January 2010 Posts (10)

Most of you remember your abuelas calling fried chicken, Pickin' Chicken. Some may still refer to KFC as Pickin' Chicken. To this day, I'm still not sure how it started, but as I go through my quest to cook my way through Nitza Villapol's Cocina al Minuto, here's a recipe, Pollo a lo Miami, that is hands-down Pickin' Chicken - - at least according to my mom.



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INGREDIENTS



1 pound shrimps season with: 2 tbs. corn oil,

1 tbs. sal, 2 tbs. garlic, crushed, 1 tbs. ginger,

grated, 2 tbsp. cornstarch





1 cup carrot, chopped

½ cup sweet peas

½ cup onion



Sauce:

½ corn syrup

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbs. tomato paste

1” ginger, diced



Season shrimps and keep refrigerator.



In a medium casserole mix all… Continue

There are few things that I love more in the world than carne asada. Charred outer edges, succulent, juicy inside, this deliciously marinated beef that is so popular among Mexican food lovers is what family eating is all about. A tasty slice of…

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Barbacoa, let it be said, is NOT barbeque. It's denser and meatier, with a different kind of smokiness and an emphasis on spice over sweetness. It has ground chile paste where barbeque has hickory, dark gamey goat where barbeque has beef. The meat peels off the bone and dissolves in your mouth, piqued by a sip of mezcal with lime and mellowed by smooth black bean paste.



My husband's uncles buried a chile-rubbed goat in a big square pit with… Continue

Nestled in northern Spain, the word uttered in the ancestral Basque language of Euskara for “hello” is “kaixo.”



No one knows where this unique, ancient language originated. Except for a few words borrowed from Spanish or French, it sounds like something from well beyond Europe, its harsh phonetics and words full of K’s and X’s sending a clear signal it has no relation to the…

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Empanadas are one of my favorite treats. A warm, flavorful center enveloped by a buttery, flaky crust makes for a delicious appetizer or main course. I ventured to my neighborhood grocery store to find some local cheeses for the inside of the empanada. I used a Swiss cheese, mild cheddar, and some queso fresco. I sprinkled some of the queso fresco on top and used some of it for the inside of the empanada. But feel free to experiment with any… Continue

The cheesy goodness of queso fundido is hard to beat. It's one of those dishes that you can adapt with whatever veggies and meats you have available. My favorite style includes mostly grilled ingredients. This reduces the oils involved, since it's easy to "overdo" cheese just a bit, which causes it to separate. Also, you'll have a wonderful balance of strong flavors to go with the cheese. I leave chorizo out of this recipe…

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Got the New York Times this morning and I happened to go to the travel section, where I found a wonderful article about Spanish ham in the way only the NYT can do. No, I'm not plugging the Times, but it did inspire me to write this little note.

The real, absolute deal is the jamón ibérico de bellota, or acorn-fed Iberian ham. The most select and expensive hams are aged for years, like a fine… Continue

Hispanic recipes for the college student – Mom’s style



“I don’t think I can survive on cafeteria food or fast food for 4 years, Mom!” was one small complaint my 17-year-old daughter had when she was accepted into college this past fall. She said that she would rather cook on her own than eat what might not taste as good as a home cooked meal. So, we have started a series of Saturday “cooking adventures” that will – hopefully – give her the knowledge to reproduce, in college,… Continue

 

While most of the world has already begun packing up their trees and ornaments, Spaniards continue on with the festivities that began on Christmas Day, December 25. 



On the Twelfth Night of Christmas, the 5th of January, towns all over Spain have floats and parades waiting for the arrival from Bethlehem, los Reyes Magos (the Three Magi or Three Kings). The Three Kings, Melchior, Gaspar and…

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