Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding: Tembleque

As an adjective, the Spanish word "tembleque"* means "shaky, trembly, wobbly," and as a noun, it means, "(the) jitters, shakiness." This dessert obviously got its name from the "shaky" nature of the pudding, which is true of many gelatin type dishes. The dish seems to have originated in Puerto Rico, but Brazil has the same basic dessert, although the Brazilian version is often topped with a plum and wine sauce and the dessert is called "manjar branco" in Portuguese.**   

Ingredients:

2 cans coconut milk (28 to 30 ounces total)
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
candied orange peel for garnish
ground cinnamon to taste for garnish
(optional) toasted coconut for garnish

In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 can of coconut milk until the cornstarch is well dissolved into the coconut milk. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat, mix together the other can of the coconut milk, the cornstarch mixture, the sugar and the salt (a whisk is good to use for this). Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly and let the mixture thicken, taking care that there are no lumps. You can use ramekins or other small dishes, filling them with the pudding and then covering them with plastic wrap before refrigerating them for 4 to 6 hours. Serve in the individual dishes or unmold onto serving plates, but in either case, sprinkle on some cinnamon and/or some toasted coconut and add a strip or two of candied orange peel.

* The basic pronunciation in Spanish of "tembleque" is as if "tem-blay-kay," but from what I understand, Spanish speakers from various parts of the world may put a little more emphasis (accent) on either the second or third parts, according to their local or regional speech patterns.

** In Portugal, "manjar branco" is the name of a couple of dishes, with one "similar" to the basic Puerto Rican/Brazilian dish, but it is not made with coconut milk, but rather with cream or milk. Then there is another dish of that name which is made with chicken meat in thickened milk. This dish has the more specific name "manjar branco Coimbra."  

WORD HISTORY:
Bonus-This word is related to quite a number of words including, "bounty" and "beauty," both words of Latin derivation borrowed by English through French, and "bonanza," another Latin-derived word, but in this case borrowed by English from Spanish (particularly Mexican Spanish). "Bonus" goes back to Indo European "deu," which had the notion "partial to, show favor or reverence toward." This gave its Italic offspring "dweno(s)," meaning "good." This gave Latin "duenos," also meaning "good," but the word then became "duonus," before the change to "bonus,"^ still with the meaning "good," but with the extended meanings, "useful, brave, gallant." English borrowed the word in the mid 1700s, mainly with the meaning, "money or other benefit given to reward good work performance" (or used as an offer to entice and encourage good work performance), then expanded to "any kind of additional benefit," including in competition, such as "bonus point(s)," and also "special benefit to join an organization or business, often in sports, but not exclusively so."      

^ The Latin word for war, "bellum," was also once spelled with a beginning "d." 

Dominican Fried Cheese: Queso Frito

Fried cheese is not uncommon in a number of cultures, particularly those in of Latino background. In the Dominican Republic, fried cheese is often served as a part of a full, hearty breakfast, along with fried eggs, mashed plantains with sauteed onions and fried salami. Of course, if your doctor hears that you've had more than one such breakfast in the last six months, he or she may need to be admitted to the hospital for 24 hour observation. Other Latino cultures have the same or similar recipes to the one I have here, but there are certainly some variations; such as, the cheese is cut into "sticks" or "cubes" or "rounded into ball shapes," or the cheese pieces are coated in cornstarch, or the cheese pieces are dipped into egg, then into flour or breadcrumbs. Fried cheese from these cultures are served in various ways, like with fruit compotes or mayonnaise-based sauces, just plain, or as part of a larger plate of foods, as noted above in the Dominican Republic. Generally in the Dominican Republic the cheese is simply fried, just as I am presenting here. 
  
The best cheese to use for this simple recipe is "queso blanco," which may also say on the label, "for frying," Spanish="para freír." You don't want cheese that melts easily, and this cheese basically holds its form. It's available in many supermarkets, Latino markets and cheese shops. The brand I buy comes wrapped in a clear plastic cover and it is a 16 ounce rectangular block in shape. 

"I can hear the phone ringing .... Hello, I'd like to speak to my doctor.... What do mean he's in the hospital for observation? ..... He read my post about a Dominican breakfast? ... Damn, I thought I was just joking!... Ah, give him my best wishes."  

Ingredients:

slices of queso blanco, sliced about 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick
olive oil to fully cover the bottom of the skillet
good paper towels to drain the fried cheese

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the cheese slices on both sides until golden brown. Remove the slices from the skillet and drain them on paper towels before serving.

WORD HISTORY:
Class-This word, most commonly used as a noun with a variety of meanings, and with a verb form (in modern usage essentially replaced by the related "to classify"), is related to a number of words, including: "claim" (including in compounds like "exclaim," "proclaim," "reclaim," "disclaim," "datclaim," oh wait, not that last one, although it does seem to follow) and "declare," all Latin-derived words, and also to "haul," a word from the Germanic roots of English, with later reinforcement from French, which had a form from Germanic Frankish. "Class" goes back to Indo European "kele/kehl," which had the notion of "to shout, to cry out." This gave Latin "classis," initially meaning, "the call up of Roman citizenry for military service," then later the more specific, "Roman army, Roman naval forces." Further, "the administrative division of the Roman citizenry into six segments according to their wealth (to determine taxation);" thus also more generally, "a division or separation into groups of the same or similar characteristics." The Latin form passed into Latin-based French as "classe," with similar meanings, but also the more specific, "the call up of men for military service from particular age groups," which "may" have provided the basis for the usage, "students divided by age for schooling." English borrowed the word "about" 1600, primarily with the "student division" meaning, and this led to the rooms used for such divisions of age/grade level or for specific subjects being termed "classes" (singular: "class"), and then later to the rooms being called "classrooms," although German also has "Klassenzimmer" ("classroom," with "Zimmer" being a relative of English "timber") and I'm not sure if the English and German terms developed independently of each other, or if one borrowed the idea from the other (German had also borrowed "Klasse" "about" 1600). Some of the meanings of "class" seem to have come about in English directly from Latin meanings, rather than from French; for instance, "division of society by income, profession," "scientific division of plants and animals into related groupings"), both of which developed in about the mid 1700s. The idea of "high class," or of a person, "with class" (also "classy"), may seem to tie in with the societal division notion, but it "might" actually have started with the student/education meaning, as some university courses were only available to students who had high scholastic achievements; thus, "high class." No question that the "societal division" meaning reinforced the idea.      

Costa Rican Table Sauce: Salsa Lizano

This is a common brown to reddish brown sauce in Costa Rica and it's made at home by some, but it is also commercially produced and sold in bottles. It is sprinkled onto various foods and it is also used in recipes, especially in Costa Rican style rice and beans, called "Gallo Pinto" (I'll be doing this soon). It is not very spicy hot, although I like to add a hot dried red chili to the recipe for a little "zip."

The ingredients will be processed/blended, so how you chop them is not all that important.

