Culantro, recao, aji, etc (Was: ..."boliche")
J Krugman
><aas...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM> wrote in message
>news:3FA70EDC...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM...
><snip>
>>
>> I do modify the recipe by adding two ingredients. One leaf of "culantro"
>and
>> one or two cachucha peppers. I haven't yet figured out what the name of
>> culantro is in English. It is not cilantro. It is a longish leaf, about 4
>or
>> so inches with a serrated edge and a pungent taste. In Puerto Rico it is
>> called "recao". The cachucha pepper looks a bit like habaneros but it is
>> totally sweet.
>>
>Culantro!!! How can anyone cook Puerto Rican food without it???
Tell me about it!!!
< snip >
>Culantro is Puerto Rican Coriander... Eryngium foetidum is its botanical
>name... you can buy it in Vietnamese markets where it's called ngo gai... or
>in Caribbean markets where it's called Shadow Benny...
I am SOOO HAPPY this topic emerged! I have been trying to find
out the English names and sources for *two* similar-sounding
ingredients that I find in Puerto Rican recipes, often *together*:
culantro and culantrillo (see my unsuccessful post in
soc.culture.puerto-rico). Since the two words appear in the same
recipe as distinct ingredients, I have to assume they are not
synonyms, but refer to different plants.
I have found that both culantro and culantrillo are translated as
"coriander or cilantro". I guess cilantro is *not* culantro, but
maybe cilantro is culantrillo?
But let me see if I got this right: since "cilantro" and "coriander"
are supposed to be synonyms, if "culantro" and "cilantro" are not
the same thing, then "Puerto Rican coriander" must be different
from plain ol' coriander... (I think).
>She also sends me the cachuca peppers (ajies dulces, or
>ajicitos).
There's a pepper that I have heard my Cuban friends refer to as
"aji", and looks like what I've always known as "Italian pepper";
it resembles an elongated bell pepper, of a lighter, brighter green
color than a usual green bell pepper--closer to a "tennis-ball
green". I have not had a chance to do a side-by-side comparison
of *this* aji with "my" Italian pepper. So now I have potentially
three peppers to sort out: "my" Italian pepper, my Cuban friends'
"aji", and Foxy Lady's "aji dulce". Are they all different? How
do they compare?
>All of
>the plants (recao and ajicitos) have thrived here despite the weather.
One other language-related question I have is the meaning of "recao".
I thought "recao" was a type of sofrito (a mixture of chopped herbs
and aromatics that one uses to add flavor to a saute). In fact,
I think I've seen bottled recao in the store (Goya?), and it looks
similar to bottled sofrito. Please dispel my cluelessness.
I'm very excited to find so many knowledgeable fans of Cuban and
Puerto Rican cooking. These are cuisines that I've always *loved*
(don't get me started on alcapurrias!), but never been quite able
to reproduce in my kitchen.
Jill
Foxy Lady
"J Krugman" <jill_k...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bo8fu7$mmb$1...@reader2.panix.com...
> ><snip>
> >>
> >Culantro is Puerto Rican Coriander... Eryngium foetidum is its botanical
> >name... you can buy it in Vietnamese markets where it's called ngo gai...
or
> >in Caribbean markets where it's called Shadow Benny...
>
> I am SOOO HAPPY this topic emerged! I have been trying to find
> out the English names and sources for *two* similar-sounding
> ingredients that I find in Puerto Rican recipes, often *together*:
> culantro and culantrillo (see my unsuccessful post in
> soc.culture.puerto-rico). Since the two words appear in the same
> recipe as distinct ingredients, I have to assume they are not
> synonyms, but refer to different plants.
Culantro is recao and culantrillo should have been spelled cilantrillo...
and it's cilantro.
> I have found that both culantro and culantrillo are translated as
> "coriander or cilantro". I guess cilantro is *not* culantro, but
> maybe cilantro is culantrillo?
yes... culantrillo/cilantrillo is cilantro
> But let me see if I got this right: since "cilantro" and "coriander"
> are supposed to be synonyms, if "culantro" and "cilantro" are not
> the same thing, then "Puerto Rican coriander" must be different
> from plain ol' coriander... (I think).
It sure is!!! It's a long, flat leaf with saw-toothed edges, always used
fresh. It definitely does not freeze well at all but can be run through the
food processor or blender with some onions and frozen until you come up with
the rest of the ingredients for a sofrito. If you live in an area that it
doesn't snow, you can plant it outside but get ready becaue it's wild and
can spread over a pretty large area very easily. I have mine in rectangular
deck planters that i place outdoors as soon as i can... just remember that
every now and then you need to bring them indoors if they're in direct
sunlight. They do best in semi-shade or under trees where they get limited
direct sunlight. They can survive the sun, but the leaves will be more
delicate and a lighter green.
>She also sends me the cachuca peppers (ajies dulces, or
> >ajicitos).
>
> There's a pepper that I have heard my Cuban friends refer to as
> "aji", and looks like what I've always known as "Italian pepper";
> it resembles an elongated bell pepper, of a lighter, brighter green
> color than a usual green bell pepper--closer to a "tennis-ball
> green". I have not had a chance to do a side-by-side comparison
> of *this* aji with "my" Italian pepper. So now I have potentially
> three peppers to sort out: "my" Italian pepper, my Cuban friends'
> "aji", and Foxy Lady's "aji dulce". Are they all different? How
> do they compare?
I believe that the pepper you're referring to is a Cubanelle pepper.
