Cuban Home Cooking...Keeping the Tradition Alive

Ropa Vieja de María

2011-08-07T23:50:00.093-04:00

María is our dear friend Patty’s cousin and considered one of their very large family’s best cooks. Not only is she a good cook, but you can tell she enjoys it and enjoys sharing with others. Last weekend she shared her recipe for the most often requested recipe on this Blog – Ropa Vieja. You asked for it and we got it for you!

The best part is that María has many other "specialties", so plan to see her on this Blog again!

“Ropa Vieja” literally translates to old clothes because the meat is shredded – trust me, it’s way more appetizing and the smells while this cooks will make your mouth water. Let’s do this!

The Ingredients

For the Broth

About 4 quarts of water
2 ½ lbs of Flank Steak
* Note – If you have access to a Latin market, María recommends that you replace the flank steak with an Argentinean cut called “Vacio”
1 medium onion – whole and peeled
1 head of garlic – whole and unpeeled
2 stalks of celery – whole
2 carrots – whole
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Salt
Black Pepper to taste

For the Meat

Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1/8 cup Olive Oil
1/8 cup Canola Oil
4 Garlic Cloves peeled and lightly mashed
2 Bay Leaves
1 Medium Green Pepper – cut in strips
1 Medium Onion – sliced
½ cup Dry White Wine
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
½ tsp Worcestershire Sauce
4 oz. Diced Pimientos – drained

The Process

This recipe makes about six servings

Add all the broth ingredients to water, set to High and bring to a boil.

Once it begins to boil skim the broth, cover and set to Simmer for about an hour until the meat is tender and shreds easily.

Take the meat out of the broth and let it cool for about a half hour until it can be handled. Discard the vegetables and set the broth aside.

NOTE: The beef broth can be frozen and stored for use in sauces, soups, etc.

Shred the meat into strands. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste.

Using the same pot as the broth, set the temperature to Medium and add the oils, garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppers and onions. Sweat the mixture until the onions are translucent.

Add the meat and mix with the vegetables while coating it in the oils.

Add the wine, listening for a sizzle. Stir for about five minutes to avoid sticking.

Add the pimientos and the tomato and Worcestershire sauces. Mix well.

Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes and you're done!

NOTE: If you want the sauce to be more “liquidy”, add one or two ladles of broth and stir well, heating for another few minutes.

Ropa Vieja is traditionally served with white rice and green or ripe fried plantains.

María served the ropa vieja with white rice and perfect “tostones” (fried green plantains), followed by the mandatory “cafecito”. We had a fabulous afternoon drinking wine, cooking, eating (of course) and sharing all kinds of stories – not bad for a rainy day!

¡Buen provecho!

Empanadas Argentinas de Begoña (Argentinian Turnovers)

2011-03-18T07:42:00.005-04:00

This is a very special installation of "Cuban Home Cooking" - today we learned how to make a popular and delicious treat from Argentina that has become a staple in Cuban bakeries and restaurants - often eaten for breakfast, lunch or as a "merienda" or snack.

Our "teacher" was Begoña Cabili, a friend's mother-in-law, born in the Basque region of Spain who emigrated to Argentina with her brother and sister when she was 18 years old. There the Basque beauty met and married Roberto, a dashing Argentine of Turkish descent and she learned to make Argentinian dishes. For the last 40+ years they've lived in Miami with their children and grandchildren. And that's how she came to be our friend and teacher!

We made - and ate! - beef empanadas and chicken empanadas. The procedure is the same, but in the pictures you'll see the beef preparation. Let's do it!

The Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef (or chicken) - well separated
6 oz roasted sweet peppers - minced
15 plain olives - chopped
1/2 large white onion - finely chopped
2 hard boiled eggs - chopped
1¼ ounces raisins (optional)
4 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
Paprika to taste
Salt to taste
20 sheets of flaky filo turnover dough for oven

Note - Begoña uses the brand "La Salteña" which she buys at a local Argentinian deli. Any phyllo dough pastry should work - but if possible try to get it for "the oven" or baking, rather than for frying.

Note - The dough comes frozen and can be stored in the freezer up to 6 months before use. Before using thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Note - Keep the dough refrigerated until use and even while working keep the dough sheets as cool as possible.

The Process

This recipe makes 20 empanadas

Preheat oven to 350º.

In a skillet sweat onions in 4 Tblsp of oil on low temperature until they are tender.

Add the meat to the onions. Then add salt to taste and add paprika to the desired color.

