Boriqua Blog

Last week I was invited to Gracie Mansion by Executive Chef Filiberto Estevez, and while I attended the pre-Puerto Rican Day parade festivities (which were awesome!), I had the pleasure to meet Roberto Ayala , co owner of La Fonda Boricua, the legendary bastion of Puerto Rican cooking in Spanish Harlem. Mami and Papi were in town, so I decided to take them on a trip uptown (back to Papi’s roots)and get some some home cooking. There are no menus at La Fonda Boricua, but that does not mean there are a plethora of platters to choose from.We started out with an Ensalada de Pulpo (octopus salad), Chicarrones de Pollo (they serve them boneless and with the bone in), Ensalalda de Bacalao,Seviche de Camarones and Pescado en Escabeche.

 Ensalada de Pulpo

Chicharrones de Pollo

Ensalada de Bacalao

Pescado en Escabeche

Everything was seasoned well and cooked to the point. The seafood was fresh and fragrant, and the escabeche was deliciously vinegary.

Shrimp Seviche

We were definately off to a good start! I decided to opt for the Chuletas de Cerdo (pork chops) and share them with Miggy, Papi shared a Bistec Encebollado with Mami. Jerry ordered the Pernil, Angela apparently had not gotten her fill of the Chicharrones de Pollo, and ordered them with the bone, this time. We ordered Maduros, Arroz con Gandules, and White Rice with Red Beans, and an Avocado Salad for the table, and a side order of Camarofongo (mofongo stuffed with shrimp). Pete looked up and waxed nostalgic that the red beans tasted just like our Tia Maria’s beans.

Fried Pork Chops

Chicharrones de Pollo (bone in)

Bistec Encebollado

Pernil

Camarofongo

Maduros

Ensalada de Aguacate

The portions were gi-normous, and the food well seasoned, exactly like Tia’s house! It’s not diificult to see why we were looking so very happy in La Fonda’s dining room.

Owners Jorge and Roberto Ayala were very attentive and hospitable, and even brought out Roberto’s wife, whose in the kitchen making sure that everything runs smoothly. They sent out a very homey Budin de Flan which was deliciously caramely, and had a dense texture that was a marvel on the tongue.

Budin de Flan

Will I be back? You can count on it! Especially, since it’s easier than visiting my Tia Maria, who lives in Puerto Rico. La Fonda Boricua is a stop you definately have to make when you are jonesing for the authentic flavors of Puerto Rican home cooking!

Jorge, Daisy, and Roberto

La Fonda Boricua
169 East 106th Street
Between Lexington and 3rd Ave
New York, NY
212 410 7292

www.fondaboricua.com 

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I had the pleasure of making dinner for my Papi this year on Father’s Day. This may not seem like a big deal for most folks, but since Mami and Papi live in Florida, it’s been quite a while since I was able to cook for him in my own home. Luckily, I was able to fly him here last week for the filming of my pilot (for the new show!) and I convinced then to stay for Father’s Day.

We were blessed with gorgeous weather, to begin with, and to top things off, I had my brother Pete manning the grill and the smoker! We decided that the theme for our dinner was RIBS, and we prepared Mesquite Smoked Pork Spare Ribs, and Grilled Short Ribs with Balsamic Glaze. I decided to go with a Southern Fried Chicken, marinated in buttermilk, and tossed in a seasoned flour that was flavored with sea salt, pepper, paprika, and Old Bay seasoning. What about salads and sides? I love a tender crisp corn on the cob (oh so sweet!), a tomato salad with red onions, garlic and basil, and a gently sauteed chopped collards dressed in a light butter sauce.

Pete finishes the short ribs very gently on the grill, so they don’t dry out.

When you think MEAT?…Think PETE!

Perfection!!

I made a huge jar of home made lemonade, and I set Papi out to relax in the backyard while we got his dinner ready.

The Silver Fox puts his feet up!

Mami mans the lemonade stand!

Angela and Marc were on hand for the festivities, and decided to cool off before dinner.

Finally, it was time for dinner!…and what a dinner it was!

Mesquite smoked Pork Spare Ribs

Tomato Salad

Sweet Poached Corn with Drawn Butter

Complete Dinner Plate with Southern Fried Chicken, and Balsamic Glazed Beef Short Ribs,Mesquite Smoked Pork Spare Ribs, Collard Greens, and Tomato Salad

I’m going to out on a limb here, and say that Papi enjoyed his dinner!

To top things off, we had the pleasure of our friends Paul and Paula, join us for the festivities, and their daughter Lola was the icing on the Father’s Day cake!

Happy Father’s Day to all the Papi’s out there. There is no way to repay you for all of your love, support, and encouragement, all year round!

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Did I tell you the month of May was jam packed with events? One of the fun events I had the opportunity to do was a SIMON MALL SUPERCHEFS LIVE! event, at the Menlo Park Mall in New Jersey. These events are produced by someone who has a deranged sense of humor, and has become a great friend, Richard Gore, and his amazing team, James Ryan, and Alle Thomas. The event is free and takes place in SIMON Malls across the country, television personality, and author, Bill Boggs, is the announcer for the event, and there are prize give-aways, local chef competitions, and celebrity chef demos and book signings. Sounds like fun, right? I don’t think that we were quite expecting the reponse that Menlo Park had to Daisy. Take a look!