Ingredients:

3 Guajillo or Ancho (dried Poblano) chilies, seeded and stems removed
(optional) 1 dried hot red chili 
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 cup water to cook the chilies, then used in the sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Simmer the chilies in a cup of water for 6 or 8 minutes. Add the chilies and water to a blender or processor. Add the other ingredients and blend or process until smooth

WORD HISTORY:
Peon-This word is related to "pedestrian," a Latin derived word borrowed by English, and it is distantly related, through Indo European, to "foot," a word from the Germanic roots of English. It goes back to Indo European "ped/pod," which meant "foot, lower part of the leg." This gave Latin "pes," meaning "foot," with the accusative case being "pedem," and the dative being "pedi," and all plural cases beginning with "ped." This produced Latin "pedonem" meaning, "one who goes on foot," which in the Middle Ages took on the specific meaning, "foot soldier." This gave Portuguese "peon," which later became "peão," with the "foot soldier" meaning. The Portuguese and the English established themselves in India, and in the 1600s, English borrowed the word from Portuguese, but in India, and it meant (specific to India), "a native Indian member of law enforcement," but also "foot soldier" and "one who delivers messages on foot." Meanwhile, Spanish had "peon" from the same Latin source as Portuguese, but it had taken the meaning, "worker." By the first half of the 1800s, American English had picked up the meaning "farm worker working off a debt to a landowner" from Mexican Spanish, and this became the prime meaning in American English, with further development into, "low status worker" (from the idea of working low level jobs to pay debt). This became the main meaning in English.   

Chilean Sangria: Borgoña

"Borgoña" means "Burgundy" in Spanish, and in Chile their "Carménère" red wine is commonly used for this Chilean form of Sangria; so, if you have access to this wine, by all means, use it; otherwise, a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon will do just fine. While Borgoña is really a common summer drink in Chile, with the Christmas and New Year's holiday season upon us, why not try some now? For those unaware, since Chile is a South American country; and thus, in the Southern Hemisphere, countries in that hemisphere officially enter summer in December, just as we in the Northern Hemisphere officially enter winter in December. Cointreau and triple sec are orange flavored alcoholic products. In Chile, some use their own brandy called "Pisco." 

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced or chopped fresh strawberries
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (if your strawberries are super sweet, use 1 tablespoon sugar)
1/4 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec or Pisco
ice

Put the sliced/chopped strawberries into a bowl, add the sugar and mix to coat the berries. Add the Cointreau, Triple Sec or Pisco and let the berries sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Empty the wine into a pitcher, then stir in the strawberry mixture. Refrigerate the Borgoña for a minimum of 3 hours, but it is better if it is left in the refrigerator until the next day. Add some ice to each serving, especially in warm weather.

WORD HISTORY:
Alligator-The ultimate origin of the main part of this word is unknown. It goes back to Latin "lacertus," meaning "lizard." This gave Spanish "lagarto," with the grammatically masculine definite article being "el," which goes back to Latin "ille," meaning, "that one, he, she, it;" thus also, the definite article "the," which developed from Indo European "hol-no," meaning, "that, beyond this, beyond here, yonder." The Spanish form "el lagarto" was used to describe and to name the lizard like creature of the New World. In the second half of the 1500s, English speakers took the word as the misunderstood form "aligarto," then modified to "alligater," before the form that has endured up to modern times, "alligator," although the pronunciation by most English speakers is as if the ending is "ter," not "tor."   

Fruit Gazpacho

This is a fully fantastic dish for hot weather days, but it's really great anytime. While most people likely think of gazpacho as a cold vegetable soup, fruit-based gazpacho is also made, and there are a number of variations in the recipes. This is my own recipe, and before you get yourself into a frame of mind that feels that some of these ingredients will not work well together, give it a try. The natural sweetness of the fruits offsets the acidic tomato juice, while the onion and chili pepper add a little "zip" to the recipe (they both should be finely chopped). I like the "heat" of chili peppers, but please don't overdo it with chilies in this gazpacho, because the heat will overwhelm the tastes of the fruit. You can always add a little more juice, if needed, in a 2 to 1 ratio, pineapple juice to tomato juice. You need no sugar or salt in this soup, and you don't need to cook anything for it. It is easy to make, with the only time consuming part being the rinsing, peeling and chopping of some of the ingredients. This cold soup is best when given proper time to chill in the refrigerator; so a minimum of 3 or 4 hours is required, but longer is even better. Serve with a scoop of basil cream on top. And you can make the basil cream with low fat sour cream. *  

Ingredients:

1 cup tomato juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 serrano chili pepper (or jalapeño, or habanero), finely chopped
1 ripe mango, chopped
1/2 cup pineapple chunks (you can halve large chunks) 
1 cup peeled, seedless cucumber, chopped (if using regular cucumber, remove seeds)
1/2 cup blueberries, whole
1/2 cup strawberries, quartered 
juice of 1 or 2 limes (I often buy small limes, so I use 2)

Add the juices to a non reactive bowl or pot, then add the the other ingredients. Stir very well to mix. Refrigerate the fruit gazpacho for several hours, then stir well once again before serving. Top each serving with a dollop of basil cream.   

* To make basil cream, here is the link to the recipe, but for this soup, I would use sour cream or creme fraiche, but not Mexican Crema, because it is typically not as thick: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2019/06/basil-cream.html

WORD HISTORY:
Mauve-This word for "purple-like color," and "a dye of that color," is closely related to "mallow," the name of a genus of plant. Its ultimate origin is unknown, but it goes back to Latin "malva," which meant, "mallow" (plant name). This passed into Old French as "mauve," as the plant name, but by the mid 1800s a purple dye came into use which was given the name "mauve," due to its similarity in color to the flowers of the plant. The color was certainly popularized by England's Queen Victoria, who wore dresses of mauve on a couple of occasions. I've read, but can't recall where I read it, that the Queen wore a mauve dress for her daughter's wedding or at some point during the celebration of that wedding. This wedding was for her namesake daughter Victoria, who married German/Prussian Crown Prince Frederick. They became the parents of the future Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German leader during World War One. And yes, Kaiser Wilhelm II was the grandson of Britain's Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria was also the grandmother of Alix von Hessen by the Queen's daughter Alice, who died when Alix was only 6 years old. Queen Victoria then helped to raise her granddaughter, who spent much time in England with the Queen, as well as in her native Germany. Alix would become the Tsarina Alexandra of Russia by her marriage to Nicholas II, and her grandmother's influence was evident, as she had her room colored in mauve, and it was called the "Mauve room." (Very original name; how'd they they come up with that?) 

Salvadoran Filled Tortillas: Pupusas

If you've never had "pupusas," please give them a try. They are easy to make and they don't require any difficult to find ingredients or accompaniments. You can fill pupusas with meat, cheese, beans, vegetables or a little of each. For this article, I used refried beans and cheese to fill the pupusas. Salvadorans serve pupusas with "curtido," a type of pickled cabbage.* They are also often accompanied by hot sauce and crema, which is a kind of mild sour cream.** Besides making the actual pupusas, you can also make the refried beans yourself,*** or you can buy your favorite brand at local supermarkets or any Latino market, along with some "masa harina," a white corn flour.
   
