The Cooking Diva Blog: Original Tropical Creations by Chef Melissa De Leon

From the Tropics: Tree Tomato Salsa - Salsa de Tomate de Arbol

The Tamarillo, Tree Tomato, or Tomate de árbol (Cyphomandra betacea) belongs to the flowering plant Solanaceae. 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

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · June 19, 2007 · 01:57 PM
Permalink · Comments (13) · TrackBack (0) · Categories: Ethnic Cuisine: from Latin America · RECETAS - Salsas · RECETAS - Vegetarianas · RECIPES: appetizers · RECIPES: vegetarian · Tropical Fruit and Vegetables

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

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.

#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.

#3 (EN): Fry the pieces of plantain in abundant hot oil or lard until they are golden colored, 2-3 minutes. You've got to be there watching all the time, never leave unattended. Be careful with the hot oil, if you are using tongs, do not leave inside the pan. Once the plantain pieces acquire the golden color, remove them from the hot oil and drain the excess of oil on paper towels.
#3 (ES): freir las piezas de plátano en abundante aceite caliente hasta que adquieran un color amarillo-dorado, de 2-3 minutos. Tiene que estar bajo supervisión constante, y ser muy cuidadosos con el aceite caliente. Si están utilizando tenazas o cucharas de metal, nunca las dejen dentro del aceite caliente. Una vez que el plátano adquiera el color deseado, remover del aceite caliente y escurrir el exceso de aceite en papel toalla.

#4 (EN): with the help of a press to make patacones (like one pictured above), press them flat. If you do not have one of these handy tools, you can use a glass or bottle bottom, covered with aluminum foil and then sprayed with cooking oil. My great grandmother used to have a round black river rock in the kitchen that was the perfect kitchen tool at the time, for making patacones and crushing spices and garlic.
#4 (ES): aplastar los trozos de plátano fritos con una prensa para hacer patacones. Si no tienen una, pueden utilizar una botella o vaso, cubierta la base con papel de aluminio y luego rociado con aceite en spray. Mi bisabuela solía tener una piedra negra de río en su cocina para aplastar los patacones y tambien para triturar ajo y especias para condimentar.

This is another type of patacones press. They are really handy to make patacones baskets to serve as snacks or appetizers in parties. I have seen the little baskets filled with ceviche, seasoned meats, salads, relishes, etc.

Esta es otro tipo de prensa para hacer patacones. Son muy útiles para preparar canastitas de patacones que luego serán rellenas con salsas, ceviche, carnes deshilachadas, ensaladillas, etc.

#5 (EN): now it is time to fry the patacones for the second time, it would make them crunchy. The oil must be hot and abundant too. This time they will puff up a little bit and aquire a dark yellow color, it would take a couple of minutes only. Remember not to leave it unattended! Once it reaches the desired color, remove from the hot oil and drain the excess grease on paper towels. Add salt to taste and serve with your favorite dipping sauce or hot sauce.
#5 (ES): ahora les toca freir los patacones por segunda vez, lo que los hará crujientes. El aceite deberá estar caliente y ser abundante. En esta ocasión los patacones se inflarán un poco y adquirirán un color amarillo oscuro, lo que tomará un par de minutos. Favor recordar no desatender la estufa! Una vez que hayan alcanzado el color y textura deseada, removerlos cuidadosamente del aceite y escurrir el exceso de aceite en papel toalla. Agregar sal al gusto y servir con su salsa favorita.

Enjoy your patacones!

Un abrazo,

Melissa

Coffee: The Elixir of the Tropics

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.

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · March 26, 2007 · 02:07 PM
Permalink · Comments (6) · TrackBack (0) · Categories: Ethnic Cuisine: from Latin America · Food & Drink · RECIPES: beef · RECIPES: seafood · RECIPES: vegetarian · Tropical Fruit and Vegetables

Global Voices & WHB #16: Cooking with Culantro

My latest article has been published at Global Voices: "Global Fusion: Creating Delicious Food one Meal at a Time."

This week's topics cover: the "Madrid Fusion" event, Pork Education, A Consumer Report from Bermuda, Homemade Cheese Making, Brazilian Mango Fever, From Venezuela with Love, Roots to be Cooked, The Year of the Pom, Going South, and Queen lemon Beauty.

