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Panamanian Shaved Ice - Delicioso Raspao’ edit

I am not sure when shaved ice was first introduced to our country Panamá, but going back on history it could had been during the railroad construction days when hot, exhausted workers needed a way to cool off.  They would shave a block of ice with a hand plainer and flavor it with juice.  The concept has stayed the same but the process has changed a bit in some places.  Nowadays, it is still commonly found sold in shaved iced stands or “carrito de raspao,” and also it’s being offered in its “gourmet” presentation made in a machine to shave the ice finer and faster.

Although I have not tried the gourmet version, I was told it’s sold for up to $3.00 each in some new spot in the Causeway zone in Panama City. The most common version, a delicious kind of “colorful street food” costs between $0.35-$0.75 each, some of them still use the original flavor recipes from long ago.

A couple of weeks ago I finally had the time to visit one of my favorite spots in my country Panama: the (republic)...excuse me, the province of Chiriqui in the highlands of Panama, sharing beautiful land with our neighbour country of Costa Rica. The photos posted today were taken there. Yummy Shaved Ice, 0.35 each…had two though!  smile

If you have not been there yet, well, what are you waiting for?

Enjoy now the pictorial delight, you can lick the computer screen under your own risk! LOL

Big hugs from the tropics to you and your loved ones!

Chef Melissa

  • by Chef Melissa
  • February 23, 2010
  • 4:10 pm

Patacones 101 - Tostones (ES / EN) Twice Fried Plantains edit

If you have ever wondered how to prepare patacones, this post is for you. If you have dreamed enough about a crunchy patacón and salivated while others prepare this tropical delicacy, this is your lucky day. We have prepared this pictorial, step by step tutorial that will make you the star of the kitchen. People will rave about you and your patacones! The best part is that patacones are delicious by themselves or as a side dish with your favorite meat, fish or chicken dish.

Este post se lo dedico a mis lectores que desde hace rato quería una guía para hacer patacones. Este es su día de suerte! Hoy aprenderán a preparar unos crujientes, doraditos patacones que los convertirán en los reyes o reinas de la cocina. La mejor parte es que, los patacones se disfrutan solitos o como acompañante de su plato preferido de carne, pescado o pollo.

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  • #1: (EN) Preparation is very simple! Get a couple of green, firm, fresh plantains. If the plantains  are large, you will get about 5 patacones from each plantain, enough for one hungry person. This is probably the most important step, selecting the plantain. If you use yellowish plantains the patacones won't be crunchy. Some plantains are really curved, that will only make the peeling of the skin more difficult, so try to get them as straight as possible. Wash them and pat them dry with paper towels.
  • #1: (ES) La preparación es muy sencilla! Seleccionar platanos verdes, firmes, frescos y que no esten tan curvos pues eso solo dificultaría el proceso de pelarlos. Si los plátanos son grandes,  uno rendirá aproximadamente 5 patacones, suficiente para una persona con hambre. Para que queden crujientes, evitar los plátanos pintones o amarillos. Enjuagarlos y secarlos con papel toalla.

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  • #2 (EN): Heat the oil in a deep saucepan, or deep fryer. The oil has to be abundant. For suggestions on the Best Oils for Cooking read our previous post on the subject. With a sharp knife take the end tips off the plantains, then cut it in half. Make a transverse cut of the green skin, make sure it is only deep enough to cut the skin. Then, with the help of the knife loosen the skin in one side and pull with your hand in order to take it all off. Remove any remaining skin with the knife. Once you have peeled the plantains, cut them in 2 inches pieces.
  • #2 (ES): Calentar el aceice en una paila, cacerola o en un deep fryer. El aceite tiene que ser abundante. Con un cuchillo filoso cortar las puntitas de los extremos del plátano. Cortar por mitad y pasar una linea transversal con el cuchillo en la cáscara. Asegurarse de que el corte sea sólamente a la cáscara. Desprender la cáscara con la mano, o con la ayuda del cuchillo desprender la misma por el corte que se hizo. Remover cualquier rastro de cáscara que haya quedado.
  • by Chef Melissa
  • March 30, 2007
  • 5:02 pm

Dulces para Navidad: ‘Cake’ de guineo al ron edit

El secreto para realizar fiestas exitosas es que Ud. se prepare con tiempo. Para lograrlo, haga una lista de las actividades que envuelven preparar el menú que hayan escogido, por ejemplo, el cake que les presentamos el día de hoy les recomiendo prepararlo 3-4 días antes de servir para que los sabores vayan madurando. De esta forma obtenemos el sabor que buscamos y nos olvidamos de preparar el postre a último momento! Se los recomiendo…

Ingredientes

  • 2 tazas de harina todo propósito
  • 1 cucharadita de polvo de hornear
  • 3/4 cucharadita de bicarbonato de soda
  • 1 pizca de sal
  • 1-1/3 taza de azúcar morena
  • 1/3 taza de aceite de canola o aceite de oliva light
  • 3 huevos
  • 1 taza de puré de guineo muy maduro (pelar el guineo y triturarlo con un tenedor)
  • 1/2 taza de leche + 1 cucharadita de vinagre blanco
  • 4 cucharadas de ron oscuro

Procedimiento

1- Seguir el paso 1 del ‘cake morenito de naranja’.
2- Cernir juntos los cuatro primeros ingredientes (harina, polvo de hornear, bicarbonato, sal). En otro bol, batir el azúcar morena, el aceite y los tres huevos hasta obtener una mezcla cremosa y que el volumen se haya duplicado. Incorporar el puré de guineo hasta que esté bien integrado. Luego agregar poco a poco la mezcla de los ingredientes secos alternando con la leche + vinagre.
3- Vaciar la mezcla en el molde preparado y hornear por un lapso de 40 minutos o hasta que un palillo insertado salga limpio. Remover del horno y dejar enfriar por 10 minutos antes de desmoldar.
4- Una vez desmoldado el cake, dejar refrescar por completo a temperatura ambiente. Colocar sobre 1 ó 2 láminas de papel aluminio y cuidadosamente puyar con un palillo, de 6 a 10 veces en diferentes partes del dulce. Luego empaparlo lentamente con las cucharadas de ron. Cubrir el cake con el papel aluminio y colocar en una bolsa de plástico. Guardar en el refrigerador hasta servir.
Rinde 8-10 porciones

  • by Chef Melissa
  • December 15, 2009
  • 12:52 am

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