Meat

Ropa Vieja

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Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja translates to ‘old clothes’ in English. There’s probably a good story that goes along with that, but I don’t know it. I do know that ropa vieja is a hardy meat stew. The recipes for it vary a bit but basically, its shredded meat, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. It can be made with beef or pork.
Ropa Vieja
Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ – 2 lbs. flank steak cut along grain into 3-to-4-inch pieces
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil divided
  • 3 bell sliced peppers – vary colors
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 – 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup olives, cut in half
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup drained capers
  • 2 cups chicken stock
Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and let it come to room temperature. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven and brown the meat. Do it in batches and don’t crowd the pan.
Ropa Vieja
Remove the meat and add the remaining oil to the pot. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, and bay leaves. Cook for about 30 minutes until soft.
Ropa Vieja

 

Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja
Now add the olives, raisins, capers, tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, mix, and deglaze the pot.
Lower heat and simmer for 2 ½ hours. Shred the meat with 2 forks, stir everything together and simmer for another 30 minutes and serve with rice.
Ropa Vieja

 

Ropa Vieja

Like most stewed meats, ropa vieja is better left over the next day.

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Pasta

Baked Ditalini

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BAKED DITALINI

 

This baked ditalini (Budino di Ditalini) is adapted from Lydia Bastianich’s recipe.

 

Ditale in Italian means “thimble,” and hence the name of this delightful little tubular pasta. It is great in soups, but even better when baked. This dish is like a pasta pudding—a savory dish with all the luxury of dessert.

– Lydia

 

Baked Ditalini
Ingredients:
  • 1 tsp. butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp. dried breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp. salt, plus more for the pot
  • 1 lb. ditalini
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
  • 1½ cups grated Parmigiano
Preheat the oven to 350o and butter a 4 quart rectangular baking dish. Coat it with the breadcrumbs, tapping out any excess.
Baked Ditalini

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the ditalini, and cook until al dente, drain and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and salt. Add the cream and milk slowly and whisk until smooth. Stir in the pasta, peas, and 1 cup of the grated cheese. Baked Ditalini

Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with the remaining half cup of grated cheese. Bake until the custard is set about 35 – 40 minutes. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.Baked Ditalini

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Desserts

Orange Flan

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Orange Flan

A friend found this recipe in the New York Daily News and gave it to me. I used clementines but you can use any kind of oranges you like, tangerines too.

 

Orange Flan

 

Ingredients:
For the caramel –
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed & strained orange juice
For the custard –
  • 2 cups half & half
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 rosemary sprig (optional)
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed & strained orange juice
Preheat the oven to 350o with a rack in the middle. Have six 4-ounce ramekins ready.
Caramel –
Put sugar and juice in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer and stir for about 10 minutes until it begins to thicken and darken. Watch it so it doesn’t burn. Pour an equal amount into each ramekin and set aside.

Orange Flan

Custard –
Put the half & half, sugar, vanilla, and rosemary into a pot. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar.

Orange Flan

Whisk the eggs and tangerine juice then whisk in the hot half & half mix a little at a time. Strain the custard through a sieve into the 6 ramekins, about half a cup each. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and add enough hot water to come up halfway to their sides.  Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Orange Flan
Remove the ramekins, let cool, and cover with Saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.Orange Flan
To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the ramekin to loosen the flan. Then cover it with a dessert plate and flip over the ramekin and plate. Tap the ramekin and the flan should fall into the plate. If not, give it a minute and it should fall on its own.Orange Flan

 

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Desserts

Banana Bread Pudding

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Banana Bread Pudding

A simple recipe for Banana Bread Pudding that works as dessert or breakfast. I adapted this from Marta Rivera Diaz’s recipe in the New York Daily News.

Banana Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

For the pudding –
  • ½ stick butter (4 pats divided)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 ripe bananas divided
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup dark rum
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 lb. day old French bread
For the toffee sauce –
  • 1 stick butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp. dark rum
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Prep –

  • Heat the oven to 350o with a rack in the middle.
  • Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with 2 pats of butter.
  • Trim the crust from the bread (leave a little for color and texture) and cut the bread into one inch pieces. I used a French boule which is just about a pound.Banana Bread Pudding

    Make the custard –

Banana Bread Pudding
          Put a cup of brown sugar and 2 ripe bananas in a large bowl and mask together with a fork until the mixture is smooth with no large chunks. Melt the remaining 2 pats of butter and add to the mix with the cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Mix until everything is combined. Add 3 cups of milk, 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks, ¼ cup of rum, and the vanilla extract. Mix until the bread is coated. Let it rest for 10 minutes for the bread to absorb the liquid and then re-mix.Banana Bread Pudding
          Pour the mixture into the pan. Slice the last banana and dot the top with the slices. Bake until it’s lightly browned, about 60 minutes.