Absolutely essential for a good sofrito. In Puerto Rico we call them
"pimientos de cocinar" or cooking peppers as opposed to bell peppers which
can be used in salads. As for the Italian pepper, I've always used
Cubanelle peppers in my Italian sausage/peppers/onions sandwiches and in
soups too. When I was a child in New York, most of our neighbors were
Italian and that's what they used too. As for ajicitos, (capsicum chinense),
they have a flavor that is unique. It's not hot - PR cuisine is not hot at
all but when we want to use heat we add a few drops of a "curtido" or
"pique" which is hot peppers in vinager, olive oil, herbs, etc in a bottle -
usually an empty pint bottle of Don Q rum. You put all those nice
ingredients in there and shake it up, put the cap on loosely and leave it on
your window sill or anywhere else the sun will hit it... leave it out there
for a minimum of one day and then you seal it tight. The longer it's in
there, the hotter it gets. Great with asopao, especially after a Christmas
"parranda" where you want to wake up completely before driving away. Some
ajicitos are hot because they were grown alongside habaneros and they've
crossbred so you need to test them before using them. You could ask your
produce manager for just one ajicito to test... basically just dig your nail
into it and smell it/taste it. If it smells, hot it is... but taste will
always be a better choice. They are used both green and ripe. I use mostly
green with a touch of ripe for my sofrito and you need to seed them first.
Save the seeds from the ripe ones to dry out and plant. If I can't make
sofrito tright away, I usually seed them and place them in a ziploc freezer
bag, add a dash of salt and some olive oil, smoosh them so they get a thin
coating f oil and then place the bag in the freezer. You can use them like
this for a very long time... more than a year!
> >All of
> >the plants (recao and ajicitos) have thrived here despite the weather.
>
> One other language-related question I have is the meaning of "recao".
> I thought "recao" was a type of sofrito (a mixture of chopped herbs
> and aromatics that one uses to add flavor to a saute). In fact,
> I think I've seen bottled recao in the store (Goya?), and it looks
> similar to bottled sofrito. Please dispel my cluelessness.
Recao is the herb - recaito is the sofrito that is green, sofrito is the one
that's red - at least the commercially produced ones. Homemade sofritos are
green with specks of red from the plum tomatoes/ajicitos etc. If you have to
buy the Goya product, ask your grocery manager to bring in the frozen kind.
Both types are available frozen and I've used them in a pinch. The bottled
stuff is... hmm... plain nasty comes to mind.
> I'm very excited to find so many knowledgeable fans of Cuban and
> Puerto Rican cooking. These are cuisines that I've always *loved*
> (don't get me started on alcapurrias!), but never been quite able
> to reproduce in my kitchen.
>
> Jill
Alcapurrias... hmmm... I was going to make some this weekend but now that
we're getting close to our Christmas season (which you must know, runs from
Thanksgiving until January 14th because of "las octavitas") I'm leaning more
toward making some pasteles... but I did make lots of empanadillas a couple
of weeks ago... My daughter brought me 2 huge packages of the plantillas
(pastry rounds to make these delicious turnovers) and i made some with
picadillo, some with pizza ingredients, some with both combined, and some
with jueyes (crabmeat, PR style). All were gone in 24 hour, eaten as fast as
i could deep-fry them.
I still owe Tranch a recipe for arroz con gandules and I promise to get it
posted before Thanksgiving. If you need anymore input or recipes you can
e-mail me.
happy cooking!
Sandra
J Krugman
I tried to find some pictures to help me tell the peppers apart.
Cubanelle is definitely what I thought of as "aji/Italian pepper":
But most mentions I found of "capsicum chinense" associate this
botanical name with habaneros. I did find this picture, though:
http://solanaseeds.netfirms.com/ajidulce4.jpg
There seems to be a general confusion between habaneros and aji
dulces...
Anyway, Sandra, thanks for a wonderful and informative post! (But
no thanks for mentioning asopaos, empanadillas, arroz con gandules,
etc. Now I'm very hungry, and very "homesick" for Puerto Rico!)
I hope you recover from surgery soon.
Regards,
Jill
Glenn Jacobs
hope I am paying attention when you post it.
JakeInhartsel
Foxy Lady
"Glenn Jacobs" <gja...@starband.net> wrote in message
news:922jalmcm2d$.1xobjq5866t7d$.dlg@40tude.net...
> If I remember right a gandul is a bum. I am curious what this dish is. I
> hope I am paying attention when you post it.
>
> JakeInhartsel
LOL!!! Gandul is a pigeon pea. But I must admit, arroz con vagabundo (bum)
would be interesting. <smile>
Gandules are planted around Easter and they're picked from November on...
they're different sizes and colors, but mostly light green to a pale
ivory... some are even purple or have purple marbling... the leaves of the
gandul plant are used in a tea for sore throats...
You have to be careful when you pick them because if you press hard on the
pod to see if it's full, and it isn't, the gandul will no longer fill out.
It's a family event to pick the pods... I would usually start and have my 2
children follow my path... there was always something for each of us... then
we'd open the pods and make sure no baby caterpillars were added to the
bowl!!!
Gandules were fun to pick but the best part of it all was sharing with my
kids...
Sandra
Glenn Jacobs
>
><Snip>..
>
> Sandra
Wow, the language spoken in in Puerto Rico must be quite different from the
Canary Islands where I learned Spanish. Although I do believe that the
Puerto Ricanos use the same term for bus as the Canarians "Guagua".
It would seem that alot of the spices are either different or at least have
different names. Please feel free to describe the food and certainly any
interesting recipes, with appropriate translations of course.
