Category: Uncategorized

  • Nico’s Amaretto Sour

    Nico’s Amaretto Sour

    A variation on the classic New York sour, inspired by my love for New York sours, and Sam’s love of Amaretto.

    Nico’s New York Amaretto Sour

    A spin on a classic recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 Person

    Equipment

    • Shaker

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Egg
    • 1 Lemon
    • 2 Shots Whiskey
    • 2 Shots Amaretto
    • 4 oz Red Wine Try for something mild at first, then use your favorite red wine after
    • 4 cubes Ice

    Instructions
     

    • Add Ice, Lemon Juice, Egg White, Whiskey, Amaretto into shaker
    • shake for a few seconds until it is cold
    • pour into a glass, not a tall one, once done pouring the liquid should be almost at the top
    • flip a spoon upside down over the drink
    • Slowly, pour the red wine over the back of the spoon, hold the spoon as close to the top of the drink as possible
    • The wine should float on top of the Amaretto sour drink. If it is not, you may be either pouring too fast, or the spoon is too far above the drink, causing the wine to sink below the surface tension of the drink
    Keyword Amaretto, Drink, Whiskey, Wine
  • Nico’s Salmon Dip

    Nico’s Salmon Dip

    Thank you to Jacob Hornak for the inspiration. After trying salmon dip in Alaska, I knew I had to make my own. This works best if you have smoked salmon, but if you don’t, roasted salmon works great as well. (or any fish, like trout)

    Nico’s Salmon Dip

    Nico Aponte
    For all the fish people
    Prep Time 4 hours
    Total Time 4 hours
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 People

    Equipment

    • Smoker Oven is good as well
    • Blender If you dont have blender, a fork works great

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 Whole Salmon fillets
    • 1 bunch dill Dried dill is fine
    • 1 Brick Cream Cheese
    • 4 tsp Wochester Sauce
    • 4 tsp Hot Sauce of your choice
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

    Instructions
     

    • Smoke Salmon
    • blend everything but the salmon
    • Put salmon in
    • blend for a few seconds until Salmon is incorporated, but not toatlly blended
    • eat
    Keyword Dip, Nico, Salmon
  • Nico’s Pork Butt

    Nico’s Pork Butt

    Nico’s Pork Butt

    Nico Aponte
    yum
    Prep Time 1 day
    Cook Time 12 hours
    Resting Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 1 day 12 hours 10 minutes
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Puerto Rican
    Servings 6 people

    Equipment

    • Instant Read Meat Thermometer
    • Smoker Optional, oven works as well

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 7-pound bone in or boneless pork shoulder
    • 1/4 cup ▢¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
    • 12 cloves garlic minced
    • 1/4 cup Fresh Oregano substitute more dried if no fresh
    • 1 tbsp oregano
    • 3 tbsp Adobe seasoning
    • 1 tbsp Paprika
    • 1 tsp Salt plus more for seasoning at the end
    • 1 Lemon
    • 1 Orange

    Instructions
     

    • Score the fat on the pork shoulder in a criss-cross hatch fashion. Then, cut deeply once in each direction across the pork, like you are going to cut it into four quarters, but then leave them attached at the bottom. Use a sharp knife to make about 20 slits, about 1 inch deep, all over the meat. Place the meat in a 13 x 9 baking pan or another shallow baking pan large enough to comfortably hold the meat with some space around it.
    • Combine the oil, garlic, fresh and dried oregano, Adobo, paprika, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the meat, working it all over the surface and into the slits. Cover the pork with foil and refrigerate overnight.
    • Bring the pork to room temperature, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 F. Bake the pork, covered for 3 hours, then remove the foil and bake for another 3 to 4 hours at the same temperature, until the pork is fall-apart tender.
    • The internal temperature should be at least 165 F, but it may be higher, which is fine — it’s most important that the meat is super tender. If you would like a crustier exterior, turn the heat to 375 F and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the outside of the pork has a nice browned crust.
    • Let the pernil sit for at least 20 minutes, then use your fingers (if it’s not too hot; some people like to wear kitchen gloves to protect their fingers from the heat) or two forks to pull the meat into chunks. Sprinkle the meat with the lemon and orange juice, season with additional salt and pepper, and serve hot or warm.
    Keyword Nico, Pork, Smoker
  • Cristina’s Rum Flancocho

