Salsa á la española -- Spanish Sauce, a Pinedo recipe

Today I opened Pinedo's book to a random page and picked a recipe from that page.  I was happy to find a main dish, and my guest taster was happy it involved beef.

On page 241, I chose Spanish Sauce for pieces or slices of beef.  

Pinedo's recipe

My Translation

Spanish sauce.

(For pieces or slices of beef.)

         After the meat slices are fried in the pan, they are removed and in that fat, which must be very little, two chopped onions will be fried, leaving them to brown. To these, three tomatoes and as many finely chopped green chiles, garlic, a tablespoon of butter, oregano, pepper and salt are added. The sauce is allowed to cook over a low heat to make it juicy.

         Place the meat slices in the serving dish, covering them with the sauce and surrounding it with fried potatoes.

My Redaction

1.6 pounds thinly sliced beef steak

2 onions, medium sized

3 tomatoes

3 jalapeño chiles

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat a fry pan to medium heat and fry the steaks for 2 minutes or less on one side, 1 minute or less on the other.  Adjust timing to suit the thickness of the steak.  Add a little olive oil to the pan as needed if the steaks are very lean.

Set the cooked steaks aside into the serving dish.  Arrange them nicely on the dish but don't overlap them too much.  

Peel, core, and chop the onions while the beef is cooking.  Once the steaks are done, brown the onions in the remaining fat.  Add a little olive oil if necessary.  Medium heat is fine and stir them occasionally.

While the onions are cooking, remove the stem ends of the tomatoes then chop them.  Remove the stem, seeds, and veins of the jalapeños, then finely chop them.  Strip the oregano leaves from the stems and chop them finely.

Once the onions are browned, add the tomatoes, chiles, oregano, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper.  Mix them well and turn the heat to low (2 or 3 out of 10).  Let the sauce simmer.  Cook until all the vegetables are soft and the flavors are melded; for me that was 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon the hot sauce over the top of the meat, until the surfaces are completely covered.  If desired, place fried potatoes around the meat.  Serve immediately.

My Notes

Some of my steaks were very thin and cooked quickly.  I cooked one at a time.

I was being careful not to make the dish too spicy chile hot, so I made sure the seeds and veins were removed.  

I added the rest of the ingredients when the onions were somewhat cooked and a little brown.  Perhaps I should have taken them to carmelized.

My choice of fried potatoes was not available to Señorita Pinedo:  I baked frozen french fries in my oven.  

I arranged them better after this picture.  

I called this browned.

To give you a feel for their relative sizes.

All ingredients in the pan.

Well-mixed and starting to cook.

Done!

The Verdict

The sauce wasn't particularly "juicy" but it was very moist, which I liked.  The sauce was not runny.

I spooned most of it over the top of the steaks, which were cool but the sauce was hot enough to warm them back up again.  The steaks were completely hidden from view.

Then I placed the fried potatoes on the sides of the platter, where they would fit.  I noticed they started soaking up the released juices from the steaks.

A delightful presentation!

It was easy to pick up a piece of steak with sauce piled on it using a wide serving fork.  I successfully transfered each piece to a plate.  Then I used the fork to put potatoes on the plate.  That was dinner, along with some cabernet wine.

And wine!

The combination of sauce with beef was good!  Each bite was meaty with the tender vegetables' flavors included.  It was not a robust sauce -- not strongly flavored.  But I enjoyed the onions, tomatoes, and the unique flavor the chiles added.  In a way, I am glad the sauce did not dominate the meat as I wanted to taste both.  Overall, a very pleasant main dish.

I kept getting a "ratatouille" vibe from the sauce, but with chiles instead of squash.  I liked it and so did my guest taster.  We both felt the pepper quantity was just right.  I liked the salt level but he added more salt to his food.  (We both salted the potatoes.)

I think I would add more oregano next time, to make the sauce just a little more interesting.  But not much. 

The sauce was also good spooned over the potatoes.  

Success!

I look forward to trying the leftovers.  Hopefully the flavors developed even more.

Indian Cake, a frugal recipe from 1800s US

I own a reprint of Lydia Maria Child's The American Frugal Housewife, 12th edition, originally published in 1833.  You can view a digital copy of the 1832 edition through Project Gutenberg by clicking here. What's impressive is that the book was originally published in 1828 - yes, it was that popular.  I also found the 27th edition, published in 1841 at archive.org.

ISBN 978-0-918222-98-5

Mrs. Child was, according to Wikipedia, "an American abolitionist, women's rights activist, Native American rights activist, novelist, journalist, and opponent of American expansionism."  She was a prolific author and kept busy until the end of her life in 1880.  Truly an accomplished woman, especially for that century.