We would love to hear your comments!

Now, my contribution to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging #16: "Cooking with Culantro"

About this plant: "Culantro" (Eryngium foetidum) is a strong flavored, aromatic herb native from Mexico and Central, and South America. It is cultivated widely all over the world, and it is used extensively in Latin American and Asian cooking. In Panama we use culantro to prepare "Sancocho de Gallina" (Panamanian chicken soup), different types of rice, tamales, marinades, sauces, etc. In Puerto Rico it is used to prepare beans, asopao, soups, stews, etc.

The "culantro" is also known as: "recao", "long coriander", "ngo-gai", "spiritweed", "black benny", "recao de monte", "false coriander", "Mexican coriander", among many others.

Medicinally, the leaves and roots are used in tea to stimulate appetite, soothe stomach pains, eliminate gases, improve digestion, and as an aphrodisiac!

Today we are sharing a recipe to prepare a delicious "Arroz con Frijoles Negros y Chimichurri de Culantro" (Black Beans and Rice with Culantro Chimichurri). If you can not find culantro in your area, you can substitute "cilantro".

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · January 22, 2006 · 12:50 PM
Permalink · Comments (22) · TrackBack (3) · Categories: Food & Drink · Food Blog Events · General · RECETAS - Arroces · RECIPES: vegetarian · Tropical Fruit and Vegetables

Happy Holidays with plenty love, the LATINO way!

There is something about having "Latino blood" in our veins. There is something very special about being born in a Latin American country. My heart has deep roots of love and tears that travel deep,...to the center of our planet Earth. There is a cry of the long gone times that took away many of our traditions and childhood friends. There is a song with perfume of roses, and a thousand butterflies that travel along with the wind in this precious land.

When I was growing up, I used to ask my mom WHY I had freckles in my face. With a smile, every time she said..."you got them from me, and you can not change that.... In the family we all have freckles: we got them from your great great grandmother who came from France." I probably was ten years old or younger when I began questioning about my "turkey-egg-like" freckled face. I tried all the fading creams I could afford with the weekly saving of my daily allowance. None of them worked. Then, one day I woke up and realized I was wasting my time with all that nonsense imaginary war I had started with the freckles of my great great granny. Since that day everything made sense and I loved every sassy little caramel colored shade in my face. I loved my roots.

Too far the Land of Long Ago! BUT the people, the same people who one day came from far away lands and made Panama their home; they have brought gold to our culture. THIS time, I am not talking about "GOLD", the one that holds the atomic number 79. This time I am referring to the kind of "gold" that enriches a culture, the one that in silence shines (...sometimes loud too!) and shares the goodness of many lands in just only one.

This is our country: Welcome to Panama! And now, it is yours too! :)

I have been working on an article with plenty delicious recipes to honor and celebrate the "Sweet Tooth" from Panama and Latin America, and I will post it soon...before the new year arrives. BUT, today after seeing what my friend and colleague, Chef Elena from the "El Amor por la Cocina" blog has rescued from her family memoirs and traditions, I thought it was a fantastic idea to share with you the LOVE and lust for our roots we have engraved in every cell of our body.

Today you will learn how to prepare: "MY FATHER'S NEW YEARS DAY BARBECUE" (or How to roast a pig the Cuban way). Including:

Lechón Asado a la Cubana (Roast Pork, Cuban Style)
Arroz Congrí (Red Beans with Rice)
Yuca con Mojo (Boiled Cassava with Garlic Sauce)

We hope you enjoy the beautiful holiday season, with delicious meals featuring food from all over the world (including our recipes, of course!).

Stay tuned and make sure to come back to get a fantastic selection of holiday desserts from Latin America.

Do not forget to participate in our worldwide campaign "A Menu For Hope II", to help the people affected with the earthquake in the Kashmir region of Pakistan. Just donate $5 for a chance to participate in the raffle of fantastic prizes donated by food bloggers from all over the world. For more information visit my previous post: "A Menu for Hope - Un Menu por la Esperanza II".

God bless you!

