Hello this is Nathan again, my personal home computer is at some place for repair, so I won't be able to upload photos and post recipes, although I am taking photos and cooking still (so whenever I get my computer back about 2-3 weeks I'll start posting and have some treats)
Short story, my microsoft internet explorer stopped working (so I was using Firefox) but I am currently taking some Computer Science class and that class is only compatible with microsoft internet explorer, so I had warranty on my computer for anything so I simply took it and told them to fix it for me (I tried to fix it on my own but unsuccessful it must be some simple problem maybe with the settings but I still couldn't figure it out)
P.S.
I am writing this from my computer science lab right now, I really should be paying attention in class...
OH YEAH! If I'm lucky or up for the mood, patient, and have time I'll just deal with my dad's SLOW computer and use that to save my photos and keep posting until I get mine back.
Just wanted to keep my reader's informed :)
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Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Arroz Amarillo Con Gandules de Tata (Grandma's Rice and Pigeon Peas)
The reason I called this recipe my "Grandma's" is because I have another recipe in this blog called "Arroz Con Gandules", what I am posting now is my grandma's version of "Arroz Con Gandules" the other one I posted is a recipe from a Puerto Rican friend names "Lily"
Arroz Con Gandules is considered a Puerto Rican dish, but we have always consumed "Arroz Con Gandules" in my household, probably my grandmas version is "Cubanized" or she just makes it "her way"
My grandmas interpretation of this dish is yellow rice cooked with pigeon peas and browned pork little pork chunks, with a strong simple "sofrito" just seasoned with salt, bijol and cumin (very basic and simple)
Ingredients:
-1 or 2 cans 15 oz. Gandules (pigeon peas) drained (depends how much you want in your rice we usually use 1 can)
-3 cups white long-grain rice
-water (depends what type of rice if you use regular long grain rice it's 1 1/2 cups water per 1 cup rice, if you use Jasmine Rice that is new and fresh like from this year 2009 which is what I eat at home, use equal water to rice)
-1/4-1/2 lbs. pork meat cut into little cubes like 1/2 inch big (like pork shoulder or boneless leg of pork, etc.)
-1 small green bell pepper finely minced
-1 medium onion finely minced
-5-6 cloves garlic mashed to a paste (through a garlic press)
-salt to taste ATLEAST 2 teaspoons
-1/2-1 tsp. ground cumin (to taste don't over do it for this dish or it will over power it)
-1 tsp. Bijol (annato/ achiote seed powder)
-atleast 1/4 cup olive oil or lard or bacon grease (my grandmother prefers bacon grease or lard leftover from making fried pork rinds to cook this dish, of course you can be really healthy and use extra-virgin olive oil, which also has a delicious taste, either way it will taste really good)
Directions:
(1)Wash rice really well until water runs clear, strain well, put in rice cooker and add water, set aside.
(2)Heat pan on medium high heat, add olive oil or lard, let it heat up a bit like 5 minutes more or less. Be sure the oil is hot enough, you can test it by dipping a wooden spoon if it sizzles it's ready,
(3)Season pork cubes with 1 teaspoon salt (trust me) and add to hot oil, let it fry in one layer underdisturbed until browned. About 5 minutes more or less. Add minced onion and bell pepper and cook down together with pork for about 5-7 minutes, add minced garlic afterwards and cook for 2 minutes or so until fragrant.
(4)Turn off heat and dump this sautee into the rice cooker with the rice and water, mix well. Add drained can of pigeon peas, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon "Bijol", and 1/2- 1 teaspoon cumin. Mix well. Taste the water in there, it should be salty like ocean water, if not add more salt carefully. Increasing by 1/2 tsp. and so on but don't use more than 3 tsp.
(6)Cover and turn on rice cooker and set to cook, when it beeps the rice is done. Fluff it and it's ready.
(5)Serve with whatever you want, I like it with a simple salad, of sliced tomato, cucumber, and onion dressed in lime and salt along with a meat dish that's grilled or pan-fried.
NOTE:
(1)You can adjust this to your stove top, fry the pork, and make the sofrito (sautee of onion, garlic, and bell pepper) add the cleaned drained rice stir well to coat with sofrito, add water, salt, cumin, bijol, and drained can of pigeon peas, bring to a boil, stir, then cover and lower heat to low to cook for about 30 minutes covered, then open to check if it's done if so turn off heat and fluff.