I recently participated in a Civil War Reenactment where I was cooking period-appropriate recipes from both the North and the South.  Mrs. Child's book was a valuable resource for me, considering that wartime often requires frugality.  I had several of her receipts (recipes) ready to prepare if the timing allowed.

One that I had hoped to do but didn't get to (this happens often in historical cooking -- I always overprepare just in case) was from page 75:

Indian meal is corn meal, and the first recipe is frugal in that it does not call for eggs, milk, or leavening of any sort.  In my mind, not having eggs or milk could be expected when you are traveling with the armies as it is hard to keep eggs whole during bumpy travels and keep milk fresh without refrigeration.  

At first glance, the frugal version looks like it could be cornbread.  However, since it doesn't have leavening, you can't expect it to be puffed and soft like a typical cornbread.  Also, in the South, white corn meal is preferred, and yellow in the North.  I couldn't acquire white corn meal.

My Frugal Redaction

4 cups cornmeal

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons solid shortening

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup cooked pumpkin (from a can)

3 cups boiling water

The water was boiling while the picture was taken.

Put all the ingredients except the water in a bowl.  Add the boiling water and stir until well-blended, especially watch to have the shortening melted and mixed thoroughly.  I found it easiest to stir with a spoon.  

You might need to adjust the amount of water depending on how the cornmeal absorbs it.  My mix was moist but not wet or runny.  

At the reenactment, I had planned on cooking the cake in a frypan over the fire or frying it in small patties.  At home I baked half of it in the oven and the fried the rest as patties.

Just add boiling water, and stir.

The batter:  moist but still thick, not runny.

Method 1 - In the oven.

The oven was preheated to 350 degrees F.  I greased a cast iron skillet with shortening.  Half of the batter was spread in the skillet and baked for 20 minutes, uncovered.  I noticed that the layer was about 1/2 inch thick or a little less.  After 20 minutes, it looked baked on the top and was firm to the touch.

Ready to bake.

Baked.

Method 2 - Fried patties

I preheated the greased cast iron skillet over medium heat (4 or 5 out of 10).  I spooned enough batter to spread into a patty about 3 to 4 inches in diameter and patted it to about 1/2 inch thickness or less.  After about 5 minutes of cooking on one side, I flipped it to brown the other side.  I removed the patty when it looked toasted, was a golden yellow (not bright yellow like the meal), and was firm to the touch.  I cooked them in batches, regreasing the pan as needed to keep them from sticking.

You can see the color difference between cooked and raw.

The Verdict

The baked didn't get toasted golden but it was cooked all the way through.  It easily came out of the pan to be served on a plate.  I cut it in wedges to serve.  

Wedge on edge to show that it is cooked through.

The patties were served as a pile on a plate.  They were cooked all the way through, too.

Visually more interesting than the baked version.

Also cooked through.

Both types were thin, dense pieces of bread, but not too chewy or hard.  I saw moisture in the middle of both.

My guest taster and I liked both versions.  The flavor was mild, which didn't conflict with the sausage and veggie stew I served with them.  In fact, they were a good accompaniment to the stew, both plain and buttered.  We also had a piece with butter and mulberry jam on it for dessert.

I could not taste the pumpkin but my guest taster thought he could.  There was a slight bitter flavor, not unpleasant, which I attributed to the molasses.  It had enough salt, was only mildly sweet, and the corn flavor was pleasing.  

My guest taster liked them both equally.  I preferred the fried patties because they had a bit of cornmeal crunch that the baked version didn't offer.  

Success!

It felt like the fried patties were cornmeal pancakes or something from my childhood, fried mush.  This was a good thing!  I used to put butter and maple syrup on the fried mush, which would be good here, too.

Keep in mind that if you do this and bake the entire amount of batter, you will get a thicker cake that will take longer to bake.  You will want to add more boiling water to make a pourable batter.  Adjust accordingly.

Mrs. Child suggested ways to be less frugal by adding milk or buttermilk, eggs, more sweetener, leavening, and spices.  I would suggest adding bacon bits, chives, or maybe topping it with shredded cheese once it is cooked. 

I have since found that the leftovers are good reheated.  Once I broke up a patty into pieces and mixed them into the stew.  That was good, too.

Jamoncillo de coco -- Coconut Jamoncillo, a sweet Pinedo recipe

My Latina friend, who grew up in Puebla, mentioned that she loves coconut.  I showed her this recipe and learned that she did not know what jamoncillo was.  That is when I decided to make it.  It is fun to share with friends!

