Here are some easy start off recipes..... These are things you should have in your in your cup board that you can find in your local supermarket spanish ailes... I use the following seasonings in all different types of foods. From Caribbean to Thai... They blend well with other flavors without overpowering the palet.
Adobo Sazon Complete Seasoning
Cumin
Coriander
Sherry
Cilantro
extra virgin olive oil
sage
salt n pepper
Curry
( I prefer Indian Curry but thats just mua) lol
Mojo Marinade this could be used with all recipes dealing with meat. Even if my recipes don't call for this I always just add a lil bit if I'm cooking meats.
This is a Homemade marinade that is found in every caribbean household fridge
SOFRITO CASERO (Homemade Marinade)
ingredients
2 red onions
4 red and green bell peppers
2 bunches of cilantro
1 large jar of minced garlic or 2 lbs garlic cloves
4 tablespoons adobo complete seasoning
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Mix well in a blender or food processor and freeze half and the rest can be put in a plastic jar in the fridge. Mine lasts about 6 to 8 months because of the acidity in the cider and the oil. This can be used for beans and meats it gives it a very distinct flavor and robust flavor without overwhelming the flavor your looking for...
In my country we always clean all meats with lime juice... Just add lime and mix well then rinse. Very simple.. For now I would stick to either whole chickens, skinless breast and thighs with or without bones. If your afraid that your chicken will be over dry from cooking go ahead and buy boneless skinless thighs and then slice into pieces. The thigh part of the chicken always maintains it juicy texture and its a little harder to dry out... If you slice it into pieces no one will ever know that its not breast meat...
Some of these recipes might have to be broken in half since they are made for a large greedy families like mine, so u might not want to make the large amounts that I make... lol... If u ever have questions feel free to post a comment or question and I will respond as soon as possible.. I get calls from my family all the time while they are in the market shopping or even right in front of the stove so feel free and not shy.... So that you don't find yourself what? In a Jam and HUNGRY!!! LOL..
******An easy quick cheating method as I call it is to steam veggies such as spinach, broccoli, spaghetti squash, potatoes, frozen or un-shuck corn in the microwave.. Just put them in the microwave in a Ziploc bag. I stick to 3 1/2 minute intro volts. Yes, the bag might pop in the microwave, but as long as you do not use a cheap brand plastic bag you will be fine. Or you can take a couple of extra bags from the veggie section of the supermarket those work even better. The trick is to add maybe a teaspoon of butter and keep checking on it. I do this when I have a short time to make dinner or just simply don't feel like washing another pot... LOL... But we can keep that between ourselves...
P.S. For potatoes and or sweet potatoes you need to either dice, poke holes, or slit the potato in the middle.. check every 3 1/2 minutes to make sure its cooked by squeezing gently and if its not ready just return to microwave and do this for 3 1/2 minutes until it feels semi soft on the touch...
Good Luck... Hope this is of good use to you.
MistuhWill
MistuhWill's Easy Dragon Chili Recipe (Vegetarian Friendly)
MistuhWill's Easy Dragon Chili Recipe
1 lb. ground turkey
4 tbls adobo seasoning
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped finely
1 green bell pepper diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1/2 bag frozen carrots diced or sliced
1/2 bag frozen corn
2 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans navy beans
1 cup of Mojo marinade
2 chili seasoning packets
1 teaspoon garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 64 oz V8 veg juice
shredded cheddar cheese
**** U can substitute the turkey with veggie crumbled meat or just omit the meat for veggies. A bag of frozen veggie blend works just as well.
(the corn, cayenne, garlic powder, and the chili is totally optional I just add it for the uumgff factor and I really like corn)
Directions
1. In large pot brown the ground turkey with the Adobo Seasoning, 1/2 cup mojo, onion, garlic, and 1 packet of chili seasoning.
2. Add peppers and carrots and cook about 5 min.
3. Add beans, 1/2 mojo, V8, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic, and the other chili seasoning packet.
4. Cook until peppers and carrots are soft, approximately an hour (at this point you could put it into a crock pot to finish cooking).
