Puerto Rican Fried Meat Pies (Empanadas)
Ingredients
Dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cups vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
Filling:
1 pound browned ground beef or cooked shredded chicken
½ medium onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/8 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 cups sliced green olives
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 packaged Goya Sazon with annato
For cooking:
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Method
Dough: Combine all the dry ingredients in electric mixer, add all the wet ingredients. Mix for about 3 minutes until well combined. Dough will form.
Take it out and knead for about 3 minutes, let sit wrapped in plastic-wrap for another 15 minutes.
Divide into 12 pieces and then roll into 4 inch circles.
Filling: Brown ground beef (drain excess grease), or sauté shredded chicken in 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add all the ingredients and cook for an additional 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Let cool.
Cooking: Pre-heat the oil in a frying pan at about a medium temperature. Place about 2 tablespoon of the filling in the dough and seal the edges with a fork.
Fry for about 5 minutes on each side, then place on dish lined with paper-towels.
Arroz Con Gandules
Ingredients
2 ½ cups long grain white rice
5 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons sofrito (jarred or make your own by dicing onion, bell pepper (any kind), garlic, cilantro and tomato)
¼ cup chopped bacon
¼ cup chopped ham or sausage
2 tablespoons Spanish olives
1 can green or dry pigeon peas, drained
1 envelope sazon with annato
½ teaspoon ground oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon tomato paste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Start by heating the oil in a pot at high heat, and when the oil is hot, add the bacon. When the bacon is cooked but not crisp, add the ham/sausage. Once that has browned, add the Sofrito. This must stir fry all together for about 1 minute.
After that has been done add the water, then the peas, the olives, the tomato paste, and all the spices, including the envelope of sazon.
At this point, add salt and pepper to taste. Bring this up to a boil then stir in rice.
Once it has begun to boil again, lower heat and stir 1 more time, then cover.
Let this cook for about 30 - 40 minutes on a low heat setting, stirring occasionally (every 10 minutes) until the rice is tender. Serve.
Puerto Rican Rum Cake
Ingredients
½ cup chopped pecans
1 packet yellow cake mix
1 packet instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
½ cup cold water
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup Gold Puerto Rican Rum
For Glaze:
¼ pound butter
¼ cup water
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup Gold Puerto Rican Rum
Method
Preheat oven to 325oF. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan. Sprinkle pecans over bottom of pan.
Mix all cake ingredients together.
Pour batter over pecans in pan. Bake for one hour. Set on rack to cool.
Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle and brush glaze evenly over top.
For Glaze:
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in Rum.
Avocado Shrimp Boat
Ingredients
2 large ripe avocados
Lemon juice
2 medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 green onions, minced
1 sprig of fresh mint, chopped fine
½ teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon water
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon French dressing
1 cup cooked shrimps
Watercress
Method
Halve the avocados and remove seeds. Scoop out pulp and dice.
Put shell with lemon juice and set aside. Peel and chop tomatoes.
Mix all remaining ingredients except shrimp and watercress. Pour over tomato and avocado pieces, mix carefully.
Fold in shrimp. Pile mixture in avocado shells, top with watercress, sprigs and chill. Makes 4 servings.
Puerto Rican Flan
Ingredients
1 cup sugar (to caramelize pan)
8 eggs
2 (14 ounces) cans condensed milk, undiluted
3 ½ cups water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Preheat oven to 350oF. Caramelize a pan by melting 1 cup of sugar slowly, melt to a light gold and swirl so that the sides are coated. Set on wire rack.
In large bowl, mix ingredients and strain. Pour strained mixture into caramelized pan.
Set pan in a large shallow baking pan containing 1 inch of hot water. Bake for 1 hour, or until set and golden. (Check center with toothpick, must come up clean.)
Remove pan from water bath. Allow to cool on wire rack. Cover, and set in refrigerator. When ready to serve, turn Flan onto a platter.
Caribbean Island Cuisine
