Author: Crystal Rivera

a poet who likes to cook and eat cook and eat cook AND
Caribbean, Comfort Food, Fusion Cuisine, Jewish Cuisine, Soup

sancocho matzo ball soup

by Crystal Rivera1 Comment on sancocho matzo ball soup
sancocho matzo ball soup

The two ultimate comfort soups from both of my worlds have come together to hug the heck out of me.

Developing this recipe was nothing short of WOW. “Wow” was the only sound I heard on the holiday table during Rosh Hashanah when sazón-seasoned matzo balls were ladled into piping hot bowls of sancocho, a hearty soup (sometimes stew) of meat and veggies from the Caribbean. Following my mom’s recipe but needing to cut down on some of the root vegetables to make space for the matzo balls, I’d say this is close enough to hers, which always has had a combination of oxtails and chicken. You can always play around with the proteins and veggies, but if mom doesn’t see yucca, pumpkin, sweet plantain and corn – then Imma get an earful. She has also added, when available, chayote and white yautia roots.

Feel free to use your favorite matzo ball recipe (and hey, add in some sazón and cilantro while you’re at it).

If using sofrito, I have a recipe for it here: mom’s small batch sofrito.

Sancocho Matzo Ball Soup

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Caribbean, Fusion, Jewish, Puerto Rican
Servings 8 or 10 people

Ingredients
  

for the soup

  • 1.5-2 lb oxtails (or beef, short ribs) seasoned with salt
  • 3 tbsp sofrito optional
  • 1/2 of a whole chicken bone-in
  • 1 head of garlic the top cut off to reveal cloves
  • 1/2 of a small Spanish onion
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2 sprigs of thyme optional
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 12 cup water or beef broth
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 1 cup squash or pumpkin cut into chunks
  • 1 ear of corn cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 large yucca cut into chunks
  • 1 semi-sweet plantain sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large potato or yam cut into chunks

for the matzo balls (makes about 12 medium)

  • 3/4 cup matzo meal
  • 3 tbsp schmaltz or fat from oxtail
  • 1/4 cup broth (from soup)
  • 3 egg whites (from large eggs) beaten til frothy
  • 3 egg yolks (from large eggs)
  • 2 tspn sazón Organic, not Goya
  • 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

for the sancocho

  • Brown the oxtails for a few minutes on both sides. Add in the celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, sofrito if using. Continue to fry for about a minute then add in chicken, and water/broth. Bring to a light simmer, not to a boil.
  • Skim often, then reserve 3 TBSP of the chicken and oxtail's oil that sits on top of the broth. Use this for the matzo meal if you do not have chicken schmaltz.
  • After about an hour and half, discard the onion, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Set the chicken aside. When cool enough to handle, shred for serving.
  • Add in the yucca and carrots and cook for 30 minutes before adding in the rest of the vegetables. Simmer for about 15 minutes more.

for the matzo balls

  • In a medium bowl, beat your egg yolks, schmaltz, broth, herbs and seasonings together. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites and matzo meal til fully incorporated. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
  • With wet hands, gently form walnut-sized matzo balls and slip them into a pot of boiling water that was generously salted. Cover and boil for about 50 minutes. Serve in a bowl of sancocho.

Notes

Make sure the oxtails you get have less fat on them than meat. You’ll be spooning fat out of the pot for days! I reserve 3 tbsp of this fat for the matzo balls.
 
Keyword Comfort Food, Hearty Soup, Matzo Balls, Sazon, Sofrito
Sancocho Matzo Ball Soup by @cookonyournerve
Caramelized Cabbage, Comfort Food, Seasonal

Caramelized Cabbage & Herbed Farmer Cheese Galette

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on Caramelized Cabbage & Herbed Farmer Cheese Galette
Caramelized Cabbage & Herbed Farmer Cheese Galette

I’d say it’s time to create a category here strictly dedicated to caramelized cabbage because it’s all the rage on this blog. This time around, I’m pairing the sweet caramelized bits with a layer of rich herbed farmer cheese that I got from Lifeway, a cheese my mom and I are loving due to it’s probiotic benefits, which is then held all snug by a nice golden pie crust. I give you full permission to use store-bought pie dough for this or any of my galette recipes. I do offer a recipe for one below, just in case.