So what is jamoncillo?  A stroll around the internet reveals one candy company claiming it is a traditional sweet from the Juquila region of Oaxaca.  Larousse Cocina, a site I learn a lot from, states jamoncillo is a category of sweets that are firm and soft, often cut into blocks or bars.  It gives a very thorough description of typical preparations from locations all around Mexico -- a fascinating read that you can see by clicking here:  Larousse Cocina - Jamoncillo.  I find myself intrigued with the ideas of using roasted sugar and smoked milk in the future.

I would equate jamoncillo with fudge or pralines as a more familiar sweets category.

Recall that Encarnación Pinedo published her book, El cocinero español, in 1898.  Her recipes show influence from a wide variety of regions in Mexico.  On page 139-140, she offers Jamoncillo de coco or Coconut Jamoncillo.  Larousse mentions that making jamoncillo with coconut is from the Juquila region and includes piloncillo.  Piloncillo, a dark brown sugar product, is purchased in cones that you grate or chop before using.  

Pinedo's recipe

My Translation

Coconut jamoncillo.

         With two pounds of sugar, make clarified syrup that forms a thread between the fingers, and it is set aside.  When it is removed from the fire it is mixed with ground coconut, and it is returned to boil until the syrup recovers the point it had before. It is removed a second time and is beaten only on one side so that it does not become cloudy; emptying it before it thickens into white wafers on the table.

         While the paste is on the fire, it will be necessary not to stop stirring it continuously, if you want it to be very white. If you want yellow, let it toast a little or roast the sugar before making it syrup.

My Redaction

1 whole coconut 

2 lbs sugar (about 4 1/2 cups)

2 1/2 cups water

And water.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Poke open the eyes of the coconut by using a clean screwdriver pounded in with a hammer; drain the liquid into a bowl.  Set the liquid aside.

Pound on the sides of the coconut with the hammer until a crack forms.  Use the screwdriver to hold the crack open, then twist it to expand the crack.  Move the screwdriver to the edge of the crack and keep going until the whole coconut breaks into two pieces.

Put the halves into the oven for about 10 minutes.  This dries the meat a little and makes it easier to remove it from the shell.  It will have a brown liner.  

Put the water and sugar into a saucepan, stir to mix a little, then heat it without stirring until it reaches thread stage, about 230 degrees F.  I used a candy thermometer so I didn't get too impatient.  : )

While the syrup is cooking, break or cut the coconut meat into small pieces.  Grate the white part into a bowl.  The brown part is edible so don't worry if some gets into the white.  

When you've gotten all the white you will get from the pieces, pour the liquid into the grated coconut and stir.  Let it sit while the syrup cooks.

Once the syrup is at temperature, remove it from the heat.  Stir in the coconut with its liquid.  Put it back on the heat with the candy thermometer.  

Stir the mixture continuously while it is cooking.  I found that the cooking process seemed to go the fastest when the mixture was foaming, but I had to be careful that it didn't overflow the pan.  It also seemed to help to stir slowly, just enough to keep the mixture moving.

When it reaches temperature, pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking.  Beat it vigorously while it cools.  It will turn white and get thick.

When the mixture is no longer runny and seems to stick mostly to itself, spoon out portions onto lightly greased cookie sheets, spreading them with the spoon to an even thickness.  Let cool.

My Notes

This recipe only uses sugar, water, and coconut.  Some jamoncillo recipes use milk as part of the base and often include nuts or seeds.  Pinedo did not mention piloncillo.  

Beating the hot mixture ensures that only small sugar crystals form when it cools, making the final result softer and with a shiny surface.  

Did you notice she mentioned roasting the sugar?

It was a lot of work to grate all the coconut by hand.  I still had white left over because I was trying to avoid most of the brown liner.

Mostly white.

Leftovers.  Good to munch on.

I ended up with about 7+ ounces grated white and 3/4 cup liquid.

The nice thing about stirring it while it is cooking the second time is that I could watch the mixture closely and adjust the heat as needed to keep it foaming at just the right height.  Patience is a virture here, though.

Pinedo did not say to transfer to a cooler pan or bowl, but it was easier to beat when I didn't worry about touching a hot saucepan.  I think it cooled faster, too.  That was a bonus after all the stirring while it cooked.

Let it foam about this much.

When to stop beating is a judgement call.  The mixture seemed to be setting up, so I grabbed two spoons and used them to scoop and scrape the mixture into wafers.  I made some big (3 to 4 inches in diameter) and some small (about 2 inches) and spread them so they were not too thick.  

At temperature and ready to beat.

Beaten just right.  Looks like thick oatmeal.

I was pleased that I had gotten the jamoncillos so white and that the surfaces were shiny.

