Caribbean Dish

 

Chicharron de Pollo is a tasty treat throughout the Caribbean, but it seems they do it especially well in the Dominican Republic. Try some at Paco's Restaurant on the Conde in Santo Domingo!

Caribbean Easter Dish

PAPPAS RELLENAS

2 pounds mashed potatoes (hot)

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

3 tablespoons butter (or margarine)

4 teaspoons corn starch

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground beef

4 tablespoons sofrito

4 tablespoons tomato sauce

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil for deep frying

How to Make It

1. Mix together the hot mashed potatoes, eggs, butter and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Set aside and let cool.
2. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir to break up the meat.
3. Add the sofrito, tomato sauce, oregano and salt to the cooked ground beef. Mix thoroughly. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Spread a spoonful of the potato dough mix in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation in the middle and stuff it with the meat mixture.
5. Cover the filling with more potato dough. Shape into a ball. Dust the ball lightly with the remaining cornstarch.
6. Repeat until mix is used up.
7. Deep fry the stuffed potato balls until golden (about 2 minutes).
8. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Taste Santo Domingo

dr1 reports: Taste Santo Domingo 2017 this year is part of the Hub Santo Domingo, the business marketplace organized by the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce at the Convention Center of the Ministry of Foreign Relations on the Malecón. The event will take place 16-18 March 2017.

Master Chef Christine Ha, who has taken cooking with the senses to a new level, will be participating in the event. She is an American chef, writer, and TV host who was the first blind contestant of MasterChef TV program and the winner of its third season in 2012.
http://www.tastesantodomingo.com

Food & Fun

Picnic at the Botanical Gardens The Santo Domingo National Botanical Gardens has organized "El Picnic,” a family day with food trucks, electronic music, art and other cultural attractions for 19 and 20 November 2016. The organizers have announced that DJs Poteleche, Marcos Cabrera, Bubu Vega, Ugo, Bob Hache and Heff Huffner will be playing the music. From 11am. Admission is RD$250 adults, and children enter free of charge.

Street Food Festival in Santiago
Food trucks will be bringing a variety of food to Santiago's Jardín Cabrera Vidal on 3 and 4 December.


For information on upcoming events:http://www.dr1.com/calendar

Limonada

My favorite drink is lemonade. Often times when traveling in the Caribbean you find a version of the drink, but it is usually made with limes, which I have found to be quite good also. Either way it is made it is refreshing, especially on a sultry day in a tropical climate. I have noticed that the preparation is different in places like the Dominican Republic as opposed to the U.S. so I searched for a recipe.

1. Place the quartered limes or lemons in the blender with 4 cups of water and sugar.
2. Blend until the limes or lemon is completely pulverized, the mixture should be slightly foamy with a whitish color.
3. Strain the lemonade and add the remaining 4 cups of water and add more sugar to suit your taste.
4. Serve with or without ice based on individual preference.

A Thing Of The Past?

It displeases me that the Conde has lost its allure. As with so many cities, business follows the money into suburban areas. Then it cycles back into the city core as young professionals want to live closer to work and be centrally located. I suppose we must wait on that to happen in Santo Domingo since there is an obvious lack of motivation on the politicians behalf to be proactive with a real plan to invest in that area for the sake of the city, its history and its culture.

I suppose I am simply venting due to uncertainty of one of my favorite things. I enjoy sitting at Paco's with a limonada or limon froze and having the chicharron de pollo with papas fritas. The Dumbo's Restaurant variation is adequate, but the view and the buzz at Paco's is much better.

Plentiful Plaintains

I thought the Dominican Republic had the exclusive on the fried plaintains, but I'm seeing them prepared all over the caribbean. One of my favorite dishes I must learn to prepare.