My peeps showed up, representin’!

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On May 12, 2007, I had the honor and the privilege of being invited, by none other than culinary diva, Mrs. Anna Nurse, to do a workshop on summer entertaining, “Daisy” style. This was an especially poignant occassion, because I would be cooking at the acclaimed James Beard House with a team that included my younger brother, Chef Pete Martinez.

The Legendary and beautiful Mrs. Anna Nurse

The menu was not too complicated, with an emphasis on little nibbles that you could put together without missing out the company of your guests. Pete and I prepped the Gazpacho, while the rest of my kitchen ninjas went to work on the White Sangria, the Seafood/Chorizo  Packets, the Causa Limena and the prep for the Coconut Panna Cotta.

Gazpacho is perfect summer entertaining food, because it is beautiful, delicious, refreshing, and healthy, too! In addition, I like to make it ahead of time so the flavors have a chance to “marry” in the refigerator.

Daisy processes the gazpacho

Gazpacho tasting

Next up, Chef Pete and I worked on the  Seafood/Chorizo Packets. I tucked sweet plantains, shrimp, sauteed chorizo, and a little neck clam onto a blanched banana leaf, and tied it up in little packets to steam. Delicious!

Chef Pete sautes the chorizo to bloom the fragrance.

The Seafood/Chorizo Packets

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…and I’m true to my word! I was invited to Toledo Ohio recently to talk at the San Lucas County Public Library, and while there, ventured out to try some of the local flavor. Everyone and their uncle told me the place to go was Tony Packo’s Cafe in Toledo. Miggy and I decided to hit it for lunch…we never knew what hit us!

I’ll grant you that Tony Packo’s isn’t what one would call “fine dining”, but hey, you’ll never accuse me of turning my nose up at good comfort food! Word on the street was that the chili dogs were kickin’ and the stuffed cabbage was the real deal, so I’m thinking, “okaaaay, that’s two!” Miggy and I arrived, having skipped breakfast, because we were warned that the portions were generous. Generous does not start to describe it!

The friendly staff at Tony Packo’s Cafe

Miggy and I stepped up to the order counter to look over the menu which is posted on the wall, behind the counter. We had a good indication of what we wanted, having been coached by the locals, so I ordered Tony’s Triple Treat, a combination platter containing a hotdog, a bowl of chili, and a stuffed cabbage the size of a human head! There was absolutely no way I could have started to put a dent in this, but I wanted to experience Tony Packo’s authentically, so I took one for the team. Miggy decided that she would opt for the infamous M.O.A.D., or, as it is more affectionately called, The Mother Of All Dogs, which elicited a proposal of marriage from a male patron on line. What the connection could have been was unclear. Creamy mac and cheese and deep fried pickles rounded out the menu.

Hotdog dressed with chili

Stuffed cabbage

Miggy’s M.O.A.D.

Mac and cheese, stuffed cabbage, and deep fried pickles.

A picture of Miggy and her M.O.A.D., just to give you perspective!

In

My

Life I have never eaten so much at one sitting! And I didn’t even attempt to finish it all. My friend Rodney would well consider this place paradise, as I have to say, those chili dogs actually snapped when you bit into them! The M.O.A.D. came dressed with chili and two different kinds of cheeses, pickles, pickled peppers, and cole slaw on the side, and had that same “snap” when you bit into it, and was incredibly juicy. I’ll tell you Miggy did me proud that day, and managed to finish the better part of that dog! While she finished up, I looked at the memorabilia that is very MASH inspired because of the retsaurant’s relationship with local Toledo talent, Jamie Farr.

Daisy and the MASH “buns”

Apparently, the restaurant’s “bit” is that when a celebrity walks through it’s doors, they’re asked to sign a hotdog bun with a sharpie. This bun is then put on display in a case for all to enjoy. I saw buns from the MASH ensemble of course, but also buns signed by Donald Trump, KISS, Bill Clinton (pre-surgery!), and numeruus others.

All in all, it was quite an afternoon, and although I don’t anticipate eating at Tony’s anytime in the near future, I just might make a trip back one day, and see if they ask me to sign a bun!

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Seviche de Camarones, Butterflied Chicken Cooked Under a Brick and Mango Sorbet.

