Cocinando en San Carlos

With my folks at their place in the Peninsula and Kristen's folks out and about on day trips, I got a chance to be the true mensch and help my mom make the Puerto Rican food last Sunday afternoon. I swing down in the mean machine loaded with some goodies and in short order pull my shirt off, pop open a Bud Light and get busy as sous chef.

First I brown some ripe plantain rounds in butter, and when that's done add quite a bit of brown sugar and water. Then we spice with cinnamon and cloves, and once that reduces 20 minutes later, it's topped off with a cut-up green apple. Diabetics, beware the amarillitos con manzana.

While all this is going on, some very thin slices of pancetta (Primo Taglio from Safeway, awesome packing job) are sizzling in the bottom of a big Dutch oven. Those come out and seasoned parts of a bird are brought out of ziplock bags to get browned in batches. Then the sofrito goes in with a bit of tomato sauce. Then the rice (Uncle Ben's) cascades for its turn in the hot oil, and finally the bird and lots of water. An hour later or so, we have arroz con pollo.

With a little more pancetta and sofrito I start the base for the beans, which this time are just canned pintos from Safeway. Mom softens up some cubes of butternut squash in a separate pot and throws them in. After some requisite boiling, we have the usual debate on the salt. I defer to the expert.

Later I soften up some asparagus spears and run off the water. As Kristen spins romaine leaves in a spinner, Mom takes the crispy pancetta and crumbles it on the asparagus. I love that touch.

So for a late lunch we have arroz con pollo, amarillitos, habichuelas guisadas, aspárragos y ensalada. I have seconds and finish Kristen's plate.

The next day, I wake up feeling a little full. I stick to soup and salad.