dominican-food-blog

Smoked Herring With Rice Or Locrio de Arenque

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:20:25 +0100

When I cook smoked herring with rice or locrio de arenque, in spanish, my mind is filled with memories of my college days. This recipe was cooked very often at the dining hall's university where I studied (I graduated from the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo or UASD) in Dominican Republic.

I had so much fun with my friends back then, maybe that's one of the reasons I like this recipe so much. It's different, so if you haven't tasted it yet I invite you to enjoy this traditional dominican food.

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs long white rice
- 1 1/2 lb smoked herring
- 1 big white onion cut into wheels
- 1 lb ripe chopped tomatoes
- 1 gem squash slice cut into small pieces (remove the seeds)
- 1 chopped green bell pepper
- A bit of chopped leek
- 2 tablespoons minced or smashed garlic
- 3 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable or extra virgin olive oil (for a healthier meal)
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 liters of water
- 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (if you like it a bit spicy, but it's optional)

Directions:

Cook the herring in a pot with some water on medium high heat until it begins to boil. Remove from the heat and change the water (this is to remove some of the salt that comes with the herring). Let it cool down. Cut it into small pieces and clean all the fish bones. Put it in the 4 liters of water and set aside for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours. After that time, drain the herring and keep the water for later.

I like to cook my smoked herring with rice recipe in a cast aluminium caldero, but if you don't have one, you can use a stainless steel pot.

Heat half the oil in the pot of your choice on medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, the tomatoes, the gem squash pieces, green pepper, the tomato paste and vinegar. Stir and sautee for a minute. Add the herring, stir and pour the water you kept before.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, taste and if you think it needs some more, add another 1/2 teaspoon. Taste again, if it needs more salt, add the other 1/2 teaspoon. Add the chopped leek and the Tabasco sauce (remember that this ingredient is spicy, so it's optional) and stir everything.

When boiling, add the washed rice. Cook until the water has consumed, stirring constantly. Pour the reamining oil and cover. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes or more. Uncover and stir. Your smoked herring with rice is ready when the rice is tender. If not, cook for five minutes more.

Turn off the heat, serve with a salad of your choice and enjoy. :-))

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Grilled Chicken Marinade

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:50:23 +0100

I cooked this grilled chicken marinade twice. The first time I didn't like the flavor because it was too acid for my taste. But I didn't give up. I kept cooking it, changing the ingredients. The third time it was just great!

I used a nonstick griddle to cook this recipe. I included a picture of my chicken while I was cooking it in the griddle, so you can have an idea. Also you'll have two options to serve this tasty recipe. Keep reading and enjoy this meal, it's delicious.

Ingredients:

- 2 boneless chicken breasts (if the pieces are big, cut them in half or use 4 thin chicken breasts instead)
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 minced or crushed garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter (I use low fat and low calories butter substitute)
- 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (optional)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar

Directions:

To start cooking this delicious grilled chicken marinade, wash your chicken with lots of water and 1/2 cup white vinegar. In a medium bowl, season the chicken breasts with the previous ingredients in the same order of the list. Mix everything well, cover and let marinate for at least half hour. You can take this time to chop all the vegetables for the marinade. I'll give you the ingredients later.

Ok! The time has passed and now you are ready to grill your chicken breasts. Preheat the griddle on medium heat. Add a bit of butter and when it melts, add the chicken. Remember to add little bits of butter in different places of the griddle whenever it dries to prevent the chicken from burning.

While cooking the breasts, pinch them with a fork to release their juice. Turn them over occasionally, so they cook evenly in both sides. Grill for 25 to 30 minutes more or until they turn golden brown. Let cool down for 2 to 3 minutes, then cut your chicken into long pieces. Set aside. Don't worry, your grilled chicken marinade will be ready pretty soon.

Here are the ingredients for the marinade:

- 3 tablespoons olive oil (I use extra virgin, it's healthier)
- 1/2 white onion cut into wheels
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1/2 green bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips (this one is optional, but I like it)
- 1/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1 chopped celery stalk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (to neutralize the acid flavor of onion and tomato)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup milk (you can use evaporated milk)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions to prepare this marinade:

Heat the olive oil in a saute or sauce pan on medium heat. Combine all the ingredients in the same order of the list, stirring constantly. Cook the sauce until it starts to turn thick. Remove from heat.