Do they eat Gofio in Puerto Rico? I know they do in Cuba. Gofio is of
course indigenous to the Canaries.
Thanks,
JakeInHartsel
PENMART01
> Foxy Lady wrote:
>
>>
>><Snip>..
>>
>> Sandra
>
>Wow, the language spoken in in Puerto Rico must be quite different from the
>Canary Islands where I learned Spanish. Although I do believe that the
>Puerto Ricanos use the same term for bus as the Canarians "Guagua".
>
>It would seem that <U>alot</U> of the spices are either different or at least
have
>different names.
Yes, PR Spanish is very different from Castillian, very idiomatic as well, with
fercocktah PR words like "gaseteria" and "alot".
Now a legit establishment: http://www.picpix.com/brad/pic/004d8g6y/g241
---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Foxy Lady
"PENMART01" <penm...@aol.como> wrote in message
news:20031104204040...@mb-m06.aol.com...
> Glenn Jacobs writes:
>
> > Foxy Lady wrote:
> >
> >>
> >><Snip>..
> >>
> >> Sandra
> >
> >Wow, the language spoken in in Puerto Rico must be quite different from
the
> >Canary Islands where I learned Spanish. Although I do believe that the
> >Puerto Ricanos use the same term for bus as the Canarians "Guagua".
> >
> >It would seem that <U>alot</U> of the spices are either different or at
least
> have
> >different names.
>
> Yes, PR Spanish is very different from Castillian, very idiomatic as well,
with
> fercocktah PR words like "gaseteria" and "alot".
>
> Now a legit establishment: http://www.picpix.com/brad/pic/004d8g6y/g241
>
>
> ---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
> ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
> Sheldon
hey Sheldon,
That may be a fercocktah word but you won't find it anywhere in Puerto
Rico... gasoline stations in PR are called "puesto de gasolina" or
"gasolinera"...
But then again, PR's in NY are very different from PR's in PR... when they
go to PR the locals eyes roll up in their heads all the time when they hear
the way they speak Spanish...
I'm a native New Yorker who knew no Spanish at all when I moved to PR in
1965 (except for cuss words and I didn't even know what they meant)... so I
had to learn Spanish in school... and despite having pranks pulled on me all
the time, I learned it fast!
But tell me Sheldon, how do you know where the word gaseteria came from? The
names of the CEO and corporate leaders are Italian...
http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/40/40961.html
Sandra
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
The culantro I mentioned looks like a long narrow leaf with a serrated edge.
The only references I could find to culantrillo is a fern. The articles I
found did not mention it being a food or spice. It did mention it being used
as an expectorant.
Look at http://www.caribbeanseeds.com/culantro.htm for pictures of what
culantro looks like. As far as I know you cannot freeze it successfully and I
have not seen it dried.
>
> But let me see if I got this right: since "cilantro" and "coriander"
> are supposed to be synonyms, if "culantro" and "cilantro" are not
> the same thing, then "Puerto Rican coriander" must be different
> from plain ol' coriander... (I think).
>
> >She also sends me the cachuca peppers (ajies dulces, or
> >ajicitos).
>
> There's a pepper that I have heard my Cuban friends refer to as
> "aji", and looks like what I've always known as "Italian pepper";
> it resembles an elongated bell pepper, of a lighter, brighter green
> color than a usual green bell pepper--closer to a "tennis-ball
> green". I have not had a chance to do a side-by-side comparison
> of *this* aji with "my" Italian pepper. So now I have potentially
> three peppers to sort out: "my" Italian pepper, my Cuban friends'
> "aji", and Foxy Lady's "aji dulce". Are they all different? How
> do they compare?
>
I have not found the exact item anywhere in Miami. What I use as a substitute
is cubanelle peppers. Aji is a generic name in Spanish for peppers of almost
any kind. For example "aji picante" means hot pepper, no particular variety.
The aji you probably heard of is colored a very deep green.
What Foxy lady was talking about was aji cachucha. This looks somewhat similar
in shape to habanero peppers but are much smaller and flatter. They also come
in red (riper), yellow (medium ripe) and green.
> >All of
> >the plants (recao and ajicitos) have thrived here despite the weather.
>
> One other language-related question I have is the meaning of "recao".
> I thought "recao" was a type of sofrito (a mixture of chopped herbs
> and aromatics that one uses to add flavor to a saute). In fact,
> I think I've seen bottled recao in the store (Goya?), and it looks
> similar to bottled sofrito. Please dispel my cluelessness.
>
Goya's sofrito contains recao which is the culantro I previously mentioned.
The bottled stuff you have seen is a sofrito made mostly with culantro. I have
never used it, I prefer the fresh stuff.
> I'm very excited to find so many knowledgeable fans of Cuban and
> Puerto Rican cooking. These are cuisines that I've always *loved*
> (don't get me started on alcapurrias!), but never been quite able
> to reproduce in my kitchen.
>
> Jill
Cuban and Puerto Rican cooking are fairly different, Cuban food being closer
to the original Spanish cooking which has a very strong influence of French
cuisine specially in the pastries.
If you need help with Cuban cuisine just yell and I will try to help.
Bert
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
There are two different types of the dough for Cuban empanadas. My FIL used to
make them commercially. Not difficult to make. This was the one that does not
contain yeast. There is another kind that does contain yeast and is included
in Nitza Villapol's book.
What my FIL used to make is basically an unyeasted dough that is rolled very
thin. I forget if it contains any leavening but I don't think so. A bit like
pie dough but not sweet. You can buy it frozen in markets here in Miami.
