Gua Puertas Correderas Recipes

PUERTO RICAN GUAVA CHEESE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Skewer one cube of the guava paste and one cube of cheddar cheese on a toothpick.
• Repeat with the remaining guava paste and cheddar cheese cubes.
• Refrigerate until serving time.

GORDAS PETROLERAS RECIPE (HOMEMADE GORDITAS WITH PORK)

Steps:

• To make the chicharrón prensado, toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 2 minutes; they should be richly aromatic but not burned. Put in a blender with the garlic, onion, and 2 cups water, and blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
• In a large pot combine the carnitas with pork skin and the salsa over low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the salsa is reduced enough to thickly coat the meat. You shouldn't need to add any salt here, as the carnitas should be well seasoned.
• Place all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth (some people prefer a coarse purée). Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, using a spoon to mash the avocados into the other ingredients. It's up to you how much to mash-I like mine pretty lumpy!
• To make the gordas, knead the masa with the lard or oil until it's fully incorporated (it's impossible to overwork masa since there's no gluten, and in fact it only improves in quality the more you work it). Separate the masa into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Place a ball between two sheets of plastic (cut from a plastic bag) and flatten to create a ½-inch-thick tortilla shape with a tortilla press or with this cookbook. Repeat for all the balls.
• Heat a griddle or large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add as many gordas as will comfortably fit in the skillet. Cook for about 20 minutes, flipping every 3 minutes or so. They should get golden brown on the outside, with some charred specks; reduce the heat if they brown too quickly. They're done when the inside is soft and fluffy, and the outside crisp and crunchy. (Gordas are best straight from the griddle, but can be kept in a 250ºF oven until ready to serve, if necessary.)
• Slice open the gordas three-fourths of the way around, then fill each pocket with about 2 tablespoons of the chicharrón prensado, then queso, onion, cilantro, salsa, guacamole, and lime to taste.

RANCHO LA PUERTA'S GRANOLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the oats, bran, wheat germ, almonds, cinnamon and cardamom.
• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the orange zest, lemon zest, honey, vegetable oil and apple juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over the dry ingredients, stirring well to combine. Spread the mixture in 1/2-inch layers on cookie sheets and bake about 40 minutes, or until toasted, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and store in a tightly sealed container for up to a month.