1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 can of garbanzos (chick peas)
Honey Mustard or Garlic Cilantro Vinaigrette
Fresh spinach leaves
2 hard boiled eggs
1 can of black seeded olives
Chop spinach and eggs into bite size pieces.
Add garbanzos (chick peas), black seeded olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Mix with Honey Mustard or Garlic Cilantro Vinaigrette.
Mango or Papaya Vinaigrette
7 oz. salmon, coarsely diced
3 oz. shrimp, coarsely diced
3 oz. whole shrimp
3 oz . chopped onion
3 oz. chopped green bell pepper
3 oz. canned corn
1 small lemon
Mix ingredients and bath in Mango or Papaya Vinaigrette. The cilantro in both brings out the best in seafood. Chill mix for a least one hour before serving. Garnish with thinly sliced red onions. Squeeze fresh lemon and serve immediately.
Passion Fruit or Tamarind Vinaigrette
Small leaf Spinach
Fruit, your selection
or pineapple, kiwi, melon,
strawberries, mango, red grapes
boiled shrimp
Cut the fruit just before serving. Prepare fruit salad and mix with shrimp and Passion Fruit Vinaigrette. Toss lightly with small spinach leaves. Or lay mixture on bed of spinach leaves.
Honey Mustard or Guava Vinaigrette
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
1 cup of sliced strawberries
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup of walnuts or almonds
Slice spinach leaves into bite size pieces.
Toss salad and blend ingredients evenly. Reserve a small amount dried fruit and nuts as garnish. Enjoy with Honey Mustard or Guava Vinaigrette!
Papaya or Mango Vinaigrette
1/2 Cup of fresh Papaya or Mango
1 head of romaine lettuce
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
2 green onion stalks
Small bunch of watercress
1 ripe tomato or small cherry tomatoes
1 peeled cucumber
1/2 can black seeded olives
Slice romaine leaves into bite size pieces.
Cut all ingredients in small pieces, slice cucumber slices in half.
Toss salad and blend ingredients evenly. Always save a small amount of minced ingredients to use as garnish. Enjoy with Papaya or Mango Vinaigrette!
8 cups of water
1 oz. Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
2 tbs salt
1 tbs of tarragon
1/2 tbs ground pepper
3 carrots
1/2 red onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
2 large potatoes (or several small red potatoes)
1 Med Sweet Potato (yellow or pink)
1 med Yuca Root (if unavailable, replace with favorite local veggies)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can of stewed tomatoes
3 broccoli stalks or 1/2 cup of broccoli flowers
Chop vegetables, potatoes and roots in small chunks.
Cut green and red peppers and onions in slices.
In large pot, add water, vinaigrette and salt, bring to boil.
Add carrots, yuca, sweet potato, and red potatoes. Let boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, onions, pepper, broccoli, stewed tomatoes, continue boiling for 15 minutes. Add tarragon, ground pepper, cover and boil on med-high for 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes and roots are soft. Enjoy!
1 oz. Garlic-Cilantro Vinaigrette
4 tbs of butter
1 onion coarsely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (if desired)
2 jalapeños chili peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
5 ripe medium plantains, peeled and chopped
4 to 5 cups water
2 cups heavy cream
Salt to taste
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Sprigs of watercress
In a large deep skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Add onions, celery, garlic and chili peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, golden and caramelized, at least 25 minutes.
Add plantains and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and golden,
about 10 minutes. Add 4 cups of water, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer, until plantains are softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
Add garlic cilantro vinaigrette and cream, bring the mixture to boil. Immediately remove the pan from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and cool for at least 10 minutes.
Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth (may need to process in batches). If desired, add some of the remaining 1 cup water to attain the desired consistency. Strain the soup, discarding the solids.
Return the soup to the pan, place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring frequently, just until warmed through. Serve immediately. Garnish each bowl of soup with a small sprig of watercress.
The wonderful thing about my vinaigrettes is their versatility. A delicious twist to the simplest recipes! Try these quick and easy ideas:
Bread Dipper
Choose your favorite flavor.
Place in shallow dish so ingredients don’t separate.
Best with warm Italian bread or baguettes.
Tomato & Mozarella
A slice of fresh Mozarella Cheese topped with a Ripe Red Tomato slice. Drizzle with favorite vinaigrette and add fresh basil leaf.
Garlic Bread
Brush Garlic-Cilantro Vinaigrette on Italian loaf sliced lenthwise. Bake until lightly toasted.
Shrimp “Ceviche” Coctail
Mix cooked shrimp and minced red onion with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette. Chill for 1 hour. Enjoy!
Crab Tapa
Mix pre-cooked crab meat and fresh mango (bite-size). Mix with Mango Vinaigrette to taste and chill for 1 hour. Spoon on water crackers or fresh bread slighty toasted, crown with black seeded olives.
Asparagus Olé
Steam fresh asparagus until tender. Serve on toast, drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. (Optional) add small slices of hard boiled egg. Top with red pimento slice (pre-cooked, jar or canned).
Fried Calamari
Slice fresh calamari rings, rinse and dry. Season flour, (salt, pepper to taste). Dip in flour and fry in olive oil until golden brown. Place on paper towel. Serve with your choice of vinaigrette as dip.
Tostones de Pana (Breadfruit fritters)
If you’re lucky enough to find Caribbean breadfruit in your area, try this delicious treat. Peel and slice firm, green breadfruit like a canteloupe. Remove soft center and seeds. Cut each slice into 2″ chunks. Fry in extra virgin olive oil in deep frying pan. Use enough oil so pieces slightly float. As they begin to brown remove from oil and drain on paper towel. In Puerto Rico we use a “tostonera” to crush and flatten each fritter before refrying. If not available, place paper towel on top and use a small saucer to flatten each piece. Place in hot oil again and remove when light brown. Sprinkle salt. Use you choice of vinaigrette as a dip
The secret to a great barbeque is the marinade! No matter what’s on the menu, Everything Tastes Better with Tita’s Homemade Caribbean Vinaigrettes.
QUICK TIP: Place uncooked fish, chicken or meat in zip-lock bags. Pour enough for cut to absorb vinaigrette. For larger amounts, place in glassware and cover. Refrigerate until ready to cook as usual.
White Fish-marinade about 1/2 hour.
Recommend: Mango or Passion Fruit Vinaigrette
Salmon-Marinade for 1 hour. Can marinade overnight if preferred.
Recommend: Papaya, Guava or Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
Red meat and chicken taste best when marinated overnight.
Recommend: Garlic-Cilantro, Honey-Mustard or Papaya Vinaigrette.
Did You Eat Your Lycopene Today? Food as medicine? Increasingly researchers are identifying substances in food that may have special health-promoting benefits beyond those we have always known. Lycopene is one such substance. Found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, it is touted as a powerful anti- oxidant that may help reduce the risk of heart disease and various cancers. Lycopene works by preventing damage and repairing injured cells. Studies are still being conducted to determine how much lycopene is effective. Fresh tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene, but cooking tomatoes makes lycopene easier for your body to use.
As researchers continue to study lycopene, keep in mind that foods are very complex and offer multiple benefits. Variety in the diet remains critical for optimal health. Until more is known about lycopene, enjoy the fresh taste of tomatoes but also try these options for boosting your intake:
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