Ingredients:

refried beans (homemade or 1 can)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
2 cups masa flour (masa harina)
1 2/3 cups hot water
1 tablespoon salt

Combine the flour, water and salt into a dough. The dough should not be loose, so if you need to adjust either the amount of flour or water, do so. Roll pieces of dough in your hands into rounds slightly larger than golf balls. Let the rounds sit while you make the filling for the pupusas. For the filling: This is tough now.... Mix the shredded cheese into the refried beans. Okay... maybe it's not so tough. You might want to put a little oil on your hands, then flatten and pat the dough rounds into about 4 to 5 inch diameter cakes. These are not supposed to be the thin tortillas most people likely think of, but rather they are thicker. Put a heaping tablespoon or two of the bean/cheese mixture in the center of the cake, then pull up the edges of the dough around the filling to close it off. I rolled the cakes back into rounds, then carefully flattened them again. I had a small amount of dough left over, which came in handy to "patch" a place or two in some of the pupusas  where the filling tried to come out. Add a little oil to a skillet (cast iron is great for this) or to a griddle, over medium heat. Cook the pupusas for "about" 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they develop a little browning. You can serve them Salvadoran style with "curtido," as well as with crema or sour cream, and hot sauce.


* "Curtido" is also easy to make. Here is the link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2019/03/salvadoran-spicy-pickled-cabbage-curtido.html

** You can find "crema," probably more as "Mexican Crema," in many supermarkets or Latino grocery stores. The tartness may differ slightly between Mexican crema and some other countries, but "creme fraiche" is essentially the same thing, and you can easily make it yourself, if you can't find "crema" near you, or just use some sour cream. Here is the link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/07/make-your-own-creme-fraiche.html 

*** For the article on refried beans, here's the link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/11/refried-beans-frijoles-refritos.html

The hot sauce is Mexican, but I'm sure Salvadorans won't mind ... and that's also some "curtido"

I pulled the pupusa apart ...

And with some crema ...

WORD HISTORY: 
Actual-This word is closely related to "act," a word of Latin derivation borrowed by English. It goes back to Indo European "ag/ak," which had the notion of "drive, move;" thus, "do some motion or process." This gave Latin "agere," meaning, "to act, to do an action," which spawned the noun "actus," meaning, "an act, an action, a deed;" thus also, "a performance." This provided Latin with the adjective "actualis," meaning, "relating to an action, pertaining to an ongoing action." This passed into Latin-based French as "actuel," meaning, "current, ongoing, up to date, in the present." This was borrowed by English in the first half of the 1300s, and the meaning extended from "ongoing, current," to "real." German, too, borrowed the word from French in the 1700s as "aktuell," also meaning, "current, in the present, real (presently, currently, as an adverb)."

Salvadoran Spicy Pickled Cabbage: Curtido

"Curtido" is a cousin to Korean "kimchi," as well as to "sauerkraut," because they are all types of fermented foods. In another sense, it is similar to coleslaw,* as it is a kind of slaw used as a topping for some Central American dishes, or as a side dish to accompany main dishes. While "curtido" has a strong connection to El Salvador, it is not uncommon in other Central American countries. I'm not a big fan of very sour foods, so I added a little sugar, and when I checked other curtido recipes, I found a few that added small amounts of sugar, although admittedly only 3 out of more than 20 I checked. While the amount of sugar is small, it does help to take a little of the sharp edge off of the high vinegar content. If you don't like "heat," you can reduce the amount of chili pepper, or just add a small amount of red chili flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper, but "curtido" is meant to have a "kick" to it.

Ingredients:

1 bag cole slaw mix of shredded cabbage and shredded carrot (or you can shred your own slaw: 1 small to medium head of cabbage, cored and thinly shredded; 1 small carrot, shredded)
1 small white onion, chopped
1 hot chili pepper (like serrano or jalapeño, but use what you have or like), finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon non iodized salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons oregano (Mexican oregano, if you have it) 
2/3 cup cider vinegar
(optional) 1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup water

Use a non reactive bowl, like glass or stoneware. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl. Mix the ingredients together by hand, squeezing handfuls of the cabbage mixture, which will reduce the volume of the shredded and chopped vegetables. Make sure all of the mix gets bathed in the vinegary brine. In the picture below, the cabbage mix pretty much filled the bowl, at first, but some mixing and squeezing reduced it by about half. While you can't see it easily, most of the cabbage mix is in the brine. This slaw is best if covered with some plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few hours, or even better for about a day in advance of use.

* American coleslaw is a commonly offered side dish in many restaurants, diners and barbecue shops, but it is also made by many in their home kitchens. Most times, but certainly not exclusively, coleslaw is finely chopped cabbage and carrot mixed with a creamy sweet and sour dressing, with the creamy element usually coming from the addition of mayonnaise to the dressing. On the other hand, some individuals and restaurants use a vinegar-based dressing with no mayonnaise, that puts this type of coleslaw somewhat closer to "curtido." While coleslaw is most often used as a side dish or side salad, it is also added to various sandwiches as a topping.      

WORD HISTORY:
Tropic/Tropics-This word goes back to Indo European "trep," which had the notion of, "turn;" thus also, "change." This gave transliterated Ancient Greek "tropē," which meant, "turn, change, the times of year when the sun reaches farthest north or south; thus, solstice." This gave Ancient Greek the transliterated adjective "tropikós," meaning, "having to do with a change," "of or about the solstice," and this was borrowed by Latin as "tropicus," initially with the same meanings, but only the solstice meaning continued, and it came to be applied to the region around the equator. English borrowed the word from Latin in the second half of the 1300s. 

Honduran Tortillas: Las Baleadas Hondureñas

Honduras is a country in Central America. It has a population of more than 9 million, with Spanish as its official language, and it was conquered by Spain in the 1500s, but gained independence from Spain in 1821, and Honduras became a truly separate country in the 1830s. The nation's capital is Tegucigalpa (pretty much pronounced like, "tay-goose-see-galpa").  

There is the basic baleadas, "baleadas sencillas" (simple baleadas), but then Hondurans often add other toppings, one of the most common of which is scrambled eggs, but perhaps also avocado and fried or grilled meat. I looked at 20 to 25 recipes and all were very similar in the basic ingredients, but some made the tortillas very thin, while others made them much thicker (see photos, below). This recipe is so you can make your own fresh flour tortillas, but you can certainly just buy some flour tortillas, heat them, and then fill them. Shhh .... I didn't tell you that! Perhaps you could double the tortillas when assembling the finished product to make the thicker type?  

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup warm water
refried beans*
crema or sour cream **
crumbled queso fresco (cotija cheese is good for this)
avocado

Mix together the flour, the salt and the baking powder; then, mix the oil into the dry ingredients. Add the warm water and mix until a dough forms. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Divide the dough and roll the pieces into golf ball size rounds. Coat the rounds very lightly with some oil, cover them and let them sit for about a half hour. Heat a griddle or skillet (a cast iron skillet is good for this) on medium heat. Form the rounds into flattened circular shapes and place on the griddle or into the skillet. Cook for "about" 45 seconds per side. Some brown spots may develop on the tortillas, and that's okay. Spread a layer of refried beans on each tortilla, then add some crema or sour cream and crumbled queso fresco, and other toppings, if you so desire.