The Verdict

I'm not sure why we had to be concerned about it becoming cloudy, since the final result was white from beating a lot of air into it.  Visually, it was appealing because you can see the coconut texture.

Make it smaller.

My guest taster and I both liked the coconut flavor.  We noted it was definitely sweet - I think it is a sugar bomb.  One is enough!  Because of that, I would recommend making each wafer small, like 1 inch in diameter.  That would make more of them and not overwhelm the eater with too much sugar.

I wanted more coconut in each bite.  In the future, I would use purchased shredded coconut (and I don't think it matters if it is sweetened or not) and use at least 10 ounces for the amount of syrup I had.

If you didn't want to make wafers, you could spread the entire mixture into a pan -- keep it thin -- and then cut squares of them to serve.  But I liked the look of the wafers.

So what did my Latina friend think of it?

She thought it was the "perfect candy".  That was a quote!  The coconut flavor was just right for her and she described it as "yummy."  I'm so glad it made her happy.

Success, in more ways than one.  

Another Latina friend realized that this was very similar to a candy she loved as a child in Mexico:  alfajor de coco.  I looked up the recipe and found that really, the only differences were that the candy was cast as a slab and cut into bars for serving, and that the top surface was dyed red.  An interesting connection!

BBQ Ribs -- a recipe from my family

In the early 1990s, my family put on a big reunion.  It was fun to meet cousins for the first time, to see what my grandfather's generation produced, and to just have a good time with nice people.  I decided I wanted to contribute to our gathering by producing a family cookbook.  A few months in advance I sent out a request for recipes and any stories behind them that anyone wanted to share.  I got a good response!

After sorting and typing them up, I added some cute graphics, an introduction, and a contributors list which documented the relationships we all had to my grandfather's generation.  I could afford to print up and have bound enough copies to share without asking anyone for payment.  I liked that part.  People took them and seemed to enjoy having them.

One recipe was given by my mom, MS, about her dad (my grandfather), BP.  

I loved the comment about the "BBQ/incinerator"!  I enjoyed the graphics of the dark pig and the light pig, thinking that the dark one was the incinerated one.  : )

I decided to try it, but use my propane gas grill instead of a homemade, backyard BBQ pit.

Here is the recipe for easier reading:

BBQ Ribs

2 1/2 to 3 lb pkg. spare ribs

1 tsp. celery seed

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. salt or 1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. paprika

Just add meat!

Mix seasoning thoroughly and rub into both sides of the ribs.  Let stand a minimum of 15 minutes.  Cook over hot coals for 45 minutes to an hour.

My Notes

I had a 2 1/2 pound package of spare ribs.  I chose to use regular salt and chile flakes instead of powder.

Unmixed

Well mixed

After I mixed the seasoning, I rubbed it on both sides and on the edges.  The ribs then sat at room temperature for 30 minutes.  During this time I noticed that the juices were drawn from the meat, dissolving the sugar and salt and creating puddles on the upper surface of the ribs.

Not long after the rub was rubbed in.

After 30 minutes of resting.

I heated my grill for 10 minutes, reaching between 350 and 400 degrees F.  I placed the ribs on the grill rack, using indirect heat, and set the timer for 22 minutes so I could see if they needed turning.

Beee-you-ti-ful!

When the timer went off, I discovered that at some point - I know not when - the grill had run out of propane gas.  Grrrrr.  The meat did not look like it had cooked much.  I had no extra propane on hand, so I put the meat on a pan and put it in the oven at 350 degrees.

Baking is like indirect heat, right?

After 20 minutes, it looked good and it smelled good.  The internal temperature was 170 degrees.  I figured it was cooked enough.

I did broil it for a few minutes on each side to brown it well, being careful not to burn the sugar.

Grilled, baked, and broiled.

The Verdict

I cut the individual ribs from the slab, making sure there was meat on each bone.  Then I served about half of them with some good cole slaw (KFC style!) and sourdough bread.

What I noticed is that the rub had turned into a sauce, which I did not expect.  (I had wondered why the recipe said, "Mother made the sauce".  Now I know!)  It made the meat moist and slightly glazed.

The meat was cooked just right, and was tender and flavorful.  I loved the rub/sauce and how it was slightly sweet as well as a little bit spicy.  I was originally worried about the amount of celery seed because I am not a big fan of that on barbeques, but it was just fine.

I thought including chili powder was a daring thing to do for a family in the midwest during the 1930s and 1940s -- my general impression of that time and place is that spices were not commonly used other than, for example, garlic salt as an alternative to salt and pepper.  I could be quite wrong!  

Daring or not, this is a good recipe.  I would do it again, either baking/broiling or grilling.  Or both, if I run out of propane again.

