Nearly every bar or restaurant we visited offered its own specialty cocktail—a creative concoction that usually starred rum. From light and icy fruit frappés served beachside to Martini-style drinks and sangria that enticed us into the pulsating city nights, we’ve rarely seen so much panache in a glass.
The food had us reeling as well. With its African and Spanish influences combined with the island’s own ingredients, the dishes were a blend of fresh and fried, spicy and cool, starchy and sweet.
To pair with our house cocktails and the upcoming outdoor season, we created three appetizers and one dessert as a tribute to the Puerto Rican cuisine that inspired us. We also came up with easy and fun ways to outfit your table. Sea shells, banana leaves, hibiscus flowers, orchids, limes, paper umbrellas and a little bit of turbinado sugar or sand are all you need to transport you and your guests to the tropics.
Lime Refresher
Ingredients
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons grenadine
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice cubes
½ cup club soda
Mint leaves for garnish
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Mini Spinach Salads
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Latin seasoning or Jamaican jerk seasoning
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 pound large shrimp (20 count), peeled and deveined, tails left on
4 cups baby spinach or watercress
1 large orange
1 small red bell pepper
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
¼ cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette
10 (5- to 6-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
½ teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
2. Place spinach in a salad bowl. Peel orange with a knife so very little of the white pith remains; slice vertically and quarter slices. Add orange pieces, red bell pepper, avocado and green onions to spinach. Add vinaigrette; toss well to coat.
3. Prepare grill. Thread 2 shrimp onto each skewer. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side, until just thoroughly cooked and opaque in color (take care not to overcook).
4. Divide spinach mixture among 10 appetizer plates. Sprinkle with orange peel and goat cheese. Top each with 1 shrimp skewer. Drizzle with a little more vinaigrette, if desired. Serves 10.
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
Omelet Nachos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Ingredients
½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
½ cup fresh corn kernels
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
Nachos:
4 eggs
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon butter or cooking oil
6 ounces tortilla chips,about 4 cups
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2. To prepare nachos, place eggs, water, salt and pepper in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add butter. When butter melts, add egg mixture. Stir gently but continuously until small pieces of cooked egg are surrounded by liquid egg. Stop stirring and cook just until egg is set but still shiny. Remove from heat. Slide egg onto cutting board and cut into shards, about 1/8-inch-by-2 inches long.
3. Place tortilla chips on a large platter. Sprinkle egg strips over tortilla chips. Spoon salsa on top. Sprinkle with feta; serve immediately. Serves 12.
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
Meatballs in Sofrito Sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
½ cup water
1⁄3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed
green olives
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
2 large garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lime-Cilantro Gremolata:
Grated rind of 1 lime
1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2. To prepare meatballs, combine beef, olives, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form mixture into 30 (1-inch) meatballs. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides. Drain off fat.
3. Add sofrito sauce to skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until meatballs are thoroughly cooked, about 15 minutes; uncover the last 5 minutes of cooking, if necessary, to thicken sauce. Transfer meatballs and sauce to a serving dish or individual shot glasses.
4. To prepare Gremolata, combine lime rind, cilantro and garlic; mix well. Sprinkle over meatballs and serve. Serves 10.
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
Plantain and Pineapple Sundaes
Ingredients
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 medium-ripe large plantain, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into bite-size chunks
6 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 cups vanilla ice cream
2. Place ice cream into 6 serving dishes. Spoon fruit and sauce over ice cream. Serves 6.
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
Summer Rum Slushes
Ingredients
4 ounces canned frozen limeade concentrate, undiluted
½ cup pineapple juice
4 to 5 medium strawberries, hulled
2 cups ice
Strawberry slices (optional)
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
Melon Rum Punch
Ingredients
3 cups pineapple juice
1½ cups melon-flavored rum
¼ cup grenadine
¾ cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Angostura bitters
Orange or lime slices
Watermelon chunks or balls
Maraschino cherries
Recipe by Lisa Holderness and Wini Moranville. Relish Entertaining, "Sizzling Summer Cocktail Party," June 2008.
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