Rice with Pork Chops, Dominican Locrio de Chuletas y Camarones

En Español

Hi friends!! I know I have been m.i.a lately, but here I am, very glad to share something delicious and home cooked. This rice with pork chops and seafood is a recipe that occurred to my husband to satisfy a craving he had. He came home with smoked pork chops, smoked pork ribs, shrimp and cooked octopus so that  I would cook a locrio with all that. I often prepare Locrios but not with seafood and meat together. I find his idea very good and I started to cook it right away.  I named it "Locrio de Mar y Tierra", Sea and land rice.

For those who are new to this dish, in the Dominican Republic, locrio , as well as the  asopao is a Caribbean variant of the Spanish paella.  We call "locrio" any rice dish prepared with any type of meat, seafood or sausage. For example to rice with chicken or arroz con pollo we call it "locrio de pollo", rice with pork chops we call it "locrio de chuletas" and so on. This rice dish can easily be varied, making it a very popular dish in Dominican households. It is normally accompanied with a good potato salad, fresh green salad and/or tostones. I hope you enjoy it!

Rice Pork Chops and Shrimps

Ingredients:
6 chops smoked pork chops
1 pound of smoked ribs
1 pound of cooked octopus or mixed seafood
1 pound of shrimp
4 cups of uncooked rice (2 pounds)
1 teaspoon ground oregano
zumo de 2 naranjas agrias (bitter oranges juice)
1 Tablespoons olive oil
½ cup Dominican seasoning or (1 onion, chopped, 1 chopped red pepper, 1 teaspoon of oregano, a bit of saffron or annato)
1½ Tablespoon crushed garlic  (divided into two)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup of tomato sauce or 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped
7-8 cups of water
1 can of sweet peas
1 chicken bouillon
½ oil to stir fry meats
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
1. Rinse the shrimp and seafood with cold water. Peel shrimps and reserve shells. Season the seafood with the tablespoon of olive oil and a little garlic; Reserve. Boil shrimp shells with 7 cups of water and chicken bouillon. This will make a broth or quick fumet which will give a better flavor to the rice. When it has boiled 10 minutes, remove from fire and leave covered until the time of use.

2. Clean and cut the chops and ribs to the size you prefer. Season with half of the sour orange juice and oregano. In a medium-large pot, heat the half cup of oil and, sauté the chops and ribs until they are golden brown. Then add the Dominican sazón or chopped vegetables, crushed garlic, soy sauce, tomato sauce, chopped cilantro, and remaining sour orange juice. Let it all stir fry together for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat.

3. Add the rice and shrimp broth until you have enough liquid to cover the rice, or to your tastes, if you need more water, add it. Stir to mix all the ingredients well, and cover. Continue cooking over low heat stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking on the sides. The cooking time varies depending on the type of rice you use. It should take about 35-45 minutes. Five to seven minutes before rice is done, add the seafood and the sweet peas, mix into the rice and cover until ready to remove from the fire. Serve with potato salad, fresh green salad or tostones.


Yield: 6-8 servings. You can halve the recipe or easily double. 

Notes:  
a) Instead of zumo de naranja agria (bitter orange juice), you can use lemon juice or vinegar.
b) The petit pois (sweet peas) on this occasion, I had to add them along with the water because they were not as tender as they should be, but if you have tender sweet peas add as indicated in step # 3.
c) To make a locrio of any sausage, chorizo, ham or salami, follow the same process, adding seafood is optional.

En español: AQUÍ.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. ~ Proverbs 3:27 

eBook by Mari available on Amazon.

Papaya Dessert, DULCE DE LECHOSA

This “dulce de lechosa” is made while the papaya is still green (unripe) and slow cooked in a sweet and delicious syrup flavored with cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. This dessert is not only a traditional favorite of the Dominican Republic, but also in many South American countries and in the Caribbean. The papaya is also known as pawpaw, and in spanish it is called lechosa, mamón, melón de árbol and fruta bomba. I know many living outside their country love this dessert and with this post they will most likely have flashback memories of the flavors of their country.

En español: AQUÍ

I dedicate this post to my aunt Anne Fresolina, who I love very much and thank for always making delicious desserts like this one and the of cajuil (cashew fruit). She is an inspiration to continue the making traditional desserts at home. I send a big hug to her!

Papaya from the farm.

