Pinchos de Cerdo con Salsa de Guayaba (Pork Skewers with Guava Sauce)

Ingredients

• Pork:
• 1 tablespoon ground oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 large onions, each cut into 16 wedges

• Cooking spray
• Sauce:
• 1 cup chopped commercial guava paste (about 12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

To prepare pork, combine oregano, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add pork; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Thread pork and onion alternately onto 16 (8-inch) skewers.

Prepare grill.

Place skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 14 minutes or until done, turning occasionally. Arrange skewers on a platter; keep warm.

To prepare sauce, combine guava paste and the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 8 minutes or until smooth, stirring constantly. Serve sauce with pork

Caribbean Grilled Scallop Salad

12 large sea scallops(about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 teaspoons fish dry rub seasonings,
divided (such as Emeril's)
cooking spray
5 slices fresh pineapple (1/2-inch)
4 cups gourmet salad greens or mixed salad
greens
4 cups torn boston lettuce
(about 2 small heads)
1/3 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons mango chutney
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil

Prepare grill to high heat.
Pat scallops dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons fish rub evenly
over scallops.
Coat scallops with cooking spray.
Place scallops on grill rack; grill
3 minutes on each side or until done.
Remove scallops. Add pineapple to grill
rack; grill 2 minutes on each side.
Remove pineapple from grill; chop pineapple.
Combine salad greens, lettuce, pineapple,and
avocado in a large bowl.
Chop large pieces of chutney.
Combine chutney, lime juice, olive oil,and
remaining 1/2 teaspoon fish rub in a small
bowl (add red pepper flakes, if using).
Add dressing to salad, and toss well.
Place 1 1/2 cups salad into each of 4 bowls.
Arrange 3 scallops over each salad.

Guineitos en Escabeche

2 lbs. green cooking bananas - about 10 green bananas 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. onions sliced into thin rings 1 cup white vinegar 3 to 4 cloves crushed garlic 10 to 12 olives 1/2 teaspoon salt 10 to 12 whole black pepper corns 3 to 4 bay leaves 3 cups olive oil or light olive oil 2 quarts of water

Directions

Cut the banana with a knife by cutting off the ends of the bananas and making a cut along the outside curves of the banana skins, but DO NOT remove the skins (don't cut your fingers) Place the bananas in boiling water and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of oil to make them peel easier. Boil the bananas for approximately 20 minutes on medium-low heat. If you boil them too long they will come apart. This is a Rican warning. While the bananas cook, make the Escabeche sauce by placing all the rest of the ingredients into a pot. Stir them well and place on medium heat until the mixture gets hot. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for approximately 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. I can almost smell the sauce. Yum! The banana is done when you lightly stab it with a toothpick and it is tender but firm. Peel off the skins and cut the bananas in 1 inch size rounds and put them in a glass or "Tupperware" bowl. Add the sauce to the bananas. Stir and mix well. Cover them and marinade them for at least 24 hours at room temperature.

Tips

You can refrigerate the bananas, but make sure they have cooled down to room temperature before you do.

Conch Salad (Ensalada de Carrucho)

 

 

 

 

 

1 lb Conch (Carrucho) boiled and diced in small pieces.

4 Tsp white vinegar

6 Tsp Lime Juice (about 2 large limes)

¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil

2 Garlic cloves minced

1 large white onion

2 scotch bonnet peppers diced small (Optional Hot)

½ roasted red pepper

¼ cup minced cilantro

10-12 stuffed olives

1 Tsp cappers

1 Tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 dice tomato

1 diced celery stalk

 

Mix all ingredients in a non reactive bowl (like glass or ceramic) Cover and refrigerate overnight for best results. Mix well before serving.  You could add cooked shimp, cooked octopuss to make it in to a seafood salad. Serve with mofongo, fried plantains or over greens salad.

Ceviche De Scallop

• 1 pound sea scallops, chopped
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 large oranges
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup slivered red onion
• 1 avocado, cubed
 
Preparation
1. 1. Mix together scallops, lime juice, and lemon zest and juice in a bowl. Chill, stirring often, until scallops turn opaque, about 20 minutes.
2. Segment and chop 1 orange and juice the other. Add segments, juice, and remaining ingredients to scallops and stir gently to combine. Serve with tortilla chips

Chicken With Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Ingredients

·         3 1/2 lbs chicken, cut in pieces

·         3 cups long-grain rice

·         3 1/2 cups chicken stock

·         1/2 cup basic sofrito (1/4 onion, 1 green pepper, chopped and 3 mashed garlic cloves)

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

·         One bay leave

·         2 tablespoons alcaparrado (olives and capers)

·         1 teaspon culantro and annatto season

·         2 oz tomato sauce

·         2 tablespoons oil (to stir-fry the chicken)

·         Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

·         Season chicken ahead of time with adobo.

·         Heat the oil in a caldero or Dutch oven to medium heat. Stir in chicken and brown on each side for approximately 5 minutes.

·         Stir in sofrito, olives, capers, season, tomato sauce, cumin and sauté for about 3 minutes at low heat.

·         Stir in rice. Mix well with the sofrito and bay leave, add water; bring to boil.

·         When rice is drying a little bit, lower heat to the lowest and cover. Continue cooking for about 20 to 25 more minutes, until rice is completely cooked. Serve with red beans and a salad on the side.