* For my article on "refried beans," this is the link: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/11/refried-beans-frijoles-refritos.html 

** I have not had Honduran sour cream, "mantequilla (blanco)," but just reading about it, I noticed some Hondurans who have moved to the United States say they buy sour cream, add varying amounts of heavy cream and a little salt, and they have "Honduran mantequilla." It is also my understanding that "mantequilla" generally means "butter" in Spanish, but in Honduras (perhaps elsewhere too???), it means butter, but also their style of sour cream. Mexican "crema" is available in many supermarkets in the U.S., but from what I understand, the Mexican variety is not quite like the Honduran. 

The thicker baleadas, left unfolded to show the topping

The thin, folded baleada

WORD HISTORY:
Grill-This word, coming in both noun and verb forms, is related to "griddle," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English. "Grill" "seems" to have originated from Indo European "kert," which meant, "to turn," which gave the idea of "braiding, twisting, weaving, entwining." This gave its Latin offspring the noun "cratis," meaning, "wickerwork;" that is, "products made by weaving twigs or small branches together." This then produced "craticula," meaning, "grill, grating, gridiron." This passed into Latin-based Old French as "graille," meaning, "grill, gridiron, fence railings." This then became "greil," then "gril." It was borrowed by English in the mid 1600s, by which time its main meaning was "gridiron, metal grid for cooking over a fire." The verb developed from the noun immediately thereafter. Old French "gril" later developed an alternative spelling of "grille," which meant, "grid, grating," which seemingly was used more in reference to "gates, fencing." This too was borrowed into English in the mid 1600s, with the distinction, but over time that distinction has become murky, as some restaurants use the spelling "grille" in their names; at least, in the U.S.       

Mexican Scrambled Eggs: Huevos a la Mexicana

This is a common dish in Mexico and there are some generally minor variations. You can make it as mild or hot as you like: for mild, use one seeded jalapeño pepper; for a bit more kick, use two seeded jalapeños; for more heat, use one jalapeño and one serrano pepper; and, for lots of heat, use two serranos with seeds.


Ingredients:

6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano chili peppers (can seed them or not), chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or you can use canned tomatoes)
2 tablespoon red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 tablespoons oil

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook about 90 seconds. Add the garlic, chili pepper, bell pepper and tomato, cook about another 2 to 3 minutes, until the peppers and tomatoes soften. Add the ground cumin, cilantro and salt, stir to mix everything. Add the eggs and let them just begin to set, then stir and move the eggs to scramble them until done. Serve with refried beans* and warm  corn tortillas.

* To make your own refried beans, this is the link to the article:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/11/refried-beans-frijoles-refritos.html

Huevos a la Mexicana with refried beans and a corn tortilla...

WORD HISTORY:
Mince-This word is distantly related to the word "mite" (small insect), a word from the Germanic roots of English, and to the words "minor" and "minus," both words of Latin derivation, borrowed by English. It goes back to Indo European "mei," which meant, "small." This gave Old Germanic "minniz," which meant, "smaller, less." This produced the verb "minnizan(an)," meaning, "to make smaller, to make (something) less." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "minsian," meaning, "to make smaller, to lessen." The Old Germanic form also gave Frankish, another Germanic dialect/language, and close relative of English, "minn," meaning, "small, less," and the derived Frankish verb "minnson." This "may" have become a part of Old French as the verb, "mincier," meaning, "to cut or make into small parts," as the Frankish spoken in what is much of modern France and Belgium was absorbed into the Latin dialects of that region in an ongoing process over a period of a few hundred years, with some Frankish words disappearing, but other Frankish words surviving in some form for varying periods of time, right up to the present. Likely the English form, which had become "minsen," was influenced, at least in spelling, by the French word, as the spelling became "mincen," circa 1400, before the modern form, and the meaning, "to cut items (usually food) into very small pieces," seems to have also come via French. A secondary meaning developed in the 1500s, "to use polite ways in language to express a thought (usually in disagreement), rather than more direct speech" (example: "I won't mince words. Your behavior is unacceptable and it will not be tolerated!") There are still some other Germanic relatives around: German has "minder" ("less, inferior:" that is, "less in quality," also, the noun, "Minderheit"=minority), Low German "minn" ("little (in amount);" as in, "few, limited, scarce"), West Frisian has "min" ("little;" as in, "few, scarce"), Dutch "min" ("less, small in amount"), Swedish "mindre" ("small/smaller, less/lesser, few/fewer"), Icelandic "minna" (less), Danish/Norwegian "mindre" (less).  

Refried Beans: Frijoles Refritos

The term "refried beans" is used in English for a common Mexican cooked bean dish (see "Word History," below), although in modern times, the beans and other ingredients are most often simply cooked in water, and only sometimes are the beans cooked and then fried with other ingredients. "Refried beans" is also a dish common in other Latino cultures, including in heavily Latino influenced Texas and in all of the American Southwest, stretching to California. You can buy dried beans and then soak them for several hours, rinse them and then cook them for awhile, before proceeding with the recipe, but to be quite honest, it is far easier to buy cans of beans, rinse them and go from there. To be clear, you open the cans of beans and then rinse the beans. It took me some time to figure that out, because I bought cans of beans and I was told to "rinse them," and so I did; I rinsed the cans, but when I opened cans, the damned beans still had all that yucky liquid on them.   

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon regular olive oil
2 cans (14.5 to 16 ounce each) pinto beans, or red kidney beans, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
good pinch of ancho chili powder
good pinch of salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Heat the oil in a pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about a minute, then add the garlic. Stir in the cumin, ancho chili powder and salt. Add 1/4 cup water and the beans, mix well. When the beans are well heated, use a masher to mash the beans. If the mixture is too thick, add more water, mixed in a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the consistency you desire. I don't mash every bean, as a few whole beans gives the mixture a nice texture.   

WORD HISTORY:
Refried-This word is partially a bad translation of Spanish "refritos," which is used in "frijoles refritos;" translated into English as "refried beans." The second part of the word is, of course, closely related to "fry," a word of Latin derivation, borrowed by English. ^ The "re-" prefix, often denoting, "to repeat, to redo, to do over again," also is used in some Latin derived words to add emphasis, rather than adding a more specific or detailed meaning; thus, in this case, it is more aptly translated as, "thoroughly (fried)," "completely (fried)," or, "well (fried)." Initially, the beans of the dish were likely always "fried," although the ancestor of "fry" once was a broader cooking term that also meant, "to roast." As time passed, even though many people no longer "fried" the beans, the term was too fixed in Mexican culture, and it remained, even when frying was not the method used to cook the beans.