Dulce de Lechosa

Ingredients:
1 large green papaya
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups sugar (600 g) or to taste
¼ of ground cloves
¼ cinnamon
2 spoonfuls of vanilla water

Preparation:
1. Peel, remove the seeds and cut the papaya into thin strips of 1½ inch (3.5 cm) long.
2. Place the strips in a pot with enough water to cover them and let it boil covered until the strips are slightly tender (12 minutes).
3. Throw away the water it has boiled in and place the papaya strips under the tap cool slightly with cold water; drain and place it in a thick bottom pot.
4. Add 2 cups of sugar, sprig of cinnamon, ground cloves, cinnamon powder, vanilla and enough water to cover the strips. Boil covered at high heat for 15 minutes, then uncover and lower the heat to moderate and check sugar, if you would like more add the remaining cup of sugar. Let it boil for 1-2 hours or until you the papaya is transparent and the syrup is thick.
5. Allow cooling and store covered in the refrigerator or save in sterilized jars. Serve cold.

Notes:
a) The papaya must be green, meaning the pulp must also be green and firm.  I have encountered many fruits that are green outside but when I cut them the are a pale orange inside. You can still do this recipe, but it will take less time to cook and the texture would be kind of mushy.

b) Depending on the size (weight) of the papaya, the quantity of sugar needed may vary. A guide calculate the amount of sugar needed is by measuring in cups the fruit after it has boiled in water the first time and has been cooled with tap water and drained. Measure and place in the pot. I use ½ cup of sugar for each ½ cup of fruit. But still I recommend you not to add all the sugar at once, but only half and the rest go adding little by little while tasting until it is as sweet as you like.

c) The strips of papaya can be set in a tray to dry in the sun until noon; this helps it stay firm while cooking. Also a ½ teaspoon of baking soda can be added while cooking with the sugar, this help the fruit crystallize sooner and add a nice color to it. I don't do any of these steps and my dessert comes out fine and delicious!

En español: AQUÍ

You will also find this sweet delicacy in the following delicious and recomended kitchen:

Gabriela, Clavo y Canela: Dulce de Mamón (Dulce de Papaya)

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. ~ Romans 14:19

eBook by Mari available on Amazon.

Irish Soda Bread

At long last! I've finally mastered the Irish soda bread that my husband has been yearning for over the years. And what better occasion to indulge in this culinary delight than Saint Patrick’s Day?

La receta del Pan de Soda Irlandés en Español.

I've treasured this bread recipe since it was generously shared with us by our Irish friend from Massachusetts. His mother's rendition, laden with plump raisins, is precisely how my husband prefers it. While it's a fancier iteration of the traditional Irish bread, known as the Irish spotted dog bread, it has won the hearts of both Irish natives and enthusiasts worldwide. I encourage you to give this recipe a try and discover its irresistible charm for yourself!

About Irish soda bread:

Irish Soda bread is a quick variant in which baking soda is used as a leavening agent instead of yeast. In Europe, this type of bread began to gain popularity in the 19th century with the introduction of baking soda as a leavening agent.

Traditional Irish soda bread is made with flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. In this recipe, the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to form small bubbles of carbon dioxide, allowing the bread to rise quickly and acquire a soft texture. In addition to these basic ingredients, others such as egg, butter, raisins, caraway seeds, or nuts can be added.

Despite the wide variety of breads available in supermarkets today, many Irish families continue to bake their own daily bread, following recipes passed down through generations. In most of Ireland, this bread is baked in a round shape and marked with a cross on top. This mark has no religious connotations but serves to allow the air accumulated by the carbon dioxide inside the bread to escape during baking.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

4- 4½ cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 Tablespoons white sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup margarine softened at room temperature

1¼ raisins, that have been previously soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt at room temperature

1 egg at room temperature

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

2. In a bowl, mix 4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Add margarine and mix with two knives or a hand until it resembles a coarse meal. Add in raisins and mix in well.

3. Stir in the buttermilk and egg lightly beaten. If the remaining ½ cup of flour is needed, add it now and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for no more than 2 minutes. Form the dough into a round shape and place it on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.

4. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. When preparing mini loaves bake for only 20-25 minutes. Serve warm. This bread tastes best when it’s freshly baked. 

Yield: One large loaf, or four 5" loaves. For smaller loaves you can get five 4" loaves.

Note: 

I have just tasted it the next day and although it might feel a little denser, it tastes better than yesterday!

If you like this recipe, you will also enjoy:

Mini Irish Soda Bread

So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. ~ Deuteronomy 5:32-33