Let me talk to my wife, she probably remembers it. My FIL passed away a couple
of years ago.
> I still owe Tranch a recipe for arroz con gandules and I promise to get it
> posted before Thanksgiving. If you need anymore input or recipes you can
> e-mail me.
>
Hey, I would love that. I used to eat that in a small restaurant in New York
near 46th Street and Ninth Avenue. We used to go there for the asopao de
jueyes (crab soup).
> happy cooking!
>
> Sandra
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
Gandules are pigeon peas.
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
>
> On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 18:01:10 -0500, Foxy Lady wrote:
>
> >
> ><Snip>..
> >
> > Sandra
>
> Wow, the language spoken in in Puerto Rico must be quite different from the
> Canary Islands where I learned Spanish. Although I do believe that the
> Puerto Ricanos use the same term for bus as the Canarians "Guagua".
The same term is used in Cuba. It sometimes lends itself to confusion when
speaking to other latin nationalities. In Mexico, for example, a guagua is a
young girl. In Cuba to take a bus you say "coger la guagua" but unfortunately
coger in Mexico means to have sexual relations. I went to an all boys school
in Connecticut where there was a large group of mexicans and other latin
nationalities. One Saturday afternoon we wanted to go to a movie and I used
that expression. I got some real strange looks and a couple of warnings not to
say it aloud since I could get in trouble with Mr Herlihy, the disciplinarian.
They were very strict and allowed no contact with any town girls.
>
> It would seem that alot of the spices are either different or at least have
> different names. Please feel free to describe the food and certainly any
> interesting recipes, with appropriate translations of course.
>
> Do they eat Gofio in Puerto Rico? I know they do in Cuba. Gofio is of
> course indigenous to the Canaries.
>
My family comes from the Canaries on my mother's side. In fact there is a town
with my grandfather's name, Plasencia.
> Thanks,
>
> JakeInHartsel
J Krugman
>If you need help with Cuban cuisine just yell and I will try to help.
Thanks, Bert. I'll take you up on it!
Jill
Foxy Lady
Jill,
In the meantime, check out this website. I've used it for a few years and
love it! Also check out their info on upcoming FoodTV Network programs on
Cuban cooking.
http://icuban.com/food/comida.html
Sandra
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
Aggghhhh... their flan has condensed milk... ptoooey!
Here is a recipe for real flan, no condensed milk:
2 cups whole milk
1 lemon peel
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
6 egg yolks
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
q/s sugar for caramel
Heat the milk with the cinnamon, lemon peel and salt. Make a light color
caramel and pour into a suitable mold, covering the sides. Let cool. Beat the
egg yolks and whites with the sugar and vanilla. Add to the milk. Strain the
mix and pour into the mold. Cook in a double boiler (Bain Marie) until a
toothpick introduced in the middle comes out dry. You can cook it in an oven
at 350 degrees F for about an hour. Unmold carefully after letting it cool. It
is fragile.
You can cook it in individual molds. This makes it easier to unmold without it
breaking up.
Known as "tembleque" in Puerto Rico.
Foxy Lady
<aas...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM> wrote in message
news:3FA97094...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM...
Tembleque is made with coconut milk, milk, cinnamon and cornstarch... if you
say tembleque in PR, images of plates with the trembling concoction come to
mind, and mouths water... a bit of the rind of a lime is used instead of
lemon since in PR, yellow lemons as we know them in the states, are rarely
bought because they have a different flavor... what we call "limones" in PR
are actually limes.
Sandra
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
I stand corrected... an expert in PR couisine I am not...
I rarely buy those yellow lemons. I buy the limes or sometimes I can find some
key limes.
Foxy Lady
<aas...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM> wrote in message
news:3FA99DB5...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM...
yep... those are the ones in PR... nothing like those huge limes sold here.
they're smaller and round, and can be used greenish or ripe, which is why in
PR they calle them limones...
quite frankly, i thought they must be Puerto Rican lemons until I found out
that what i thought were lemons for so many years, actually weren't!!!
but they're the best and taste great!
Sandra
J Krugman
>...in PR, yellow lemons as we know them in the states, are rarely
>bought because they have a different flavor... what we call "limones" in PR
>are actually limes.
It took me a while to figure this one out...
The other one I'm still a bit puzzled about is the word "oregano".
I've read in several places that "oregano" is a mainstay of Puerto
Rican cuisine, but I just can't taste any oregano in Puerto Rican
food. I can think of three possible explanations for this discrepancy:
1) the use of oregano in Puerto Rican food is actually not as
widespread as I have been led to believe; 2) in the context of
other Puerto Rican ingredients, oregano becomes unrecognizable to
me; or 3) what Puerto Ricans call "oregano" is entirely different
from what Americans call "oregano". Would you know whether Puerto
Rican and American oreganos are the same plant?
Jill
Richard Periut
Hi Bert,
I have to disagree with you on the last one; Cuban pastries are chock
full of refined sugar, and don't resemble the the ones from Spain or
France.
I only like Pasteles de guayaba y queso; after that, the Cubans (as well
as the rest of Latin America,) make pasteries that are tantamount to
eating sugar by the tablespoon.
As far as Cuban and PR cooking being differernt; only in certain things.
The rest is the same (sancocho=asopao=ajiaco), pernil=pernil and pretty
much seasoned the same; et cetera. OK, you have Mofongo (which I really
like) and we have Ropa Vieja and Frijoles Negros. : ) Rem, the Guajiros
were mostly of Spanish origin, and perhaps in PR the Taino people might
of mixed in with the Spanish a bit more. Alas, in Cuba, they were
quickly killed by the Spanish in their lust for gold--which was really
abundant in Mexcio and not the Carribean.