ALSO here is "Lily's" "Arroz Con Gandules" it's prepared differently than my grandmas and is also delicious, both my Tata's and Lily's are delicious, each one has their own unique delicousness:
(1)Lily's Arroz Con Gandules
P.S.
What should I label this? Should I label it Cuban sense it's my grandmother's version and it is in my opinion more "Cubanized" (since it's just a simple sofrito, cumin, salt, bijol and some pork)
I think I'll label it "Cuban" for navigation purposes, but if anyone has a problem with that, speak up and leave a comment, I'll gladly change it to "Puerto Rican"
Do any other Cubans here also eat or make "Arroz Con Gandules"?
Arroz Con Gandules is considered a Puerto Rican dish, but we have always consumed "Arroz Con Gandules" in my household, probably my grandmas version is "Cubanized" or she just makes it "her way"
My grandmas interpretation of this dish is yellow rice cooked with pigeon peas and browned pork little pork chunks, with a strong simple "sofrito" just seasoned with salt, bijol and cumin (very basic and simple)
Ingredients:
-1 or 2 cans 15 oz. Gandules (pigeon peas) drained (depends how much you want in your rice we usually use 1 can)
-3 cups white long-grain rice
-water (depends what type of rice if you use regular long grain rice it's 1 1/2 cups water per 1 cup rice, if you use Jasmine Rice that is new and fresh like from this year 2009 which is what I eat at home, use equal water to rice)
-1/4-1/2 lbs. pork meat cut into little cubes like 1/2 inch big (like pork shoulder or boneless leg of pork, etc.)
-1 small green bell pepper finely minced
-1 medium onion finely minced
-5-6 cloves garlic mashed to a paste (through a garlic press)
-salt to taste ATLEAST 2 teaspoons
-1/2-1 tsp. ground cumin (to taste don't over do it for this dish or it will over power it)
-1 tsp. Bijol (annato/ achiote seed powder)
-atleast 1/4 cup olive oil or lard or bacon grease (my grandmother prefers bacon grease or lard leftover from making fried pork rinds to cook this dish, of course you can be really healthy and use extra-virgin olive oil, which also has a delicious taste, either way it will taste really good)
Directions:
(1)Wash rice really well until water runs clear, strain well, put in rice cooker and add water, set aside.
(2)Heat pan on medium high heat, add olive oil or lard, let it heat up a bit like 5 minutes more or less. Be sure the oil is hot enough, you can test it by dipping a wooden spoon if it sizzles it's ready,
(3)Season pork cubes with 1 teaspoon salt (trust me) and add to hot oil, let it fry in one layer underdisturbed until browned. About 5 minutes more or less. Add minced onion and bell pepper and cook down together with pork for about 5-7 minutes, add minced garlic afterwards and cook for 2 minutes or so until fragrant.
(4)Turn off heat and dump this sautee into the rice cooker with the rice and water, mix well. Add drained can of pigeon peas, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon "Bijol", and 1/2- 1 teaspoon cumin. Mix well. Taste the water in there, it should be salty like ocean water, if not add more salt carefully. Increasing by 1/2 tsp. and so on but don't use more than 3 tsp.
(6)Cover and turn on rice cooker and set to cook, when it beeps the rice is done. Fluff it and it's ready.
(5)Serve with whatever you want, I like it with a simple salad, of sliced tomato, cucumber, and onion dressed in lime and salt along with a meat dish that's grilled or pan-fried.
NOTE:
(1)You can adjust this to your stove top, fry the pork, and make the sofrito (sautee of onion, garlic, and bell pepper) add the cleaned drained rice stir well to coat with sofrito, add water, salt, cumin, bijol, and drained can of pigeon peas, bring to a boil, stir, then cover and lower heat to low to cook for about 30 minutes covered, then open to check if it's done if so turn off heat and fluff.
ALSO here is "Lily's" "Arroz Con Gandules" it's prepared differently than my grandmas and is also delicious, both my Tata's and Lily's are delicious, each one has their own unique delicousness:
(1)Lily's Arroz Con Gandules
P.S.