Make the toffee sauce –

          While the custard is baking, melt 1 stick of butter in a small pot. Add ½ cup of brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and mix while simmering for about 3 minutes until it resembles caramel. Turn off the heat so it doesn’t flame and add the 3 tablespoons of rum. Turn the heat back on and whisk and simmer for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the ¼ cup of cream and whisk to combine.Banana Bread Pudding
When the bread pudding is done let it cool for 15 minutes and serve with the toffee sauce poured over each serving. If you have any sauce left over its good on French toast or pancakes.

 

 

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Poultry

Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette

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Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette

I got this recipe in Bon Appétit. It’s a simple roast chicken with standard ingredients – onions, herbs, lemon but it’s the pan-juices that make that tasty vinaigrette. 

Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
  • 5 tbsp. olive oil divided
  • 1 onion cut into eights
  • 1 head of garlic cut crosswise
  • 5 rosemary sprigs
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 3-4 lb. chicken
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Pre-heat your oven to 425o.

Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette

Put 3 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven. Add the halved head of garlic, 4 of the 5 sprigs of rosemary, salt pepper and all but one piece of the onion.  Stir to coat.

 

Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette

Pat the chicken dry. Coat with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper inside and out. Squeeze the half lemon over it and put the lemon rind, the remaining sprig of rosemary and the 1/8 slice of onion in the cavity. Put the chicken in the pot and pour in the wine and a half cup of water. Cover the pot and roast the chicken for 60 minutes. If you’d like the chicken to be browner, run it under the broiler for a few minutes. Place the cooked chicken on a cutting board and cover with foil to rest while you make the vinaigrette.

 

Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette

Pour out any dripping in the pot except for 2 tablespoons. Remove and discard the onions and rosemary sprigs but save the garlic. Add one tablespoon of oil and a half cup of water to the pot. Bring to a boil and deglaze. Strain the liquid into a bowl. Squeeze out about 6 to 8 cloves of the roasted garlic into the bowl. Add the mustard and vinegar, and one tablespoon of oil and whisk. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

 

Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Vinaigrette

Cut the chicken into quarters – two leg and thigh and two wing and breast. Place the pieces in a serving dish and spoon some of the vinaigrette over it. Serve the chicken and pass the rest of the sauce at the table.

 

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Drinks

Fanny’s Sweet Rhythm

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Fanny’s Sweet Rhythm

 

Fanny's Sweet RhythmI watched a bartender make one of these and asked him what was in it. It’s basically gin on the rocks with a very theatrical presentation. He said it was called “Fanny’s Sweet Rhythm” and he didn’t know why. It’s pretty and tastes good so give it a try.
Fanny's Sweet Rhythm

 

Fanny's Sweet Rhythm

Muddle the mint and orange bitters in a rocks glass. Fill the glass with crushed ice, pour in the gin and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel and sprig of mint.
Invert a half lime so that the peel faces in, place on top of the crushed ice and pour Green Chartreuse into shell. Light the Chartreuse, let it burn for 30 seconds to warm the oils in the lime skin, then tip into the drink.

Fanny's Sweet Rhythm

Fanny's Sweet Rhythm

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Poultry

Pomegranate Chicken Stew

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Pomegranate Chicken Stew 

Pomegranate Chicken Stew (Koreshe Morgh Nardooni) is a northern Iranian winter dish. I got this recipe from the New York Times (Naz Deravian). It’s a perfect main course served with rice.

Pomegranate Chicken Stew

Pomegranate Chicken StewHow to de-seed a pomegranate.

In a small bowl, grind the saffron with the handle of a wooden spoon. Add 2 tablespoons of hot water, stir, and let it steep.Pomegranate Chicken Stew

The Chicken:

Season the room temperature chicken parts with salt. Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large frying pan and add the chicken skin side down. Turn and cook until each side is lightly golden. Cook it in batches if you have to so you don’t crowd the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate. Discard all but ¼ cup of oil/chicken fat from the pan.
Put ½ of the diced onion in the pan and cook for 10 minutes until translucent – don’t brown. Add salt, black pepper and the turmeric. Stir and then add the chicken parts and any drippings back to the pan. Coat the chicken with the onion-turmeric mix and leave it skin side up. Add 1 ½ cups of water and deglaze the pan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat, cover, and gently simmer the chicken for 25 minutes.

