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Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

22 Oct

I started making this recently…  I had seen how chefs in the Food Network prepared simple syrups using white sugar…  but I do not use white sugar at all.  Would I be able to replicate with brown sugar??

OF COURSE!!!

This is super simple to make and great to sweeten ice teas and natural juices made at home.  At the Yoga Center we sometimes whip the brown sugar with water in a blender to make it easier to dissolve in a cold liquid, but this technique works well, especially if you’re not using the blender at all.

 

BROWN SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP

3 cups of brown sugar
3 cups of water

 

  1. Mix together the brown sugar and the water in a large sauce pan.
  2. Bring to a quick boil and allow the brown sugar to dissolve well in the water.  It’ll take about 10-15 minutes.

Allow to cool and use to sweeten your favorite cold drinks…  like this Passion Fruit/Guava Fizzy drink.

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How I squeeze the juice out of a lemon

4 Oct

I use a lot of lemons in my cooking…  I just love lemon juice drizzled over fried eggplants, as part of a dressing or even to marinate tofu.

I never thought the way I squeeze the juice from the lemon was anything special, but watching so much food shows on TV I noticed no one on TV does it the way I do.  The only person that does something similar is Anne Burrell.  So I want to share it with you to maybe help you out getting as much juice out of your lemons.

 

HOW I SQUEEZE THE JUICE OUT OF A LEMON

1 lemon half
Fork

 

  1. To get the most juice out of your lemon half, I insert the tines of a fork in the lemon pulp and squeeze away. 
  2. I change the positioning of the fork so I can squeeze as much juice as possible out of the half I am working with.

 

Anne Burrell sticks the tip of a knife inside the pulp, but I think that is a bit dangerous.  I was taught to do this when I was little by my dad.  So this is a tried and true method that works with all types of lemons.  And I’ve noticed that on yellow American lemons, it’s best if you take some of the rind off to make the pith more pliable and helps get more juice out.

Hope this new technique will help you get as much juice out of your lemons as possible.  Especially when drizzling lemon juice on food at the table.

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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

29 Sep

I have used and re-purposed this salsa recipe into so many dishes that I think it deserves its own Recipe Post.

I think I first learned this recipe from Tyler Florence… but he used jalapeños also in his mix.  Being the wimp that I am in the spiciness department I do not use them.  But feel free to add as much or as little as you want according to your heat tolerance.   I saw Marcela Valladolid make a version of this same recipe but with Serrano peppers… even more spicy.  It’s up to you which version you prefer…

 

ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon

 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400degrees F.
  2.  On a baking tray, place tomatillos, onion and garlic.  Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices from the bottom of the tray to a food processor.  Add the lemon juice and pulse the mixture until well combined, but still chunky.
  6. If for your purposes the sauce is too chunky… just add a bit of water and pulse to loosen it.

 

I’ve used this recipe originally with my Cheesy Rice Burritos, in my Mexican Lasagna and more recently in my Broccoli Rice Burritos.  I will certainly also try it in a Chilaquiles recipe like the one Marcela Valladolid used hers in…  Yum.

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Membrillo Update

7 Sep

For all of you that wanted to know more where you could find Membrillo Paste, here is an update…

I saw Membrillo Paste at the Cheese Section of Whole Foods.  You could find it near the manchego cheeses.  This picture was taken recently at the Whole Foods in Boca Raton FL.

There were several varieties to choose from.  Enjoy!!

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How to cut and peel an Avocado – Wedge by Wedge

24 Aug
I have a pet peeve with how people in TV shows cut and peel an avocado…

First, there is more than one type of avocado in this world and secondly, there is more ways to eat an avocado than just slicing them thru the equator.

Photo Courtesy of Sweet Journey of Inspiration

The majority of the avocados available in Puerto Rico are Fuertes.  The Haas avocado you see a lot in the US is what’s used mostly in Mexican cooking.  Apparently they’re plenty available in California.  But in Miami and Puerto Rico the avocado of choice is the Fuerte – to my taste, they’re more buttery and yellowy inside than those Haas folks.  To me Hass are watery tasting…

Fuertes are also larger than the Haas, so when we eat avocados in my house, usually we do not eat a whole avocado in one sitting, so we slice the avocado in Rajas, or wedges/slices.  That’s the typical way to cut into an avocado here in Puerto Rico.  So I will show you how…

No special technique here… using a sharp knife cut a wedge out of the avocado… cut from top to bottom and pry away that first slice/wedge.

   

 

After that, just keep on going slicing away the “rajas”.  Place them on a plate for people to take from there and serve them onto their plates.  Always try to keep the pit with the unsliced avocado to prevent it from browning.

 

      

To store your uncut avocado, just cover with a paper towel or plastic wrap and keep in the fridge.  If the edges turn a bit brown, just slice them off and continue cutting wedges until you finish your avocado.

Here, a few wedges of avocado is considered a nice and appropriate side dish, for many dishes – pigeon peas asopao, sancocho, arroz con maiz (rice and corn), etc.,  especially when they’re in season.

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