Great recipes from Puerto Rico 

 

 

   Although Puerto Rican cooking is somewhat similar to both Spanish, Cuban and Mexican cuisine, it is a unique tasty blend of Spanish, African, Taíno, and American influences, using such indigenous seasonings and ingredients as coriander, papaya, cacao, nispero, apio, plantains, and yampee. Locals call their cuisine "cocina criolla".

Cocina criolla (Créole cooking) can be traced back to the Arawaks and Tainos, the original inhabitants of the island, who thrived on a diet of corn, tropical fruit, and seafood. When Ponce de León arrived with Columbus in 1493, the Spanish added beef, pork, rice, wheat, and olive oil to the island's foodstuffs. Soon after, the Spanish began planting sugarcane and importing slaves from Africa, who brought with them okra and taro (known in Puerto Rico as yautia). The mingling of flavors and ingredients passed from generation to generation among the different ethnic groups that settled on the island, resulting in the exotic blend of today's Puerto Rican cuisine.

 

   Arroz con Gandules

 

 

 Ingredients

• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
•  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (.25 ounce) package Spanish seasoning
• 3 cups uncooked brown rice
• 2 (15 ounce) cans pigeon peas, drained
• 6 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Place green peppers, onion, garlic and cilantro in a blender or food processor, puree. This mixture is called soffrito, it is your seasoning base. It can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 6 months.
2. Place 3 tablespoons olive oil and 6 tablespoons soffrito in an 8 quart saucepan. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes to release oils.
3. Pour one can of tomato sauce and the Spanish seasoning packet into the saucepan, mix well. Add 3 cups rice to the mixture and stir until the rice is coated.
4. Stir pigeon peas into the mixture and add boiling water. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and a pot lid. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 45 minutes or until rice is tender.

Traditional Mofongo Recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 3 unripe green plantains
• 6 ounces pork rinds (crushed)
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Preheat about two inches of oil in a frying pan or deep fryer to 350 Fahrenheit.
2. While the oil is heating up, peel the plantain and cut into one inch rounds.
3. Fry the plantain until golden and tender. This will take approximately 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Remove cooked plantain from the fryer and allow to drain on paper towels.
5. Put the garlic paste in a mixing bowl and then add fried plantains. Mash until thoroughly blended.
6. Add the pork rinds/cracklings. Continue to mash and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
7. At this point you may shape the mofongo into 4 balls and serve hot; or
8. Divide the mofongo into 4 equal portions. Use a small condiment bowl as a mold. Push the mofongo down to the bottom of the bowl. With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix. Then use the spoon to scrape around the bowl and remove the mash in a half dome shape.