My Name is Anibal Natal but I go by Andy since everyone butchers my given 
name.
I was born in B'klyn New York by Puerto Rican parents. My Mom was born in
Rio Grande and raised in Carolina, until she moved to Camden New Jersey at the
age of 15. My Dad was born and partially raised in Arecibo, until he moved to 
NYC
at 12.  I grew up in a very typical Puerto Rican family. Arroz con 
habichuelas were
on the table every other day. Since my Sister and I were young (under 10 
years old),
My Mom would favor us with treats. If she cooked something that my Dad liked,
but she knew we wouldn't, then she would make us something special like:
Tostones with hot dogs, or picadillo with white rice and etc.  My favorite 
meal of all
when I was growing up was my Titi Hilda's Arroz con pollo. I always ate about 
2
servings of that when I would go visit her at her Passaic New Jersey 
apartment. 
I later found out that she added beer to the stock and that would give it a 
great flavor.
As an adult, I tried making it and still there was something missing. I would 
also love
my Titi Cuca who lived in Camden New Jersey. She had a huge house and a big 
back yard and we would visit her several times during the summer months and play
with my cousins. She was the candy maker of the family making things like:
Homemade donuts, cookies, dulce de coco, homemade ice cream and lots of 
chocolate cakes. She knew we loved it so she made it for us.  As far as food, 
I
loved her habichuelas guisadas. She would add ham and sometimes chorizo to it
and it was great. She was also known for her pernil which was the "BoMB"!

Most of my Aunts and Uncles are gone now, but their memory and their gifts 
linger
on forever. I guess 2 things you can leave your loved ones: Love and your 
heritage.
I still make my Titi Cuca's beans and everytime family or friends come over 
they 
say "Oye, este Andy se bota con estas habichuelas". That makes me feel proud!

God Bless, and thank you for the opportunity to share my brief life story 
with you!
One more thing, Learn how to cook boricua food, you will never be lonely and 
when
an anciano gives you a recipe or wants to talk to you about he good old days, 
Don't
shine them off, Listen!  There's alot of history in his/her words that will 
stay with you!
 

Arroz Con Calamares

2 cups of rice
1 can of calamares en su tinta goya
1/2 onion finely chopped
4 cups of beef broth
2 garlic cloves minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of Adobo goya con cumino
1 teaspoon of capers
1 tablespoon of tomato paste

In a skillet, add olive oil and onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute in 
low heat.
Then add calamares and the remaining ingredients except rice and simmer for
10 minutes. Then add rice (without washing) and mix and cook for 35-40 
minutes.

**You want rice a dark color not red like we are use to. So tomato sauce or 
paste
should be only for flavor and at a minimum. Also, with seafood you want rice
to be dry when you add it not washed.

Arroz Con Gandules

2 cups rice
1 can gandules goya
1 cup of chorizo or ham cut into cubes
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 packet sazon goya con culantro y achiote
1 tablespoon of capers or 9 olives
1/2 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of sofrito
1 can beer and 1 cup of chicken broth
2 garlic cloves minced

In a pot, add olive oil and sauté garlic for 20 seconds in low heat. Add 
chorizo and
sauté for 3 minutes in low heat. Then add the following ingredients: 
Capers/olives,
sofrito, tomato sauce, gandules and a little water and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Then add rest of ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil then lower and cook 
for 40 mins. 
Stir rice twice during cooking process. Garnish with chopped cilantro

 Arroz Con Salchichas


2 cups rice
4 sweet italian sausages cut into cubes
1 garlic clove chopped
2 tablespoons of sofrito
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
4 cups of chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 packet sazon goya
8 olives

In a pot, add olive oil and sautee sausages for 5 minutes til nicely browned 
then
remove. Then add garlic and sautee for 20 seconds. Then add sofrito and tomato
paste and olives and a little water and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add 
everything
in pot and bring to a boil then reduce and cook for 35-40 minutes turning 2 
times
during cooking process.

*Note:  Arroz con salchichas is originally made with libby sausages, but I 
don't
like libby sausages. I do like italian sausages and that is what I use. But 
if you
want to use libby sausages then skip the process of browning the meat.
 

 Arroz Junto

1 can beans (any beans you like will do)
2 cups of rice
1 cup of tocino
little salt, but some pepper
1 packet of sazon goya
2 tablespoons of sofrito
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
4 cups of beef broth
2 garlic cloves minced
7olives

Wash and soak rice in salted water for about 20-30 minutes before using.
In a pot, add olive oil and sautee tocino for 5 minutes in low heat til 
crispy. Then
remove. Then add garlic and sautee for 20 seconds. Then add sofrito and tomato
paste and olives and a little water and simmer for 3 minutes. Then add beans 
and
remaining ingredients except rice and simmer for 15 minutes. Then drain rice 
and
rinse one last time and add to bean mixture and stir. Cook for about 30 
minutes.
or until rice is tender. Serve with tostones and a side salad.

Simple white rice

2 cups rice
4 cups of water
Salt
Good drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil
1 capful of apple cidar vinegar
Small pad of butter

Wash rice several times til water is clear. Add all ingredients to pot and 
cook for
35 minutes. Always remember (abuela told me this) 2 cups of liquid per cup of rice.

