Here is a helpful link that I forgot to include in my stew recipe.
http://www.minicattle.com/index.cfm
The meat is amazing.
This whole Farmer’s Market thing is opening my eyes to new ideas and worlds of food that I never knew.
Eric
(Photo courtesy of Sippitysup.com)
Greg and I have something in common, we both love this chili sauce. I have a huge canister of it in my fridge and I rarely get to use it because as people say, “it’s too spicy”. Normally, it’s just something I spoon out for myself and I usually just sit in the corner while I’m smiling with my mouth on fire. It’s nice to see someone else who shares the same passion for the hot spice!!! Greg, that’s why you’re the blogger of the month!
CLICK HERE TO GO TO HIS VIETNAMESE SPICY SHRIMP RECIPE
Eric
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I was on lookout duty and at approximately 13:34 hours I noticed a large ship moving across neutral waters, a cruise ship full of tourists that love to order Corona, wear stupid tropical shirts, and ask if they could get a tortilla with their food. I ran up the triangle staircase to move myself into position on the artillery deck. There it was, 11 stories of culture ruiners waving back at me and smiling. I couldn’t take it anymore so I manned the main cannon and the first shot sank them, must have been the excessive weight on board.
Music to listen to while shooting a cannon:
Click
Click Part 2 Play louder!!!! Loved being a trumpet player
Click
Click
Click
(Click here for more of my Puerto Rico Travel Guide)
Eric
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Take your tastebuds on a trip with this stew. Ugh, that sounds so damn cheesy it’s ridiculous. Rainbows, butterflies, and unicorns!!!! Please try this stew, I know it’s summertime but it’s worth it.
Ingredients:
2 mini-cattle chuck steaks. Yes, mini-cattle (click)
salt and pepper
4 tbsp. butter
Sear each side of the steaks for about 2 minutes on each side by placing salt and pepper on the steak then placing then heating the butter in the pan. Place steak in crock pot……..go to next step!
Stew
4 carrots, peeled
3 celery stalks
1/2 sweet onion
6 ounces tomato sauce
2 roma tomatoes
4 yukon gold potatoes
1 cup valencia orange juice
3 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. dried tarragon
Combine all ingredients together in crockpot. Cook in crock pot for 4-5 hours. Serve with white rice.
Enjoy,
Eric
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It has recently been said that Ponce is the only city in Puerto Rico and the rest is just parking space. I couldn’t agree more! If it wasn’t for the city of Ponce then I wouldn’t be here today because that’s where my parents met in college. I spent many summers in Ponce as a little kid so it was a little amusing to watch my dad get lost in the streets and I knew exactly where we were headed the entire time because of car trips with my grandpa.
While we were in Ponce we visited the Serralles Mansion. This was the family mansion for the people that created Don Q rum. They pretty much owned the entire city of Ponce at one time and as they grew they sold off a lot of their land for the city to develop into what you see today. We didn’t go on the tour of the mansion because I have been on it a few times and I could pretty much give you the story of the Serralles family in my sleep. I recommend taking the tour because it really does show you that you’re in the wrong business……you should start a rum company! 
In the same area you can visit take an elevator ride on a gigantic cross that will give you an amazing scenic view of Ponce. If you make your way up the parking lot then you will visit a very nice Japanese garden, it’s not something you would expect in Puerto Rico but it fits! One of my favorite trees is the Flamboyan, they have a bonzai version of this tree that is worth the trip.
Making our way to the town square we took a few pictures in front of the Parque de Bombas or the Firehouse. The firehouse has been kept in immaculate shape with it’s original colors, black and red, since 1883. In the same townsquare the are many sculptures, fountains, and colorful buildings that will make you feel like you’re in a time machine. You will truly feel like you are seeing Ponce the way it was 100+ years ago. I took a bunch of pictures of the cathedral that my grandparents were married as you can see.
The night we were there the town was having a festival of dance showcasing the national dance of Puerto Rico, La Danza. It’s almost like a waltz with a quick step mixed in. One of the dancers pulled my mom in and danced with her. It was fantastic to see because you can really tell that everyone in the city embraces the culture of Puerto Rico at all times. I can’t think of the last time I saw that in Seattle on a Tuesday night.
Oh, did I forget to talk about food? The first place you should go to in Ponce to eat is Pito’s Seafood. We named our 13 year old chihuahua after that place so it’s easy to see that’s one of our favorites. They specialize in local caught fish while giving you traditional Puerto Rican favorites meals. Next, visit Cabuqui. Their food is Puerto Rican Food 2.0. They take the traditional and add a touch of modern cuisine. Try the pork tenderloin, it’s amazing.
Go to Ponce!! Go to Puerto Rico!!
(Click here for more of my Puerto Rico Travel Guide)
Eric
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!
I’ve been challenged by Kristy over at the Wicked Noodle to create the best Johnsonville Brat. She’s from Wisconsin so she has a little headstart there but I am the crazy recipe creation specialist (it says that on my business card…..I’m lying…I don’t have a business card).
The rules…..there are none! It’s a cross-country Brat-off!
Come back on Sunday for the results and judge for yourself which Brat you would rather try (mine of course).