The Pomegranate Sauce:

While the chicken is cooking – In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the remaining half of the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon of turmeric, and stir for about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the tomato paste, about 1 minute. Add the pomegranate molasses, then stir in 1 ¼ cups pomegranate seeds. Save the rest for garnish.
Pomegranate Chicken Stew
 
Add the pomegranate sauce and the saffron water to the chicken, gently stir, and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the sauce reduces by about half and the chicken is tender, about 25 minutes. Every once in a while, spoon a little sauce over the chicken. If the sauce reduces too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Check for seasoning and add a little sugar if the pomegranate molasses is too sour. If your sauce is too sweet, balance it with a little lemon juice.
 
Garnish with reserved pomegranate seeds and mint.  

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Sides

Mushroom Dutch Baby

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Mushroom Dutch Baby

Here’s something a little different – a Dutch baby.  I don’t know how it got its name but it’s basically a sort of airy pancake that’s served with various sweet or savory toppings. For sweets you can top it with powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh fruit, apple sauce, etc. I made a mushroom Dutch baby based on a recipe that I got from the New York Times. I made some changes to the original replacing bacon, butter, thyme, and cheddar with pancetta, olive oil, oregano, and fontina as noted in the ingredient list below.

Mushroom Dutch Baby

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. sliced mushrooms (any kind you like)
  • ¼ lb. sliced pancetta (or bacon)
  • 1 chopped garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp. oregano (or thyme)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup flour
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil divided (or butter)
  • 2 tbsp. cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 oz. grated fontina (or cheddar)
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
Pre-heat the oven to 450o.
Sauté the pancetta in one tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms and oregano and cook for approx. 20 minutes adding the garlic for the last 5 minutes.

Mushroom Dutch Baby

For the Dutch baby – In a blender add the eggs, flour, milk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cornstarch, salt. (This is the basic Dutch baby batter recipe for the various toppings. You can use butter instead of oil.)Mushroom Dutch Baby
Remove the mushrooms from the pan. Wipe it out and add 1 tablespoon of oil while it’s still warm. Pour in the Dutch baby batter, place in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes until it’s lightly browned and puffy. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes.Mushroom Dutch Baby
When done spread the melted cheese around the top, then add the mushrooms and sprinkle the scallions and parsley over it. Slice and serve.Mushroom Dutch Baby

 

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Desserts

Persimmons

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Persimmons

Persimmons are an underutilized fruit. People see them in the market and are mystified. You can’t eat them like an apple or peel them like a banana so what do you do with them?

Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons

There are two types usually available, the Fuyu and the Hachiya. The Fuyu can be sliced and eaten as is, but the Hachiya needs to be soft and ripe or it’s much too astringent. Don’t buy Hachiya unless they’re very soft.  And make sure you have a napkin handy.

Hachiya Persimmons – a little sloppy but good.

 

Broiled Fuyu Persimmons

Fuyus are good raw but this is a pretty simple recipe and when served it appears to be something special and elegant. 

Ingredients:
  • 3 tbsp. Bourbon
  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 3 Fuyu persimmons
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 tbsp. soft goat cheese
Turn on the broiler and mix together the Bourbon and honey in a small bowl.
Cut off the top, stem portion of the persimmon. Then cut the fruit into half inch slices. You may only get two slices. Put the sliced persimmons in a lightly oiled pan or oven proof dish and spoon half of the Bourbon-honey mix over them.  Put them under the broiler on a middle rack. After 6 or 7 minutes, spoon the rest of the mix over them and broil for another 4 or 5 minutes.
Watch closely so the honey doesn’t char. If it does, just lift the char off the slices with a spoon. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit. Sprinkle the top with the walnuts, add a teaspoon of the goat cheese to each and serve at room temperature or cold.

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Drinks

Coquito

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Coquito

Coquito is similar to eggnog but without the egg, it’s a Puerto Rican holiday drink that tastes like coconut candy. Family recipes vary a bit but this one is pretty standard. If you want to serve it to kids, replace the rum with whole milk and add some non-alcoholic rum extract.

Coquito

Ingredients:
  • 1 can cream of coconut (15 ounce)
  • 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounce)
  • 1 can of coconut milk (13 ½ ounce)
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounce)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 2 cups white rum
  • Grated nutmeg for an optional garnish
Pour the cream of coconut, evaporated milk, coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large saucepan. Heat on medium and stir until it well blended and starts to simmer. Remove from heat, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Coquito
Add in the rum and chill. Serve cold or on the rocks with a sprinkle of nutmeg.Coquito

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Reveries and Recipes