And what did the Indian Hatuey say before his execution? "Are those
there going to heaven (pointing at the spaniards before a priest,) Why
yes my son they are, for they are Catholic, said the priest"
Answered Hatuey, "then I don't want to be forgiven..."
Saludos,
Richard
--
"..A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava
beans and a nice chianti..."
Hannibal "The Cannibal"
Silence Of The Lambs 1991
Foxy Lady
"Richard Periut" <rpe...@njDOTrr.com> wrote in message
news:3FA9D438...@njDOTrr.com...
> aas...@ix.netcom.com.NOSPAM wrote:
> > J Krugman wrote:
<snip>
> As far as Cuban and PR cooking being differernt; only in certain things.
> The rest is the same (sancocho=asopao=ajiaco), pernil=pernil and pretty
> much seasoned the same; et cetera. OK, you have Mofongo (which I really
> like) and we have Ropa Vieja and Frijoles Negros. : ) Rem, the Guajiros
> were mostly of Spanish origin, and perhaps in PR the Taino people might
> of mixed in with the Spanish a bit more. Alas, in Cuba, they were
> quickly killed by the Spanish in their lust for gold--which was really
> abundant in Mexcio and not the Carribean.
Hi Richard...
You have part of the equation right, but sancocho and asopao are completely
different... it's sancocho and ajiaco that are very similar because they are
cooked with a variety of meats and root vegetables, and served with a side
dish of white rice usually cooked with some fatback (tocino)... not cooked
with it. Asopao is a soupy rice or a ricey soup, whichever you choose to
describe it... but it definitely does not use any root veggies at all. The
closest any starch gets to it (besides the rice) is the twice-fried green
plantains (tostones) served with it as a must-have side dish.
As for the Tainos survival rate in PR, the Spaniards killed them off too,
but at a slower rate because there was some gold in PR and they needed them
to work it. There are no Tainos left, despite a New Jersey group of whackos
who are trying to get the government to acknowledge them as the last living
Tainos... all of this in their quest for funds and special treatment because
they want to be included in the list of Native American Tribes.
Regards,
Sandra
Foxy Lady
Hi Jill...
Oregano (small leaf) is certainly a mainstay in PR cuisine, but it's used
with a light hand, not an overpowering, very obvious one. You'll find it in
every adobo seasoning mix (Bohio, Goya, etc.) and in most recipes for stews,
soups, beans, rice dishes and seasonings for meats/poultry.
There is also a different kind of oregano we use to make our sofrito and to
refresh seasonings in stews/soups. It's called "oregano brujo" and it's a
large, broad, fleshy leaf that is similar to Cuban Oregano except that it
doesn't have a creamy whitish border... it's more like the Jamaican variety
(all green). This oregano brujo (wild oregano in English) grows just like
its name - wild! You don't need to cultivate it, water it, do anything to it
because it's a survivor.
http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/18144/
Regards,
Sandra
Jack Schidt®
"Foxy Lady" <foxy...@merriman.com> wrote in message
news:vqkkom9...@corp.supernews.com...
>
> Oregano (small leaf) is certainly a mainstay in PR cuisine, but it's used
> with a light hand, not an overpowering, very obvious one. You'll find it
in
> every adobo seasoning mix (Bohio, Goya, etc.) and in most recipes for
stews,
> soups, beans, rice dishes and seasonings for meats/poultry.
>
> There is also a different kind of oregano we use to make our sofrito and
to
> refresh seasonings in stews/soups. It's called "oregano brujo" and it's a
> large, broad, fleshy leaf that is similar to Cuban Oregano except that it
> doesn't have a creamy whitish border... it's more like the Jamaican
variety
> (all green). This oregano brujo (wild oregano in English) grows just like
> its name - wild! You don't need to cultivate it, water it, do anything to
it
> because it's a survivor.
>
> http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/18144/
>
> Regards,
>
> Sandra
>
>
How does it compare, flavor-wise to the greek oregano, that's most common?
Is it a bit more 'bitter', like mexican oregano is? Obviously I don't have
any around here, or I'd just do the natural thang and taste it.
Jack Weed
Foxy Lady
"Jack Schidt®" <jack-...@snot.net> wrote in message
news:hltqb.19924$y66....@newssvr32.news.prodigy.com...
Not bitter at all. It's more aromatic than any other oregano I've ever
experienced and the flavor is smooth and luscious.
You can buy it here (I just found this site and plan to order a couple of
them):
http://rosesandherbs.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SARHF&Product_Code=1029
They also sell culantro (recao):
http://rosesandherbs.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SARHF&Product_Code=1017
I'll be in PR for New Year's and plan to bring back LOTS of goodies. If you
want some ajicito seeds just e-mail me and I'll send them to you.
Sandra
J Krugman
>Hi Jill...
>http://plantsdatabase.com/showpicture/18144/
Sandra, you are a goldmine! Have you ever considered writing a
book? When you do, I want the first copy.
Thanks!
Jill
Jack Schidt®
Thanks for the info and great sites. If those chiles can grow in zone 6,
I'd sure love some seeds.
Jack Herbal
Foxy Lady
<snip>
> Thanks for the info and great sites. If those chiles can grow in zone 6,
> I'd sure love some seeds.
>
> Jack Herbal
>
Jack...