^ For the history of the word "fry," and the base of the word "refried," here is the link to the article with the "Word History:"  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/12/mexican-egg-sandwich-torta.html

Peruvian Kebabs: Anticuchos

Peru, located in western South America, is a former colony of Spain that gained independence in 1821. Most Peruvians speak Spanish, but there are also minorities of the population that use various Amerindian languages as their primary forms of speech. One of those Amerindian languages is "Quechua," pronounced as if, "ketch-oo-wah" (others say, "ketch-wah"). It is a language family in South America, best known as the language of the Incas. Another prominent Amerindian language family is "Aymara" (pronounced like "eye-mahrah"), which is spoken in parts of Peru and in some neighboring countries.

If you've never had beef heart, please don't be intimidated by it. It is delicious! If you are too skittish, you can substitute some steak, like chuck steak. Aji panca (pronounced like, "ah-hee pahncah") is a paste (sauce) made from a type of red chili pepper. It is not terribly hot, but rather it gives a little kick to foods. It is deep red in color. Aji amarillo is another paste, but it is made from a yellow chili pepper with a bit more heat. Aji panca is often in supermarkets or Latino grocers, and you may find aji amarillo also, but it is not as common. For the aji panca, you could substitute some ancho chili powder, some paprika, a little water and a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few drops of chili pepper sauce mixed together to form a paste, but if you can find aji panca (definitely available online), you'll be rewarded by the wonderful flavor, and a little heat. These Peruvian kebabs are called "anticuchos" (also, "anticuchos de curazon") in Spanish and they are very common in Peru, with street vendors selling them too.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds of beef heart
1/2 cup aji panca paste (or substitute mentioned above) 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
skewers for cooking

Trim the heart of fat and vessels, then cut the heart into about 1 to 2 inch pieces, and about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in thickness. Mix together the chili paste, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, cumin and salt. Add the pieces of beef heart to the mixture, cover, refrigerate and let marinate for a minimum of 2 or 3 hours, but up to 12 hours is better. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water first. You can grill the anticuchos on a charcoal or gas grill, turning them often, and cooking them for anywhere from about 5 to 8 minutes, depending upon desired doneness, or you can broil the anticuchos. Arrange the anticuchos on a baking sheet and broil about 5 to 6 inches from the heat. Turn the anticuchos once or twice during broiling. Broil for "about" 5 to 10 minutes, depending upon desired doneness. Serve with aji amarillo paste (sauce), chopped green onions, boiled potato slices, boiled or grilled corn on the cob pieces.

Boiled potato pieces and small pieces of corn are commonly served with Anticuchos, as well as some sauces, like aji amarillo and some green onions.

I enjoy both of these wonderful chili pastes/sauces, which are not only different in color, but also in heat and flavor. There are other brand names of both.

WORD HISTORY:
Mere-This is the noun, as English has two words of this spelling, but they seem to come from different sources. It is related to "marsh," a word from the Germanic roots of English, and it goes back to Indo European "mori," which meant, "body of water, sea." This gave Old Germanic "mari," meaning, "lake, sea," which then gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "mere" (ending "e" then was likely pronounced as "eh/ah"), with the same meanings. The word has remained, especially in place names that were (or still are) located near a body of water, more typically with reference to a lake. The Germanic form is related to forms in Latin, Celtic and some other branches of Indo European and languages spawned by those branches (for instance, Italian has "mare," French has "mer" and Spanish and Portuguese have "mar," all from Latin). The Germanic languages have: German "Meer" (sea), Low German Saxon "Meer" (lake), West Frisian "mar" (lake), Dutch "meer" (lake), Icelandic "mar," now antiquated (sea), Norwegian "marbakke" (seashore slope).  

Venezuelan Arepas

Unlike Colombian arepas,* the Venezuelan arepas (pronounced as if, "ah-ray-pahs") are commonly used as a kind of sandwich, filled with any number of fillings, like cheese, black beans or Venezuelan shredded beef.** "Typically," they are made with white arepa flour,*** but I have the yellow arepa flour, so that's what I used. Some Venezuelans grill the arepas, which can give the arepas some blackened spots on them. Others use a griddle to fry the arepas, while still others fry them in a skillet, which is what I did. The cakes will crisp on the outside, but may not completely cook through, so I chose to finish them in the oven, which is also called for in some Venezuelan recipes I read, and they only need about 10 minutes in the oven.     

Ingredients:

2 cups white or yellow arepa flour
2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon corn or canola oil
enough butter and oil (corn, canola or olive, but not extra virgin olive oil) mixture to make a little more than a coating on the bottom of the skillet (the oil helps to keep the butter from easily burning)
pats of butter for serving
filling of your choice 

Gradually stir the arepa flour into the warm water (with the salt added), mix well and let the dough sit for about 10 to 12 minutes. By that time, the dough should have a good consistency for shaping into rounded cakes about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil in a large skillet (cast iron is good, but not really necessary). Fry the cakes on both sides until they are golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. The outside of the cakes will be crisp. Put the fried cakes onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes. After the cakes cool slightly, you can slice the cakes in half (use a serrated knife), or you can slice through the cakes, but not clear through the cakes, leaving one side to act as a "hinge" (like a clam or an oyster). Add a small pat of butter and "close" the arepas to let the butter melt. Gently open the cakes and add some filling of your choice. 

* For my article on Colombian arepas, this is the link:  http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/03/colombian-arepas.html

** For the shredded beef or black beans, here is the link to my article with those recipes: http://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/05/venezuelan-creole-pavilion.html

*** Arepa flour, which comes in yellow or white, is made from ground, precooked corn meal, and from my readings, people from Venezuela and Colombia adamantly insist there is NO substitute for it. You can find arepa flour in many Latino markets or in some supermarkets (check the Latino food section), and it is available online, but if you have masa harina or polenta/cornmeal, you can use it, but it will not be quite as genuine. Arepa flour is precooked, a bit starchier (because of the way it is processed), and it is finely ground, more so than the aforementioned products, and the cakes come out with a crunchy outside, but a soft and smooth inside.

I deliberately overfilled this arepa for this photo. This is filled with Venezuelan shredded beef. The red pieces are red bell pepper. You can see the browned top of the arepa. 

WORD HISTORY: 
Condor-This word for large types of vultures from the Andes Mountains of South America and from the western United States, primarily California, goes back to Quechua^ "kuntur," the name for the large bird. This was taken by Spanish as "cóndor," and this was borrowed by English (through North American colonists) in the early years of the 1600s.

^ Quechua, pronounced as if, "ketch-oo-wah" (some also say, "ketch-wah"), is a language family in South America best known as the language of the Incas.   

Colombian Arepas

"Arepas," pronounced as if, "ah-ray-pahs," are a type of corn flour cake common in Colombia and Venezuela. Each country has its own style of arepa, and the people of each country defend their country's arepa as the best. This article will deal with the Colombian style of arepas, and I will do the Venezuelan version soon. In Colombia, arepas are commonly, but not exclusively, eaten at breakfast, and they are also sold by street vendors. The major problem with making authentic arepas, from either Colombia or Venezuela, is its main ingredient, arepa flour. This flour, which comes in yellow or white, is made from ground, precooked corn meal, and from my readings, people from Venezuela and Colombia adamantly insist there is NO substitute for it. I actually read some heated replies to people who dared suggest that masa harina (the flour used to make tortillas), or American cornmeal (used to make mush, as well as cornbread), could be used in the making of arepas. WHEW! This type of response is not uncommon about "ethnic" or "national" recipes, and it is certainly not limited to Colombians and Venezuelans. Let's not forget how some Americans in the Northeast can argue over milk/cream-based New England clam chowder and tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder, so even regional differences in recipes can provoke a surly exchange, but I really think Bostonians and New Yorkers just like to torment each other. Likewise, there is a debate, centered in Texas, over whether "real" chili has beans. 

