It is messy and hardly good for you... Friday Frying In Fat.

The notion that fat is not good for you is an old as time. Just about every restaurant that you have ever ate at, had something that is fried in fat on its menu.

A few things about frying in fat: First you get to pick your fat. Olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, shortening, or soy,  can all be beneficial in their own way. One factor is price, the last three are more inexpensive than the the first three which are more flavorful.

Second, it is easy and safe. A home fryer can be bought for under $35 and last years. I currently use an eight quart that is over twenty years old. The cord has a thermometer, and reaches temperature in minutes

Third, you can fry almost anything from plants to animal. Some items may need to be marinated or soaked. Some will need to be submerged in the oil, while others need a minuscule amount.
If you cook often, you will do different types of frying: deep frying using a fryer,  sauteing using one or two inches of oil. Or using two to six cups of oil in a large pot, as I did in making bake and shark this week.

As a regular fryer, you get to reuse the oil. Remember, strain oil after each use to remove leftover  solids.  It should also be kept refrigerator, oil tends to get rancid by heat and constant light. i use various mason jars that can be tucked away to the  back of the fridge.

I avoid deep frying in the kitchen, The frying process needs to breathe. Absorbed in ones clothing and utensils are quickly realized, especially in doing seafood.. My best area to fry is on the patio. I also try to put a timer on, it is easy to forget you have multi fires going.

I fry at 350 to 375 degrees. One should invest in a good digital thermometer. I found myself using the flour test recently. The oil is ready when you drop a few specks of flour in it and it sizzles without burning.

Depending on the item, you may want to flour the product or use a batter as in preparing a tempura. This adds a protective coating and prevents over cooking. It also gives a nice crispy taste.
When frying, add in small batches to maintain a constant temperature. Never crowd a pot when cooking in any method. My fryer comes with a basket for draining. I still put cooked items on paper towels by habit.
Fried food is best eaten immediately but will hold in the low setting (175-200 degrees) of the oven until ready to serve.

                                             Bake and Shark
For Bake:
4 cups flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
2 Tablespoon soften butter
1 1/3 cups warm water, more or less
Splash of oil for coating dough

Mix first five ingredients
Cut in butter with a pastry knife
Add water and blend by hand
Knead by hand until it pulls away from sides,  make into a ball
Put dough in bowl and rub oil lightly to outside,
Cover and let rise at least thirty minutes
Pinch off ten balls. Flatten to 3x3 disk.
Fry in two inches of oil in a large pot until lightly brown
Put on towel to drain.

Shark:
2 pounds Shark cut into 2x2 chunks and seasoned with sofrito
1/4 Scotch bonnet add to shark meat
I lemon, juice half, add to shark, cut half into wedges
Let marinade at least 4 hours
Flour for dusting, seasoned with cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper
Dust fish in flour to coat
Heat oil to 350 degrees
Fry fish for 3-5 minutes
Drain on paper towel
Garnish with lemon wedges

Condiments: chadon beni, sliced red onions, hot sauce, sliced bell peppers, sliced cucumbers, sliced pineapple. Tamarind sauce, chopped cilantro, garlic.


















Friday Frying In Fat

More About Rice

If you crave for more variety in your life, try these different types of rice, each with its own unique taste.
Today, rice is a staple for almost half the world's population- especially in parts of Asia and the Caribbean. The major rice-growing states in the United States are Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and Mississippi.
Rice is usually classified by its size- long, medium and short grain.
Yet, when a recipe calls for  Forbidden rice, that is the trademark name for a medium- grain Chinese black rice. It is rich in iron and has a fragrant aroma, nutty taste and black to purple color. It is certified organic from Lotus Foods. It takes about 30 minutes to cook.

Welhani: Developed by the Lundberg Family Farms. The fragrant rice is a reddish- brown hybrid of Indian basmati and long grain brown rice. Takes about 45 minutes to cook.

Jasmine: This, a more familiar name rice, is originally from Thailand. Though, it is now also grown in the USA. It contains 10% rice bran, giving it a light tan color and an aroma and flavor similar to popcorn or roasted nuts. Takes about 45 minutes to cook.

When cooking these items you can simmer-in flavor. Use flavorful broth, instead of water to cook rice. You can also crush a few cloves of garlic and simmer with your rice.
Try topping or mixing in a pasta sauce, pesto, tamari or a coconut curry sauce.

You can "veg" out and go nuts. Saute assorted vegetables or nuts in olive oil, butter or macadamia nut oil, and add cooked rice. Also try mushrooms and shallots; celery, onions, and slivered almonds; spinach, garlic, sliced artichokes hearts, and pine nuts.....the combinations you can create are endless

Puerto Rico's Backyard and Fried Okra

Not sure, but few Borinqueneers have ventured to the sister island of Vieques on a regular bases. Located 6 miles to the east. it is a strange jewel of glamour in the Caribbean.
Today, the NYT Travel reports the opening of El Blok. A 22 room, boutique inn with Chef Jose Enrique at the helm of its culinary section. Chef Jose, a young chef whose creative take on jibaro Puerto Rico cuisine earned him a James Beard nomination last year.
The inn is located in Esperanza, Vieques's main seaside town. Part of the draw will be the inn's design.
With its round-edged concrete exterior, and colored hydraulic tiles, takes one back to the style of San Juan in the 1950s.
Rates for double rooms will hoover around  $175. Twice as much as I paid for a room back in the '90s, on my last visit.

Saturday at the FryBar, we featured fried okra with a tomato mayonaise sauce. Nope, Vange made sure it was fresh, simple and not slimy.