    Cristina’s Rum Flancocho

    Picture of completed Flan

    Cristina’s Rum Flancocho

    Cristina Aponte
    Meticulously Perfected
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    Setting Time 10 hours
    Total Time 11 hours 40 minutes
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Puerto Rican
    Servings 12 People

    Equipment

    • Large Bowl
    • Roasting Pan
    • Wire Rack
    • 1 Bundt Pan

    Ingredients
      

    Flan

    • 8 oz Low fat cream cheese
    • 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
    • 1 can Evaporated Milk
    • 5 large Eggs Room Temp
    • 2 tsp Rum Extract
    • 1 cup Caramel

    Cake

    • 1 box Cake Mix
    • Water Use 1/2 the amount of water that is directed on the box (the other half will be rum)
    • Rum Substitute the other 1/2 of water that is listed on the cake box with Rum
    • Eggs Use as many as directed on the box
    • Oil Use the amount the cake box lists
    • 1 box Instant Pudding

    Rum Glaze

    • 1/2 cup Butter
    • 1/4 cup Water
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Rum

    Instructions
     

    Make the caramel sauce for the Flan

    • Put sugar on a saucer and caramelize sugar. Until golden brown liquid and no sugar remains . Immediately, pour the caramel in the bundt pan. Swirl the bundt pan so that the sugar coats the sides.

    Make the Flan Custard

    • Mix all of the flan ingredients and mix very well. Best if you use an immersion blender. If not, strain the custard in a strainer to remove all lumps.

    Make the Cake

    • Make the cake as directed on the back of the box. Substitute ½ of the water for rum.

    Assemble the Flancocho

    • Pour ALL of the flan custard into the bundt pan (with the cooled caramel already there). Then, pour and evenly distribute ¾ of the cake batter on top of the flan custard. DO NOT MIX. Just spoon on top or gently pour around the bundt. The total mixture should be 3 inches from the top to accommodate any rising..
    • The Flan and the cake will magically separate in the oven
    • Bake at 350 or 375 for 55-65 minutes in a water bath. Bake for 55-65 minutes
    • Cake should be done (check with toothpick). Cake may look overdone. Will be dark brown. Flan will not be set. If you stick a knife or tooth pick too far down, the custard will be wet still. Can also determine if done by jiggling the cake. There shouldn’t be too much jiggle.
    • After 65 minutes, turn off the oven and open the door. You can let the oven come down in temp with the flancocho in the oven still for a few more minutes.
    • Remove from the water bath and let cool on the counter for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.

    Rum Glaze Optional

    • Melt Butter and stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Using a knife/fork/straw, polk holes into the cake part of the flan. Drizzle the rum glaze over and around the cake.
    • Place in the refrigerator overnight or a minimum of 4 hours. The Flan will be set in the refrigerator.
    • After the Flancocho has set. Remove from the refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, loosen the cake from the sides of the bundt pan. Scrape all sides and middle of the cake. Taking a large plate invert the bundt pan and tap the top of the pan until the cake falls.
    • Liquid caramel should flood the plate.
    • Ready to serve! 🙂

    Tips

    • Flan ingredients are best at room temperature
    • Let the water bath preheat with the oven
    • A turkey roasting pan is the perfect shape for the water bath!
    • Making 2 at the same time is easier.
    • Using the pan that was for the glaze, you can caramelize some pecans for a toper.
    • Substituting the rum, you can make any flavor you want! (Almond and pumpkin are great flavors!)

    Notes

    Half eaten Flan Magic Chocolate Flan Cake
    Keyword Cristina, Cristina Aponte, Flan