What should I label this? Should I label it Cuban sense it's my grandmother's version and it is in my opinion more "Cubanized" (since it's just a simple sofrito, cumin, salt, bijol and some pork)
I think I'll label it "Cuban" for navigation purposes, but if anyone has a problem with that, speak up and leave a comment, I'll gladly change it to "Puerto Rican"
Do any other Cubans here also eat or make "Arroz Con Gandules"?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Galleta Cubana Con Dulce Guayaba y Queso (Cuban Crackers with Guava and Cheese)
I was wondering if I should even post this (it is ridiculously simple, but trust me we have simpler snacks and sweets than this ha ha) but any who I'm here to share, and that's what I'll do, who knows maybe some other people have seen "Galletas Cubanas" (Cuban crackers) and never bought them because they don't know what to do with them. I decided to blog about them when I got home from school (hungry) and ate a mountain of white rice with cuban "Albondigas Con Salsa de Tomate" and a salad, but then my sweet tooth kicked in (like always) and there was a bag of these sitting on the counter and I had everything on hand thus I said to myself, "Why not take a picture of this simple joy and share it"
Cuban crackers hmmm... let see how I can describe them... well they are not salty, very plain, yet buttery, thick/ sturdy, crunchy but somehow easily breaks, feel's sort of powdery to. It's hard for me to describe, it makes a really good bed for different spreads or just ham with cheese, or ham with cream cheese, even for a deviled ham dip (yes Cubans make deviled ham dips that will be left up to another post) BUT in this post I will show it with guava paste and cream cheese. I don't know any Cuban that doesn't love Guava paste especially paired with a cheese in any shape way or form, as Marilyn from "My Cuban Traumas" once told me, "Nos corre la Guayaba por la sangre" (translates to, "Guava runs through our vains")
I love them, but not all "Galletas Cubanas" are created equally, from experience I have bought pre-packaged one's that are "Faraon" they tend to be really old, they are almost chewy? Cuban crackers are not suppose to be chewy or flexible or thin like the "Faraon" brand one's...
The one's I buy come from "Portos Bakery" which here in Southern California is a very reputable well known Cuban bakery, and is the only good Cuban bakery in California in my opinion. They have the authentic fresh made Cuban bread, the pastries, etc., my family goes there usually from Sunday brunch, we order an assortment Pastelito's de Guayaba (Guava Strudels), Pastelitos de Carne (Cuban Meat Pies stuffed with ground beef), and Cuban Sandwiches and Medianoches to drink we usually get "Batidos" (different types of shakes Guava, Mango, etc) or our Cafe Cubano.
I don't live to far from Portos but not close enough either, luckily I have a little "Bodeguita" near me (a small store, it carries many Cuban products) and they get their "Galleta's Cubanas" from Portos Bakery delivered. The bag has no labels or names only the Portos logo, they sell quickly there and are delicious and fresh. Although they can last up to 3 weeks or more.
Ingredients:
-Galleta Cubana (Cuban Cracker)
-Philidalphia Cream Cheese
-Guava paste (the best one's are from flat, round, tin cans, I use "Goya" brand)
Directions:
(1)Grab 1 Galleta, spread generous amounts of cream cheese on it.
(2)Top with a pair of thick slices of guava paste.
(3)Repeat process to make more. Then enjoy! Simple I know :)
(4)These make really good finger foods at parties, usually in our gatherings at home we have big plates full of a bunch of these and they finish quickly.