caramelized cabbage galette with herbed farmers cheese

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 1 galette

Ingredients
  

for the pie crust

  • 1 1/4 cup All Purpose flour
  • salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter frozen
  • 1/4 cup iced water

for the cabbage

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 6 cup green cabbage chopped
  • 1 cup sweet onion diced
  • 1 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika or any kind you like
  • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

for the herbed farmers cheese

  • 3/4 cup farmers cheese
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

for the crust

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour and salt.
  • Using the larger holes of a box grater, grate your stick of frozen butter and gently toss it into the flour until every bit of it is coated in flour.
  • Add in water and mix with your hands just enough til a dough forms. Wrap it in plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge as you work on the cabbage.

for the farmers cheese and cabbage

  • In a small bowl, mix the farmers cheese, thyme, and salt together. Return it to the fridge til ready to use.
  • In a deep sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil on low and add in the cabbage, onion, paprika and salt. Stir occasionally, every 10 minutes or so, for about 50 minutes. You'll want the cabbage and onion to brown up but not too much because it will continue to caramelize in the oven.
  • Allow it to come to room temp before using. To quicken the process just pop it in the fridge for about 10 minutes.

for the galette

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out your pie crust on parchment paper for an easy transfer to a large sheet pan. It doesn't have to be rolled out perfectly, that is the ultimate joy of the galette.
  • Add a layer of farmers cheese at the center of the crust, leaving an inch of the edges naked.
  • Add a layer of the caramelized cabbage. Fold in the edges of the crust and brush them with egg wash. Feel free to press thyme onto the crust. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown all over!
Keyword Baked, Cabbage, caramelized, Farmers Cheese, Galette, Pie, Thyme

For other Lifeway recipes by me, head on over to my Instagram. A couple of weeks ago I turned my grilled spicy corn chowder into a DIP using their organic whole milk kefir and you are going to love it! Corn season is still going strong.

Garden, Plant-based, Summer, Tomatoes

Spiced Wild Rice and Summer Tomatoes

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on Spiced Wild Rice and Summer Tomatoes
Spiced Wild Rice and Summer Tomatoes

The cherry tomatoes I picked up from Cherry Lane Farm needed to be the star of any dish I put before my family, and this was certainly a winner. The wild rice, which can stand up to any ingredient without becoming soggy, is delicately spiced with baharat and Aleppo pepper. The tomatoes are marinated before adding them to the rice. I imagine you can add any fresh ingredients here, from cucumbers to corn. Serve this warm or even cold, as a salad or side dish or hey, a main.

Spiced Wild Rice and Summer Tomatoes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

for the rice

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tspn baharat
  • 1/2 tspn Aleppo pepper
  • 1 cup wild rice
  • 1 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • salt to taste

for the tomatoes

  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes in season only, halved
  • drizzle of good quality olive oil
  • 1/2 tspn ground cumin
  • salt and Aleppo pepper to taste
  • fresh herbs chopped, to taste

Instructions
 

for the rice

  • Heat olive oil in a small pot. Add in the baharat and Aleppo pepper, allowing them to infuse the oil for about a minute. Stir in wild rice, stock, and salt. Bring to a boil then, with lid on, simmer for 45 minutes, or until the stock has evaporated. Set aside and cool slightly.

for the tomatoes

  • In a small bowl, season the halved tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, cumin, and Aleppo pepper and allow it to marinate for at least 15 minutes before adding in the rice. Mix in your fresh herbs and serve.
Keyword Farmers Market, Fresh, Garden, Quick, Simple, Summer

By the way, how cute are my chili pepper shakers? Couldn’t resist using them here for the gram. Ha!

Comfort Food, Muffins

Ham and Cheese Muffins

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on Ham and Cheese Muffins
Ham and Cheese Muffins

These savory, cheesy muffins are my go-to for picnics, brunch, hikes, getaways, but sometimes I make a batch just for Danny who can’t get enough of ’em. Have them fresh out of the oven or up to 2-3 days later. Slather some of my strawberry-fig jam on ’em and be smacked with savory-sweet bite.

This Ham and Cheese Muffin recipe is adapted from Lee Bailey’s Portable Food book. I’ve toyed with it a bit and encourage you to do the same once you’ve nailed down the basics. While he uses only cheddar, I love a bit of the smokier cheeses as well. I’ve always made a batch with smoked gouda but tried smoked gruyère the other day and it was just as lovely. Adding fresh herbs and chives is my favorite way to make them, though it is optional. I was growing lots of thyme and rosemary during the summer and decided to toss them into the flour. Best. Decision. Ever. Cracked pepper adds the spice I always prefer in a savory thing, add as much as you want! I haven’t omitted the ham in this recipe, but if you do, let me know how it comes out. Add a bit more cheese and I’m sure they’ll be perfect.

