Recipe(tried): Good Friday's Dinner

GOOD FRIDAY'S DINNER

As Puerto Rico is mainly a Catholic country because of Spanish tradition, we strictly eat fish on Holy Week, especially on Good Friday. This weekend, my family from Ponce is visiting, therefore I had a Menu early in the week, selected for today. I am afraid the children will protest but it is time to teach them about tradition & our religious beliefs. Here is a typical Good Friday's Menu in Puerto Rico. Buen Provecho!

Cold Taro Root Soup (Sopa Fria de Yautia)
Servings 6

2 1/2 lbs yautia (taro root), peeled and diced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
4 cups chicken stock or canned broth
1 cup light cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
pinch ground nutmeg

Cook the yautia with the yellow onion in the chicken stock for 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor and strain through a sieve. Add the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Note: This soup is also good hot or at room temperature.

Salt Codfish Salad (Serenata de Bacalao)
Servings 6

1 1/2 pounds bacalao (salt codfish), desalted in water, cooked and shredded
1 large potato, boiled, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and minced
1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a serving bowl, combine the codfish with the potato, onion, avocado, egg, peppers, and tomato. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and oil and season to taste. Pour the dressing over the codfish mixture and toss well. Serve or refrigerate before serving time.

Coconut Shrimp (Camarones con Coco)
Servings 6

2 cups coconut milk
1 egg, beaten
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Adobo
1/4 cup corn oil

Combine the coconut milk and egg in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and marinate for 30 minutes. Blend the remaining ingredients, except the corn oil, by pulsing a few times in a food processor. Drain the shrimp and discard the marinade. Dredge the shrimp in the coconut-flour mixture. Heat the oil and fry the shrimp until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Roasted Yellow Plantains with Balsamic Vinegar (Amarillos con Vinagre Balsamico)
Servings 6

3 medium ripe plantains
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar ground cinnamon for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Make a slit in each plantain and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the vinegar and sugar to it. Peel the plantains and arrange them on a platter. Drizzle with the butter mixture and garnish with cinnamon.

Basic Yellow Rice (Arroz Amarillo Basico)
Servings 6

2 tablespoons annatto oil combined with 1 tablespoon corn oil
2 1/2 cups rice
4 to 4 1/2 cups boiling water or chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt

Heat the oil in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the rice and stir to combine. Stir in the boiling liquid and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the liquid evaporates. Cover and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring once only, after 10 minutes.

Bread Pudding
Servings 8

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup light cream
12 thick slices bread
2/3 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped pecans

In a food processor or bowl combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and melted butter till smooth. Stir in lemon peel, milk and cream. Cut each slice of bread into four squares. Grease a 2-quart casserole. Place one third of the bread in a single layer on the base of the casserole. Cover with half the dates and pecans; spoon on half the egg mixture. Repeat with another third of the bread and remaining dates, pecans and egg mixture. Cover with the remaining bread and set aside for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.