Last year with the closing of the border to Venezuela some Chinese-market owner asked Michel Frank, Managing Director, Aruba Heat, maker of island style hot sauces from mild to wild, if he could concoct RUCU in his kitchen, customers were asking for it, but the product disappeared off shelves, when the banana boats stopped coming.
Frank then remembered his Aruban grandmother, a traditional cook — some of you blessed with a grandmother may also remember — how she use Annatto or Achiote seeds to color cooking oil, then made delicious red/orange-hued dishes with it.
Annatto adds great color, and a pleasant flavor; it lends itself to everything from soup to nuts.
Frank started experimenting, and came up with a satisfying recipe including onions, garlic, cilantro, and tomato, his own version of Rucu, which he launched on July 1st. It has been gaining popularity. I recently gave it as a gift to a friend who likes to cook, and I am waiting for his verdict, meanwhile I love it.
It makes pumpkin soups look prettier, and it is great in lentils.
Basically, it can be added to pots while cooking, or used as a sauce over roast chicken, for example
I LOVE it with fish.
Buy 200 gr fresh fish per diner. Get some aluminum foil ready, line the foil with thinly sliced onion rings and slices of lemon, score the fish skin, lay the fish flesh up on the aluminum foil, then mix a generous tablespoon of soft unsalted butter with one of RUCU, maybe two/three tablespoons of orange juice, blend well, pour the deliciousness over fish, some will of course run to the bottom, close the aluminum foil well, heat grill to 325, plop the shiny package on it, set the oven-timer on 20 minutes, not more, for fish for four, pour yourself a drink, wait for the timer to go off.
Goes well we boiled Yucca that was finished in the pan to a light brown color, in butter!
Roucou is also used frequently in Trinidad and Tobago, Martinique, and Guadalupe.
We have been cooking more than ever, since March 15th, 2020.
