¡Cocina Puertorriqueña!

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes

Ok, mi gentes. Theblackurbantimes is bring you yet another ¡receta Puertorriqueña!

Carne Bif (Corned Beef) has always been a favorite of mine. It's a simple, quick yet filling, healthy meal -- especially when you have kids and don't really feel like cooking your usual four course meal.

YOU WILL NEED
2 tablespoons goya olive oil
1/4 cup of Sofrito
1 teaspoon of Adobo and Alcaparrados (I use Goya)
1 packet of Sazon Goya
1 can of Tomato sauce
1/2 cup of water
Salt & Pepper
1 small can of corn (Drained)

COOK
First, get out your caldero or another medium sized pot. Add your olive oil and let it heat up a minute or two. Then add your sofrito, adobo, sazon y salt & pepper and cook until colored. Next, add your alcaparrado (use the Goya like I do. Alcaparrado is just olives mixed with pimientos strips and capers) and then your tomato sauce & water water.

Simmer for about five minutes and then add the corned beef. Take a fork and mush it to get a lot of the clumps. Make sure the meat is coated completely with sauce. The mixture should be kind of watery so don't panic.

I serve my carne bif with white rice, platanos y ensalada. Voila! You have a meal. Raven, Anthony and Aaron loved this Boricua favorite...but then again, they just loved to eat period.

And nothing else goes better with a great Puertorriqueña meal like a Malta Goya, Coco Rico and of course, a smokin' hot cup of Cafe con Leche! Wepa!!

*Muy Importante* When selecting your platanos, be sure to get the ones that are really yellow with black spots (the more ripe they are, the better).

Slice it down middle and then peel. Slice platano into fours, then slice each half lengthwise. Then fry your slices in olive oil over medium heat until tender and brown turning only once. Fried platanos is a traditional part of almost every Puertorriqueña meal. If you want to make a traditional Puertorriqueña breakfast with platanos, make a sunny side up egg with totones and platanos and your papi o sus niños will L-O-V-E it.

Speaking of a traditional Puertorriqueña breakfast...try Funche.
YOU WILL NEED

1½ cup cornmeal, 1½ cup water
1½ cup milk, 3 tablespoons of butter

Boil all ingredients, except cornmeal. Remove from heat and gradually add cornmeal continually stirring. Cook over medium-low heat until it thickens. Serve warm. Add more sugar or milk if desired. Raven and Anthony loved this on a cool morning or sometimes at night. It sticks to the ribs!

Next Week: I just might get bold enough to try Alcapurrias! Look out!

EVERY BORICUA KITCHEN NEEDS:

A Pilón and a good set of Calderos!