Around the World - 2nd Stop - CUBA!

MexicoKaren

MexicoKaren

Joyfully Retired
I've always loved Cuban food, and it's a good way to escape the ice and snow that so many of you are dealing with right now. If you're unfamiliar with it, just google "Cuban cuisine" and you'll find lots of historical and cultural references, as Cuba is a fascinating cultural mix that results in delicious food. Vamos todos a ir a Cuba!
 
That looks like a really good website, Sass. There are actually several things I'd like to make...I also want me some tostones (fried plantains)...can you buy plantains where you are? Seems to me I used to buy them in Portland, and they are readily available here. Oh, and a Cuban sandwich! Yum!
 
I live in an area where I'm surrounded by Cuban restaurants. most of the Cuban ingredients are available in the grocery stores, including plantains and yucca.

I think I want to try making a good Arroz con Pollo.
 
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I haven't eaten much Cuban food and my family isn't very adventurous. I am but I don't want to waste food!! So I will try to find something I can disguise!! LOL

(Hopefully my girlfriend and I will be going to an Indian place soon.)
 
This recipe is from my files. I'd love to make it but can't. I'm citrus intolerent. This is supposed to be done over a charcoal fire and cooked until the meat falls apart. Enjoy.

SERVES 8

For the Cuban Marinade:
1/4 cup, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
1/2 cup, freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup, freshly squeezed orange juice (sour oranges are preferred)
2 tablespoons, brown sugar
1 tablespoon, whole cumin seeds
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon, grated lime zest
2 tablespoons, minced garlic
1/2 cup, soy sauce
2 teaspoons, freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons, olive oil
1 bone-in or boneless Boston butt (5 to 7 pounds)

For the Citrus Sauce:
1/3 cup, reserved Cuban marinade (as described in marinade directions, below)
3/4 cup, freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup, freshly squeezed lime juice (or to taste)
1 teaspoon, sugar (or to taste)
1/2 cup, chopped cilantro (optional)
2 teaspoons, cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water


To make the marinade: Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Set aside 1/3 cup and refrigerate that portion for adding to the Citrus Sauce. Place the pork into a 2-gallon zip-lock plastic bag and pour in the rest of the marinade. Seal and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. Turn the bag from time to time to redistribute the marinade. [Cook’s Note: Of course, this marinating can be done in a glass or ceramic dish, turning the roast as necessary to insure even marinating, and keeping the dish covered and refrigerated during the marinating process.]

When ready to grill-roast, remove the pork from the marinade, shake off the excess, and discard the used marinade. Set up a charcoal grill with an equal amount of coals banked on opposite sides and a pan in the center, under the grill, to catch the juice. It takes a long time to cook the pork so make sure you have extra coals available to replenish the fire. Place the roast on the grill, above the drip pan. Cover the grill and adjust the vents to maintain a temperature within the grill of between 300 and 325 degrees. Add more charcoal as needed. Begin checking the roast after 2 hours. When the meat is fork-tender, the roast is ready to come off the grill. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Allow the roast to rest for at least 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes.

To Make the Citrus Sauce (while the roast is cooking): Pour all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan except the optional cilantro and the dissolved cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Adjust the acidity and sweetness to your taste with additional lime juice and sugar. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch mixture and bring the sauce to a boil for 30 seconds to thicken slightly. Set aside. Immediately before you are ready to serve, rewarm the sauce for a moment and stir in the optional cilantro, if using. Carve the roast into 1/4-inch-thick slices, arrange on a platter, and drizzle with a little of the sauce, serving the remaining sauce in a sauceboat at the table.


Variations:
Alternatively you can roast the Boston butt in a preheated 325 degree oven. The cooking time and range for doneness are roughly the same as on the grill.

For a special presentation, try to buy a whole pork shoulder (Boston butt and picnic all in one piece). Then double the marinade and sauce recipes and grill-roast the shoulder for 3 to 4 hours. This will serve 12 to 16 people.
 
SilverSage said:
I live in an area where I'm surrounded by Cuban restaurants. most of the Cuban ingredients are available in the grocery stores, including plantains and yucca.

I think I want to try making a good Arroz con Pollo.
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I'm jealous, I love yautía (taro), Yuca (cassava) Ajicito or cachucha pepper, recao, achiote (annatto), ají caballero (the hottest pepper native to Puerto Rico). Puerto Rican and Cuban cooking share a lot of ingredients. I wish I could find anything up here. :mrgreen:
 
SilverSage said:
I live in an area where I'm surrounded by Cuban restaurants. most of the Cuban ingredients are available in the grocery stores, including plantains and yucca.

I think I want to try making a good Arroz con Pollo.
Click to expand...
I also was thinkin gof trying Arroz con Pollo. Let me know how/what you will be using maybe I can find a variation that I can make.
 
Here are two of my favorites as some one born and raised in Miami Florida. My oldest son is also married to a Cuban which is the only of my daughter in laws that can cook. I might add she is a good one too.