This month, this country sets aside a day to honor a very important person in our lives: our fathers. For me, this is an incredible opportunity to put things into perspective, and really appreciate and cherish my relationship with my own Papi, who has worked so hard all of his life to care for his family, even after we were grown.
Papi is a very special breed of man, as you’ve all heard me tell. He was a New York City firefighter for 31 years, after which he retired with the rank of captain. I can tell you that this has been a source of immeasurable pride to me for all of my life. The fact that my father was a firefighter is just the start, however. My father has served as an inspiration to my siblings and myself, teaching us the meaning of accountability, responsibility, and honor. No wonder he calls himself The Silver Fox!!
I don’t have the pleasure of being able to cook for Papi that much anymore, because he and Mami have retired to their fabulous beachside condo, in Florida, but thankfully, he is visiting this year for Father’s Day. In fact, he’s coming up a week early so that he can be a part of the filming of the pilot for my new production! How fabulous is that?! So, as long as I have him here, I’m going to make sure I feed him well. I like to set up a chair poolside for him in the yard, give him a newspaper to relax (maybe even bring him a cold one!), and start the grill. The recipes for this month are going to reflect that very lazy, easy, June afternoon, starting out with a delicious, citrusy Camaron Seviche (shrimp seviche) with the slightest touch of heat (although you can feel free to up the ante!). I’m going to follow that with my favorite grilled chicken recipe, Butterfly Chicken Cooked Under a Brick and Mango Sorbet. The site exclusive recipe this month (and a lovely addition to your Father’s Day dinner) is for a Beef Picadillo Filled Pastelon de Maduros, a lovely baked casserole of mashed sweet plantains filled with a fragrant beef picadillo and cheese… delightful.
Bear in mind that there are as many pastelon recipes as there are recipes for chicken soup. This mouthwatering rendition is credited to Migui’s super fabulous mom, Doña Miguelina, of whom you’ve also heard me speak. My Mami makes her pastelon by caramelizing slices of sweet plantains first, then building the pastelon, layer by layer, leaving a well in the center for the picadillo. This is equally delicious, but a bit more labor intensive. The recipe I’m submitting today is a bit easier. This pastelon makes a wonderful addition to a buffet table, a barbeque, or even a brunch, and with a small salad it makes a very satisfying meal. I am definitely going to be your new best friend after you try this recipe.

So there you have it! My Father’s Day Alfresco Dinner for my very own Papi, Captain Ray Martinez, aka The Silver Fox! I love you Daddy! Thanks for teaching me everything I know (*wink*)! And to all of you who share the privilege of being a Dad:
Feliz Dia de Los Padres from Daisy and Capt. Ray!

Pastelon

Serves 6

• 6 large sweet plantains or 8 medium ones
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 stick butter
  2-3 tablespoons evaporated milk (to soften the puree, to taste)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, or any similar cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1lb of beef or pork for picadillo

Preheat 0ven to 375 degrees

Optional to top picadillo layer: raisins, olives, hard boiled eggs and slice canned roasted red bell peppers

Boil the plantains in salted water.
Read the full recipe here…

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• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, small dice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons sweet red pepper, small diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped pimento stuffed olives
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion, garlic, pepper, cilantro and olives and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Work the pork into the mixture, using your spoon to break any large clumps that may form. Raise the heat to high to aid in reducing the beef juices.

Stir the tomato paste into the meat mixture, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring so the tomato paste does not stick (the juices from the beef should loosen the tomato paste, if the meat seems dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water). Incorporate the peas and carrots, lower the heat, and cover, cooking 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through.
Adjust the seasonings and serve.

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Serves 6

• 6 large sweet plantains or 8 medium ones
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 stick butter
• 2-3 tablespoons evaporated milk (to soften the puree, to taste)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, or any similar cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1lb of beef or pork for picadillo

Preheat 0ven to 375 degrees

Optional to top picadillo layer: raisins, olives, hard boiled eggs and slice canned roasted red bell peppers

Boil the plantains in salted water until easily pierced with a fork.

Remove the plantains from the water , peel, clean and strained thoroughly (sweet plantains absorb a lot of water).

Puree the plantains, add the butter, evaporated milk, beaten eggs, cheddar and parmesan.
Salt the puree to taste.

Butter a baking dish or pyrex, lightly. Cover the bottom of the pan with half the puree mix.

Add a layer of picadillo, adding any garnish of your preference (hard boiled eggs, olives, raisins, red bell peppers, etc) to the layer of picadillo.

Add the last layer of plantain (you can have as many layers as you like).

Bake the pastelon at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until golden-crusty.

When ready, top with more cheese, and run under the broiler until bubbly brown.

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Serves 6

• 1 ½ pounds large (about 20 per pound) shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips about 2 inches long
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into thin strips about 2 inches long
• Half a small red onion, cut into thin slivers
• 1 small bunch cilantro, thick stems removed, the rest chopped coarsely
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
• 1 Scotch bonnet, jalapeno or hot chili pepper of your choice, stemmed and minced
• 12 lemons, or as needed
• 8 limes, or as needed
• 4 oranges, or as needed

Toss the shrimp, yellow and red pepper, onion, cilantro, salt and chili pepper together in a bowl to mix them evenly. Pack into a non-reactive container (a 2-quart glass jar works well). Squeeze the citrus, strain out any seeds and pour over the shrimp and vegetables. There should be enough juice to cover the shrimp and vegetables, if not add more. Seal the container and refrigerate until the shrimp is opaque, 12 hours to one day.

To serve: Drain, discard most of the liquid and pile the shrimp and vegetables in a serving bowl.

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Makes 1 cup

• 6 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground oregano

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