Drain, rinse and dry the roasted sweet peppers, and then mince them.

Chop the eggs and the olives.

Add raisins, olives, peppers and eggs to the meat and mix well.

Sample a bit and add salt to taste.

Set the mixture aside to cool.

Cover baking sheets with tin foil and lightly grease with melted butter. Take the dough out of the refrigerator but keep cool and covered as you work with each one.

Place one dough disc on a hard surface - marble is ideal as it keeps the dough cool. Rim the edge with enough water to make it moist - this will help seal it.

Place one tablespoon of the meat mixture in the disc and fold the dough over it.

Crimp the edges starting at one end and working around.

Note - If you're making different types of empanadas (meat and chicken for example) crimp the edges differently to distiguish them from each other. You can use a fork for one type, shell shape for another, etc.)

Brush each turnover with egg yolk to add color to the pastry.

Place in the oven for approximately 25 minutes.

Check periodically to ensure they are browning but not burning.

Note - The empanadas can be made and frozen unbaked for up to 6 weeks. Thaw them before baking.

We enjoyed the empanadas with some wine and good conversation and Begoña made delicious baked apples for dessert. And yay! there were enough for all of us to take some empanadas home!

¡Buen provecho!

Dulce de Guayaba de Elsa

2010-08-14T21:41:00.002-04:00

First I want to apologize for the long absence. Real life got in the way and well…that’s it really. So, I’ve had a couple of recipes since late 2009 waiting to be published - I know, shameful! Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa (thump, thump thump).

But, we’re back with a treat - and right in time for guava season in South Florida! Elsa came to our friend Silvana’s house to teach us how to make something close to a guava jam or compote. The smells coming from that kitchen were heavenly…

Ingredients
35-37 Medium ripe or green Guavas
(NOTE: Guava will stain, so be careful of clothes and counter tops.)
6 1/2 cups Sugar
Pinch of Salt
Water as needed

Process:
This recipe makes approximately eight 12 oz. jars.

Wash guavas and cut off the stem end.
Cut the guavas in half and scoop out the seed and centers and reserve.
Chunk the remaining guava pulp and skins.
Puree the chunked pulp and skins adding small amounts of water as needed to liquefy.
Strain the fruit puree discarding solid remnants using a fine mesh strainer.
Strain the seed puree but retain the remnants.

NOTE: To strain the seed puree she used the back of a spoon to work all of the puree off of the seeds.

Restrain the seed puree. After the second puree there should be no seeds left.
Combine the fruit puree and the seed puree to yield approximately 9 cups.

Add the sugar to the combined puree.
Cook the combined puree on high until it comes to a full boil. Stir with ladle to mix the sugar well and to prevent the marmalade from sticking to the pot.
Once it comes to a second boil lower the temperature to medium. Continue cooking as it continues to boil.
Add a pinch of salt.

Cook for 30 minutes stirring periodically.

Use this time to prepare your jars.

NOTE: It is best to use sterilized glass jars as the marmalade will initially be hot.

After 30 minutes, set the temperature to low and beginning jarring. Jar and lid all of the marmalade while hot.
If using canning jars they will "pop" as the mixture cools, thereby completing the seal.

NOTE: Once cool, the marmalade can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks.

Serve with yellow cheese and crackers for a traditional Cuban snack or dessert. It is also delicious served over cream cheese, or even a plain cheesecake. Or heck, eaten out of the jar with a spoon!

Buen provecho!

Frijoles Negros de Reinaldo (Black Beans)

2009-11-29T18:53:00.016-05:00

Remember our MVP teacher Miriam? Well this time our teacher is a relative of her’s – Reinaldo is her daughter’s godfather. And he is also the family’s master chef. Reinaldo is the genius behind the magic that are the family’s holiday meals.

We got together at Miriam’s house – she recently renovated her kitchen so she enjoys having people over - a few weeks ago and Reinaldo taught us how to make two staples of Cuban cooking in general and of the holidays specifically: Frijoles Negros (Black Beans) and Yuca con Mojo,(Cassava with Garlic Marinade). This time you get the black beans, we’ll publish the Yuca in time for Noche Buena.

As usual from the lesson Miriam made a lovely lunch, her sister Nora made a roast pork shoulder that was melt in your mouth delicious – we didn’t get the recipe because we didn’t know she was making it, but we will soon!

Ingredients:

7 cups of water
3 medium green peppers
1 large onion - peeled
10 large garlic cloves
28 oz. dry black beans – picked over for any foreign items
1 pack or cube of chicken bouillon – if using cubes, crush before adding
½ tsp Oregano
½ powdered bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
7 oz. roasted red peppers
1 oz. good olive oil

Process

This recipe makes approximately 12 servings.