Original Cuban Sandwich

1 loaf Cuban bread (other breads can be used such as Italian and French loafs in small sizes such as hoggie)
1-ounce regular mustard
4 dill pickles
5 slices boiled ham or Virginia ham
2 slices roast pork
1 slice imported Swiss cheese
1-ounce butter


Cut Cuban bread to desired size, common size is 7 inches. Next, slice open the bread down the middle. On the topside of the bread spread 1-ounce of mustard, evenly across. Then place 4 pickles on top of the mustard. You then place 1 slice of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles. Slice ham to desired thickness, recommended size is 1 1/2 ounces per slice, the thinner the better. Now fold each slice of ham in half and place evenly on bottom of bread. On top of the ham, place slices of roast pork, 1 1/2 ounces per slice. You then join both halves of the sandwich. You are now ready to grill your Cuban sandwich.

Use a sandwich grill if you have one, a waffle iron if not. Spread butter on top of the bread evenly. Close the grill, smashing the sandwich. Leave sandwich in the grill until top of bread turns to a golden brown, and top is crisp. Approximate time is 4 to 6 minutes. After the sandwich is crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally, from corner to corner. DO NOT USE A MICROWAVE OVEN!

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 8 min Level:
1 serving

***********************

Cuban Steak Sandwiches

1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1 cup olive oil
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 (14-inch) loaf ciabatta bread
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced


Cut the steak into 2 even pieces and place in a sealable plastic bag or container. Place the olive oil, cilantro, basil, parsley, lime juice, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt in a blender and mix until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the herb-oil mixture and refrigerate. Add the remaining mixture to the meat, distribute evenly, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice ciabatta loaf lengthwise and remove excess bread from inside, if desired.

Remove the meat from the marinade; discard marinade. Place on a paper towel, wiping off any excess marinade. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Once the pan is hot, add meat and cook until medium-rare, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Place meat on a cutting board and cover with foil. Repeat with other piece of meat, only adding more oil if necessary.

Place bread directly on oven rack and toast, about 5 minutes.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the grill pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until just beginning to brown but still crisp, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt, to taste.

Take the reserved herb-oil mixture and brush the inside of both halves of bread. Slice steak thinly on the bias and place on the bottom half of the bread. Top with onions and then remaining bread. Slice into quarters and serve.

Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 20 min
4 servings
 
Oh BOY!!!

I love Arroz con Pollo! And Ropa Vieja, which I first made a million years ago when I saw the Frug make it on TV!

I'm starting Weight Watcher's next week (booooooo!), so playing will be a little more challenging for me.

But I'm sure I'll find something suitable!

Good choice, Karen!

Lee
 
Bump!

So are we still doing this?

I have some lovely shrimp sitting in the freezer begging to be played with.
 
I was feeling guilty about this earlier today - I have been pretty much preoccupied with family issues and am so sorry that I haven't taken the lead. Hopefully, sometime in the next few days!!
 
MexicoKaren said:
I was feeling guilty about this earlier today - I have been pretty much preoccupied with family issues and am so sorry that I haven't taken the lead. Hopefully, sometime in the next few days!!
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I got a little off track myself.
Hopefully, I'll have something tomorrow.
 
OK. Break is over. Holiday stuff is put away (well, mostly). Time to pack for Cuba. For me it's just a short day trip, but that doesn't make it any easier to get a visa!

Actually, my sister in law is from Cuba. She was a refuge as a child, and her parents still live in the Little Havana district of Miami. I've had the pleasure of attending a pig roast, presided over by her father, for my brother's 50th birthday. Pig roasts are a typical celebration dinner. My good friend Hank is part Puerto Rican, part Cuban, and part Italian. So between the two of them I got some real good direction on this one. Hank loaned me some cookbooks that were his mother's. Here's what I've got.

Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican food is all very similar. They all have their roots in Spain and Africa, and the spices are warm, but not hot. Surprisingly, fruits are not a predominant ingredient in the dishes of these tropical islands, except for plantains, which are ubiquitous. Other fruits are usually just eaten plain as a snack or in a dessert.

There is a heavy reliance on pork and chicken, and although there are some popular beef dishes, they come in third to to the pork and chicken, mainly because of cost & grazing areas.

The tropical root vegetables common to the island cuisine include yuca, bonaito, and malanga. Beans and rice, either together or separately, are standard fare at most meals.

Foods like empanadas, pasteles, croquettas are common. Each is a different variation of a filling encased in something starchy.

Arroz con Pollo (rice with chicken) is the Cuban take-off of Spanish paella. The techniques are similar, but the flavor profile is different. The yellow spice in Cuba is annatto, instead of saffron, giving this rice dish a uniquely new world flavor.

Oh, and cocktail hour usually includes a daquiri, a mojito, or a Cuba libre.

That's just a scratch of the surface. If you have more info, please share it with us.
 
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SilverSage said:
OK. Break is over. Holiday stuff is put away (well, mostly). Time to pack for Cuba. For me it's just a short day trip, but that doesn't make it any easier to get a visa!