Well, here I present you two great options for serving this grilled chicken marinade. You can pour the marinade over the chicken breasts or you can mix the chicken with the marinade while still cooking it. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then serve. I chose this last option and my family really enjoyed it!

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Chef Salad Dominican Style

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:32:07 +0100

This dominican style chef salad is an excelent appetizer for any meal. I love its colors and the tasty flavor of all the mixed ingredients. It's a delicious dominican recipe that you can put together really fast and easy.

Ingredients:

- 1 lb boiled potatoes cut into slices
- 1 cup cooked brocoli
- 2 sliced tomatoes
- Lettuce (all you want)
- 1 cup petit pois peas
- 6 stuffed olives cut into wheels
- 1 boiled egg cut into slices
- Cherry tomatoes (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:

- 1 chicken flavor bouillon cube (Maggi or Knorr, in the hispanic section of your supermarket)
- 3 oz white vinegar
- 1/2 cup lukewarm olive oil (try to use extra virgin, it's healthier)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (low fat is much better)
- Ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Put the lettuce in a salad bowl, add the potatoes, the sliced tomatoes, the boiled egg, the stuffed olives and the brocoli. Fit all these ingredients nicely and decorate with petit pois peas and cherry tomatoes.

Make the dressing by dissolving the chicken flavor bouillon cube in lukewarm olive oil and let it cool down. Add the rest of the ingredients and your dressing is ready for this tasty dominican style chef salad. Enjoy!

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Strawberry Milkshake Made With Nesquik

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:33:01 +0100

The first time I made this strawberry milkshake to my daughter Kiara, she loved it. Then, when my Jose was ready to start drinking any kind of juice, he tried it and loved it too. Definitely this delicious strawberry shake is a keeper with my kids.

It's made with Strawberry Nesquik, which makes it even easier to prepare. If you have kids, try and make this recipe with them to enjoy a beautiful family moment. Enjoy this yummy strawberry milkshake.

Ingredients:

- 1 can evaporated milk (I use a low fat one for a healthier milkshake)
- 1 can water, measured with the same evaporated milk can
- 9 tablespoons Strawberry Nesquik
- Ice (the amount of your choice)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender until the ice is crushed and the drink is a bit thick. You also can prepare by hand. Just mix everything and stir well. Remember that the ice is not going to be crushed, so add small ice cubes. Serve immediately.

This refreshing strawberry milkshake, togheter with some whole wheat cookies or bread with cheese, makes an excellent afternoon snak.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Oven Fried Chicken Recipe

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:10:24 +0100

When my husband Roberto told me that he loved my oven fried chicken recipe, I felt so happy. That feeling is amazing. Why don't you try and cook it too?

This tasty dominican recipe is really healthy and easy to prepare. Just add the seasoning, the eggs, cover with bread crumbs and bake. It's gonna be delicious!

Ingredients:

- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 2 beaten eggs (for a healthier meal, use only the whites)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Bread crumbs (I use plain, but you can use the seasoned one to spice the flavor)

Directions:

Is easy to cook this oven fried chicken recipe. Wash the chicken breasts with water and 1/2 cup vinegar. If the pieces are big, cut them into thin chicken fillets. Season with ground pepper, salt and garlic powder. Add the beaten eggs (or egg whites) and mix until the chicken breasts are well covered. Set aside for 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat your oven to 400º F. Grease a baking pan with extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil in spray. Put the bread crumbs on a plate or bowl and cover each piece of chicken. Fit the chicken breasts on the greased baking pan. Do not fit them crowded. Look at my chicken before baking it.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and no longer pink inside. Remove from the oven and enjoy this delicious oven fried chicken recipe with a healthy salad.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Vegetable Fried Rice "Latino Style"

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:42:31 +0100

I love this "latino style" vegetable fried rice. The beautiful colors of this dominican recipe invite me to eat it all! It's so easy to cook and all the mixed vegetables, plus the other ingredients give so much flavor to this latin recipe. It's delicious!