NOTE: This recipe was made using a pressure cooker. If not using a pressure cooker, follow the recipe but heat the mixture on high to boil and then lower to medium for approximately two hours or until it thickens. Check periodically to ensure beans are completely submerged.

Soak beans in room temperature water for 8 hours. Put water and beans into pressure cooker.

Core the green peppers and place whole garlic cloves inside one or two of them. Add to the pot.

Add the whole onion to the pot.
Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high until pressurized.
Lower to medium and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
Depressurize the pot. Remove onion, green peppers and garlic cloves.
Place the onion, green peppers, garlic cloves, 1 pimento and pimento liquid in a blender or food processor. Add 2 serving spoons of the black bean mixture and liquefy.

Taste the beans from the pot to determine if they are soft enough, if not continue cooking and checking until done.
Add the liquefied mixture back to the pot. Set to Medium-Low.
Add ½ cup of water (use your judgment here they may be thin enough), salt, cumin, bay leaf powder, oregano and bouillon. Taste for salt, season as needed.
Add remaining pimentos and use the pimento can to add 7 oz of water (if needed because it’s been cooking down for a while).

Boil on Low for 15 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in olive oil.
Let the beans sit off the heat for about 30 minutes to continue thickening.

NOTE: To thicken the beans if they are too watery, liquefy a spoonful or two in the blender and add back into the pot. This will help thicken the soup.

Black beans are traditionally served with white rice, and they are integral to the traditional Noche Buena meal along side yuca and roast pork...

...but they also make a delicious soup on its own, garnished with sweet raw onions.

¡Buen provecho!

ingredient image source

Fricasé de Pollo de Miriam (Chicken Fricassee)

2009-10-03T17:15:00.002-04:00

If you’re a regular reader, you’re very familiar with Miriam. She was our very first teacher - remember her ham croquettes? A few months she taught us how to make her delicious lentil stew. She’s a dear friend and has basically offered to be our “go-to” teacher when we can’t schedule someone else.

This month she once again opened her home to us to teach us how to make chicken fricassee. This is really a family recipe in the sense that her sister Nora uses this recipe on Christmas Eve to make Turkey Fricassee - rather than having roast turkey again so close to Thanksgiving, we have it this way and it is fantastic! So, keep in mind this recipe works perfectly with turkey and pretty much any fowl.

When we arrived at Miriam’s house she was not only ready to teach us to make the fricassee, no…she was making home-made mariquitas! She was preparing a complete lunch for us. So,in addition to the chicken, we had white rice, freshly made mariquitas, and freshly made plantains served with a light chilled pinot grigio followed by delicious home-made Bahamian guava preserves with cream cheese and of course, cafecito. We had a great afternoon hearing old stories about vacations past and I discovered that one of my closest friends - Miriam’s daughter - whom I’ve know for over 20 years knows how to gut a fish! OMG!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken - skinned and cut into 8 pieces (split breasts in two)
salt
pepper
1/4 Tbsp Italian seasoning
6 garlic cloves - chopped
Juice of 1 medium sour orange - juiced (can be replaced by 1/4 cup of bottled bitter orange marinade)
Olive oil - enough to coat pan
1/2 medium green bell pepper - cubed
1/2 medium red bell pepper - cut in strips
1 medium onion - chopped
11/2 Tbsp sun dried tomatoes in oil - reserve the oil
16 oz tomato sauce
1 cup dry white cooking wine
4 1/2 oz sweet red pimientos – cut in large strips - reserve about 2 oz of the liquid
1 bay leaf
3 small potatoes - peeled and chunked
1 tsp capers (optional)
7 Tbsp manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos - reserve the liquid

Process

This recipe makes approximately 6 servings.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, Italian seasoning and garlic. Marinade in the sour orange juice for at least two hours.

Coat pan with olive oil and brown the chicken pieces.

Remove the chicken from the pan.

In the remaining oil with drippings, add onion, red and green peppers. Saute until soft.

Add sun dried tomatoes with reserved oil. Stir into onions and peppers.

Add tomato sauce, cooking wine, a pinch of salt, bay leaf and sweet red pimientos with reserved liquid.

Add the chicken to the sauce mixture. Cover and cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes.