Actually, my sister in law is from Cuba. She was a refuge as a child, and her parents still live in the Little Havana district of Miami. I've had the pleasure of attending a pig roast, presided over by her father, for my brother's 50th birthday. Pig roasts are a typical celebration dinner. My good friend Hank is part Puerto Rican, part Cuban, and part Italian. So between the two of them I got some real good direction on this one. Hank loaned me some cookbooks that were his mother's. Here's what I've got.

Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican food is all very similar. They all have their roots in Spain and Africa, and the spices are warm, but not hot. Surprisingly, fruits are not a predominant ingredient in the dishes of these tropical islands, except for plantains, which are ubiquitous. Other fruits are usually just eaten plain as a snack or in a dessert.

There is a heavy reliance on pork and chicken, and although there are some popular beef dishes, they come in third to to the pork and chicken, mainly because of cost & grazing areas.

The tropical root vegetables common to the island cuisine include yuca, bonaito, and malanga. Beans and rice, either together or separately, are standard fare at most meals.

Foods like empanadas, pasteles, croquettas are common. Each is a different variation of a filling encased in something starchy.

Arroz con Pollo (rice with chicken) is the Cuban take-off of Spanish paella. The techniques are similar, but the flavor profile is different. The yellow spice in Cuba is annatto, instead of saffron, giving this rice dish a uniquely new world flavor.

Oh, and cocktail hour usually includes a daquiri, a mojito, or a Cuba libre.

That's just a scratch of the surface. If you have more info, please share it with us.
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I agree SS but then there is Jamaca, South America and Mexico also with Spanish, Portuguese and Black heritage as well as Louisiana in the US. Now their foods are hotter than Cuban and the others you named which are actually kind of bland heat wise to the ones I named. Now why I have no idea but Jamaican food are as hot as most I've found short of Asia which to me still have the hottest foods on the planet. However I like hot foods as well as bland foods. :wink:
 
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Tonight for dinner, we had Cubanos (Cuban sandwiches) and tostones.

The sandwich is Cuban bread, mustard, ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, and dill pickle. You assemble the sandwich and then grill it in a sandwich press.

Tostones are made from plantains, a fruit that looks like a banana, but is much starchier. You slice them; fry them in hot oil; drain and cool them a bit; smash them; and fry them up again. You serve them alongside the sandwich like we'd have potato chips.

We both agreed that the Cubano tasted just like every other Cubano we've had - a ham & cheese sandwich with mustard & pickle. After a few bites, we just didn't want any more bread, so we ate the filling and left the bread. The tostones were o.k. A lot of work for not much flavor.

I'm hoping we'll be happier with arroz con pollo ar some of the other dishes.
 

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Beautiful SS!! That all looks fantastic.

I haven't had fried platanos in years. Years ago a friend of mines Columbian MIL made them for me along with arepas.
 
Great minds think the same, SS - we also had Cubano sandwiches tonight. But I took the easy way out and served some pineapple on the side...not having access to any Cuban bread, I used home-baked rolls that I flattened as they grilled. Very tasty - this might be a Cuban option for your family, Peeps.
 

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Thanks, Sass! What really made these good was using LOTS of butter to grill them...probably not the healthiest option, but very tasty.
 
I made moros y christianos to go with my leftover roast pork. It's a dish with a Spanish story, but Caribbean ingredients.

It's a reference to the Islamic invasion of Spain in the 8th century. You still see a lot of Moorish & islamic influence in Spanish architecture.
Thus:
Islamic = Northern Africans = Moors = black beans
Spain = Europe = Christian = white rice
Moors y Christianos = Black beans and rice

The analogy continues after Spain controls the islands of Cuba & Puerto Rico. Their culinary influence again is blended with the African influence to create a new cuisine.

Moors y Christianos. A blending of cultures.

I covered the beans in water and brought them to a boil. Shut it off. Covered. Let it stand for an hour. Drain. Rinse.

Rinse 2 cups of plain long grain white rice until the water runs clear. Yes, this sounds strange, but that's how you do it. You want to get rid of the starch. Use plain rice - no jasmine or basmati.

In a saucepan, heat a couple TLBS oil. Over moderate heat, soften about a cup each of diced onion & bell pepper and 4 cloves of chopped garlic. Green pepper is traditional, but I had 3 red ones in the fridge, so I used those.

After a few minutes, when it's all nice and soft, stir in a couple tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir in the rice and 2 cups of the softened beans. For spice, I added 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and a sprinkling of annato (achiote). Add 2 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil. Cover and reduce heat to very low. Now your cooking it just like rice. In about 20 minutes, all the water will be absorbed.

(I found it needed a lot more salt. We had to add a lot at the table. I don't usually eat much salt, but I'd increase it by at least half, if not double.)

They had a warm comforting flavor. They were totally vegan. And if I do say so, they were the best black beans & rice I've ever had (with the extra salt). They complimented the roast pork beautifully.
 

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I'm planning to make Arroz con Pollo with fried sweet platanos this weekend (as soon as the plantains ripen).

Is anyone else planning any Cuban dishes, or is it time we start thinking about the next stop?
 
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