Boricua in RVA

done
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

I cooked up a puertorican christmas meal this year. Pork roast, rice and beans, bread and salad. The pork shoulder was seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil and vinegar. I roasted it at 300 deg for half hour per pound till it came to an internal temp of 180 deg farenheit. Till it looked like this



after resting...



on platter





I served it with white rice and red beans. The beans began with a sofrito. of onions, garlic, carrot, later peppers, celery, pancetta, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper. pimenton and cumin



Then added tomato paste and chicken stock



This was simmered for an hour then the beans and some cooked yuca where added, and served over white rice



Very traditional, very tasty, and some leftovers to boot.

Spanish Deli

jamones
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

One of our favorite eating venues in PR is Panaderia Espana in Isla Verde... for multiple reasons 1. the food is great, 2. we have been going there since we were kids 3. my brother worked there and 4. they love us there.

We had sandwiches and appetizer trays of ham, chorizo, cheese and bread

Christmas in PR

Lechon
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

We traveled to puertorico for the holidays and spent it with my parents. Our Christmas eve dinner was roast pig with rice and beans, blood sausage, and salad.



The roasted pig and rice and beans we picked up at Panaderia Espana in Isla Verde





The roast dominated the table



We bought some blood sausage (morcilla) from a local vendor



and fried it up for appetizers



Hope everyone had as great a night.

Dinner with Friends

pernil
Originally uploaded by chuborupert

We had friends in from out of town last night, so we made a rather traditional puertorican meal, roast pork, rice and beans and tostones.

The beans started with a sofrito of onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, oregano, bell pepper, and tomato paste, cumin bay leaf and annato (achiote). I had some pork bones from a previous pork roast and added these with homemade chicken stock. Diced butternut squash and then added canned beans and let cook for about an hour on low.



My wife bought a pork shoulder, but a ham or butt works just as well, I like it with the bone in. I cut crosshatche in the skin through the fat and I marinated the shoulder overnight in a rub of garlic, salt, pepper, annato seeds, oregano, lime juice



I picked off the annato seeds prior to roasting as they can be bitter.



The pork roasted at 350 degrees to an internal temp of 175 f



I took some green plantains... quick aside, in my opinion one cannot make tostones with ripe plantains. Ripe fried plantains I would call amarillos. Anyway...




I chopped them and put them in heavily salted water with some lime juice and granulated garlic for a few minutes.



I then dried them over paper towels and fried them at 325 deg till golden brown.



When cooled down a bit I mashed them (I use the bottom of my mortar with the plantain between two pieces of oiled waxpaper)



They are then fried again at 375 deg till firm and crunchy.



I usually salt them and serve with a little hot sauce optional on the side.

I made bread as well, it turned out tasty but not what I was shooting for. (I was hoping for a much lighter larger crumb but oh well)



We had great company and the food turned out great. Here's another shot of the pork for good measure.