Ham and Cheese Muffins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 c AP Flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 c chives chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh woody herbs minced, optional
  • 1 large egg room temp
  • 1 c buttermilk room temp
  • 1/4 c oil
  • 7 oz smoked ham steak diced
  • 1 c cheddar grated
  • 1/4 c smoked cheese grated

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir flour, salt, pepper, and herbs til combined. Add grated cheese and toss into the flour til evenly distributed.
  • In a smaller bowl, whisk in the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Stir in ham. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients and try not to over mix. Spoon fully into greased muffin pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, til they've reached their golden-ness.
Keyword hike-friendly, kid-friendly, savory muffin
Seasonal, Soup, Summer

Grilled Spicy Corn Chowder with Cilantro and Basil

by Crystal Rivera1 Comment on Grilled Spicy Corn Chowder with Cilantro and Basil
Grilled Spicy Corn Chowder with Cilantro and Basil

Sitting at the corner table in Estia’s Little Kitchen with Connie, a spoonful of corn chowder in my mouth, I’m immediately taken back to my previous home in Jamaica, Queens. A burst of heat and plenty of cilantro in the broth is exactly how I enjoyed Momma Lupe’s soups. I called a gentleman over and asked in a single word, “tomatillos?” And in a single word returned, “poblanos.” Again I was back in a little kitchen of my own, in another time and place, where sounds of the blender filled the room as poblanos and cilantro became one, beautiful green.

Gratitude to this garden-to-table family restaurant for allowing me a taste of memory. Our waiting area was the best wait I’ve ever experienced in my life. They serve iced coffee in a truck out back where they are currently growing many lettuce greens and herbs, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes. Check out that dragonfly chillin’ on a garlic scape. We walked around til our names were called and made sure we would return before heading back into the city.

Estia’s Little Kitchen

Inspired by their chowder (I had never seen a green corn chowder, have you?), I made my own and I am loving every morning, afternoon, and night with a bowl of this. It’s good hot and room temp, probably even cold. It goes perfectly with an egg, avocado, a sprinkle of cotija, crispy tortillas. To make it a bit light, I use coconut milk instead of cream and I leave out potatoes. I also grilled the ingredients to get that summer flavor I love.

Grilled Spicy Corn Chowder with Cilantro and Basil

A corn chowder that gets it heat from poblanos
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 ears of sweet corn
  • 3 poblano peppers deseeded if you prefer less heat
  • 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 small spanish onion diced
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1.5 tsp dried oregano or few sprigs of fresh oregano
  • 2 c cilantro chopped, stems ok
  • 1 c basil
  • 5 c chicken or vegetable stock hot*
  • 13.5 oz organic coconut milk full fat
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place 4 ears of corn in a cast iron skillet, or on a grill, and char them a few minutes on each side, turning often. This should take no more than 8-10 minutes. The other 2 ears of corn you will cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
  • Spend about 10 minutes charring the peppers as well, 5 minutes a side.
  • When cool enough to handle, stand each ear of corn into a bowl and cut kernels off of them. Slice your poblanos, deseeding if you'd like.
  • Take about half of the kernels and put them into a food processor along with the poblanos. Blend for a few seconds then add your cilantro and basil. Continue to blend til it reaches desired consistency.
  • In a pot, warm up your coconut oil and sauté your onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin for about a minute. Then add the green mixture along with the rest of the kernels and 1-inch pieces, sauté for another minute. Stir in your coconut milk and hot stock. Simmer for about 8. It doesn’t take long!
    Enjoy <3 Corn is making their summer appearance now but soon, it’ll be EV-ERY-WHERE.

Notes

*I use stock that has been heated up beforehand so that the greens do not over cook. I like the bright, fresh green look of it. We are only waiting for the corn pieces to cook through, which only takes a few minutes. 
The broth thickens up once you take it off the heat, in case you’re wondering why it seems loose at first!
Keyword Fresh, Green, Grilled, Light, Quick, Simple
Bread, Fusion Cuisine

sofrito pirozkhi

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on sofrito pirozkhi
sofrito pirozkhi Jump to Recipe

My favorite Russian pirozhki couldn’t be more simple. I take a whole onion, couple of garlic cloves, a handful of dill, and blend them together til they reach a puréed consistency. I simmer ground beef with a bay leaf, the onion and dill mixture, generously adding salt and pepper. That’s it. That’s the flavor of them I recall from my grandmother’s kitchen. It didn’t take long for me to make the sofrito connection, which has the onion and garlic, but also sweet peppers, cilantro instead of dill, and spices. Grab the recipe for mom’s small batch sofrito and make these fluffy baked buns.

