CookingDiva

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
 

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.

Coffee is an elixir of the tropics that reunites cultures and people all over the world.  Whether our beans are from Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Africa, Ecuador or Panamá, we all have our favorites. The inviting tradition of sharing conversation over a cup of coffee continues to prosper throughout the world: We drink it in the morning to wake up, when we are doing business, when needing a perfect excuse to meet a friend or a lover, or just an occasion to get a burst during the day.

The typical use of coffee beans in the kitchen involves a beverage infusion, where we can savor the rich aroma and flavor by itself or accented with creams, sweeteners, or liqueurs. However, what might be more unexpected is the introduction of coffee to spice rubs, marinades and salad dressings, whether as a liquid or finely ground beans.

When added to these savory recipes, coffee should be treated as a spice. Instant coffee is made from cheap robusta beans rather than superior arabica, that in addition to the manufacturing process, leaves a final product that lacks the subtle aromatic elements characteristic of the freshly ground beans. If you are creating something as such as a sauce or a vinaigrette, freshly ground coffee is better because the coffee flavour in all its complexity and aroma will dominate.

We will now share with you a marvelous and easy recipe to prepare a vinaigrette you could use for a salad (suggested ingredients: endives, watercress, romain and butter lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and anchovies), with a side of freshly baked garlic bread. It is also delicious served as an accompaniment for grilled beef, shrimp, fresh foie or pork.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground coffee (very fine)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 sherry wine vinegar (vinagre de jerez)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions: combine all the ingredients and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

2-3 Servings.