Chef Melissa

Tags: a menu for hope, food blog events, cookingdiva, chef, panama, unicef, holiday menu, recipes, new years dinner, panamanian chef, roast pork, barbacoa

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · December 15, 2005 · 05:45 PM
Permalink · Comments (14) · TrackBack (1) · Categories: General · RECETAS - Arroces · RECETAS - Carnes · RECIPES: appetizers · RECIPES: beef · RECIPES: vegetarian · Tropical Fruit and Vegetables

Edible Flowers: The Red Velvet Rose of Love

I discovered flowers were edible back in my early pre-chef adventures, when I had the perfect height to hide in my great grandmother's garden and eat her favorite miniature white roses without being found. Those were great days full of pure innocent adventure and joyful rewards from mother and father nature.

The diversity and mystery of our tropical rainforest always captured my attention. Learning the value of natural medicine through my life, the healing benefits of plants and flowers, have helped me develop a natural instinct to preserve the traditional knowledge that has been carried by our cultures over the ages.

In the kitchen, this beautiful flower has a very important roll. It might sound a little odd because of the rose's romantic connotations, but in fact, roses have been eaten since ancient times. Romans were used to sprinkle rose petals on food, the table, and all over the banquet hall.

Rose petals, fresh, dried and crystallized can be added as a garnish to a salad, made into an infusion for tea and other beverages, desserts, as well as prepared into candies, marmalade, sauces, rose sugar, and soups. Rose petals, rose water and rose syrup are still widely used in the cuisines of the Middle East. Greek baklava, for instance, is originally served with a drizzle of rose syrup.

The best quality flowers for consumption are the young and fresh. Consumers have to be cautious to eat only flowers that were produced for that purpose and to avoid flowers from retail florists where they may have been treated with modern systemic pesticides and chemicals not intended for consumption; they have made the flowers highly toxic.

For some edible flowers, it is important to eat only the petals to avoid the bitter taste found in the rest of the flower. But, when it comes to roses, petals from all varieties are edible as well as the leaves which are used in some concoctions with curative properties that are prepared in Latin America.

The following excerpt has been extracted from "Rosita Arvigo's: Rainforest Remedies, One Hundred Healing Herbs of Belize":

"Red Rose (Rosa Roja, in Spanish): Traditional Uses: As a "cooling" plant for fevers and as a binding or astringent for infantile or childhood diarrhea, 1 red rose flower and 9 leaves are steeped in one cup of boiling water for 15 minutes; this is strained before drinking. A stronger infusion using 3 red roses and a handful of leaves steeped for 15 minutes in 1 cup of hot water is consumed for adult diarrhea and uterine hemorrhage. All infusions are allowed to cool before drinking. To treat red, inflamed eyes in people of all ages, including newborn babies, 1 flower is steeped in 1 cup of boiling water; when cool, this is strained through a cloth and 3 drops are placed in the affected eye 3 times a day until cured."

Anyone wanting to buy roses or other flowers to eat should purchase them directly from an organic farm or from a farmer or gardener who has raised the flowers to use as food.

Roses and other flowers generally taste similar to their fragrance, or in the case of herb flowers they taste similar to the leaf of the plant. Most herbs that we use in the kitchen produce edible flowers, such as garlic, chives, dill, mint, sage and thyme. So, in your quest for the perfect tasting rose, do not forget to put your nose to work and check out the bouquet of each one! Remember that its aroma and the texture, in association with their eye appeal which makes them a "very sensual food".

"Flowers are the plant's sex organs, and they evoke the sex-drenched, bud-breaking free-for-all of spring and summer." An explanation of the aphrodisiac power of flowers as only Diane Ackerman can say it. A Natural History of Love.

We have to thank the organic farming movement for the return of edible flowers to the American cuisine. The chemicals & pesticide-free roses used to cook by most American chefs come from organic gardens in California who send them by air to specialty food suppliers around the country. Chefs pay around $15- $ 20 for fifty fresh thumbnail-sized blossoms.

Now, the fabulous recipes:

Recipe #1: CRYSTALLIZED ROSE PETALS (for garnishing salads, soups and desserts)

Ingredients:

1 large egg white
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup sugar
handful of fresh, organic rose petals

Directions: Beat the egg white in water until foamy. Use a small pastry brush to paint each of the flower petals with the egg white mixture. Then, dip the petals into sugar. Allow petals to dry overnight on waxed paper.

