Oven-baked sweet plantains with coconut oil

Ten years ago, we first made this recipe with canola oil. But we recently revisited the recipe, using coconut oil instead: http://www.natashalh.com/oven-baked-sweet-plantains-healthier-platanos-maduros/ We also experimented with the convection setting in our oven. First, preheat the oven to 400 (at the Convection Multi Rack setting). This made a huge difference for us, compared to the traditional…… Continue reading Oven-baked sweet plantains with coconut oil

Dominican braised chicken (pollo guisado)

We made this dish, and it was delicious: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/dominican-pollo-guisado-braised-chicken/. We made the recipe in our Ultimate pan. We closely followed the instructions, but had minor modifications. First, we used 4 chicken quarters. We skinned the quarters and cut them into three pieces each (drumstick plus the thigh cut into two parts), for a total of…… Continue reading Dominican braised chicken (pollo guisado)

Dominican turkey picadillo

We tried this picadillo recipe: https://www.sandravalvassori.com/turkey-picadillo/. This recipe is our favorite picadillo recipe to date. Our modifications: first, we used a mix of minced turkey (1 lb) and minced chicken (1/2 lb). Second, for tomato paste and tomato sauce, we used no-salt versions. Third, based on our pantry, we made some substitutions: 1/2 cup caper…… Continue reading Dominican turkey picadillo

Fried sweet plantains (maduros)

We often bake sweet plantains to make them healthier, but we decided to try this traditional preparation: https://mydominicankitchen.com/fried-sweet-plantain-slices-platanos-maduros-fritos/ We used a large nonstick pan and 3/4 cup canola oil (instead of 1 cup). Immediately after placing the cooked plantain slices on a paper towel-lined plate, we sprinkled them with a little kosher salt. We served…… Continue reading Fried sweet plantains (maduros)

Dominican onion, apple, and spice tea (el té de cebolla)

I am recovering from a weeks-long illness that has left me with a lingering cough. A friend shared her grandmother’s Southern home remedy, an onion simmered in water with a wide variety spices and aromatics. I felt inspired by this Dominican recipe: https://loisa.com/blogs/comida-real/dominicans-are-boosting-their-immune-systems-with-this-traditional-onion-tea, which I modified by adding the wide variety of spices and aromatics…… Continue reading Dominican onion, apple, and spice tea (el té de cebolla)

Cuban beans and rice

We had a craving for moros y cristianos, so we tried this recipe: https://www.chewoutloud.com/cuban-rice-and-beans-recipe/ We substituted red bell pepper for green. We also followed the instructions exactly (except that we thoroughly rinsed and drained the rice to remove excess starch). To our disappointment, the result was overcooked and mushy rice. Otherwise, the flavor of the… Continue reading Cuban beans and rice

Trinidadian chick pea curry

After reading about Trini doubles, I felt inspired to make Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s recipe (we made only the chick pea curry): https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chickpea-doubles-tamarind-and-scotch-bonnet-pepper-sauce Our modifications: first, we heated 2 cups unsalted chicken stock and then dissolved 1.5 tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor (instead of later crumbling a chicken bouillon cube). Second, in lieu of mild… Continue reading Trinidadian chick pea curry