Ingredients:

- 4 cups uncooked rice
- 6 cups water
- 6 tablespoons butter or margarine (you can use light butter or margarine substitute)
- 1 cup minced white onions
- 1 cup corn kernels (I use canned sweet corn)
- 1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
- 3 chicken flavor bouillon cubes (Maggi or Knorr, in the hispanic section of your supermarket)
- 1 cup chopped leek
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions:

In medium heat sautee the onions and the uncooked rice together with the butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Melt the chicken flavor bouillon cubes in 6 cups hot water and add this liquid to the rice and onions. Add the corn kernels and the bell peppers and stir. Let it dry a bit, stir and cover. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes.

Stir the rice and turn off the heat. Before serving, add 1 tablespoon butter or margarine and the chopped leek. Mix everything well and your vegetable fried rice is ready to eat.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Stuffed Potatoes With Cheese (Papas Rellenas de Queso)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:48:21 +0100

I love this stuffed potatoes with cheese recipe (papas rellenas de queso). It is an excellent appetizer to start a great meal. My kids, Kiara and Jose, love to eat these delicious potato balls. This dominican recipe is what I call "a fun food". With little ingredients you too can make these savory potato balls in a flash!

Ingredients:

- 6 washed potatoes (check out a tip of what I do with the potatoes at the bottom)
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine (you can use a light butter or margarine spread substitute)
- 1 1/2 cup milk (I use 2% low fat milk)
- 1 cup low fat mozzarella shredded cheese
- 1 cup low fat cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup wheat flour
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- Extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil to fry

Directions:

These stuffed potatoes are really easy to prepare. Here's how. Boil your potatoes in a saucepan until soft. Drain and let them cool down. Peel the potatoes and mash them with the butter or margarine to make a purée. Add the milk and the mozzarella cheese, and mix well.

Cook this mixture over low heat until thick. Let it cool down, then make little balls with a small holes in the center. Stuff your potato balls with cheddar cheese and close the holes.

Coat each the potato balls with wheat flour, then with the eggs and finally with breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the balls until golden brown. Put them on a plate with paper towels to drain any remaining oil, then serve and enjoy.

These stuffed potatoes are a delicious appetizer.

**Do you know what I do? I don't peel the potatoes before boiling them. I do it after, so my family and I can enjoy all the vitamins and minerals that are present in the potato peel.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Salad Ideas

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:29:30 +0100

I always use my imagination to get delicious salad ideas. You won't believe your eyes when you find out all the ingredients you have available to prepare your salad. I enjoy so much a healthy salad and I think you too.

I like to mix differents ingredients to taste their flavor together. I usually prepare my salad with cold ingredients that I combine with a warm ingredient to spice any flavor I want.

It is true that we have lots of salad dressings available at the supermarket, but sometimes it's faster, healthier and less expensive to make our own dressing.

For example, my Kiara loves ketchup, so sometimes I mix a spoon of sugar free or low sugar ketchup with a spoon of low fat mayonnaise, as result I'll have a tasty and quick salad dressing for my daughter's salad.

There are excellent salad ideas for you to enjoy. Here are some:

- Hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped

- Green or black olives, whole or sliced

- Any kind of low fat cheese, shredded, sliced or chopped

- Green peas, beans or any cooked legume vegetable

- Corn (I really like sweet corn kernels)

- Sour cream or mayonnaise (low fat for a healthier salad)

- Ham, turkey, salami or chicken; baked, smoked, sliced or how you preffer

- Pasta

- Tuna or salmon, smoked or baked

- Carrots, beets, potatoes, etc.

- Bacon (I love it!)

