Cuban Pork Roast
August 11, 2009
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed and tied
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat a small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and peppercorns to the pan; stir constantly until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Cool.
2. Using a mortar and pestle, crush toasted spices with garlic, salt, and oregano to make a paste. You can also do this in the small bowl of a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl, and stir in orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, sherry, and olive oil.
3. Place the pork in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour citrus marinade over meat, and seal. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning the bag over occasionally.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
5. Transfer pork and marinade to a roasting pan, and place in the oven. Roast for about 2 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices occasionally, or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Add small amounts of water to the pan if it dries out. Transfer the pork to a carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve, and serve
Grilled Fish with Sofrito Sauce and Plátanos Asados
June 1, 2009
Grilled Fish with Sofrito Sauce and Plátanos Asados
Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
1 underripe plantain
1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
2 (6-ounce) grouper fillets (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
½ cup Sofrito Sauce (below)
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
Chopped cilantro (optional)
1 green plantain
Sofrito Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil , ½ cup diced onion, ½ cup seeded & diced green bell pepper, 7 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper , ½ teaspoon dried oregano
* Run sofrito ingredients thru blender, no need to cook
Cut plantain in half lengthwise; cut each half crosswise into 2 pieces. Spray plantain pieces with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until golden and slightly soft. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Drizzle fish with lime juice; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and minced cilantro. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Top fish and plantains with sofrito sauce and sour cream, and serve with plantain pieces. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Yield
2 servings (serving size: 1 fillet, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1/4 cup salsa, and 2 plantain pieces)
Content reprinted from www.elboricua.com/recipes
Cuban Garbanzo Salad
May 14, 2009
Ingredients
1 lb. dried garbanzo beans (about 2 cups, or 2 1/2 cups canned)
2 tbsp. salt (if using dried garbanzos)
1 green pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 red onion
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
If using canned beans, omit soaking and cooking instructions.
In large saucepan cover garbanzo beans with water and let soak at room temperature at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain, then rinse well. In large saucepan bring to boil 2 quarts of water with garbanzo beans; simmer, covered, 1 hour. Add salt; simmer 15 minutes more or until tender. Remove beans from water.
Cut top off green and red pepper, then remove core and seeds. Blanch peppers in hot water 1 minute. Drain well. Let beans and peppers cool. Dice peppers when cool enough to handle. Peel and slice onion and soak in bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and dice onion slices.
In large bowl combine garbanzo beans and diced onion and peppers. In smaller bowl whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, coriander, and garlic. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Pour dressing over mixture and toss gently. Serve chilled. As published in Latina
A new cookbook features the ultimate street food of Mexico — Tacos - Seattle Times
May 5, 2009
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A new cookbook features the ultimate street food of Mexico — Tacos
Seattle Times, United States The recipes call for typical Hispanic ingredients, which you can find at area grocery stores or Hispanic grocers. 1. Pound the meat with a butcher's mallet until it is a uniform 1/4 inch thick. 2. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, … |
Crepes con Dulce de Leche
April 17, 2009
Ingredients
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, then cooled, plus more for cooking
Preparation
For dulce de leche, preheat oven to 400°F. In 9-inch pie pan, pour sweetened condensed milk and cover with aluminum foil. Fill large roasting pan with hot water; place pie pan in hot water bath (water should come halfway up side of pie pan) and bake 1 1/2 hours. Prepare crepe batter while dulce de leche bakes: In blender, combine flour, salt, sugar and whole milk until just combined; do not overmix. Add eggs and butter. In medium bowl, strain batter and let stand 1 hour. Stir batter before cooking crepes; if necessary, add milk until mixture is consistency of typical pancake batter. Over medium-high heat, heat small nonstick skillet and brush bottom with melted butter. Holding pan at slight angle, pour 2 tbsp. batter into skillet and swirl to coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry, about 1 minute, then flip crepe and cook, about 15 seconds. Stack crepes on warm plate and cover with waxed paper or kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining batter, buttering skillet as necessary. Remove pie pan holding dulce de leche from roasting pan and carefully remove foil. Whisk dulce de leche to even consistency. To assemble crepes, lay crepe flat, then spread 1 to 2 tbsp. dulce de leche evenly on one side; fold crepe, first into half circle, then again to form triangle. Serve warm.
As published in Latina
PUERTO RICAN HABICHUELAS ROSADAS
April 17, 2009
Ingredients:
1 lb. dried pink beans
9 cups water, divided
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 packet of Sazón with achiote
4 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
2 tbsp. frozen recaíto (chopped cilantro, green peppers, onions)1/2 lb. cooking smoked ham, diced
1 potato, peeled and cubed
Preparation:
Cook beans in 8 cups of the water for 45 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat. After 20 minutes, add 1 cup of water. When beans are tender, turn off heat and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat olive oil, then add remaining ingredients, except potato, to make the sofrito. Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sofrito mixture and diced potato to beans. Turn on heat again to medium and cook additional 20 minutes or until mixture thickens and potatoes are fork-tender. Makes 4 servings
As published in Latina
Pimientos Rellenos
February 26, 2009
INGREDIENTS:
8 medium red or green peppers
2 eggs
Flour (for frying the peppers)
Crisco oil
The Filling:
1 lb. ground meat
2 oz. chopped cooking ham
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 medium garlic clove (a pilonazo)
1/4 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
6-8 chopped olives
1 tsp. capers
1 envelope of sazón
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. sofrito
The Sauce:
1 small yellow or purple onion (chopped)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves (a pilonazo)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small tomato
Fresh chopped cilantro (to your taste)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350º.
Wash the peppers and stab them lightly to allow the vapors to escape when roasting.
Place them whole on a baking dish lined with foil paper. Put them in the oven.
