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...

  Whenever I make 'arepas'  I think about my father.  He would get up early on a Sunday morning and start making his famous 'arepas'. I can remember seeing him in the kitchen kneading the dough and shaping his dumplings. "Gloria," he would scream out to my mother. "Make me some beans for the dumplings." We'd get up with the smell of these quick simple and delicious dumplings. We would put butter on them and eat them for breakfast. Arepas / Dumplings Ingredients: 4c All purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt  1/4 tsp of sugar 1/2c of butter (softened at room temperature) About 3/4c warm water Cooking oil for frying Procedure: * In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and sugar and mix.   * Add  the softened butter into the dry mixture. Use your hands to combine the butter with the dry mixture until it feels sandy. * In a seperate bowl, add the salt to the warm water and mix it well. * Slowly add the water to the dough mix and knead it ...

  I ngredients: 4 tbsp kosher salt      4 tbsp garlic powder     2 tbsp onion powder          1 tbsp ground cumin                 1 tsp pepper (black or white)                                                          ¾ tsp  oregano                                Procedure: Mix all the above ingredients together.  Use this dry rub to season your chicken and meats. Keep in a small jar in a dry place.  Note:   You can add more or less oregano. It depends on your taste. --------------------------------------- I ngredientes:                                 ...

Hello!  So today I made my son guayaba (guava with fried cheese).  How can you fry cheese, you say?  Well I used to think that was crazy until I found out that there is a special cheese that you can fry. It is made by Tropical. The label says 'A fresh white cheese for frying.'  I found that in the supermarket and VOILA!!!  Below you will find images of what you will need for this quick simple and delicious appetizer.   Ingredients: Tropical Queso de freir 12oz. guava paste (Any brand) 1/4c water  Procedure : * Cut up the guava paste into small pieces. * In a small sauce pan add the water and the guava squares.  Stir with a wooden spoon until all the guava is dissolved. * Cut cheese into one inch squares, then cut them diagonally. * In a frying pan (or any fryer that you have), fry the cheese triangles until golden brown. *Serve the fried cheese hot to dip in the guava. Mmmmmmmmm. DELICIOSO! Ingredients   or    and   ...