- Tropical fruits like pineapple, mandarines, oranges, mangoes

- Dried fruits

Vegetables are a must in our every day meals. As a mom, I have to invent new and fun ways for my kids to eat their greens. Kiara loves salads and my Jose, well, he's starting the toddler years. Right now I'm teaching him to eat all my meals, so salads will be one of his favorites.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Rice Pudding Recipe "Dominican Style" (Arroz Con Leche Dominicano)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:48:31 +0100

This delicious dominican rice pudding recipe or arroz con leche dominicano is a traditional food in my Dominican Republic. And, of course, I had to post it here in my dominican food blog to share it with you.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 lb long grain white rice
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 8 cups 2% low fat milk (you can use only evaporated milk instead or mix it half and half)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon peel
- Ground cinnamon

Directions:

To prepare this rice pudding recipe "dominican style", clean the rice, wash it and leave it in water for half an hour, then drain it. Put the 1 1/2 cup water in a cast aluminium caldero or a stainless steal pot on medium heat. When the water starts to boil, add the rice, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. When the water consumes, pour the milk slowly and add the cinnamon stick. Stir occasionally.

When the rice is tender, add the sugar, salt and the lemon peel. Cook on medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes more (it depends on how thick you like the pudding). Serve your rice pudding and sprinkle some ground cinnamon to decorate. The cinnamon add a delicious taste.

You can enjoy this arroz con leche dominicano just after serving, but I love it chilled.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.

Habichuelas Con Dulce Dominicanas Or Dominican Sweet Creamed Beans

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:32:30 +0100

Whenever I cook habichuelas con dulce (or sweet creamed beans), I always remember how much I enjoyed sharing this dominican food with family and friends. In Dominican Republic, it's a tradition at Easter to share sweet creamed beans with almost everybody.

I remember that Mami (my Mom) used to cook (and she still does) a very big pot of sweet creamed beans and shared it with all my family and neighbors. We also tasted the beans that our neighbors cooked. It is like an exchange, you eat mine and I eat yours. But it's so much fun!

Ingredients:

- 1 lb packaged red beans
- 1 cup water divided into 2 parts
- 1 1/2 can evaporated milk
- 1/2 can coconut milk
- 1/2 can condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 or 5 small cinnamon sticks
- 8 sweet cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar + 1 to 3 tablespoons more (in case you need them)
- 1 lb sweet potatoes or batata, in spanish, cut into small cubes (optional)
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- Small milk cookies to decorate (optional)

Directions:

A tip that I learned from Mami is to put my beans in water since the night before. That way they are soft and tender at cooking time.

Boil the beans in a pot on medium high heat with enough water until they are completely soft. Add water if they dry while cooking. Remove from the heat and let them cool down.

Pour half of the beans with their liquid into the blender. Add 1/2 cup water and blend (look how I blended my beans in the picture).

When finished, strain them and throw the residues to the garbage. Now repeat these steps with the remaining beans.

After straining, they are gonna be nice and smooth like mine in the picture below. One of the most important tips to remember when cooking habichuelas con dulce or sweet creamed beans is to use a stainless steel pot or a pot with a thick bottom to avoid smoky flavor.

Cook the beans on medium heat and add the rest of the ingredients in the same order of the list, except the raisins and the cookies. Me and my Kiara like our sweet creamed beans without raisins or cookies. They are optional, so if you like them, go ahead and add them at serving time.

Stir your beans well while you're adding the ingredients to avoid any sticking. Besides it helps to maintain their creamy texture. Check the color and how creamy my beans look like in the picture after I added my ingredients.

After adding the 1/2 cup of sugar stir for 30 seconds and taste with a clean tablespoon. If they are sweet enough for you, don't add anymore sugar. But if not, carefully add 1, 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar and stir. The important matter is that your habichuelas con dulce don't taste too sweet.
Cook stirring constantly for 20 minutes or until they slightly thickened and the sweet potatoe are soft. Turn off the heat and let cool down for a few minutes. Now you can serve your delicious sweet creamed beans.

If you are using raisins and milk cookies, serve them in a small plate next to the habichuelas con dulce. They look nicer and if there's somebody in your family or friends who doesn't like raisins and milk cookies in the sweet creamed beans (like me and Kiarita), they have the option of enjoy all separately.

Do you want to know another tip? I love to eat them cold from the fridge. The flavor is more concentrated and the taste is a lot more delicious.

Go to my Dominican Food Homepage.