1 pound Fresh okra
1 cup self rising cornmeal in a dipping dish ( plus 1cup self rising flour, or bread crumbs will work)
1 cup buttermilk in a bowl ( use half and half with a teaspoon of lemon or vinegar added)
Tony's creole seasoning or salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil, plus 1/2 cup bacon dripping


Starting from the tip, gentle smash each okra with a small meat mallet
They should slightly burst open. this can also be done with hand preasure
Season cornmeal mixture to taste
Working from left to right, dip okra in buttermilk and then dredgepelau2@yahoo.com in cornmeal, coating fully
In a skillet, saute okra in batches, till lightly golden brown, about 4 minutes @ 375 degrees
Serve with a tomato/mayo sauce (optional, keep off those calories!)

Macaroni Milanaise

This is just an upgraded Mac & Cheese from the NYT magazine. A real comfort food that is even better the next day. You can use whatever dried pasta on hand: penne, elbows or bowties.

1/2 pound pasta
4 slices ham, about 2 ozs. cut into ribbons
4 ozs. mushrooms, sliced thin
2 T tomato puree
1/4 cup Madeira or red wine
3 T Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses, grated
2 T butter
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 T flat leaf parsley, chopped
   Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook pasta in salted water just to al dente, following box's  instructions
Meanwhile, in small saute pan, put the mushroom, ham and tomato puree
Pour Madeira wine into the pan and cook over medium high heat until liquid has reduced to a glaze.
Turn the heat off and set aside.
Reserve a cup of pasta water, and drain pasta well. Return the pasta to pot, then add the cheeses, butter, and stir to combine.
Add the seasonings, and stir some more, adding a little reserved pasta water to loosen the pasta and help melt the cheeses.
Add the mushroom mixture, stir to combine and serve.

Self Healing

The WSJ reports, the key to better health is being more actively involved in your own care. Studies show that the more engaged patients are, they have lower costs and better health outcomes. When more engaged with care, patients and families can help prevent drastic mistakes or oversights, such as identifying a wrong drug or dose they get from the pharmacy, or notifying a doctor about medication side effects.
One thing, I would like, is to check my medical records online, making sure it is correct. Also, notice your doctor is writing while they asked you questions? I want access to those notes.
I think we should be familiar with one's own health records. To better understand one's condition and then one can  have an informed conversation with doctor. It is time we become a partner in our health.
Eat your veggies!

Rellenos de Papa

                                                        Stuffed Potato Balls

 Saw the recipe while playing with my phone last Thursday. First time I made these, they were a blast. Since then, I found out the basic recipe is from Carmen Aboy Vaalldejuli. She is the author of Cocina Criolla.
The trickiest part is filling the potato and sealing it. You can also leave them plain.
While in Puerto Rico, my go to place for these was Palo Seco. After doing the Bacardi tour, it is a great place to get this authentic food. Can be filled with crab, chicken, shrimp, lobster, cheese etc.
Sazon is found in the Hispanic section of your grocery store. It adds flavor to dishes. The filling should also have some sofrito.
I ended up making 12 balls, some enjoyed at FryBar the next day. Not sure how they freeze ?
I used Yukon Gold potatoes, they have a succulent texture. Bought at Aldi, $2.69/ 5 lbs. Not sure how a russet will work.

2  1/2 pounds potatoes, cooked fork tender, 15-20 minutes, drain and peel
2 ozs. butter
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pack Sazon, con culantrto y achiote (optional)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for coating hands
Picadillo filling, (or any other filling) made with 1 pound ground beef


Mash peeled potatoes while hot
Add butter, egg, salt, cornstarch and Sazon, cool to room temperature
Divide mixture into 12 balls.
Dab palm with cornstarch, take a ball and make an indention to fit a tablespoon of filling (or
flatten in palm, place filling in center and fold to cover mixture, shaping back into a ball)
Close opening, sealing with a little cornstarch
Repeat for remaining balls
Deep fry at 375 degrees F., until golden brown, about 4- 5 minutes
Drain on paper towel

Trini Bake 'N Shark

Trini bake for shark

On Saturday at the Fry Bar, we had a Native American woman asking about "fried bread." It took us a while to figure out she was talking about a similar product to our fried bake, as in "bake and shark."

A true Trini bake is a fried dough or you can also bake in an oven.
This is a popular street food in Trinidad & Tobago, presently made most famous at Richard's at Maracas Bay. Last Christmas I bought from his sister. Better service, better tasting, better price!

You order a bake and shark for $5 and see it made as you wait. It is then topped from a choice of 10 condiments located in the center of the kiosk.

Last week, I finally made my bakes and they were wonderful.
They are as easy to make  as kissing new born babies!

They go better with a Carib beer.

Ingredients:
4 cups flour, all purpose sifted
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter or crisco, soften
2 1/2 cups water ( soft dough needed)
3 cups oil for frying

Method:
Mix flour, salt and baking powder
Cut butter into flour mixture
Add water to floor and mix, kneading for 4 to 5 minutes and adding flour to lessen sticking.
Let dough rest for at least 30 minutes in a bowl
Divide dough in half; one half can be refrigerated for 3- 5 days
Depending on use, divide other half section into 6 equal balls
Flatten to 3-4 inches wide and 1/4-1/2 inch thick
Heat oil in large, heavy frying pan to 350 degrees (med high heat)
Add disc dough three at a time depending on pan; don't crowd
Flip after side is sealed, first minute or two
Cook on second side two minutes and flip
Don't dry out.

My bake took 5 minutes for the golden brown color