Recipe #2: BOUTONS DE ROSE INFUSION

To prepare this infusion I use the "Fauchon's Boutons the Rose". They are dried miniature red rose buds that come in a small 50g plastic jar directly from France. The 50g jar costs $17.50 here in Panama City. In a future post I will teach you how to dry your roses to assure the best taste and texture.

The procedure to prepare the infusion is very simple: just bring water to a boil and put a handful of dried rose buds in an infusion pot. Then, cover with the hot water and let it brew for 10 minutes, or more if wanted.

Recipe #3: ROSE-THYME VINEGAR

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh organic red rose petals (or pink, or a combination of both)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 l., distilled white salad vinegar

Directions: Place the rose petals and the thyme in a container with the vinegar and close hermetically for 1 month. Store in a dark place. Then, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheese cloth and discard the rose petals. The thyme sprigs could be saved for future use as garnish.

If you bottle this beautiful and fragrant vinegar (with the help of a funnel), into decorative bottles, it would be the perfect holiday gift for your loved ones and foodie friends!

For best flavor: store the bottled rose vinegar for no more than 6 months in a dark, cool pantry.

Uses for this vinegar: in addition to using this vinegar to prepare your favorite vinaigrette, you can also use it to create a "rose homemade mayonnaise". Yes, I know..., it sounds deliciously beautiful :) Just the way we like it!

To prepare this "mayonesa con esencia de rosas" or, "rose mayonnaise", just use the "rose-thyme vinegar" when your favorite homemade mayonnaise calls for vinegar or lime juice.

Recipe #4: ROSE COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

the juice of 4 lemons
1 l. water
2 teaspoons-rose water- (store purchased or home made)
3 tablespoons organic honey, or agave syrup
a pinch of salt

Directions: combine all of the ingredients and stir until the honey and salt are dissolved. Serve COLD, garnished with a lemon wedge.

Tags: rose, edible flowers, cookingdiva, rosa, panama, sensual food

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by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · November 29, 2005 · 04:18 PM
Permalink · Comments (18) · TrackBack (0) · Categories: Edible Flowers - Flores Comestibles · RECIPES: appetizers · RECIPES: delicious drinks · RECIPES: vegetarian · Sensual Food

La Receta del Dia: Ensaladilla de Pixbae con Guayaba

Chef Mark from ReMARKable Palate wrote a masterpiece on the culinary adventures of the fruit made paste! Take a moment to visit the Gastronomic Meditations website, look for "A Sensual Flamenco Alegria". In this article Mark focuses on the "Perada" from Portugal that marries cheese perfectly.

Continuing on the same path, I will honor the fruity theme with a tropical recipe that blends with audacity "pixbae" (peach palm fruit) and "pasta de guayaba" (guava paste). Serve it as an appetizer, or side dish.

Now, the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb boiled pixbae, peeled, seed removed and chopped (or 1 jar ready to eat pixbae)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro fresh leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cream cheese
2 oz guava paste, chopped

Directions:

Combine well the onion, cilantro leaves, hot sauce, lime juice, mayonnaise and cream cheese. Add the dressing to pixbaes and the guava paste at last. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. It keeps well for 3-4 days. Enjoy!

Tags: pixbae, recipes, cookingdiva, personal chef

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · September 28, 2005 · 12:08 PM
Permalink · Comments (0) · TrackBack (0) · Categories: RECIPES: vegetarian · Tropical Fruit and Vegetables

La Receta del Dia: Papaya Salsita

I love colorful food! What would be of life without color? Never forget to add a little bit of color to your food, combining vegetables or fruit with different colors is an easy way. A contrast of colors and shapes of your plates also brings out the spark, life and most important: makes it FUN!

Today we are sharing with you this super easy, colorful and delicious dish: Papaya Salsita. It is made with fresh ripe papaya, onion and spices. It is a wonderful appetizer, served on toast with cream cheese! as shown in the picture.

Another idea is to dress up the grilled chicken breast with this fantastic sauce. There are many many possibilities :)

Enjoy!

Ingredients: