Cuisine Featured: Puerto Rican
The Melting Pot section is where we have placed recipes for cuisines brought to America by the many immigrants to our shores. Over the years these cuisines have been Americanized, i.e., most viewers of our site have probably been exposed to many of these cuisines, either via the dining-out route or, perhaps, directly within our own families due to the multi-ethnic makeup therein. As an example of this multi-ethnicity within a single family, I can cite my own case-- My family consists of the following ethnicities: English, Irish, Scottish, German, Polish and Greek. Is it any wonder then that America is called the Melting Pot?
At the bottom of this page, you will have an opportunity to E-mail us and give us your thoughts on this page. We encourage this. After all, we will be tailoring this "Cooking Around the World" series according to the wishes of our viewers.
1 c milk or substitute 1 c grated
1½ tsp salt sharp Cheddar cheese **
5 T butter, cut into bits ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
1½ c rice flour * ½ tsp ground hot red pepper
3 eggs (cayenne)
1 c grated Queso del País, Vegetable oil or lard
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* Note: You must use rice flour in this recipe.
Do not substitute regular (all-purpose) flour for the rice flour. For those
who have never used rice flour before-- rice flour is made from finely
ground rice. When made from regular-milled or polished grains, it is white;
when made from brown rice (which has the outer bran still intact), it is
creamy in color.** Queso del País, also known as Queso de la Tierra, is a white pressed, semisoft cheese. You should be able to obtain this cheese in a Latin American market.
In a heavy 2- to 2½-quart saucepan, bring the milk, salt and butter to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. As soon as the butter has completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the rice flour. Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it is well blended, then return the pan to moderate heat and cook, still beating vigorously, for 1 or 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a paste that leaves the sides of the pan and moves freely with the spoon.
Immediately remove the pan from the heat and use the spoon to make a well in the center of the paste. Break 1 egg into the well and beat it into the paste. When the egg has been absorbed, beat in the remaining 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. The finished paste should be thick, smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then beat in both the cheeses and the cayenne.
Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy saucepan to a depth of 3 inches and place over moderate heat until it reaches a temperature of 350°. Drop the mixture by the tablespoonful into the hot oil and fry the crullers, six or eight at a time, for 4 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Serve the almojabanas warm, as "bread" accompanying a meal, or as an accompaniment to drinks. Makes about 2 dozen.