Cook them until the skin begins to turn black.
Remove them from the oven and place them in a plastic bag to sweat.
(This makes it easier to peel off the outer skin)
Meanwhile, make Meat Filling Recipe. Start by dicing or chopping, the olives, salted pork, ham, capers and set aside.
In a pot, brown the ground meat over medium heat.
(So you won’t have big lumps)
Drain the meat in a large colander and set aside.
Over medium heat, brown the salted pork and save the fat
Add the achiote and the diced cooking ham to pork.
(If using sazón, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.)
Add the olives, dry oregano, tomato sauce, capers and sofrito.
Cook 3-5 minutes so all the flavors mix together.
Now add the salt and ground meat, stirring well.
Cook uncovered on medium heat until all the liquid is gone or you can drain the liquid after it cooks for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
When the meat is done, set aside.
Peel off the pepper skins, chop off the tops and scoop out the seeds inside. You may throw away the seeds and tops.
Heat a thick coat of oil in a deep frying pan or skillet.
Cover a plate with a thick coat of flour.
Beat the eggs and pour in a bowl.
Stuff the peppers with the meat filling, cover the top with flour and then dip the top of the pepper in the egg.
Fry the peppers by placing a flat wooden spatula under the pepper and placing it in the hot oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes and turn ocassionally until the coating is browned.
When the peppers are cooked, remove them from the oil and place them in a shallow baking dish like a casserole type dish.
Cover the peppers with the sauce and serve.
Sauce:
In a frying pan, place the olive oil, the chopped onion, garlic cloves a pilonazo (crunched in a mortar) and the chopped cilantro. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes then add the tomato sauce.
Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes so all the flavors mix together.
Pour the delicious sauce over the peppers. You may sprinkle some cheese over them, but this is optional.
Tostadas de Camarones Enchipotladas
February 20, 2009
INGREDIENTS:
1 large red ripe tomato
2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of the canning sauce
1 medium red onion, chopped into small dice
1 green onion, root end removed, then chopped finely
1 pound cooked, peeled, small “salad” shrimp (fresh has better flavor and texture than frozen; if frozen defrost overnight in refrigerator)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup crème fraiche, Mexican crema or homemade sour cream
Salt
About 50 thick, homestyle tortilla chips or Guerrero-style chalupitas (or 20 to 25 4-inch crisp tostadas)
About 1/2 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other crumbly fresh cheese such as salted, pressed farmer’s cheese or feta
DIRECTIONS:
1. The shrimp mixture. Cut out the core of the tomato (where it attached to the plant), then cut in half widthwise. Squeeze each half gently to remove the seeds; discard. Cut tomato into 1/4-inch dice and scoop into a bowl. Remove the chiles from the can, then scoop the 2 tablespoons canning sauce into the bowl with the tomatoes. Slit open the chiles and scrape out the seeds. Chop chiles into small pieces and add to the bowl, along with the red onion, green onion, shrimp, herbs and crème fraiche or Mexican crema. Mix gently but thoroughly, then taste and season with salt (usually about 1 generous teaspoon).
2. Assembling and garnishing the tostadas. If using the squash blossoms, pull off the little green sepals around the bottom of each flower, then carefully break off each flower from its base, dislodging the petals (they’ll stay together as a single unit) from the bulbous bottom; the pointy pistils inside should stay attached to the base. Cut the flower petals crosswise into thin strips.
Just before serving, pile a portion of the shrimp mixture onto each of the chips, chalupitas or tostadas and arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the cheese and then the optional squash blossoms and serve right away.
Spicy Jalapeño Beef Tips
February 20, 2009
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound (2 medium-large round or 6 to 8 plum) red, ripe tomatoes
2 large fresh jalapeño chiles
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Salt
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
About 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds tender boneless beef (sirloin, strip steak, rib-eye or tenderloin), cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
Preparing the roasted tomato salsa. Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until soft and blackened, about 6 minutes per side. Cool and peel, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes. While the tomatoes are roasting, roast the chiles and unpeeled garlic directly on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until soft (they’ll blacken in spots): 5 to 10 minutes for the chiles, about 15 minutes for the garlic. Cool, then pull the stems from the chiles and peel the garlic.
In a large mortar (or food processor), pound (or whir) the chiles, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a coarse-textured puree. Add the tomatoes and their juices (a few at a time, if using a mortar) and work into a coarse, rich-textured salsa. Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold water, shake off the excess moisture and add to the salsa, along with the vinegar and 3 tablespoons water. Taste and season highly with additional salt if necessary.
Finishing the dish. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil (or bacon drippings) over medium high. Sprinkle the meat with salt. Lay the meat in the hot pot in an uncrowded layer and quick-fry, stirring and turning them all regularly, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the salsa, optional Worcestershire and cilantro. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the salsa has reduced enough to lightly coat the meat, about 2 to 3 minutes. Dinner is ready.
Cuban Bread Pudding
February 18, 2009
INGREDIENTS:
1 loaf Cuban bread
4 whole eggs
2 1/2 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tspn vanilla extract
1 tspn cinnamon
1 cup butter (melted)
2 tspn dark rum
2 tspn vino seco (dry white wine)
1 cup raisins
1 grated peel of lemon
1/2 tspn salt
DIRECTIONS:
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the milk, sugar, vanilla extract, butter, cinnamon, rum, wine, lemon peel and salt. Cut the bread into one inch small pieces. Place bread pieces into bowl and mix well with an electric mixer. Place raisins into mix and stir with a spoon. You may use a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery if Cuban bread is not available. Make sure the bread is fresh.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter bottom of baking dish and place mix in the dish. Bake for 1 hour or until medium golden brown. Place toothpick inside several places of dish to make sure it is done.
Cut into small slices. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and serve warm.
