Did BBQ 4, need to do the others
3/3/02
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Garry Howard 
BBQ List

Peas and Rice

Most of the time I just wing it and make my own rice and just add the
gandules. I usually put coconut milk in it which isn't the Puerto Rican way.
Tonight I'm making a batch using a Puerto Rican recipe. Here are a couple of
traditional PR recipes. They're both pretty similar. I don't make sofrito.
Here you can buy all kinds of fresh sofrito in the supermarket so I just buy
a big jar of it. Just about every recipe has a couple of tablespoons of
sofrito in it.

I smoked the salmon today. It came out a little saltier than last time. I
wasn't able to find any Kosher salt so we bought a box of coarse sea salt.
It may be a little saltier than Kosher. Next trip I'm bringing a 3 lb box of
Kosher salt with me.

Here are the recipes. Alcaparrado is a mixture of green olives, pimientos
and capers. Sazon is a seasoning mix that is sold here. You can also buy it
in the states in the ethnic food section.

Garry

Arroz Con Gandules 

2 cups long or short grain rice (rinsed)
3 cups of water 
2 Tablespoons of sofrito 
16 ounce can of gandules (pigeon peas) 
2 tablespoons of alcaparrado without liquid 
1 packet of Sazon with achiote 
1 ounces of tomato sauce 
2 Tablespoons of oil 
Salt to taste 

In a medium size pot add the oil, tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and
sazon. Cook at medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients, and
enough water into the pot so the rice is submerge one inch below the water.
Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you
are satisfied with the taste. Bring to a boil and allow most of the water to
be absorbed. Once the water has been absorbed, stir gently from bottom to
top, cover and turn the heat down to low. Stirring once in between cook for
25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. 

Arroz Con Gandule
(Rice with Pigeon Peas) 

This rice dish is traditional on Christmas and special occasions for the
Puerto Rican family. We make other types of rice dishes, but arroz con
gandules must always be present. It is a very delicious rice dish and goes
very well with pernil (roast pork shoulder), boiled green bananas, a
vegetable and green vinegarette salad. 

Every Puerto Rican family has their own way of preparing it. One can add
chorizo (Spanish sausage), tocino (salt fatback crackling's) and jamn de
cocinar (smoked cooking ham). The chorizo and ham can be used together, for
this recipe we will only use the chorizo. If you are going to use the tocino
be sure not to use to much salt to the rice because the tocino is salty. 

2 cups long or short grain rice (wash and remove any foriegn objects)
3 1/2 cups of boiling water
1 1/2 cups of chorizo (sliced bite size)
1/2 cup of recaito
16 ounce can of gandules (pigeon peas) or 1 bag of frozen gandules (follow
package cooking directions)
1/2 cup of alcaparrado without liquid
3 table spoons of annatto oil or one packet of Sazon with achiote
4 ounces of tomato sauce
Salt to taste

Note: If you are going to use the Sazon with achiote instead of using the
annatto oil use 3 table spoons of corn oil with the Sazon.

In a caldero (dutch oven pot) with lid fry the chorizo in the annatto oil.
Add the tomato sauce, alcaparrado and recaito to the pot and stir together.
Cook at medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients except the
salt, pore the boiling water into the pot so the rice is submerge one inch
below the water. Start with 2 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and
mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Dont cover yet, let the
rice absorb the water. Once absorbed stir gently from bottom to top, cover
and turn the heat down to low. Stirring once in between cook for 25 to 30
minutes or until the rice is tender. 

Serves 3 to 4 
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Garry Howard
BBQ List

Jamaican Rice

Gary,

Enjoy the rice. One of my standard rice recipes is Jamaican style. I saute
some chopped onions, garlic, and a couple of habaneros and then add the
rice, gandules, chicken boullion, and coconut milk. I wonder if everyone
realizes how gandules grow. I didn't until I saw them growing here in PR. I
always thought they were a type of pea or bean but they actually grow on
trees in seed pods. I guess that's why they're called "pigeon" peas. They
are in season right now and roadside vendors sell them fresh still in the
pods.

The alcaparrado probably does make a difference. It's an ingredient in a lot
of Puerto Rican recipes. Unfortunately the jar I bought has unpitted olives
so you have to be careful not to break a tooth eating the rice. Next time
I'll pay more attention and try to find a brand with pitted olives.