The thing is, Americans long ago learned to "bend the rules" a bit when it came to dishes from their original homelands. As immigrants came to the U.S., they could not always find every single ingredient for some of their beloved recipes from home, so they did what they needed to do... they IMPROVISED! Of course today, especially in more recent times, the world has shrunk, as products are flown from distant lands to other countries in a matter of hours, making more "authentic" recipes possible. And don't forget, "authentic" is in the eye of the beholder, as I noted above with "chili" and with "clam chowder." Myself, I enjoy trying to duplicate recipes from around the world, and regular readers know I've been traveling the globe without ever leaving the kitchen, although I did once have Hong Kong flu and I wasn't anywhere near Hong Kong, damn! While it's great to cook and enjoy foods as authentic as possible, I also like to try new things or variations to old recipes, and if that includes substitutions of ingredients, so be it. Believe me, the world will not end because of such silly things.

So what should you do to make this recipe? You can find arepa flour in many Latino markets or in some supermarkets (check the Latino food section), and it is available online, but if you have masa harina or polenta/cornmeal, you can use it, but it will not be quite as genuine. Arepa flour is precooked and a bit starchier (because of the way it is processed) than the aforementioned products, and the cakes come out with a crunchy outside, but a soft and smooth inside. Just a guess here, but maybe if you mix a little regular flour (just a couple of tablespoons per cup) with the cornmeal it will help a little? That's just a guess, because I used real arepa flour, which is not really very expensive.    

Just remember when making this, you are not making a batter, but rather a "dough;" you know, as in the song lyrics, "dough a deer, a female deer." Ah wait, that's the wrong "doe," I mean, "dough." 

Ingredients:

2 cups arepa flour, yellow or white
2 teaspoons salt (the cheese and butter have salt)
3 1/2 to 4 cups warm water (see instructions below)
1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened (room temperature)
oil for frying (use a neutral oil, not one like extra virgin olive oil, which has flavor and will then flavor the cakes)

Add the flour to 3 1/2 cups warm water in a bowl. Add the salt and mix, making sure there are no lumps. Let it sit until the water is fully absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. If the mix is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of warm water at a time, until there is no dry flour, but it should not be runny or "loose." * Add the shredded cheese and the softened butter, mix well by hand. You can roll out the dough into about 1/4 inch thickness and use a cookie cutter or glass to cut out rounds of arepas, or you can form them by hand. If you have a griddle, you can lightly oil it and fry several arepas at a time; or, you can use a skillet with a little oil, to fry the cakes. Medium heat is a good setting and fry the cakes until they are browned on both sides. Serve with a little more shredded cheese on top. In Colombia they are often served at breakfast with a fried egg on the side or placed right on top, but other toppings or side dishes are not uncommon. 

* The first time I made arepas, I added too much water, which I corrected by adding a little more arepa flour and by letting the mix sit a little longer. 

I had these arepas for lunch, along with a few anchovy stuffed olives from Spain; one of my weaknesses.

WORD HISTORY:
Animal-This word goes back to Indo European "ane/ene," which had the meaning, "to breathe." This gave its Latin offspring the noun, "anima," which meant, "breath, wind, air," and by extension from "breath," "soul or spirit, life." This produced Latin "animalis" (adjective meaning, "living"), the neuter form of which produced the noun, "animal(e)," meaning, "living being, breathing being." English borrowed the word around 1300, with likely reinforcement from French, a Latin-based language, which had the same form. Gradually "animal" ousted the native English word (of Germanic derivation) "deer," which had long been the general word for "animal" (the closely related German word "Tier," is still the general word for "animal" in German), and "beast," a word borrowed by English and of Latin derivation, which was often already replacing "deer" in the general sense. With "deer" so long established in English, it did not die out, but rather it continued to develop the more specific meaning for the type of animal of its meaning in modern times, which had begun prior to the borrowing of "animal." "Beast" expanded in meaning beyond its general use for "animal," to most often carry a negative meaning for both humans and animals of an especially cruel nature. The general use of "animal" did not take place until the 1600s.    

Adobo Seasoning

Adobo means different things in different Latino (Spanish) influenced cultures. Often is it a type of Puerto Rican/Latino seasoned salt, and it is very commonly used in Puerto Rico to season meats and for fried plantain chips. In Mexico, however, the term is also used for a sauce usually made from a mixture of chili peppers, spices and some liquid component. It is often used as a marinade. If you've bought chipotle peppers in the can, they are usually packed in adobo sauce. This easy recipe is for the dry, seasoned salt type. The are many variations and I've actually seen a recipe with NO salt.  

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon well crumbled dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika (Spanish paprika) 
(For a sort of, "Mexican style," add 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
If you like a little "heat," use hot paprika, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Spanish paprika is naturally used in many Latino cultures. It has a nice smoky flavor.

Add all ingredients to a jar/container with a lid. Shake the container until the ingredients are well mixed. Always give the container a shake before adding the adobo to any recipe.

WORD HISTORY:
Season/Seasoning-"Season" is distantly related to both "seed" and "sow" ("toss or scatter seed"), both original English words from its Germanic roots. It goes back to Indo European "seh," which meant, "to sow, to seed." This gave Latin "serere," meaning "to sow (seed)," one of whose participle forms produced the noun "satio" ("a sowing"), the accusative form of which "sationem" gave Old French, a Latin-based language, the noun, "seison" (later, "saison"), meaning, "the time of the year for sowing." This was borrowed into English in the late 1200s, likely from what was the Norman French form, "sesoun," but with the broadened meaning, "a particular time of the year," including later, "a time of year for specific events or activities;" thus, "baseball season," "boating season," "picnic(ing) season." The verb form of "season" came from Old French "assaisonner," the basic meaning of which was, "to ripen," but with the secondary development of, "the addition of ripened seeds (spices) to enhance the flavor of foods;" thus, also the noun, "seasoning."       

