Puerto Rico is an island nation that is officially a
territory of the United States. Puerto Rican cuisine has evolved from several
strong influences, including those of the original peoples, such as the Tainos,
and the Spanish conquerors that drove most of the natives out and enslaved the
remaining. African and Caribbean influence is also reflected in the cuisine of
the island, which has also been shaped significantly by its climate and
geology.
Cocina Criolla, one of the main cuisine styles particular to
the island has deep roots, extending far back to the native Tainos and Arawak.
Their culinary traditions were based on tropical fruits, native vegetables, seafood,
and corn. With the Spanish came a host of other ingredients that expanded the
criolla style. These included olive oil, rice, wheat and meats, such as pork
and beef. As enslaved African peoples were imported for work on the sugar cane
plantations, their culinary traditions took root as well, and their
contributions, which included taro and okra, became assimilated into the whole
of criolla cuisine.
Many of the island’s main dishes are seasoned with adobo and
sofrito, spice mixtures that impart those flavours that the island is so well
known for. Adobo, which can vary from cook to cook, or if bought prepared, from
manufacturer to manufacturer, generally consists of black peppercorns, oregano,
salt, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice. When bought prepared in powdered form,
most include salt, powdered garlic, citric acid, pepper, oregano, turmeric and
MSG, which is a good reason to spend a little time making your own if
experimenting with Puerto Rican cuisine at home. While generally used for
seasoning meats, it is considered to be a sort of all-purpose seasoning
mixture.
Sofrito is made from onions, garlic, cilantro, peppers, and
often includes achiote, which is from the seeds of the annatto plant, and helps
to produce a bright yellow colour in the finished product. This, too, is used
in a variety of dishes, ranging from meat dishes to soups to standard forms of
beans and rice.
One-pot dishes, or stews, are common to Puerto Rican
cuisine. These are often made of meats, and flavoured with a variety of spices
and ingredients in addition to adobo and sofrito. Among these are Spanish
olives stuffed with pimiento, sweet chilli peppers, capers, potatoes, onions,
garlic, fresh cilantro, and occasionally raisins.
Chicken with rice is a dish that has become a Puerto Rican
speciality, with many families having their own special style, handed down from
generation to generation. Chicken is the main ingredient of many criolla dishes,
and these dishes, while careful attention is given to spicing techniques,
rarely are they what could be termed hotly spiced.
Naturally, seafood is an important part of the island
cuisine. Fried fish is often served with a special sauce made of olives, olive
oil, onions, pimientos, capers, tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic and bay leaves.
Broiled, steamed or grilled fish is lightly seasoned, if at all, during the
cooking process and served with a splash of lime juice with perhaps just a hint
of garlic.
Puerto Rican cuisine has many facets, arising from the
island’s long, complex history. The blend of native culinary traditions with
those of the European settlers and the enslaved African populations that they
brought with them has resulted in a unique and flavourful cuisine that is
beloved by many.
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