I live in a Zone 7 that's parallel to a Zone 6... if I drive west or north a
few miles I enter Zone 6... my plants are thriving. Of course, I have them
inside now and you can do the same. It's not a very large plant, maybe a
couple of feet tall at the most... certainly doable in a nice planter. I
start them out in a small round clay pot and then when they get about 3-4
inches tall I transplant them into rectangular planters, the type that you
can rest on the top of a deck... when they get even bigger I'll transplant
them ito half barrels or something similar. The idea is to leave them out in
spring and summer, and bring them inside for fall and winter.
E-mail me privately with your info and I'll send them to you. I'll also
include a nice leaf of the oregano brujo for you to taste.
Regards,
Sandra
J Krugman
>[Oregano brujo i]s more aromatic than any other oregano I've ever
>experienced and the flavor is smooth and luscious.
>You can buy it here...:
>http://rosesandherbs.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SARHF&Product_Code=1029
>They also sell culantro (recao):
>http://rosesandherbs.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SARHF&Product_Code=1017
Sandra, do you think these plants could survive being indoors
year-round? Growing them outside is not an option in my case, since
I live in a condo apartment, with no balcony, not even a flower
pot hanging outside my window (not permitted by the bylaws).
TIA,
Jill
Foxy Lady
Jill...
I think so because even in PR some of my friends have them in their kitchens
or living rooms... anywhere they can get some sunlight every now and then...
I bring mine indoors in the summer sometimes for a break from the heat and
sunlight, and they love it!
All you can do is try them out... just treat them like children, with loving
neglect, and you'll see how strong they'll become.
Sandra
J Krugman
All you can do is try them out... just treat them like children, with loving
>neglect, and you'll see how strong they'll become.
Loving neglect. What a cool concept; I love it.
I'll give it a go.
Thanks,
Jill
Richard Periut
sancocho, ajiaco, et cetera, is.
That thick "soup" which contains various meats and tubers, usually
cooked on rainy cold days, is called Ajiaco by Cubans. It is called
sancocho by Dominicans, and I forge what PR's call it.
In Cuba, Sancocho is the various scraps of meat and tubers that are
destined to become pig food. So if you are inviting a Cuban to eat such
a meal, never ever call it a Sancocho! : )
It's very interesting the way that the various Caribbean islands have
different twists on a particular recipe. It doesn't surprise me, since
even in Cuba (and probably in PR,) there are extreme variations (in
customs) within the different parts of the country. For example, the
people of Oriente Cuba speak spanish very similar to the PR's. We call
it "cantando."
Yet the next country juxtaposed to Oriente Cuba is Haiti. Go figure.
It's interesting to me, where on Earth the the PR's adopted pronouncing
the rr like in "arroz" with a sort of throat clearing sound.
Another example is Colombia, who's "costenos" speak spanish that is full
Z'a, while the rest speak it with much fidelity to the Spanish. Matter
of fact, I think that the only Latin Americans that speak very good
Spanish are the Colombians. The rest (Cubans, PR's Domincians, et
cetera, truncate words, and have plenty of colloquialism.
Richard
Foxy Lady
"Richard Periut" <rpe...@nj.rr.com> wrote in message
news:9__qb.68763$ri.11...@twister.nyc.rr.com...
> I'm not responding to Jill, but to the poster that commented on what
> sancocho, ajiaco, et cetera, is.
>
> That thick "soup" which contains various meats and tubers, usually
> cooked on rainy cold days, is called Ajiaco by Cubans. It is called
> sancocho by Dominicans, and I forge what PR's call it.
It's also called sancocho in PR..
> It's interesting to me, where on Earth the the PR's adopted pronouncing
> the rr like in "arroz" with a sort of throat clearing sound.
Pronunciation of the "rr" that way is indicative of being raised or living
"en el campo" (the areas of PR that are rural) or of being lesser educated
(whether city folk or from el campo)... you are considered a "jibaro" (a PR
hillbilly) because of it.
Another example is Colombia, who's "costenos" speak spanish that is full
> Z'a, while the rest speak it with much fidelity to the Spanish. Matter
> of fact, I think that the only Latin Americans that speak very good
> Spanish are the Colombians. The rest (Cubans, PR's Domincians, et
> cetera, truncate words, and have plenty of colloquialism.
Tell me about it! God forbid you should ask a Cuban for a "bolsa" (bag) or a
Dominican for some "pegao" (crispy rice scraped from the bottom of a
caldero)... you have to ask the ACuban for a "funda" because the other word
means his ... ahem... jewels!!!! and the Dominican for some "con-con"
because the other word means you're asking for sex...
Sandra
Richard Periut
Sandra,
You got it a bit confused.
You don't ask a Cuban for a papaya because of what it resembles; you ask
for "fruta bomba" and to Dominicans you ask for a "lechosa"
Cubans call an insect a "bicho" PR's use it for the meaning of; well you
know.
You don't say "bollo" when you want bread in a Cuban bakery, you say
"flauta de pan,".
Bolsa is for Dominicans, what "bicho" is for PR's. And for Cubans, it is
actually a real word: a long rod that the chinese use for carrying
buckets on their necks ( a pinga.)
For Cubans, bolsa, funda, cartucho all mean the same, and are not
offensive.
I don't mean to sound like a pervert, it's just that I want our non
spanish speaking people here to understand the meanings : )
Regards,
Foxy Lady
"Richard Periut" <rpe...@njDOTrr.com> wrote in message
> Foxy Lady wrote:
> > "Richard Periut" <rpe...@nj.rr.com> wrote in message
> > news:9__qb.68763$ri.11...@twister.nyc.rr.com...
> >
>
> You got it a bit confused.
