, and have them assemble it on Christmas Eve. 

And now, let me acquaint you with my Puerto Rican roots...  These dishes are usually found in many Caribbean households during the Holidays.  They are primarily served as fritters, or appetizers, but in actuality and nutritional content, would constitute as a meal because of the ingredients.  They do stick to your ribs, but in the most terrific way.  So, satisfying!

Cuchifritos:  Fried meat pastries.  Literally means "kitchen-fried"
(Indians have Samosas.   Latino-Caribbeans have cuchifritos...)

I'll stick to 3 basic ones.  For the sake of learning, and for convenience, you can fill all 3 with the same meat.  These can be time consuming to make, so it helps immensely to have a food processor for these.  And a deep fryer is a blessing as well, if you have one.  In reality, you can fill cuchifritos with any types of meats and cheeses.  My childhood friend, Maria, reminded me that you can even fill them with fruit!

It's also a fun project to take on as a family, or with a couple of friends with a glass of wine and some Salsa playing in the background.  I recommend the classics by Hector LaVoe and El Gran Combo!

Beef Picadillo (pee-kah-dee-jo)

1. Finely dice green peppers, red peppers, purple onions & Spanish olives then saute in a light coating of olive oil.  
2. Add ground beef or turkey
3. Add one tablespoon of Sofrito.  If  you don't have sofrito, generously add crushed garlic, and finely chopped cilantro and coriander.
4. Add Sazon, Adobo and Oregano Powder.  Season well but please be careful not to make too salty.  I recommend that you add the spices in slowly and test.  This could make or break your dish.
5. Add half a can to a can of tomato sauce, depending on how much meat you're making.  
6. I like to mix all ingredients, ground meat and spices with a potato masher, as everything is cooking.
7. Taste to ensure spice level is to your liking.  This dish is so aromatic and delicious.

Now you get to stuff the cuchifritos with your Picadillo.

In Puerto Rico we call them Empanadillas, Pastelillos or a derivation of this that we call Tacos (nothing like what in the States is normally referred to as Tacos).  In the Dominican Republic they also refer to them as Pastelitos.  It took me forever to realize what my ex-husband was referring to, months after we got married.  In the States, I also hear people refer to them as Empanadas but technically an Empanada is a chicken-fried steak.  Semantics, I know.  In the end, all it means is a Latin Beef Pattie.
 

 Empanadillas 

1. Buy a pack of the Goya Discos ("flour discs") in the frozen food section of your market, where the Latino items are kept.  Make sure they are thawed out and ready for use, but not overly sticky either.
2. Lay out a disc, take a heaping table spoon of Picadillo and place in the center.  Now fold over the disc, and close with a moistened fork.  Set down on a plate.  Try not to have them touch each other or separate with plastic or parchment paper so that they don't stick.
3. Heat cooking oil in a pan, or use your deepfryer and fry until golden brown.  Let cool a bit  before eating.  These seem to be everyone's favorite.  So incredibly crispy, flavorful and delicious!
4. You can wrap the remaining ones in PressNSeal and fry at a later date.  They're great collateral for the husbands!  "Honey, I have some empanadillas waiting for you after you finish cleaning out the garage".  Try it!

 Alcapurrias (al.kah.pooh.rree.as)

 This is the more complicated of the 3, because of how the dough is made.  It has the robustness of Platano (plantain) flavor that is so delicious when fried.  This dough is made from Caribbean roots and plaintains and can be  filled with the picadillo as well.

1. 1 and 3/4 Lbs of Yautia (Tuber Root, or Taro Root can also be used)
2. 3 Lbs of unripened, green bananas
3. 2 tablespoons of salt
4. 2 large or 3 small Platanos
5. Peel all roots and bananas.  Now cut up all in chunks.
6. Throw all ingredients in a food processor.  Please, you don't want to do this by hand.  I give all the respect in the world to the women who did it this way, nowadays why would you grind 7 pounds of starchy vegetables by hand?  I timed myself, and with a food processor I was able to complete steps 5 and 6 in exactly 22 minutes.  I tell you this because many people are intimidated by these thinking that it is a long grueling process.  With the right tools, I assure you that it's easy-breezy.
7. Ease some olive oil as you are mixing these. Not too much, do it slowly.  You just need to moisten the mix, and starchiness of the roots. 
8. Ensure the dough is mixed well.  Set in a large closed container and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  This is pure chemistry here, so that the dough binds and sets well.  It will allow the dough to be malleable enough to work with as well.
9. After the 8 hours passed, take out the dough and the picadillo from it's storage container.  Lay out a square of parchment paper.  With a large serving spoon, scoop out dough and set on parchment square. Flatten the dough only very lightly with the spoon.
10. Take a tablespoon and place beef picadillo in the center of dough. 
11. Bring the sides of the parchment paper up, so as to help you roll the dough over the meat filling.  It should end up in an oval shape (see photo).
12. Once the dough completely covers meat and has been formed in to an oval shape, wrap the Alcapurria with press and seal.  This recipe should render about 15 med-large Alcapurrias.  
13. Freeze before you fry.  This makes it a lot easier to work with.  Once fried, let cool a bit before biting into it.  Remember that you cooked this with hot oil.
14. Now enjoy with a bottle of Grape Soda.  Don't ask me why it has to be grape but my Mom insists there is no other way and it must be done.  Pineapple soda may do as well.  Mom?

Filling Alcapurria dough with Picadillo

Dough, once folded over  neatly with parchment paper

 

Grape Soda for Mom

Rellenos de Papa (re.jeh.nos -de -pah.pah)

Literally means "stuffed with potato"

Working Mom Disclaimer:  You already know my theory on keeping traditions alive but doing so in the most convenient way wherever possible.  I highly recommend that you consider using instant mashed potatoes, although that is not how the traditional ones are made. 

1. Make a large serving of instant mashed potatoes.
2. Once cooled, scoop a handful.
3. Place a tablespoon full of Picadillo in the center and push through so that the potato completely encases the meat.  Shape into a ball.
4. Dip in an egg wash, then roll in seasoned flour (just as you would make breaded foods).
5. Fry all sides in vegetable oil until golden.  Let cool and enjoy.  

When eating cuchifritos, people are particular about that they drink.  My mom, for instance, demands her Grape soda.  I love a cold beer with them, and I'm not even crazy about beer.  It's rare that I ever have it, but in this case it goes so well.

Did you notice how we made all 3 in the same weekend using a large pack of ground beef and making a large batch of the Beef Picadillo?  We also used our food processor, parchment paper and PressNSeal.  These tools make this so much easier.

Also, please consider that although balanced with protein, vegetables, carbs and fats, these dishes have a higher carb and fat ratio.  It's tough because they are so delicious and like potato chips, you can't have just one.  I do recommend that for nutritional purposes, we eat these sparingly and keep them to special events or the occasional craving. 

Few things instantly take me back to Puerto Rico as much as making and cooking these do.  It reminds me so much of Mamita, my Mom, Titi Maria and "Madrinita".

So there it is, Friends!  Let's try a practice round together so we can get ready for the holidays.  I sense there will be some very impressed mother-in-laws in the near future...


Muy Buen Provecho!