Asopao de albondiga

1 libra de carne molida
2 tasas de arroz
2 latas de caldo de res
2 ajos molidos
1/2 cebolla bien picadita
1/2 lata de salsa tomate
2 cucharadas de sofrito
Sal y pimienta al gusto
1 paquete de sazon goya
1 cucharada de cumino
8 aceitunas

Lave y ponga el arroz en agua de sal por una hora para que ablande.
Sazone la carne molida y haga bolitas para albondigas y meter en nevera por 1 
hora.
Luego en una caserola, agregue aceite de oliva y sofria ajo y cebolla por 2 
minutes
a fuego lento. Luego anade sofrito, salsa tomate y aceitunas con un poco de 
agua
y cueze por 3 minutos. Escurrir agua de arroz y lavar ultima vez antes de 
agregar
en caserola y mezcle bien. Luego anade restos de ingredientes incluyendo las
albondigas y cueze por 35 minutos. Si sale muy aguado, suba fuego y reduzca.
Si no hay suficiente liquido, caliente agua o caldo y agregue lentamente 
mientras
mezcle hasta que llegue al punto deseado. Reposar por 5 minutos antes de 
servir.

Asopao

2 cups of rice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 onion chopped
Handful of cilantro washed and chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 packet sazon goya
4 cups of chicken or beef broth
1 tablespoon of capers (alcaparrados)
1/2 can of tomato sauce


Wash rice well and let sit in salted water for 30 minutes. In a pot, add 
olive oil
and sautee garlic and onions for 2 minutes in low heat. Then add sofrito and
tomato sauce and capers and a little water and simmer for 3 minutes. Then add
all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure asopao is not too soupy
or too dry.

**Note: This is the vegetarian way of making it. If you want meat in it, 
then cook
meat prior to starting the asopao.

Carne quisada

2 pounds of either beef or pork cut into large chunks
Enough water to cook meat in
2 garlic cloves chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 packet sazon goya
8 olives
2 potatoes peeled and cut into large pieces
1 can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of sofrito
1/2 onion chopped

Wash and marinade meat and put in fridge overnight. Remove from fridge 1 hour
before cooking. In a pot, add olive oil and sautee garlic for 20 seconds in 
low heat.
Then add onions and sautee for 1 minute. Then add sofrito, tomato sauce, 
olives
and a little water and simmer for 3 minutes. Then add meat and remaining 
ingredients with the exception of the potatoes and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Then
add potatoes and cook 20 more minutes. If too soupy, raise heat for a couple
of minutes to thicken, if not enough liquid, then heat water and add as 
needed.

EASY HABICHUELAS GUISADAS

1 can of pinto beans or small red beans
1 piece of cooked chicharron cut into pieces
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 packet sazon goya
1 teaspoon of capers (alcaparrados)
1 cup of chicken broth
1/2 can of tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sofrito
1 tablespoon of minced garlic

In a pan, add olive oil and sautee garlic for 20 seconds in low heat. Then add
caper, sofrito and tomato sauce with a little water and simmer for 3 minutes.
Then add beans and the rest of ingredients and cook for 30 minutes. If too watery, raise heat for 1 minute on high while stirring to thicken. Serve with white rice.

Old fashion habichuelas

1 package of dried red kidney beans
2 cups of diced ham
2 cups of diced chorizo
1 large potato peeled and cut into large cubes
Enough water to cook beans in
Salt and pepper to taste
1 packet of sazon goya con culantro y achiote
1 tablespoon of adobo goya
2 tablespoons of sofrito
1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
1 can of tomato sauce
2 teaspoons of capers (alcaparrados)

Wash and remove any inpurities from beans and let soak in salted water for 
atleast
3 hours. Remove water and wash one more time and set aside. In a large pot, 
add
olive oil and sautee meats for 3 minutes til browned then remove. Then add 
garlic
and sofrito and a little water and simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the 
remaining
ingredients except potatoes and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Then add potatoes and 
cook
another 30 minutes. If too soupy, raise heat and simmer on high while 
stirring til
it thickens. Always check level of liquid while cooking your beans. Some 
people
like their beans somewhat dry and others (like me) like alot of caldito. Serve
with white rice and pollo al horno.

Lechon Asado

5 pound pork shoulder
Enough cold water to cover meat
1/2 lemon
Good sprinkle of adobo goya
1 packet sazon goya
3 tablespoons of chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Wash and season lechon and put in fridge overnight. Take out of fridge 1 hour 
before
cooking. In a pot, add enough water to cover lechon. Place lechon and cook 
for
2 hours skin side up. Preheat broiler to maximum about 15 minutes before the 
2
hours are up. Remove meat carefully and place in an oven dish and place under
broiler for about 15 minutes or so watching carefully that it does not burn 
and turning
to all sides to crisp up. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Any leftover broth you can use for gravy, make rice or save for later use. 

