Delicious Puerto Rico Food Recipes

Arroz Amarillo con Camarones y Vegetales Mixtos

(Yellow Rice with Shrimp and Mixed Vegetables)

2 tablespoons annatto oil

1 tablespoon corn oil

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and cleaned

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

2-1/2 cups short-grain rice

4 cups boiling water or chicken stock

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Heat the oils in a large frying pot.

Sauté the shrimp over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add the mixed vegetables and rice.

Toss well and continue to cook for one more minute.

Add the boiling water or chicken stock and the seasonings.

Cook until the water has evaporated.

Stir, lower the heat, and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Mousse de Guayaba

(Guava Mousse)

6 egg whites

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup frozen guava pulp, thawed

Beat the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream and guava into the egg whites, in alternating batches.

Put in refrigerator to cool and set.

Assorted Root-Vegetable Soup

Serves 10 – 12 people.

Ingredients:

2 pounds short ribs of beef.
½ cup basic Recaito.
¼ pound diced, smoked ham.
1 pound West Indian pumpkin (Calabaza).
1 pound Taro root (Yautia).
1 pound Yam (Apio name)
1pound Casava (Yuca)

The West Indian pumpkin, Taro root, Yam and Casava should all be peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes.

1 cup tomato sauce.
4 quarts chicken stock or water.
2 medium green plantains peeled and diced into 2-inch pieces.
3 ears fresh corn, cut into 1-inch pieces.
1 tablespoon black pepper.
1 tablespoon salt.
1 quart water.

Method:

Combine the first nine ingredients in a large soup pot. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add the remaining five ingredients and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and cover and simmer for an additional 45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through. Adjust the seasonings.

Carnival Corn Bread

Serves 10 – 12 people.

Ingredients:

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour.
1 cup yellow cornmeal.
¼ cup sugar.
1 tablespoon baking powder.
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter.
1 egg.
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt.
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded.
½ cup fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels.
Butter to grease pan.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, cornmeal and salt into a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture forms little balls the size of peas.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg until frothy. Add the yogurt, corn and carrots. Combine with dry ingredients. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for twenty minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool in a pan.

Curried Casava and Crab Cakes with Piquillo Red Pepper Sauce with Papaya and Mango Chutney.

Serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

Crab cakes:
1 cup crab meat, frozen or canned.
1/4 pound cassava, peeled, boiled and grated or ground.
1 green pepper, finely chopped.
1 garlic clove, finely chopped.
6 tablespoons mayonnaise.
1/4 tablespoon curry powder.
2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Salt and pepper.
1/8 cup all purpose flour.
1 egg, beaten.
3/4 cup bread crumbs.
Peanut oil for frying.

Red Pimiento Sauce:
2 ounces Spanish pimientos, finely chopped.
4 ounces mayonnaise.

Chutney:
1/2 cup finely chopped mango pulp
1/2 cup finely chopped papaya
1 teaspoon honey
Tabasco sauce to taste
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

To serve:
Assorted salad greens, like arugula, romaine and Boston lettuce, shredded
Rosemary sprig.

Method:

Crab Cakes:
Combine crab, cassava, garlic, and green pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add curry, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
Have a dish ready with flour, a bowl with the beaten egg and another tray with the breadcrumbs. With your hands, form four rectangular cakes.
Coat the cakes with flour; dip in egg and coat with bread crumbs. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour. Fry crab cakes in peanut oil in a deep skillet or frying pan, over high heat, until golden on both sides. Remove carefully with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Place the crab cakes in a baking dish. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 6 minutes. Keep warm.

For Red Pimiento Sauce:
Mix chopped pimientos and mayonnaise well in a mixing bowl.

For Chutney:
Mix all chutney ingredients well in a mixing bowl.

To Serve:
In center of serving plates, place about 1/2 cup assorted salad greens. Add one crab cake on top and pour the Chutney of it. Pour Red Pimiento Sauce onto a plate and around the crab cake. Decorate with a rosemary sprig.

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