Red Enchilada Sauce

"Enchilada" simply means "to season with chili (pepper)." Enchiladas originated in Mexico, but they are quite common elsewhere, especially in some parts of the United States, although they are available throughout the U.S. Enchiladas are quite easy to prepare, but if you're a lazy ass... I mean, if you are too tired from work or other activities, they can also be found in the frozen food sections of supermarkets. Of course, you can always visit Mexican restaurants for their individual versions, as recipes do vary somewhat, including by the filling wrapped in the tortilla, by whether the tortilla is from corn or flour, by the enchilada sauce ingredients, as some recipes use tomato in some fashion in the sauce, while others use only chilies to make the sauce, no tomato. Some sauce is also green, but I'll do that at another time. Also, the cheese topping may vary by type, or may even be a mixture of cheeses. Here is my version of the sauce:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder (or other, if you don't have ancho)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper (or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, for hotter)
2/3 teaspoon abobo seasoning salt*
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican, if you have it)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth
1 can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon sugar (it takes some of the sharpness out of the tomato paste, but you can use more, less or none)

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the flour and stir well to form a roux. Add the tomato paste, stirring constantly, until the paste is broken up. (I've found that adding the tomato paste at this point makes it easier to mix in, as it is so thick. You can add the broth first, however, and then mix the tomato paste, but be careful not to leave any "clumps" of tomato paste.) Increase the heat again to medium and gradually add the chicken broth in increments, stirring constantly. As you stir in the broth, let the mixture come back to a simmer each time until the broth is all added and the liquid begins to thicken somewhat. Reduce to a constant light simmer and add the other ingredients, and stir well again to combine. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. The sauce should not be super thick. Pour sauce over whatever type of enchiladas you're making. 

* Adobo seasoning is a type of Puerto Rican/Latino seasoned salt, easily available in supermarkets, although perhaps in the "Hispanic/Latino Foods" section. Ingredients vary somewhat, but generally it includes, at a minimum: salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, dried oregano, with ground turmeric being a frequent ingredient. Understand, the term "adobo" means different things in different Latino or Spanish influenced cultures. In Mexico, the term is used for a sauce usually made from a mixture of chili peppers, spices and some liquid component. It is often used as a marinade. If you've bought chipotle peppers in the can, they are usually packed in adobo sauce.

In this case, I made two enchiladas for myself. I like lots of enchilada sauce! 

WORD HISTORY:
Art-This noun goes back to Indo European "ar/aer," which had the notion of "join together, assemble." This gave Italic/Latin the noun "ars," which generally meant "skill," and later the extended meaning, "object produced by skill." The Latin noun, depending upon usage in a sentence, had various inflections (changes), which usually had a "t" included in those changes (inflections). Old French, a Latin based language, inherited a form of the word as "art," which was borrowed into English in the early 1200s, very much with the notion of "object produced by skill," a meaning still carried into modern times.

Guacamole

This now common dip, sometimes also used as a spread for sandwiches, has become ever more popular. It is typically served as a dip for tortilla chips, but I like it with regular potato chips or pretzels. 

Ingredients:

2 avocados, flesh scooped out and mashed coarsely (or smoothly, if that's your preference)
4 green onions, including part of the green, sliced then roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
2 serrano chili peppers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon oregano leaves
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt

Cut the avocados and remove the pit. Scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl, then mash it. Immediately pour the lime juice over the mashed avocado, mix in well; otherwise, the avocado will begin to turn brown. Add the other ingredients and mix in well. Cover the guacamole with plastic, so that the plastic literally touches the mix. Then put another piece of plastic tightly over the bowl. Chill the guacamole before serving.

WORD HISTORY:
Guacamole -This compound word for a common dip goes back to Old Uto-Aztec "ahwa," which "seemsingly" meant, "avocado." This gave Nahuatl (one of the Aztec languages) "ahuacatl." The second part of the word also goes back to Nahuatl "mulli," which meant, "spiced broth." The compound came from "ahuacamolli," which was borrowed into Spanish as, "guacamole," then borrowed by English in the early part of the 20th Century. 

Cubano, Cuban Sandwich

The Cuban sandwich, also known as a "Cubano," is a pressed grilled ham, pork and cheese sandwich. The sandwiches are common in Florida, especially in Miami and Tampa, and in the latter, they add Genoa salami. I'm not claiming this is totally "authentic," mainly because Cuban bread, which has lard in it, is used in the real thing. Further, a sandwich press, which also heats the sandwich, is often used to toast and compress the sandwich.

Ingredients:

6 inch hoagie rolls
honey ham, thinly sliced
pork roast, thinly sliced (preferably some leftovers from a homemade roast, but store bought is fine)
Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
mild dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise 
yellow mustard
butter for outside of the rolls

For each sandwich, split a hoagie roll, then spread some mustard (to taste) on both the upper and lower parts. Layer some ham onto the bottom part (I used four folded slices for a 6 inch roll). Next, add a layer of the pork roast in slices (I again used four slices), then add the Swiss cheese, and finally the pickle slices. Press the sandwich down along its entire length, then butter the outside on both parts. A cast iron skillet is great for this, but use whatever skillet you have. Heat the skillet on medium low, then add the sandwich. Cover the top of the sandwich with parchment paper, then add a pan filled with water (for weight) or another heavy object to weigh down and compress the sandwich. After a few minutes, turn the sandwich over to the other side and repeat the process. The roll should be toasted to a light brown and the cheese should be melted. Cut the sandwich on the diagonal.   

WORD HISTORY:
Pork-This word, distantly related to English "farrow" (young pig), goes back to Indo European "porko," which meant "swine, young swine." This gave Latin "porcus," which meant "swine, farm raised swine." This was rendered in Old French, a Latin-based language, as "porc," with the same meaning, but also, "meat from a swine." This was carried to England by the Normans and it was later borrowed into English in the latter part of the 1200s, along with the "meat from a swine" meaning.

Plantain Chips

Plantains are starchy, non sweet bananas, common in tropical parts of the world, including on the island of Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the United States (people born on Puerto Rico are American citizens). Plantains are generally available in the produce sections of many supermarkets these days, and definitely in Latino markets, and make sure you look at the little sticker on them that says, "plaintain," because they are identical to the more common sweet bananas. Plantain chips, called "platanutres," in the Spanish of Puerto Rico, are one of the island's most common uses for this produce, but they are also common in other places in the Caribbean and in some South American countries. The "basic" recipe for these chips is the same all over, but for me, it was inspired by: "A Taste of Puerto Rico," by Yvonne Ortiz, Dutton, a division of Penguin Books, 1994. There are some slight variations in recipes from place to place, and from person to person.

Plantain chips are simple to make, but what is not so simple, is to be able to stop eating them:

2 green plantains
1 1/4 cups canola or vegetable oil
Puerto Rican adobo seasoning to taste*
(for a spicy kick, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper)

Peel and very thinly slice the plantains. Add enough oil for an inch or 2 in a heavy duty skillet; cast iron is good for this, but not a necessity. Heat the oil, but it should not be smoking hot. Fry the chips in batches, removing them to paper towels to drain them as you go. Add Puerto Rican adobo to taste, and the 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, if using.

* Puerto Rican adobo is a type of seasoning, easily available in supermarkets, although perhaps in the "Hispanic/Latino Foods" section. I deliberately put "Puerto Rican adobo," as "adobo" can mean different things in Latino countries or in the Philippines, a country with Spanish influences (it was once a colony of Spain).