>
> You don't ask a Cuban for a papaya because of what it resembles; you ask
> for "fruta bomba" and to Dominicans you ask for a "lechosa"
>
> Cubans call an insect a "bicho" PR's use it for the meaning of; well you
> know.
>
> You don't say "bollo" when you want bread in a Cuban bakery, you say
> "flauta de pan,".
>
> Bolsa is for Dominicans, what "bicho" is for PR's. And for Cubans, it is
> actually a real word: a long rod that the chinese use for carrying
> buckets on their necks ( a pinga.)
>
> For Cubans, bolsa, funda, cartucho all mean the same, and are not
> offensive.
>
> I don't mean to sound like a pervert, it's just that I want our non
> spanish speaking people here to understand the meanings : )
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard
One of my bosses in PR is Cuban, and there is a large community of both
Cubas and Dominicans in PR... Mr Sosa would constantly try to correct his
employees (and customers!) when selling/buying cement, or asking for a
shopping bag, etc. I can hear him now, "No se dice bolsa, se dice FUNDA"...
and the Cubans I went to school with were the same... I have no idea why
there would be a difference in how they speak "Cuban" in PR...
As for Dominicans, my personal experience with them is from visiting
relatives of a neighbor (from PR) who live in Santo Domingo and having a
Neo-Rican-Minican compadre, all of whom were horrified when I asked for
pegao and kept insisting that I say "con-con" because they didn't want
anyone to overhear me asking for sex... and I'm not even going to get into
what happened when one of them asked me out!!! LOL!!!
I didn't want to get into the papaya/lechosa thing because I thought it too
much, but I guess it's ok because it's food related <smile>... as far as
bicho is concerned, I believe PR is the only place where it doesn't mean
insect, but pinga means the same thing as bicho in PR...
And if we start with the different words used by our South and Central
American friends, we'd have to create a new newsgroup to discuss them
because there are so many of them!
Spanish may be a very simple language as far as pronunciation, but it's so
rich in the various ways people use the same words that we could be talking
for hours on end about it.
Regards,
Sandra
Richard Periut
Sandra,
I don't know why; but me and my family have been using the word "bolsa"
ever since I could remember. Maybe those Cubans are from Oriente? It
seems that the mountain range there prevented interchange between the
various pueblos while the guajiros "jibaros" where settling them?
> As for Dominicans, my personal experience with them is from visiting
> relatives of a neighbor (from PR) who live in Santo Domingo and having a
> Neo-Rican-Minican compadre, all of whom were horrified when I asked for
> pegao and kept insisting that I say "con-con" because they didn't want
> anyone to overhear me asking for sex... and I'm not even going to get into
> what happened when one of them asked me out!!! LOL!!!
>
For Cubans it's called "raspa" which to a certain extent, is offensive
for Dominicans. Then again, their modern merengues are chock full of
(doble sentidos.)
Funny, I use the word "zafacon" (trash bin) which I don't know where I
got it from; maybe from hearing Hector Lavoe in Periodico De Ayer : )
But Cubans don't use that word.
> I didn't want to get into the papaya/lechosa thing because I thought it too
> much, but I guess it's ok because it's food related <smile>... as far as
> bicho is concerned, I believe PR is the only place where it doesn't mean
> insect, but pinga means the same thing as bicho in PR...
Didn't know that.
>
> And if we start with the different words used by our South and Central
> American friends, we'd have to create a new newsgroup to discuss them
> because there are so many of them!
>
> Spanish may be a very simple language as far as pronunciation, but it's so
> rich in the various ways people use the same words that we could be talking
> for hours on end about it.
>
I believe Spanish is more complicated than English. For one thing, it
uses accents (something I haven't dominated very well, since I was born
and raised here in the USA, and didn't write too much Spanish.) Second,
I've tried reading the Spanish classics (Cervante, et cetera,) and find
myself looking up words I never ever heard. I tried reading Jose Marti's
Edad De Oro, and found myself reading the paragraphs over again,
because I didn't understand half the words. Consider, that if you hear
me speak Spanish, you'll quickly see that I have no "American" accent
(same with English,) and that I have quite a decent vocabulary.
Getting back to food; there are a couple of other things:
pumpkin = calabaza for Cubans, = yautia for Dom. PR??
Cubans say Mamey (a fruit not very well known in the USA,) but called
Zapote in DR. Cubans call something else a Zapote. PR?
Frog is rana for Cubans, but in DR it's called maco. PR? I remember as a
kid in PR, collecting Coquis, only to have them die a week later in a NJ
terrarium. I also rem they didn't let me sleep when I visited my aunt in
Aguadilla.
Regards,
Richard
> Regards,
>
> Sandra
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
During the war (WW2) there were containers all over the place with a sign on
top "Save a can". Pronounce it a bit fast and you get something that sounds
like "zafacon".
> > I didn't want to get into the papaya/lechosa thing because I thought it too
> > much, but I guess it's ok because it's food related <smile>... as far as
> > bicho is concerned, I believe PR is the only place where it doesn't mean
> > insect, but pinga means the same thing as bicho in PR...
>
> Didn't know that.
>
> >
> > And if we start with the different words used by our South and Central
> > American friends, we'd have to create a new newsgroup to discuss them
> > because there are so many of them!
> >
> > Spanish may be a very simple language as far as pronunciation, but it's so
> > rich in the various ways people use the same words that we could be talking
> > for hours on end about it.