OTHER RECIPES THAT I HAVE THAT USE GUAVA PASTE:
(1)Frituritas de Guayaba
(2)Cascos de Guayaba y Refresco de Guayaba (Guava shells in Syrup and Guava drink)
(3)Guayaba en Almibar (whole Guava in syrup)
P.S. (not important just me rambling)
Cuban crackers in Spanish is called "Galleta Cubanas". Although "Galleta" directly translates to cookie, but it can also mean "cracker" depending how it's used (there is no word for crackers in spanish, we combine the name "cookie" with other words to refer to it, like saltine crackers we call it "Galletas Saladas" translates to "salty cookie"
In "cuban" spanish (maybe in other countries spanish to) Galleta can also mean "slap" for example, "Te voy a dar una galleta" it can mean "I am going to slap you" or "I am gonna give you a cookie" depending on the tone. If you wanna emphasize the "slapping" making it sound like a super hard angry slap and just wanna sound big you can call it a "Galletazo" for example in this context it will always mean slap, specifically a big hard slap, "Te voy a romper la boca de un galletazo chico!" english equivalent, "Boy, I'm gonna break your mouth with one big @$$ slap" okay enough of that, just thought it would be interesting to share. (Cuban spanish can be very different in word usage and pronaunciation, we tend to skip "s" and "r" in words and shorten things, etc. it's more similar to the Spanish of Spain's "Canary Islands")
Cuban crackers hmmm... let see how I can describe them... well they are not salty, very plain, yet buttery, thick/ sturdy, crunchy but somehow easily breaks, feel's sort of powdery to. It's hard for me to describe, it makes a really good bed for different spreads or just ham with cheese, or ham with cream cheese, even for a deviled ham dip (yes Cubans make deviled ham dips that will be left up to another post) BUT in this post I will show it with guava paste and cream cheese. I don't know any Cuban that doesn't love Guava paste especially paired with a cheese in any shape way or form, as Marilyn from "My Cuban Traumas" once told me, "Nos corre la Guayaba por la sangre" (translates to, "Guava runs through our vains")
I love them, but not all "Galletas Cubanas" are created equally, from experience I have bought pre-packaged one's that are "Faraon" they tend to be really old, they are almost chewy? Cuban crackers are not suppose to be chewy or flexible or thin like the "Faraon" brand one's...
The one's I buy come from "Portos Bakery" which here in Southern California is a very reputable well known Cuban bakery, and is the only good Cuban bakery in California in my opinion. They have the authentic fresh made Cuban bread, the pastries, etc., my family goes there usually from Sunday brunch, we order an assortment Pastelito's de Guayaba (Guava Strudels), Pastelitos de Carne (Cuban Meat Pies stuffed with ground beef), and Cuban Sandwiches and Medianoches to drink we usually get "Batidos" (different types of shakes Guava, Mango, etc) or our Cafe Cubano.
I don't live to far from Portos but not close enough either, luckily I have a little "Bodeguita" near me (a small store, it carries many Cuban products) and they get their "Galleta's Cubanas" from Portos Bakery delivered. The bag has no labels or names only the Portos logo, they sell quickly there and are delicious and fresh. Although they can last up to 3 weeks or more.
Ingredients:
-Galleta Cubana (Cuban Cracker)
-Philidalphia Cream Cheese-Guava paste (the best one's are from flat, round, tin cans, I use "Goya" brand)
Directions:(1)Grab 1 Galleta, spread generous amounts of cream cheese on it.
(2)Top with a pair of thick slices of guava paste.
(3)Repeat process to make more. Then enjoy! Simple I know :)(4)These make really good finger foods at parties, usually in our gatherings at home we have big plates full of a bunch of these and they finish quickly.
OTHER RECIPES THAT I HAVE THAT USE GUAVA PASTE:
(1)Frituritas de Guayaba
(2)Cascos de Guayaba y Refresco de Guayaba (Guava shells in Syrup and Guava drink)
(3)Guayaba en Almibar (whole Guava in syrup)
P.S. (not important just me rambling)
Cuban crackers in Spanish is called "Galleta Cubanas". Although "Galleta" directly translates to cookie, but it can also mean "cracker" depending how it's used (there is no word for crackers in spanish, we combine the name "cookie" with other words to refer to it, like saltine crackers we call it "Galletas Saladas" translates to "salty cookie"
In "cuban" spanish (maybe in other countries spanish to) Galleta can also mean "slap" for example, "Te voy a dar una galleta" it can mean "I am going to slap you" or "I am gonna give you a cookie" depending on the tone. If you wanna emphasize the "slapping" making it sound like a super hard angry slap and just wanna sound big you can call it a "Galletazo" for example in this context it will always mean slap, specifically a big hard slap, "Te voy a romper la boca de un galletazo chico!" english equivalent, "Boy, I'm gonna break your mouth with one big @$$ slap" okay enough of that, just thought it would be interesting to share. (Cuban spanish can be very different in word usage and pronaunciation, we tend to skip "s" and "r" in words and shorten things, etc. it's more similar to the Spanish of Spain's "Canary Islands")
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