World Recipes

Chicken in Almond Sauce (Gallina en Pepitoria, Puerto Rico)

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
3 large Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Saute minced onions and garlic in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until limp, about 6 minutes. Remove onions and garlic from the heat.

Meanwhile, grind blanched almonds into a fine powder in an electric blender or food processor.

Mix together flour and pepper in a shallow bowl. Rinse chicken pieces under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels. Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour and shake off excess.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs and legs on one side, about 5 minutes, and then turn them over and add the chicken breasts and wings. Continue to saute all the chicken pieces until they are golden brown, about 6 minutes per side.

Stir in reserved onions and garlic, ground almonds, tomatoes, water, cinnamon stick and cloves. Bring the chicken to a boil, covered. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender, about 35 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a warm ovenproof plate or baking dish, cover them loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in a low oven while you prepare the sauce.

Skim the fat off the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook it, stirring frequently with a spoon, until it has reduced to 1 1/2 cups in about 8 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and remove it from the heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the sauce and discard.

In a small bowl, quickly whisk together eggs and lime juice; whisk the mixture into the sauce until well blended. The sauce should thicken instantly. Return the chicken pieces to the sauce and serve at once with steamed white rice. Garnish with minced parsley.

Vaca Frita (Cuba)

1 (2 1/2 pound) flank steak, cut in half
    (or chuck steak or roast)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion, cut in half and each half thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Place the beef and bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with salted water, and cook over low heat, covered, until the meat is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (chuck roast may take a little longer). Remove the meat from the stock and allow to cool at room temperature (save the stock for another use).

When the meat is cool, cut into 2-inch chunks, shred it using your fingers, and place in a nonreactive bowl. Add the citrus juices, garlic, salt, and pepper, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Remove the meat from the marinade and squeeze out the excess liquid. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until fragrant and cook the beef shreds, stirring 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook until the beef is crisp, another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve over white rice.

Trinidadian Curry Powder

4 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons star anise
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 tablespoons ground turmeric
4 tablespoons ground ginger

Roast the cumin and coriander in a dry saute pan until fragrant, just a few minutes. Grind all the ingredients, except turmeric and ginger, in a spice grinder (or use a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder reserved for spices only). Combine all the ingredients. Place in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to several months.

Sofrito

Sofrito is not only a common seasoning in many Puerto Rican dishes, but it is also frequently served at the table as a condiment. It will keep refrigerated for several days, and can be frozen in small batches for future use.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ounces lean cured ham, finely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the remaining ingredients and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes about 1 cup to serve 6 to 8 as a condiment.

Piri Piri

2 red chile peppers
1 cup olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 bay leaf

Combine chile peppers with olive oil, zest and bay leaf in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Leave it in a warm spot for two or three weeks. The longer you keep the Piri Piri, the hotter it will get. A few drops will enhance almost all Caribbean dishes, especially fish dishes.

Mango-Marinated Beef Kabobs

1 small ripe mango
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 drops red pepper sauce
1 pound beef boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 large firm bananas, each cut into 6 pieces
12 (1 1/2-inch) cubes fresh pineapple

Pare and remove seed from mango; place mango in blender container. Cover and blend on low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Mix onion mixture, mango, brown sugar, curry powder, vinegar, salt and pepper sauce in a non-reactive bowl. Stir in beef. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

Remove beef from marinade; reserve marinade. Alternate beef, banana and pineapple pieces on each of four 14-inch metal skewers. Brush marinade over all sides of fruit. Set oven to broil or 550 degrees F. Broil kabobs with tops about 4 inches from heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn; brush with marinade. Broil until beef is of medium doneness and fruit is brown, 7 to 8 minutes longer. Heat remaining marinade to boiling. Serve kabobs with marinade and hot cooked rice, if desired.

Yields 4 servings.

Jamaican Rice and Peas

This is known in Jamaica as "Jamaican Coat of Arms." It is used as a side dish or as an entree.

1 cup dried small red beans
2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups long-grain rice
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1 whole Scotch bonnet chile, or a 1-inch long whole
    habanero or any other very hot whole chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pour beans into a colander; pick over them and discard any pebbles, debris or malformed beans. Rinse beans thoroughly with cold running water. Place beans in a large pot and soak them overnight in enough water to cover.

Drain beans, return them to the pot, and add 4 cups of water. Bring the beans to a boil, covered, over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer the beans until they are not quite tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, rice, diced onions, garlic, chile pepper, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer the rice and beans, covered, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the chile pepper and serve at once.

Jamaican Jerk Sauce

1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons dried thyme
1 cup peanut oil
1 cup soy sauce
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger root , peeled and minced
10 cloves garlic , minced
8 habanero chile peppers, seeded and minced
6 bay leaves
1/2 bunch coriander , chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground allspice

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Use as a marinade or rub before grilling meat.