Recipe: Recipes from Puerto Rico (US possession) - Chicken Cracklings, Pigeon Peas and Carrot Salad, Fish Steaks Marinated in Recaito, Small Mofongo Balls, Corn Sticks, Sancocho (Assorted Root-Vegetable Soup)

I am quite proud to say that Puerto Rico is a US possession since 1898, when the American soldiers came through Guanica and saved our island from the Spanish rule. Under US protectorate we had thrived in all senses, and our present population is widely bilingual with a delightful mixture of both cultures. Puerto Rican food is widely known, specially in states like California, New York, Chicago and Florida, where a lot of Puerto Ricans live (we are American citizens by birth). Some famous Puerto Ricans are Ricky Martin, Jennifer L pez, Marck Anthony, last year's Miss Universe (we haVE ALREADY 4 mISS uNIVERSEs, the late Raul Julia, the late Jos Ferrer, the great Boxer Tito Trinidad, and other many silent heroes who work for the good of our citizens and our American country.

Here I am including a few recipes for your experimentation and if they are to your liking, for your use:

Chicken Cracklings:
Serves 6

4 pounds of chicken parts, cut in small pieces,
Adobo Criollo (as sold in latin markets) to taste
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup rum or white wine
2 tb sour orange
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tb. paprika ( or less, to taste )
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil (for frying)

Sprinkle the chicken with the Adobo Criollo and rub with the garlic. Marinate in the rum and the sour orange for 30 minutes. Drain. In a plastic bag, combine the flour with the paprika and salt and dredge the chicken pieces. Heat the oil until hot, but not smoking and fry, a few pieces at a time until golden . Serve.

Pigeon Peas and Carrot Salad:

2 cans of green gandules Goya, drained
2 lbs carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped cilantrillo (chinese parsley)
1 onion chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Drain the gandules and cool. Blanch the carrots for 5 mins. in boiling water. Drain and cool. Combine the remaining ingredients with the gandules and carrots. Let the salad marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8

Fish Steaks Marinated in Recaito:

Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup Sofrito ( can be bought in Latin Markets or prepared with onions, green peppers, pimientos, garlic cloves, cilantrillo and green pitted olives, all chopped by hand or processed in a food processor )
1/4 cup tomato juice or 1 chopped tomato
2 tb sour orange juice or 1/2 cup white wine

6 halibut or swordfish steaks

Sauce:
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup guava nectar
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tb. mustard
2 tb. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced for garnish
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Combine marinade in bowl. Add the fish and refrigerate for 3 hours. Turn the steak frecuently. Prepare the Sauce. Melt the butter and add the remaining ingredients, except the oil, bell pepper and cilantro, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 2/3 cup. Set Aside. Drain the fish and discard the marinade. Heat the oil and saut the fish until browned on both sides. Serve the fish in a platter with the sauce over it. Sprinkle for garnish with the bell pepper and cilantro.

Small Mofongo Balls:

5 green plantains
Some ready made Pork Cracklings (Pork skin is cut in pieces, place in a pot of water to cover and soaked for 10 minutes, drained and wiped, salted and stir fried until pieces are browned and crisp, or you can buy them from Lays or other producer)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
Canola oil for frying.

Peel the plantains and cut in rounds of about 1 inch. Deep fry the plantains in hot oil, drain on paper towels, and crush together with the pork cracklings, with part of the garlic and the olive oil, in batches, in a mortar. Be sure to use a very small mortar. Scoop out with a tablespoon shaping into 2 inches balls. Serve with Mojito (one of my previous recipes) or with Ali-Oli Sauce. Makes 20 or more small balls.

CORNSTICKS:
Sorullitos

2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Canola Oil for frying

Put the water with salt in a saucepan. Add the cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook stirring constantly, for 4 to 6 minutes, until thickened, and the borders are somewhat separated from the saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Stir, to mix well. Let the mixture cool reasonably. Shape 1 tablespoon of the dough into a small cilinder or cigar, about 2 inches long (In the palm of your hand). Repeat with the remaining dough. At this step, you can freeze them or refrigerate for a later use. If you refrigerate them, bring them to room temperature. Heat the oil in a skillet or deep fryer, until hot, but not smoking and fry until golden brown on all sides. Makes 18 to 20 sticks, but trust me, you will double the recipe. The sorullitos can be served with Alioli or with Mojito.

SANCOCHO
(Assorted Root-Vegetable Soup)

2 pounds beef, cut as for stew
1 pound pork, cut as for stew
1/2 pound smoked ham diced
1/2 cup basic Sofrito ( chopped tomatoes, onions, green and red peppers, peeled garlic cloves, cilantro or chinese parsley, chopped or processed. You can add olives and pimentos).This Sofrito can be used for other dishes.
1/4 cup tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes
1 pound each calabaza (Pumpkin), yaut a (taro root), malanga, ame(yam) and cassava (yuca), peeled and diced in cubes
1 green plantain and 4 green bananas, peeled and cut in 2 inch rounds
3 corn ears, cut into 2 inch rounds
2 chicken cubes
1 beef cube
Salt and pepper to taste
Bijol, a teaspoon, for color Bija is derived from the achiote plant. Can be bought at Latin Markets.

In a big soup pot, combine 6 quarts of chicken or beef stock, or water with the beef, pork and ham, the Sofrito and the Tomato Sauce, and you can add 1/2 a beer. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. (This Sancocho can be prepared with chicken, but then, the procedure is very short because you can boil the chicken with the vegetables and tubers, at the same time.)Add the remaining ingredients and bring to another boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until the vegetables and tubers are cooked and the soup is thick.

This might sound complicated, but is a very simple dish that goes very well with the new healthy tendencies. The white rice is very simple to cook. To serve, you should use a soup dish, put some rice in the bottom and then the soup with meats and vegetables on top. Garlic Bread can be bought at the supermarket. If you are expecting too much company, you might add a green salad. Somewhere I read that a Sancocho is like a melange, like a Symphony. Enjoy.