> >
>
> I believe Spanish is more complicated than English. For one thing, it
> uses accents (something I haven't dominated very well, since I was born
> and raised here in the USA, and didn't write too much Spanish.) Second,
> I've tried reading the Spanish classics (Cervante, et cetera,) and find
> myself looking up words I never ever heard. I tried reading Jose Marti's
> Edad De Oro, and found myself reading the paragraphs over again,
> because I didn't understand half the words. Consider, that if you hear
> me speak Spanish, you'll quickly see that I have no "American" accent
> (same with English,) and that I have quite a decent vocabulary.
>
Wonderful book but the Spanish is somewhat archaic and somewhat difficult to
understand for someone who does not have an extremely extensive vocabulary. I
gave my granddaughter a copy thinking that I could get her to expand her
knowledge of Spanish. I had forgotten that it is difficult to read unless you
were born in the mid 1800's, the time it was written.
> Getting back to food; there are a couple of other things:
>
> pumpkin = calabaza for Cubans, = yautia for Dom. PR??
>
> Cubans say Mamey (a fruit not very well known in the USA,) but called
> Zapote in DR. Cubans call something else a Zapote. PR?
>
> Frog is rana for Cubans, but in DR it's called maco. PR? I remember as a
> kid in PR, collecting Coquis, only to have them die a week later in a NJ
> terrarium. I also rem they didn't let me sleep when I visited my aunt in
> Aguadilla.
>
Try guineos which in Western Cuba means Guinea hens and in Eastern Cuba means
bananas.
And in Pinar del Rio (Western Cuba) tostones (green fried bananas, mashed
down) are known as ambuilas.
Bert
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
But they do! Walk into a quality Cuban pastry shop and examine the different
varieties of pastelitos. They are nothing else than puff pastry. Perhaps if
they were called "pate feuillete avec guava" you may recognize the ancestry?
Also, take a look at some of the lesser known pastries like palmeras and those
delicious layered pastry cones filled with egg custard.
> I only like Pasteles de guayaba y queso; after that, the Cubans (as well
> as the rest of Latin America,) make pasteries that are tantamount to
> eating sugar by the tablespoon.
>
You are talking about native stuff which is heavily sugared and were created
in Cuba. And obviously you don't like deeply sweet stuff.
> And what did the Indian Hatuey say before his execution? "Are those
> there going to heaven (pointing at the spaniards before a priest,) Why
> yes my son they are, for they are Catholic, said the priest"
>
> Answered Hatuey, "then I don't want to be forgiven..."
>
Actually Hatuey said "Then I don't want to go to heaven" or something similar
in Taino.
Look up http://www.famousamericans.net/haytiancaciquehatuey/ for a short bio.
But that is not food related, is it?
Bert
Richard Periut
I rem when I went to Spain, most of the desserts (especially one called
Madre,) where heavy on chocolate and custard. Cuban bakeries sell stuff
that is heavy on sugar. Especially those sponges that are soaked in
heavy syrup. Never saw those in Spain or France. Quite the contrary,
many chocolate stuff, many torts with local fruit and nuts, et cetera.
>
>
>>I only like Pasteles de guayaba y queso; after that, the Cubans (as well
>>as the rest of Latin America,) make pasteries that are tantamount to
>>eating sugar by the tablespoon.
>>
>
>
> You are talking about native stuff which is heavily sugared and were created
> in Cuba. And obviously you don't like deeply sweet stuff.
>
>
What? A small amount of guava paste and cheese, in a pastry shell? I
don't consider that deeply sweet. There are some that have heavy syrup
over it, but I don't like those.
>>And what did the Indian Hatuey say before his execution? "Are those
>>there going to heaven (pointing at the spaniards before a priest,) Why
>>yes my son they are, for they are Catholic, said the priest"
>>
>>Answered Hatuey, "then I don't want to be forgiven..."
>>
>
>
> Actually Hatuey said "Then I don't want to go to heaven" or something similar
> in Taino.
>
> Look up http://www.famousamericans.net/haytiancaciquehatuey/ for a short bio.
>
> But that is not food related, is it?
>
> Bert
Oh come on! You get the point ; )
And it is food related; ever heard of Hatuey Malt ; )
Glenn Jacobs
> I'm not responding to Jill, but to the poster that commented on what
> sancocho, ajiaco, et cetera, is.
>
> That thick "soup" which contains various meats and tubers, usually
> cooked on rainy cold days, is called Ajiaco by Cubans. It is called
> sancocho by Dominicans, and I forge what PR's call it.
>
> In Cuba, Sancocho is the various scraps of meat and tubers that are
> destined to become pig food. So if you are inviting a Cuban to eat such
> a meal, never ever call it a Sancocho! : )
>
Richard
>
In the Canary Islands Sancocho is made with cherne salado (Salted Grouper)
and Papas (potatoes) and it is served with Mojo picon (a slightly hot
pepper sauce with a lot of garlic).
The fish is soaked in freah water and then rinsed to remove the salt. The
fish and potatoes are boiled with garlic and onions and then drained. The
mojo is made by by grinding sweet red pepper, a small amount of a hot
pepper, a substantial amount of fresh garlic and olive oil together in a
pestle until it forms a thick paste.
I belive the the word sancocho comes from the method of cooking the fish
and the potatoes (boiling).
JakeInHartsel
aas...@ix.netcom.com.nospam
Yes, the verb sancochar means to boil in water. I am not sure and don't have a
Spanish dictionary avaiable but I think that salcocho means the same. I hope
someone will correct me.
Bert
Richard Periut
Hi Jake,
That was interesting. Whatever the case may be; the word was brought to
the new world by the Spaniards.
Regards,