I bought some banana leaves yesterday for the pasteles. I'll do that project
in the next day or two.

Thanks for reminding me about the latkes. I promised my wife I would make a
batch. Last year we invited the neighbors over for latkes. There is a
similar Puerto Rican dish made from grated green bananas. Here they actually
cook with green bananas. I used to think that any recipe that called for
green bananas was actually referring to plantain but that isn't the case.
Supermarkets sell green bananas, "guineos verde".

Let us know how the rice turns out.

Garry

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I made pasteles yesterday and they turned out pretty good. Irene said they
were better than the pasteles our Puerto Rian neighbor served us last year.
Of course I didn't exactly follow the traditional recipe. For example none
of the Puerto Rican recipes called for ground Chimayo red chile. It sure was
a lot of work, though, and I thought tamales were a lot of work. Those
banana leaves are worse than corn husks to deal with.

I didn't photograph every step but I did take a few pictures. You can see
them at http://www.garryhoward.com/pasteles.

Garry
==========================

No, the dough doesn't get fluffy, it firms up. I guess because they boil
them is why they wrap them in the paper as well as the banana leaf.

I brought a bag of ground Chimayo chile down here with me as well as a few
other ingredients I haven't been able to find here. I keep it in the freezer
for when I need it. The guacamole was made from an avocado our gardener
brought us off the tree in his yard. He planted a tree for us in our yard
but it will be a couple of years before we get any avocados.

I make guacamole very simply. I chop some tomatos, green onions, and
cilantro and then coarsely mash the avocado and mix it in. Then I add some
garlic powder and salt. That's it. Everybody always raves about it when they
taste it but it's very simple. I like to taste the avocado.

Bring on the tequila and you're welcome. Like you say, never too much
tequila.

Garry

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It's probably a little late for most of you, but here is the black-eyed
pea recipe I mentioned. Technically it isn't a "Paul" Prudhomme recipe
since it is from the Prudhomme Family Cookbook. This is basically the
recipe I follow. I use poblano chiles instead of bell peppers. Since
tasso is a little hard to come by around here, I used some andouille
sausage. I fried the sausage and then browned the vegetables in the
grease before adding the peas and broth.

For the collards, I sauteed some chopped onions, garlic and poblano
chiles and then added the chopped collards. I put some of the andouille
in the collards. We're also having a smoked chicken I pulled out of the
freezer. I broke off the wing tips and cut out the backbone and added it
to the collards for a little more flavor.

Happy New Year everyone! May your smoke be sweet in 2002!

Garry

                      
* Exported from MasterCook *

                Black-Eyed Peas With Slab Bacon and Tasso

Recipe By     :Paul Prudhomme
Serving Size  : 8     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Beans                           Cajun


  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2             quarts  Basic Pork or Chicken Stock
  1              pound  dried black-eyed peas
     1/2         pound  slab bacon -- cut in 1" cubes
     1/4         pound  tasso -- cut in 1" cubes
  1 1/2           cups  finely chopped onions
     1/2           cup  finely chopped green bell peppers
     1/4           cup  finely chopped celery
  1           teaspoon  minced garlic
  1 3/4      teaspoons  salt
     1/2      teaspoon  cayenne pepper

In a 5 1/2 quart saucepan or large Dutch oven, combine the stock, peas,
bacon, tasso, onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cover pan and
bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally so peas don't
stick. Put lid askew and continue boiling about 5 minutes.

Stir well, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and re-cover pan with lid
askew. Simmer about 1 hour, stirring occasionally (more often toward the
end of cooking time so the mixture doesn't scorch). Stir in the salt and
pepper, re-cover pan, and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring frequently
aqnd being careful the mixture doesn't scorch. If it does scorch, do not
stir; change to a new pan.

Remove cover and simmer until creamy thick, about 10 minutes more,
stirring as necessary. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Compliments: Garry's Home Cookin' - http://cooking.netrelief.com

Source:
  "The Prudhomme Family Cookbook"


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Guac

I don't use lime juice. To me it overwhelms the subtle flavor of the
avocado. Sometimes I add serranos if I have some.

Garry
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Fajitas
Garry Howard
BBQ List

We are talking about the commercial variety like Goya brand. Mojo is one
of those things with a lot of variations in the recipes. Most of the
recipes I have found have oil in them. Here are a couple:

Mojo Criollo
(Makes 1 cup)

1/3 cup olive oil
6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
2/3 cup fresh sour orange juice or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

==============================
I usually use olive oil but any vegetable oil should work. Marinades are
usually comprised of acid, fat (usually oil) and flavorings like spices,
herbs, or condiments like tabasco or worcestershire. The acid does the
tenderizing by breaking down muscle fibers. The fat coats the meat and
keeps it from drying out during cooking. Mojo is different in that it
doesn't contain any oil. I don't really think chicken needs it, but I
think beef and fish benefit from the oil. You can concoct your own
marinades by trying different acids like lemon juice or vinegar mixed
with oil and flavorings.

Garry
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Garry Howard
BBQ List
SAlmon Steaks
Personally I think salmon steaks would be better grilled. I like to smoke
filets. When grilling I usually melt some butter, add some soy or
worcestershire sauce, minced garlic and a little lemon juice. Baste the fish
with this mixture before and during grilling.

For smoked fish I like to use a dry brine. Most brines start with 50/50
sugar and salt but I like to use 2 to 1 sugar to salt so it doesn't come out
too salty. You can add any other herbs or spices you want. Dill is good.
Pack the fish in the brine and put in a non-reactive container in the fridge
overnight. The next morning rinse the fish thoroughly under running water
and pat dry with paper towels. Leave the fish out on the kitchen counter
until the surface of the fish is dry to the touch. It will get a shiny
surface and will be tacky at first if you touch it with your finger. I
usually let it air dry for about 4 hours. At this point, if you have really
fresh fish, you have gravlax and can thinly slice it and eat it as is. Or
put it in the smoker and smoke at the lowest possible temperature until it
reaches the level of dryness that you prefer. Usually 2 - 4 hours.

We're in Puerto Rico now and I am going to make some smoked salmon this week
on the WSM as soon as the wood chips I shipped down show up. I haven't been
able to find wood chips in the stores here. The last batch I made in the
Backwoods Smoker came out excellent.

Good luck!

Garry
====================

I found the dry cure recipe I use as a basis. I don't have Mastercook
installed on this notebook computer but I remembered I put a copy on my
website. I use Kosher salt.

Dry Cure For Fish 

Recipe By : The Smoked-Foods Cookbook ISBN 0-8117-0116-6 

1 Cup pickling salt
1 Cup packed brown sugar
3/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/2 Teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 Teaspoon ginger
1/2 Teaspoon crumbled bay leaves
2 garlic cloves -- pressed 

The brown sugar of this flavorful cure is especially good with salmon and
steelhead, though it is also excellent with other fish. This recipe makes
enough cure for approximately 10 pounds of fish. Use it for fillets, steaks,
or whole small fish. 

Combine the ingredients, and rub well into fish. Place in a non-metal
container for several hours or overnight, depending on the size and amount
of fish. Rins fish well in cold water, rubbing slightly to release excess
salt. Pat dry, then allow to air-dry for several hours until fish acquires a
glaze. Smoke according to your smoker's directions. 

Garry



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Here's another borscht recipe you might want to try. It's my wife's Russian
borscht.

Irene's Hot Borscht 

Recipe By : Irene Howard 

3 Medium Beets
2 1/2 qt Water
3 Medium Potatoes
1 Small onion
1 Bell Pepper
2 Carrots
6 Cloves garlic
1 Small can tomato paste
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 Head of cabbage
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Salt
2 tbsp Vegetable oil


Peel beets, add to water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until
done, about 45 minutes. Add salt. Remove beets from water and set aside to
cool. 

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8s. Add to beet water. Cook until almost done. 

Meanwhile, chop onion and bell pepper. If you would like to spice it up add
a couple of Jalapenos. (They would never do this in Russia.) Grate carrots.
Finely chop garlic. Saute vegetables in oil until tender. Add tomato paste
and just enough water to make a thick sauce. Add sugar and cook an
additional five minutes. 

Coarsely grate cooled beets. 

Coarsely chop 1/4 of a head of cabbage and add to potatoes and beet water.
Boil until the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Add vegetables and
vinegar. Taste and correct for salt. 

Serve in soup bowls with a dollop of sour cream. 