Picadillo

1 pound ground beef
1 can beef stock
8 olives
2 garlic cloves minced
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 onion finely chopped
Bunch of cilantro washed and chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 packet of sazon goya con cumino


In a skillet, add olive oil and sautee onion and garlic for 1 minute in low 
heat.
Add meat and break up into small pieces and brown for 7-10 minutes. Add
remaining ingredients and simmer for 40 minutes.

**The biggest error in making Puerto Rican picadillo is that people make it 
as if
making meat sauce for spaghetti. This should come out somewhat dry, but still
moist but with no gravy.

Pollo al horno

4 thighs and 4 legs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon squeezed on chicken
Generous sprinkle of adobo goya con cumino on chicken
Sprinkle of dried oregano on each chicken
1 teaspoon of chopped garlic per every 2 chicken pieces (4 teaspoons total)
Good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Wash and marinade chicken overnight. Remove chicken 1 hour before cooking.
Turn on oven at 350 degrees and line aluminum foil on a oven dish and cook for
45 minutes. Then put chicken in broiler part of oven (skin side up) and cook 
another
5 minutes til it crisps up. Keep an eye while in the broiler. Enjoy!

Pollo con frijoles negro

4 chicken thighs
1 can black beans
1 cup cubed ham
2 cups of cook rice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of cumino
1 tablespoon of adobo goya
1 can chicken broth
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 onion finely chopped

Wash and marinade chicken. In a skillet, add olive oil and sautee chicken 3 
minutes
on each side then remove. Then add onion, garlic and ham & sautee for 1 
minute in
low heat. Then add all ingredients except rice and simmer for 30 minutes. 
Serve!

**A cuban friend taught me how to make this quick and delicious homecooked 
meal
in roughly 40 minutes. Note: If you rather make fresh rice, make it while 
you are
cooking the chicken and it should all be done at the same time.

Pollo con pasta

3 pechugas de pollo sin hueso o pellejo
1 paquete de rigatoni o la pasta de su gusto
2 cucharadas de pasta de tomate
2 cucharadas de sofrito goya
Sal y pimienta al gusto
3 ajos molidos
1 cucharadita de adobo por pechuga = 3 cucharaditas
1 lata de caldo de pollo

Lave y sazone las pechugas y meta en la nevera por algunas horas. Luego en un
sarten, agregue aceite de oliva y sofria ajos por 20 segundos. Luego corte 
pollo
en trozos y agregue en el sarten y sofria por 5 minutos a bajo fuego. Luego 
anade
restos de ingredientes y cueze por 30 minutos. En una caserola, anade 
suficiente
agua para cocinar la pasta y eche sal y 2 cucharadas de aceite vegetal y 
cocine por
8 minutos. Luego escurra agua y eche en el sarten con la pasta y mezcle bien.
Sirva con pan de ajo.

*Note: Si desea anadirle queso parmeseano puede hacerlo cuando lo sirva o 
puede
derretirle rebanadas de queso mozzarella 5 minutos antes de servirlo.

Pollo guisado

1 whole chicken cut up
2 potatoes peeled and cut into large cubes
2 carrots peeled and cut into 3rd's
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 packet sazon goya
Sprinkle of adobo goya over chicken
3 garlic cloves minced
1 can crushed tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
8 olives

Wash and season chicken. In a pot, add olive oil and garlic and sautee for 1 
minute
in low heat. Then add remaining ingredients (except chicken, potatoes and 
carrots)
and a little water and simmer for 3 minutes. Then add chicken and enough water
to cover chicken and simmer for 30 minutes. Then add potatoes and carrots and
simmer another 15-20 minutes. Serve with white rice.

Sopa de pollo con fideos

3 chicken thighs and 3 chicken legs 
1/2 package of angel hair pasta broken in half
2 potatoes peeled and cut into 3rds
Dusting of adobo over chicken
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 package of sazon goya con culantro y achiote
1/2 onion finely chopped
8 olives
1/2 can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of sofrito

Wash and season chicken. In a pot, add olive oil and sautee chicken for 5 
minutes
on each side then remove. Add garlic and onions and sautee for 1 minute in low
heat. Then add sofrito, olives and tomato sauce and a little water and simmer 
for
3 minutes. Then add chicken back to pot and the remaining ingredients and 
enough
water to cover chicken and cook for 35 minutes. Then add salt and pepper to
potatoes and add to pot along with fideos and cook another 15 to 20 minutes.
Good chicken soup!!

Puerto Rican Pique

1 pound of small red ajies(if you can't fine red ajies, then use any small 
chile pepper)
1 bottle of bacardi emptied out and washed thoroughly
A piece of white onion cut into small pieces
1 glass of pineapple juice
Some water to substitute remaining juice
2 garlic cloves mashed
2 teaspoons of salt

Using gloves, wash ajies and let sit for a few minutes. Then remove from 
water and
mash with palm of hand and place each one in bottle. Then add remaining 
ingredients and closed tightly with cap and shake. Then the process begins!

First week, place bottle under kitchen sink

Second week, Take bottle for 2 hours everyday and place under sun to ferment
then back to cool dry place.

Third and Fourth week, Let bottle stay in cool dry place.

This is a 30 day process! When you decide to open, make sure you do it 
outside
because the first fumes will knock you out! Enjoy!