I was thinking about making a full-on pastelillo filling, but decided on the Russian’s less-is-more seasoned beef. But by all means, add some chopped pimiento-stuffed olives, small diced potato, raisins, more tomato paste or sauce, etc! You’ll just need less meat than this recipe calls for.

You may also fry them in batches, which is the only way I enjoyed them at Brighton Beach many moons ago, with the most fantastic oil dripping onto my bathing suit. Pero, nothing wrong with baked, either. Less standing by the pan, less oil-burns, less oil.

Note: this dough can be used for many other fillings, both savory and sweet. It can also be doubled (no need to double the yeast, just everything else). I’ll have dessert options posted soon. And meatless options!

Sofrito Pirozkhi

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proofing Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Bread, Main Course
Cuisine Caribbean, Fusion, Puerto Rican, Russian
Servings 10 buns

Ingredients
  

milk and yeast dough

  • 1/4 oz active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup whole milk lukewarm
  • 1/2 tbsp sugar or honey
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 2 egg yolks room temp
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 cups AP flour sifted
  • 1 egg lightly whisked, for egg wash

ground beef filling

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/4 cup sofrito see recipe link in intro
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tbsp sazón organic, not Goya
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 3/4 cup water
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions
 

ground beef filling

  • In a deep pan, heat olive oil. Add your beef, breaking it up with a slotted spoon while adding in your spices.
  • Move some of the browned beef aside so that a little of the oil pools to the corner. Directly into the oil, stir in the tomato paste and allow it to caramelize for a minute or so before mixing it into the beef. This will enhance the flavor.
  • Stir in sofrito. After a few minutes, pour in the water and let it simmer til most of the liquid evaporates, occasionally giving it a stir.
  • Add in the cilantro and let the meat cool to room temp before using.

yeasted dough

  • In a small bowl, sift your flour along with the salt and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, gently whisk together your milk, sugar, dry yeast and let stand for 10-15 minutes, or until very active.
  • Whisk in the butter and egg yolks, then slowly add in your flour, kneading as you go along for about 10 minutes. The dough is so supple and soft within a couple of minutes but I like to continue kneading for good measure.
  • Cover the bowl and allow it to double in size, about 2 hours.
  • Divide the dough into 2 oz pieces, about 8-10. Roll each into a disc and add 2-2 1/2 tbsp of the filling. Pinch the discs closed. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the buns seam-side down next to each other, giving them a tiny bit of room between each other.
  • Cover them with a clean tea towel and let them prove for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Brush the beaten egg on each and bake for 20-30 minutes, til they've browned.
Keyword Baked, Dough, Sazon, Snack, Sofrito
Caramelized Cabbage, Comfort Food, Fusion Cuisine, Jewish Cuisine, Soup

caramelized cabbage soup with flanken and golden beets

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on caramelized cabbage soup with flanken and golden beets
caramelized cabbage soup with flanken and golden beets

This soup is a cross between a meaty borscht and my modern-day obsession with caramelized cabbage. Both flanken and cabbage lend a hand in it’s richness, sweetness, and color. Brown food is beautiful.

Some notes: If you choose to make this vegetarian, I would add dried mushrooms to create an umami broth. To make it heartier, add more of the vegetables listed here. Barley would be a nice addition, too. If you can’t find golden beets, any beet would do. I just love the goldeness it creates in the broth.

One thing you should refrain from is cutting time spent on cooking the cabbage. The longer you cook them, the better. I like to go the extra step of patting them down with a paper towel just to take away some excess oil. I also like to spoon some of the fat out of the pot as the flanken simmers. You might find it easier to do that once the soup cools down, though. Up to you!