WORD HISTORY:
Plantain-There are two words of this spelling in English, but by far the more common is the one meaning, "a type of starchy banana using in cooking," although its pronunciation may well have been influenced by the other word.^ This word goes back to the "Carib" language of the "Cariban" family of languages, native to South America, which then spread to some of the islands of the Caribbean. This language family is much diminished in modern times, as its forms were often replaced by Spanish, Portuguese, French, English or Dutch in the areas colonized by the European speakers of these languages. The Carib word, "platana/blatana," meaning "banana," was borrowed into Spanish as "plántano" (early on likely influenced by the other Latin derived word, see note below), which then became "plátano." It was borrowed by English in the mid 1500s, but was likely influenced in spelling and pronunciation by the already borrowed word, "plantain" (see note below).

^ The other word of identical spelling is the name for a plant with broad, flat leaves, but it is from a form of the Latin word "plantago," which gave Old French, a heavily Latin-based language, "plantain," but it has nothing to do with the origins of the Carib word. This word "plantain" was borrowed by English in the 1400s from the French dialects brought to England by the Normans and other French speakers, thus called, "Anglo-Norman," which had a variety of spellings, like "plainteine, planteine, planteyne," but its English spelling seems to have been influenced directly by the continental French spelling, "plantain."

Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche (Ceviche de Langostinos)

Published 4-24-16, but added 2 photos and "note" 2-16-22 

 

"Ceviche" is traditionally marinated raw seafood in many Latino countries and cultures, but some people now fix it lightly cooked, instead of raw, for safety reasons, which is a good idea in my opinion, especially if you have any immune system problems. Previously, and still used by some today, the raw fish or other seafood was marinated for a number of hours in citrus juice, or a combination of citrus juices. This process "cooked" the fish, because of the acidic juices used, but it was found not to kill all of the potential bad guys, and "on occasion" some people got sick. Variations in recipes are common, but I've kept it simple here, using only shrimp, which makes this something of a shrimp cocktail in Ecuador. NOTE: For those who like chili pepper heat, you can always add some finely chopped red or green chili pepper to this. Further, I'm not particularly fond of sour tastes, and this dish has ketchup, vinegar, lime juice and orange juice, so I add more than 1 tablespoon sugar to suit my own taste, but I neglected to mention that in the original article.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings):

1 pound medium cleaned shrimp, cooked in salted boiling water for no more than a couple of minutes (if using cooked frozen shrimp (very common way of selling shrimp in the U.S.), cook until just thawed and tender
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings, then cut into thirds
fresh cilantro, 3 tablespoons
1/2 cup ketchup
lime juice, from 1 lime
orange juice, from 1 orange
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, cooked for about one minute in boiling water, then rinsed in cold water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
fried plantain chips*

Fix the shrimp as noted above, drain. In a bowl, mix the ketchup, olive oil, vinegar, and sugar, making sure the sugar dissolves. Drain the shrimp and put into a serving bowl. Add the lime and orange juices, then the onion and corn kernels, mix well. Chill the shrimp in the refrigerator. Add the ketchup mixture and cilantro, stirring well again. You can chill the dish further before serving. Serve with the plantain chips on the side.

* Plantain chips are common in many Latino countries and communities, including among Latino Americans, especially Puerto Ricans, both in Puerto Rico and on the mainland. To make: 2 green plantains, peeled and very thinly sliced. Enough corn oil (I used canola oil) for an inch or 2 in a heavy duty skillet; cast iron is good for this, but not a necessity. Heat the oil, but it should not be smoking hot. Fry the chips in batches, removing them to paper towels to drain them as you go. Add Puerto Rican Adobo to taste. Puerto Rican Adobo is a type of seasoning/seasoned salt, easily available in supermarkets, although perhaps in the "Hispanic/Latino Foods" section. I deliberately put "Puerto Rican Adobo," as "adobo" can mean different things in Latino countries or in the Philippines, a country with Spanish influences (it was once a colony of Spain). The above plantain chip recipe is based on the recipe in, "A Taste of Puerto Rico," by Yvonne Ortiz, Dutton, a division of Penguin Books, 1994

 

 

WORD HISTORY: 

Amigo-This word for "friend" has an uncertain ultimate origin. It is related to "amiable," a word of Latin derivation, borrowed by English from French. While the origin of "amigo" is uncertain, it goes back to Latin "amare," meaning "to love." This then provided the basis for "amicus," meaning "friend," which became "amigo" in Spanish, a Latin-based language. English borrowed the word (via American English) in the 1830s, although it may well have been in use by some English speakers in areas like Texas, then a province of Mexico, with mixed Spanish-English speaking populations.

Gazpacho And Summer

For those unfamiliar with Gazpacho, it is a cold Spanish soup, especially associated with the southern Spanish province of Andalusia, but with versions served throughout Spain and Portugal. Understand, there are some big variations from region to region, one of the variations being the addition of herbs in some recipes, and some where the soup is served with no vegetable chunks, but rather totally smooth. It is a natural soup for hot summer weather, and it is low in calories, but packed with all sorts of nutrients from the vegetables. This is my own recipe, but "based" upon the Andalusian type.

Ingredients:
1 lb. grape tomatoes or Roma tomatoes (halve the grape tomatoes, or coarsely chop the Roma tomatoes)
1 46 or 48 oz. can tomato or vegetable juice (I use vegetable juice)
1 medium onion (half for food processor, half coarsely chopped)
1 medium cucumber (half for processor, half coarsely chopped)
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper (half for food processor, half coarsely chopped)
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped for food processor
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons vinegar
bread torn or cut into bite-sized chunks and/or Panko breadcrumbs, to thickness preference
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
if you like some heat, add a finely chopped hot chili pepper, like jalapeno or serrano
garnish with chopped hard-boiled egg

Put a little of the juice into a food processor. Add half of the onion, half of the cucumber, and half of the bell pepper, plus all of the garlic and the olive oil, pulse until smooth, adding more juice a little at a time. Transfer to whatever serving bowl or pan you will use. Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, vinegar, red wine, bread chunks/breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, stir to mix well. What I do is stir in the red wine and bread chunks to individual servings, rather than add it to the overall soup, then I also use a small amount of breadcrumbs, which I sprinkle on top of each serving. If you are not going to serve all of the soup at one time, remember, the bread will get mushy and thicken the soup the longer it sits, that's why I add it to the individual servings. You can also garnish each serving with some chopped egg.

With the red wine, but without the bread yet added

With the bread and some breadcrumbs I sprinkled on top.

WORD HISTORY:
Cold-This common word, related to "cool," and somewhat more distantly related to "gel," goes back to Indo European "gel/gol," which carried the notion, "to be cold, to feeze, to solidify from cold." This gave its Old Germanic offspring "kaldaz," meaning "cold." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "cald/ceald," depending upon dialect, but with the same meaning.^ These later became "cold," and that form has lasted for many centuries into the present. The noun was derived from the adjective in the 12th Century, and it came to be applied to the illness in the 1500s. The other Germanic languages have (adjective forms): German "kalt," Low German Saxon "koolt," West Frisian "kâld," Dutch "koude" (no mistake, no "L"), Danish "kold," Icelandic "kaldur," Norwegian "kald," Swedish "kall."

^ Some speculate that the old forms of "cold" were really participle forms of an Old Germanic verb, then used as an adjective, and that's not an unreasonable possibility.