Success!

The second half of the ribs were also excellent the next day.

Aves en nogada de nuez - Poultry in Walnut Nogada, a Pinedo recipe

I have read that the Mexican "national dish" is Chiles en Nogada, made with green poblano chiles stuffed with a savory meat filling, topped with a walnut-and-cream sauce, and garnished with pomegranate seeds.  It originated in Puebla in the 1820s, and my friend who grew up there tells me it is good but challenging to prepare.  

The word "nogada" indicates a walnut-based sauce, and Pinedo gave us three recipes with nogada in them.  None of them use cream and all of them call for breadcrumbs soaked in liquid.

I chose the recipe on page 23, which puts the nogada over cooked chicken.

Pinedo's Recipe

Aves en nogada de nuez

My Translation

Poultry in Walnut Nogada

    The chickens will be cooked in water with vinegar and salt, and immediately they are cut apart; each piece is coated in beaten egg and fried in hot fat.

     Nuts and soaked breadcrumbs and garlic are ground: at the time of serving them, the nogada will be [put] on top, with a tablespoon of olive oil.

My Redaction

2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 cups water, or enough to barely cover the meat

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups walnuts (shelled)

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (or less, see below)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

3 eggs (but I think 2 would do it), well-beaten

oil for frying

1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the chicken thighs in a deep pan, add just enough water to barely cover, then add the salt and vinegar.  Swirl the pan to mix the liquids.

Bring the liquids to a boil then turn the heat down so it is just barely simmering.  Set the timer for 10 minutes; when that time is up, turn the thighs over and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Skim the foam that floats to the top while the chicken is cooking.

In the meantime, grind or pound the walnuts until they are small- and medium-sized bits.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the pan and set it on a plate to drain.  

Begin heating about 1/2 inch of oil or fat in a skillet.

Soak the breadcrumbs mixed in 1 cup (or more! see below) of the broth from the pan until they do not look dry anymore.  

Mix the walnuts, breadcrumbs, and garlic together to make the nogada.  Set aside.

Pour the beaten eggs into a bowl.  Dip a piece of chicken into them, coating all sides.

Fry the chicken in the hot oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides.

Set fried chicken on a serving platter.  When all pieces are done, pour or spread the nogada over them, then drizzle with the olive oil.  Serve.

My Notes

Since I used thighs, I didn't have to cut the chicken up after simmering.  Cooking them for 20 minutes got them mostly done and the frying finished cooking them through.

Barely covered in water

Simmered and now draining

I originally guessed at 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup broth, but decided to add 1/2 cup more broth after I saw how thick the soaked crumbs were.  Even after I mixed them with the nuts and garlic, I still thought it was too thick but chose to leave it as it was.  It was spoonable but not pourable.

Nuts and garlic on the left, breadcrumbs on the right.

Mixed with the extra liquid.  Still thick.

The oil for frying was hot but made the meat more golden when I made it hotter.  I fried two thighs at a time so the oil temperature wouldn't drop too much. 

Frying and getting golden.

Ready for the nogada!

I had a lot of beaten egg left over after cooking all the chicken, so two eggs probably would have worked.

Nogada spread and olive oil drizzled.

The Verdict

I served the chicken with some coleslaw and wine.

I was pleased to see the thighs were cooked all the way through.  

My guest taster and I both thought the nogada could have been thinner, so it was pourable, but there wasn't anything really wrong with having it so thick.  I think I would use 1/4 cup breadcrumbs next time, and then once they were mixed with the nuts and garlic, keep adding broth until the nogada was a consistency I liked.

We both believe that the thick nogada would be a good sandwich spread.

The sauce's flavor was very nuanced.  We could taste the garlic, but it was very subtle, which we liked.  The nuts were the dominant flavor and we liked their slight crunch.  We could even taste the salt and vaguely the vinegar from the broth.  My guest taster, who loves salt on his food, was quite satisfied with the very light salt level of the nogada.  This surprised me.

We liked the flavor balance and blend very much.  

The chicken had almost a Chinese vibe to it, which I attributed to the egg-only coating and being fried.  It went well with the sauce as it was not heavy or strongly flavored.

Over all, the meat and the slightly crunchy nogada with its nutty and mildly garlic flavor went well together, and we declared it a success.

I shared it with my friend who grew up in Puebla.  She liked it, including the mild garlic flavor and the salt level.  It was a different experience for her, since she mostly cooks Mexican food with a lot of chiles, but one she enjoyed.  

It would be interesting to see what the nogada is like when it is thinner and pourable.  I don't think I would change the flavor balance at all.