Caramelized Cabbage Soup with Flanken and Golden Beets

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Russian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

for the cabbage

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb green cabbage chopped
  • 1/2 cup leek, sliced – or other onion, diced
  • 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tspn sugar optional

for the broth

  • vegetable oil to coat pot
  • 1-1 1/12 lb flanken cut into pieces between the bones
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1 head of garlic halved crosswise
  • 1 onion
  • fresh herbs of your choosing
  • 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 10 cup water

for the soup

  • 2 1/2 cup beets peeled and diced
  • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
  • caramelized cabbage and onion
  • flanken and it's broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • dill or cilantro to taste

Instructions
 

for the cabbage

  • Set a deep, large pan over medium-high heat. Add your oil.
  • When it’s hot you’ll add the cabbage, leeks, salt, and sugar. Immediately turn the heat down to low and slow cook the cabbage, being careful to not interrupt the browning process by moving the cabbage around a lot. You’ll stir it once every 8-10 minutes til they have deeply browned, about 45 minutes or more. If at any point the pan looks too dry, you may gradually add a bit more olive oil. Set aside in a bowl lined with a paper towel as you work on the broth.

for the broth and soup

  • In a large pot set over high heat, brown the flanken in batches. Return them to the pot when the last batch is done.
  • Add the vegetables, herbs, salt, and water. Bring it to a boil, cover with a lid, and turn it down to a simmer. For the first 15 minutes, check on it to remove any foamy crud that rises to the top.
  • After 1.5 hours, discard the vegetables and herbs and add the beets, carrots, caramelized cabbage. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes, or til tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, and fresh herbs if you’d like.
Keyword beets, Cabbage, caramelized, flanken, soup

Originally featured on The Nosher.

Seasonal

Citrus Marinated Manchego

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on Citrus Marinated Manchego
Citrus Marinated Manchego

Bite-sized young manchego sitting in a bowl of olive oil and spices has been my go-to for five years now…and I like it even better with a few strips of orange zest, fresh herbs, honey, and lightly smashed cloves of garlic. Those cloves soften up and become addictively sweet, AND 👏 THAT 👏 OIL 👏, totally meant for dipping so don’t forget the bread. I don’t even know which part of this is my favorite. I’ll let you decide.

Adding in some dried wild thyme flowers is not necessary, but I have them and I love how peppery they are. You can totally play with the spices if you’d like! This recipe is flexible. Bring it to your next picnic or give it as a gift!

Citrus Marinated Manchego

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Appetizer, Homemade Gift, Snack

Ingredients
  

  • 7 oz young manchego cheese 3-6 months
  • 2 tspn Aleppo pepper (or other red pepper, to taste)
  • 3/4 tspn cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tspn ground coriander
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4-5 strips zest from an orange
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed into pieces
  • 1 bushy sprig of thyme or rosemary
  • 1/4 tspn dried wild thyme flowers, crushed optional
  • 1 tspn honey

Instructions
 

  • Break a part your manchego into bite-sized pieces and place them into a jar or bowl that comes with a lid. Set aside.
  • In a small saucepan set over low heat, gently toast your spices, about 1 minute, til fragrant. Then pour in olive oil, zest, garlic, sprig, and honey. Keep it on low and allow it to barely bubble up for about 5 minutes, then let cool completely before adding it into the jar or bowl full of cheese.
  • Refrigerate over night or for at least 24 hours before serving.
  • Bring it to room temp before serving.
Keyword Picnic, Simple

Seasonal

Braised Cabbage Piccata

by Crystal Rivera2 Comments on Braised Cabbage Piccata
Braised Cabbage Piccata

Y’all should know me by now (particularly if you follow my Instagram: cookonyournerve). Braising wedges of cabbage has been my THING, for years! So I thought it was about time I actually share a recipe doing just that. And don’t think I haven’t noticed within the last year or so a bunch of wedged cabbage recipes poppin’ up on big-name magazines, and food blogs, too! It’s about time cabbage got some major love.

This one’s got the stuff that many dig about veal or chicken piccata: lemon, butter, wine, broth, capers. Just minus the veal and chicken. And it’s got the stuff I love most: braising cabbage til a caramelized-nutty-sweetness takes over them.

