Quick Simple & Delicious Puerto Rican Foods

Ingredients for Picadillo  (Meat) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 medium onion chopped into small pieces 1/2 red pepper  chopped into small pieces 6 garlic cloves minced 1/4 c sofrito 1  pound ground meat (at least 90% lean) 3/4 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons cilantro 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1 teaspoon oregano - OPTIONAL Procedure 1. Heat the oil in a pan.  Add the onion and allow to cook for about two minutes.   2. Then add the red pepper and garlic and cook for another minute.   Add the cilantro and sofrito and mix well.   3. When it boils, add the ground beef and start breaking it apart with a meat chopper.  4. In 2 to 3 minutes time add tomato sauce and salt and oregano. Continue to stir until all the meat is chopped.  5. Lower the heat.   Continue to cook on  low heat for 15-20 minutes. 6. When done, taste it and add additional salt if needed.                     ...

 Ingredients: 6 thick porkchops center cut with bone Adobo to taste 4 garlic cloves minced 1/4 c olive oil 1/2 c sofrito 8 oz. tomato sauce 1/4 c water 1 1/2 lb. frozen mixed vegetables Procedure: * Wash and season porkchops with adobo and garlic . * In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.  When hot, brown the pork chops on both sides, then remove the porkchops from the skillet and set aside. (Remember you are going to brown the porkchops, NOT cook them). * In the same skillet add the sofrito and stir,  add the tomato sauce and the water  Let boil for about 2 minutes. Then add the vegetables. *  When the vegetables are tender put the porkchops back into the skillet.  Lower the heat and let them cook for 15 to 20 minutes.   NOTE: If you are using a thermometer, you will know that the porkchops are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. ------------------------------------------- Brown the pork chops In the same skillet as the ...

 Ingredients: Green Plantains (About one per person) Water Salt to taste Oil for fying Procedure: * Put the plantains under hot water in order to make them easy to peel. (Optional) * Peel and cut the plantains into 1/2 inch diagonal slices. * Once peeled, place the plantain slices in a bowl and cover with salt water for at least 20 minutes. * Heat up the oil.  Fry the plantains until they are a light golden brown.  Take out of the oil. * Flatten the plantain by smashing them with a can or a 'tostonera'. * Dry the plantain's  oil with paper towel, then refry them in the same oil for another 3 to 4 minutes or until they are golden brown. * Add more salt if desired.

Ingredients 1 lb. of dry pink beans OR 2 cans of pink beans (washed well) *For the dry beans, soak overnight in water OR for at least 4 hours.  Be sure to cover the beans.  3 tbsp vegetable oil Salchichón (Spanish sausage) or turkey ham cut into one inch cubes  ½ c  sofrito (not tomato based) 2 teaspoons alcaparrado 2oz achiote (or 1 packet sazon) OPTIONAL 4 oz. can tomato sauce 1 tbsp salt (or to taste)  4 tbsp chopped cilantro (stem and leaf) 1 c pumpkin cut into one inch cubes Procedure * Once soaked OR washed, boil beans in the same water, over medium heat flame until they are soft (or to your liking). * In a separate skillet add oil. When the oil is hot, fry the sausage.  Make sure it is brown on both sides.   * In the skillet with the sausage, add the sofrito, alcaparado, achiote (sazon), tomato sauce and salt.  When it boils, add 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro.  Allow to boil in low heat for another 2-3 minutes. *  Re...