5. If there is too much liquid for you taste add some refried beans to the chili to thicken it, if you want more liquid add more V8.
Pinchos with Guava Glaze (Spanish Kebabs)
2 lb. lamb shoulder, pork butt, shrimp or chicken, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup guava marmalade
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
2 tsp sweet Spanish paprika
2 T. garlic – minced
2 tsp oregano (dried)
2 T. Adobo Complete Seasoning (spanish season salt)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Spanish olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Garnish with cilantro
Preparation:
1 Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
2 Sprinkle paprika, garlic, oregano, adobo, turmeric, and cayenne pepper over meat and stir to coat thoroughly. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
3 Place several pieces of meat on each skewer and brush with guava marmalade grill them until done. 8-10 minutes on grill, *longer time for pork *less time for shrimp
(If using bamboo, be sure to soak them for an hour, so that they do not burn.)
serves 6
Massaman Tilapia
1 can massaman paste
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 onion diced
1/4 cup scallions thinly sliced
1 tomato chopped
1 yellow bell peppers chopped
1 red bell peppers chopped
1 yellow squash sliced into medallions
1 green zucchini sliced into medallions
1/4 cup cilantro chopped finely
1 tsp garlic
4 Tbls. olive oil
* you can also use baby corn
Directions:
1. In a sauce pan on med high, heat 1 table spoon olive oil, garlic and mix in can of massaman paste. Add coconut milk and stir well for 5 to 6 minutes... set aside
2. Now saute all the vegetables on med heat and add Massaman sauce just for enough time to keep them Al'dente.
3. Fry tilapia in corn meal flour
4. Plate fish in a deep dish top with veggies and coconut sauce.
Serve with white rice
**Note- This meal can also be vegetarian friendly. Instead of fish you can use broccoli, diced sweet potatoes, long string beans, and tofu.
** Halibut, Bass, Shrimp, works just as well **
Fish can also be pan seared if you choose not to fry.
Churros with Chocolate Ganache dipping sauce
Churro Recipe
Makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup white flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, depending on taste
Directions:
Preheat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a 10 to 12 inch frying pan to 375 degrees F. In a separate dish mix the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
In a 3 qt. sauce pan add the water, brown sugar, salt, and butter and heat to a good boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour. Stirring in the flour will take some muscle. Mix it in until well blended.
In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and vanilla together and then add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until well blended and all the egg is completely mixed in.
Fill your decorating tool with the churro recipe dough and attach the largest star tip you have.
Test your oil by placing a small amount of dough in it. The dough should bubble up right away or that means the oil is not hot enough and a soggy churro is on the way.
Once the oil is hot enough, squeeze some dough (with decorator) into the oil about 4 inches long. I used my finger to release the dough from the decorator. Careful not to burn yourself.
You should be able to cook 4 or 5 churros at a time. Cook them about 1 minute and turn them over with a slotted spoon. Cook an additional minute or two. You're looking for that nice golden brown color.
Remove the churros with the slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-covered plate to absorb excess grease.
Chocolate Ganache
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum and vanilla if desired.
* serve with churros and keep warm
Ceviche with Sweet Plantains
Ingredients
1 pound tilapia fresh and cubed into small chunks
1/2 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
1/2 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)
2 oranges, squeezed (preferably sour oranges) 3/4 cup sour orange
1 red onion - large and diced
2 tomatoes - diced
1 cucumber - peeled diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 avocados - chopped
1 jalapeño or serano pepper - seeded and chopped, more to taste
3 yellow plantains
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cilantro - chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
1. Cut fish into small pieces.
2. Squeeze lime halves over the fish pieces in a large bowl. (A hand juicer works nicely for this.) - a simple trick if you do not have a juicer take a fork and twist it in the lime till all the juice is squeezed.
3. Be sure all of the pieces are completely covered with citrus juice.
4. Bring 6 cups water and 1/4 cup juice to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until done. (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
5. Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator to marinate for 6 hours. Leaving it overnight will give it a better flavor.
Note: The acidity of the lime juice cooks, or cures, the tilapia.
7. Remove from the refrigerator, do not drain.
8. Chop onion, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños and add it into the marinated fish.
9. Mix in olive oil and salt
10. Mash plantains in a food processor and place in martini glass with tip of finger molding plantain in glass. Remove gently and re-fry for 3- 4 minutes so that the plantain fries in the form of the martini cup. Add ceviche and serve.
* Note- If you prefer it can also be eaten over white rice.
Fish and Chips with a Latin Twist
1 lb cod or other lean fish fillet
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup latin mojo marinade
Directions:
Cut fish filets into pieces and marinade with mojo for an hour or more. Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix flour and salt.
Mix baking soda and vinegar.
Stir vinegar mixture and water into flour mixture; beat until smooth.
Dip fish into batter, allowing excess batter to drip into bowl.
Fry 4 or 5 fish pieces at a time for about 3 to 4 minutes, turning fish once, until brown. Drain on paper towel
Note: I've used tilapia, shrimp, calamari, and even tofu.
Thai Influenced Peanut Chicken
Ingredients:
5 1/2 lbs chicken butterflied chicken breast
3 tbls. adobo seasoning
1 cup mojo
2 cans Red Thai curry
5 T. cilantro thinly minced
2 cans coconut milk
4 T. crushed garlic
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 tbls. olive oil
Direction:
1 Marinate chicken tenderloins with adobo, mojo, cilantro, garlic, curry, and minced olives let marinade.
2 In a separate skillet on medium heat add marinade broth from chicken and cook for 5 minutes then stir in coconut milk and peanut butter. Stir and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer so sauce does not break.
3 In a large skillet on saute chicken tenderloins for 4 minutes in olive oil on high add 1 ladel of sauce and simmer for 1 minute to add color.
Garnish with cilantro
Camarones al Ajillo
Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Ajillo)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup puree Spanish olive oil or more to taste
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 pounds prawns or extra-large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
juice of 2 limes
salt to taste
pinch of dried oregano
Cayenne pepper powder
pinch of paprika
20 wooden skewers (soak skewers in water)
1 In a large flat skillet over low heat, heat the oil until it is fragrant, then cook the garlic, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Raise the heat to medium, add the shrimp, and cook, stirring, until they turn pink, 5 minutes. (If you prefer extra oil, add it along with shrimp.) Add the lime juice, salt, oregano, and paprika, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper powder.
2 Transfer to a heated serving platter and serve immediately,
Empanadas
2 pounds of ground turkey
2 red onions thinly diced
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
1/2 bunch cilantro (finely chopped)
4 T. minced garlic
4 pimento olives (finely chopped)
3 T. Adobo
3 Bay Leaves
1 T. Cumin
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup Olive Oil
* Note I have also used tofu, morning star veggie crumble, and fish for my empanadas. So I will tell you to experiment. It's a great way to use that left over meat from last nights dinner. Diced potatoes give it that heartiness when using veggie meat.
1 pkg empanada shells (it can be found in your local supermarket freezer in the latin section) but I also attached the simplest recipe that I have tried and it seems just as good.
Every empanada recipe starts with the dough. Here is a simple empanada dough made with flour, salt, water, egg, vinegar and shortening.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours, 00 minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups flour (plus a little more for kneading)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons shortening
Preparation:
1. In a bowl, beat the water, egg, egg white and vinegar together. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the 3 cups of flour and salt.
3. Cut the shortening into the flour mix with a pastry blender or two butter knives. Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour the liquid ingredients from the first bowl into the center.
4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients with a fork until it becomes stiff.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it just until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth.
6. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but never more than 24 hours.
Tip: If you want to keep the dough longer than 24 hours, you can freeze it.
Servings: Makes approximately 10 six-inch empanadas.
Filling Preparation:
1. In a large pot saute onions and peppers in olive oil.
2. Once become translucent add garlic cilantro and mojo and stir.
3. Add remainder of ingredients (except for raisins and dried cranberries) cook on medium high until liquid has somewhat dried.
4. Add dried cranberries and golden raisins the last couple of minutes before u turn off the heat.
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