braised cabbage piccata

Crystal Rivera
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb green or savoy cabbage (medium-sized cabbage)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil plus more as needed
  • 1/4 c butter divided
  • 2 tbsp flour* see note
  • 1/2 c white wine good quality
  • 1 1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock plus more if needed
  • 2 leafy sprigs thyme or rosemary
  • 3-4 thin slices lemon
  • 3 tbsp capers rinsed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tbsp parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Leaving the cabbage's core intact, halve the head through it's core, then cut each half into 3-4 thick wedges through the core.
  • Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or braiser. Sear the wedges of cabbage cut side down for about 2 minutes, til lightly charred. Set aside to work on your sauce.
  • In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and whisk in 2 tbsp flour to create a light golden roux, about 1-2 minutes. Continue to whisk while slowly adding in the wine and the stock.
  • Carefully add in the cabbage wedges, char-side down, along with your sprigs of thyme, sliced lemon, capers, and 2 tbsp butter. Bring it to a boil then shut off the stove. Spoon sauce over cabbage. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the wedges. With a cover on, let it braise in the oven for about 40 minutes, til tender. If, at this point, the sauce appears to be running dry, add more broth or water. Spoon more sauce over the cabbage, then bake another 45 minutes or longer, uncovered, til they have caramelized to your liking. Season to taste.

Notes

  • I’ve made this recipe before without making the roux, as pictured below. Still delicious, just not gravy-like. 
  • While recipes tend to call for lemon juice, I find that the use of lemon slices, with rind, give it a nice burst of rich lemony flavor as well. 
Keyword braised cabbage, caramelized, Simple
Plant-based, salad, Seasonal, Tomatoes

Pickled Sweet Plantain Salad

by Crystal RiveraLeave a Comment on Pickled Sweet Plantain Salad
Pickled Sweet Plantain Salad

Loisa and I are bringing you fresh takes on classics, and I’m loving this latest one.

Here’s some guineros en escabeche inspo for you, minus the green bananas (guineros), I know! The yellow plantain is for my sweet cravings, and the cherry tomatoes are for that burst of spring and summer I so desperately miss. In addition to tomatoes and avocados, I imagine you can make this even more colorful and filling by adding a variety of sweet and hot peppers, added them to the quick pickling process or kept fresh. While you can make this the night before, I have served this several times an hour or two after mixing everything together. It still comes out flavorful. Just remember to add the avocado closer to serving.

Pickled Sweet Plantain Salad

Crystal Rivera
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Puerto Rican
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

for the plantains

  • 2 yellow plantains peeled
  • olive oil enough to coat plantains
  • 1/4 tspn Loisa Adobo divided

for the pickled onions

  • 2 small red onions halved and then sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves gently smashed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tspn Loisa oregano
  • 1/2 tspn sugar
  • 1/4 tspn Loisa cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste

for assembling

  • baked plantains sliced
  • 2 avocados diced
  • 1/2 lb cherry or grape tomatoes halved
  • cilantro chopped, to taste
  • pickled onions
  • olives or capers optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

for the plantains

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place plantains on a sheet pan and drizzle olive oil over them, spreading the oil evenly around it along with adobo, about 1/8 tsp each. Bake for 15 minutes on one side, and 15 minutes on the other. Set aside.

for the onions

  • Place all ingredients in a saucepan set under medium heat. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes, then set aside in a small bowl. I like the onions to still have a tiny bit of crispness to them while remaining a vibrant color. Boil longer for softer onions and stronger flavor.

for assembling

  • Mix the sweet plantains, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, and onion mixture together. Add in the olives or capers, if using. Chill for at least 1-3 hours before serving.
  • If you plan on marinating this salad overnight, add the avocado and tomatoes next day right before serving. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Enjoy!

Notes

For the plantains, I chose ones that were slightly blackened to assure that they do not lose shape when getting mixed with other ingredients. The blacker, the sweeter and softer they are. But do you!
Keyword Fresh, Simple

Here are other recipes I created using Loisa’s spices! This ongoing partnership has been the thing of color and comfort.

–Festive Veggie Arroz con Gandules

–Stewed Pigeon Peas (Gandules Guisados) with Fried Mushrooms

stewed pigeon peas (gandules guisados) with fried mushrooms

stewed pigeon peas (gandules guisados) with fried mushrooms

A recipe developed for Loisa using their organic spices. These stewed pigeon peas (gandules guisados) have butternut squash, and mushrooms that were first browned in a cast iron, spiced with sazón. I am pretty much addicted to these mushrooms and would not be mad atcha if you chose to just make them alone. Something tells […]

Roasted Beet Borscht with Meat

Roasted Beet Borscht with Meat

Once I became in love with the roasted beet, (let’s say 8 years ago) I knew it was only a matter of time when we’d roast a few and add them to our borscht. I’ve been making it this way for awhile now! Yesterday I received a box of forono beets, January King cabbage, red […]