Eric
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I was working at the Lake Forest Park Farmer’s Market this past weekend and I met Pericles Tarsinos. He is the owner of Four Seasons Gourmet Foods and he makes a Rosy Raspberry Vinegar. I was near his tent and he had me try his product, I loved it so much that I bought two bottles because I knew I was going to go through the first bottle way too fast!!! I asked him about how he makes it and after his explanation I was left in awe. He told me when the market finished he had to go home and pour another 1200 bottles, talk about dedication!!!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. chicken thighs, de-boned and skin removed
1 packet sazon seasoning
1 tsp. adobo seasoning
salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator for an hour. (This is how mom does them)
Glaze
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. Rosy Raspberry Vinegar
1/2 chipotle pod, ground
I made these pinchos with orangle bell peppers, strawberry tomatoes, and sweet onions. Arrange the pieces on the stick however you want just make sure you soak the sticks in water before you cook them so they don’t burn off. Every 2 minutes brush the pinchos with the glaze mixture. After 10 minutes in the BBQ the pinchos are done, let them rest about 2 minutes before serving. Serve!
Enjoy,
Eric
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Mindy, my wife, was inspired to plant some herbs since we visited my parents in Puerto Rico so we went to a local nursery yesterday and picked out some herbs to plant. A problem arises, we have our house on the market so we had to plant all of these herbs in pots and I’m not sure if this will effect how they grow so we’ll see what happens. I’m excited and Mindy and Audrey had a blast planting these (minus the whole sunburn thing). I hope they grow quickly so I can start cooking with them!!! I’m especially excited about the peppers, ERIC RIVERA’S PIQUE SAUCE HERE I COME!!
Here is a list of what was planted:
Peppers- Pimento, Super Chili, Serrano, and Cayenne
Oregano- Golden, Herb Verregated, Italian, Greek
Thyme- Silver and Lemon
Dwarf Curry
Chives
Cilantro
Basil and Thai Basil
BBQ Rosemary and Regular Rosemary
Parsley
Pineapple Mint
Eric
What a magnificent pairing. It’s great working for a sauce and spread company. I get a chance to think outside the box a little and try our products with other foods. Most people use our chimichurri as a finishing sauce for a steak or will simply dip bread into the chimichurri. Well, here’s the pairing I recommend the most with our Lime Riesling Chimichurri……….Raw Oysters!!! Most people will dab a little hot sauce and some lime juice on one of these oyseters and go to town. The Lime Riesling Chimichurri has you taken care of, a little spice with a nice lime finish. It’s an all-in-one oyster extravaganza! If you’re in the Seattle/Tacoma area and you would like to get your hands on some of this then come on down to your local Farmers Market and look for the Sound Bites booth. I’ll probably be there too, so come say hi!
Eric
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I made this on the last day I was in Puerto Rico along with a few other things. My mom told me she liked eggplant so I thought I would show her how I do that whole eggplant thing. I’ve seared it before (click for recipe) but I changed the ingredients around to make it work for a nice tropical meal.
Ingredients:
2 small eggplants peeled and sliced an inch thick
1/2 cup mango pineapple sauce (click for recipe)
Marinade the eggplant with the mango pineapple sauce for 20 or so minutes. Sear each side on high heat for 2-3 minutes then remove from heat and let rest on plate
Shrimp
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 tbsp. grape seed oil
1 tsp. salt
fresh oregano
fresh rosemary
1 aji dulce pod or a small sweet pepper pod
In a mortar and pestle pound the grape seed oil, salt, oregano, rosemary, and aji dulce pod then add the shrimp and let marinade for 20 minutes. Cook the shrimp for 5 minutes on high heat then remove and place over egg plant. With the remaining juice in the pan pour a little cornstarch in then whisk and serve over eggplant and shrimp. Serve.
Enjoy,
Eric
Be sure to check me out on Lake Forest Mark’s Blog. The guy is super nice and has a great community site for Lake Forest Park.
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This is one of the favorite things that my mom makes. She marinaded this then I took over and cooked it and added a few different things to the mix, it came out great! Nice teamwork!
Ingredients:
4 thinly sliced beef tenderloin steaks, tenderized
1 onion sliced into thick pieces
1 yellow bell pepper
1 tbsp. adobo seasoning
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, mashed
fresh oregano
salt and pepper
1 tomato, diced
Marinade the steak with the bell pepper, adobo, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper for 35 minutes. Remove the meat from marinade then dump the marinade mixture in a large skillet and saute for 2-3 minutes then add the meat and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Once you are done cut place the tomato on the plate then add the onion, and bell pepper to the plate and place the meat on top. Serve.
Enjoy,
Eric
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I made this on the final evening for my parents in Puerto Rico. Instead of using a green plantain I used a yellow plantain for a much sweeter taste. Also, I used the leftover meat from the pork pinchos recipe from the day before which turned out to be a perfect fit for this.
Ingredients:
2 ripe yellow plantains
1/2 lb cooked pork, ground in a food processor (use my recipe)
Mango Pineapple Sauce (use my recipe)
Slice the plantains about a 2 inches thick then fry for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat then place in tostonera (plantain cup maker), press then throw plantain back in the fryer for another 3-5 minutes. Remove plantains from heat and place on a paper towel. Stuff the plantain cups with the deviled ham and finish with mango pineapple sauce. SERVE!
Enjoy,
Eric
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Keep it simple or something like that. If you don’t have aji dulce available to you then just use a bell peppers.
Ingredients:
French Bread
10 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. grape seed oil
2 aji dulce pods
Fresh oregano
Crumbled cheese (I used a raw milk cheese finished with a little lime)
Combine the garlic, oil, pepper, and oregano in a mortar and pestle and grind it out. Pre-heat oven to 350F then place mixture from mortar and pestle over the bread then place crumbled cheese over the top. Cover the bread in foil then bake for 15 minutes. Serve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy,
Eric
