CookingDiva

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.

• #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.

• #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.

Esta receta la diseñamos para el "Wine & Dine" de ayer noche en Sabor Escondido. Cada Jueves presentamos un menú nuevo, con deliciosas opciones para nuestros comensales. Funciona como toda una aventura culinaria, por lo que les esperamos con los brazos abiertos!

No me arriesgo a proclamar el 100%, pero estoy segura de que por lo menos un 80% de ustedes ha probado la pechuga de pollo, cierto? Esta misma aseveración nos lleva a deducir que en algún momento la hemos saboreado simplona...JaJa Ahora que he cautivado su atención, les daré un 'tip' de como podrán corregir este incidente poco placentero.

Hoy compartiremos una receta para preparar "Croquetas de Pollo con Hierba de Limón (lemongrass) y Jengibre". La preparación es muy sencilla, solamente unir todos los ingredientes, tapar y dejar marinar en el refrigerador por 20-30 minutos antes de hacer las bolitas y luego de esto apanar y freir en abundante aceite caliente hasta que adquieran un color dorado, con "d" de 'delicioso', valga la redundancia!. De esta forma quedarán crujientes y sin exceso de grasa. Acompañaremos en esta ocasión las croquetas con una salsita de chile dulce, a la cual podremos ajustar a nuestro gusto el niver de picante. Que lo disfruten!

Croquetas de Pollo con Lemongrass y Jengibre

Ingredientes para las croquetas:

2 lbs. pechuga de pollo picada finamente
4 dientes de ajo picaditos (o al gusto!)
1/2 taza de cebolla amarilla (criolla), picadita
2 tallitos de hierba de limón picaditos (solo las 3" del tallo, medidas desde la base, descartadas las 3+ capas externas que son muy secas. Lo que buscamos son las capas del centro más tiernas para picar muy fino e incorporar a la masa!)
1 cucharada de salsa de ostiones
1 huevo batido
1 taza de harina
1 cucharada de culantro, o cilantro, picadito!
1/3 taza de pimentones de colores, picaditos
1 pizca de pimienta

Otras recetas con 'Lemongrass'
Licor Casero de Lemongrass (Hierba de Limón)
Pudin de Naranja y Coco - Orange and Coconut Pudding
Pescado Relleno de Arroz con Coco, Tocino y Lemongrass

The Tamarillo, Tree Tomato, or Tomate de árbol (Cyphomandra betacea) belongs to the flowering plantSolanaceae. It grows as a small tree or shrub, bearing edible egg-shaped fruit with a thin skin and a soft flesh (when ripe), with dark-colored seeds occupying about one third of the interior. The fruit closely resembles a tomato, hence its name. The tamarillo and tomato are in the same family, Solanaceae, but the tamarillo is in the genus Cyphomandra while the tomato is in the genus Solanum. (From Wikipedia)

I was first introduced to this unique and colorful fruit in one of my trips to Ecuador a few years back. There, this fruit is very well loved, consumed almost in a daily basis when it's in season. In Quito I tried it as a very refreshing fruit juice offered by friends or at restaurants and  in a very intriguing looking  hot sauce at a seafood restaurant. I say intriguing just because it was a sassy sauce!

All About The Sassy Fruit

It was LOVE at first sight. My senses indentifyed a delicate ripe mango aroma packed in a tomato skin with the soul of a passion fruit and the sexy red of pomegranate juice dancing around the seeds. Far from trying to confuse you, I am reinventing this fruit which I suspect is unknown or underestimated by many. When was the last time you had a Tree Tomato? Hmm, right...That is exactly what I thought! LOL. You haven't had the pleassure of trying it at least once, YET! :D

I was so involved in the sauce-production process that I forgot to save the seeds to plant them so as to have my own Tree Tomato trees. Well, that's not all bad...now I have an excuse to visit the market and get more, always more---I know, It sounded selfish! Sometimes fruits bring up some very unusual feelings.

Chef Jeremy  from Stir The Pots, send me a recipe to prepare "Poached Tamarillos in Red Wine and Chile Syrup" Now, THAT sounds exciting...I would have to explore that idea, maybe with the next batch I get. I'll keep you posted.

How to Prepare the Sauce

First, go to the market; it would be a great opportunity to enjoy some fresh air outside of your computer room and kitchen. Get the freshest fruit available. Enjoy its exotic beauty and aroma. Back in the kitchen, lightly score a cross through the skin at the pointed end of the fruit. Bring water to a boil and add the tree tomatoes for 10 seconds. Remove from the stove and drain the water carefully. Let them cool for a few minutes before peeling the skin off. Put them in the blender with a little water and make a puree. Pass it through a sieve to collect the little seeds. Add some olive oil and lime juice to taste. Combine the puree with chopped onion, sweet peppers and hot peppers. Season the mixture with salt and pepper...Then, time to enjoy!

TIP: This sauce keeps well for 3 days stored in the fridge in an air tight container. Use it as a salad dressing, or serve it with rice, chips and grilled chicken, fish or seafood.

Have a delicious week!

Chef Melissa