Turn the chicken and add potatoes. Cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Add capers and olives if desired. Continue cooking for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

NOTE: Although traditionally this dish is prepared using a cut up whole chicken, you can easily substitute your favorite chicken parts. When using boneless chicken you should re-introduce the chicken into the sauce later in the process to avoid over cooking it.

Serve with white rice and plantains, mariquitas or a salad - avocado salad compliments this dish beautifully.

We all came away agreeing that this was definitely a doable recipe - even during the work week. Remember you can substitute the chicken with turkey for a fantastic alternative to roast turkey on Noche Buena or Christmas.

¡Buen provecho!

Image sources: Bitter Orange Marinade, Dry White Cooking Wine, Pimientos, Olives

Las Fritas de Graciela

2009-07-01T07:30:00.003-04:00

“Fritas” are usually described as Cuban hamburgers, but they are so much better! Everyone has their own recipe and our friend Millie told us that her Aunt Graciela’s fritas were fantastic and that she was willing to share it with us. YAY! Needless to say it wasn’t a hard sell - not only did we learn to make them, but we got to eat them too!

We met at Millie’s house a few days ago and got into the process of making fritas Graciela’s way. Her version is different from the traditional recipe in that she doesn’t use “pimentón” (Spanish paprika), so the flavor is less complex than what you may be used to - but when garnished with crunchy potatoes (she actually has a machine that makes the thin stringed julienne potatoes), chopped raw onion and ketchup on a potato bun - fantastic!

As usual, generations mingled as we drank wine, told stories, and most importantly laughed and had a wonderful time.

Ingredients

1 large onion
2 eggs
3 slices of white bread - torn into small pieces
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 lbs ground sirloin
20 potato slider rolls (smaller than hamburger buns)

For Garnish
4 large potatoes - peeled, julienned and fried crisp (these can be replaced with one can of potato sticks)
1 large onion chopped
Ketchup to taste

Process

This recipe makes about 40 patties or 20 servings of two fritas per person - but most people will go for a third!

Puree the onions, eggs, bread, milk, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in blender or food processor.

Knead or fold the puree into the meat and let it sit for at least one hour.

NOTE: If making the julienne potatoes from scratch, this is the time to make them by peeling, julienning, putting them in water for about 15 minutes, draining thoroughly and frying them until very crisp.

After an hour, roll the meat mixture into 2 inch balls.

Fry the meat balls until lightly brown, then flatten them and continue frying.

Put the meat patty in a potato roll and garnish with the potatoes, raw onion and ketchup - and if you like, although not traditional, with mustard.

NOTE:They're great to make ahead of time, just freeze the meat balls in wax paper and thaw before you fry them.

We ate a lot of fritas! You'll be amazed how easy it is to eat two or three of them. They're a great summer lunch, maybe by the pool accompanied by beer, wine, soda - or my personal favorite "frita drink"...Mamey shake!

¡Buen provecho!

image source, image source

Rabo Encendido de Lilian (Ox-Tail)

2009-06-03T20:10:00.027-04:00

Last week we went to our friend’s Marky’s house to learn how to make the Cuban classic – Rabo, or Ox Tail. The interesting thing is that Lilian, Marky’s mother-in-law and our teacher for the day isn’t Cuban! She was born and raised in El Salvador! While living there she never really cooked, however when she married a Cuban she learned – but she learned how to cook Cuban food.

Lucky for us because after she made it we ate it and it was delicious! While the “rabo” was cooking and later while we ate we chatted with Lilian and her husband Mario who worked in the beef business for many years and gave us all sorts of helpful “insider tips”. As always we had a wonderful meal and a wonderful time.

I want to clarify the name of the recipe. This is commonly called “Rabo Encendido” which roughly translates to “Tail on Fire”. I have always heard that it is called “Encendido” because it’s supposed to contain hot sauce. Now, traditional Cuban cooking doesn’t really use hot sauce as a staple – yes, there are exceptions, but for the most part our food is spicy from spices, but not “hot” in the Mexican sense. Therefore, this recipe does not contain hot sauce, but it can be added to taste if you like.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pot)
6 lbs Fresh Beef Ox Tail – cut in package
2 tbsp Badia Sazón Completa (this can be replaced by any Cuban complete seasoning)
1 large green bell pepper – diced
1 large onion – diced
4 medium garlic cloves – mashed
2½ cups Edmundo Golden Cooking Wine (this can be replaced by any dry white wine)
1½ cups of water
salt to taste (if needed)
32 oz tomato sauce
2 packs Sazón Goya with Coriander and Annatto (this can be replaced with any seasoning with coriander and annato)

Process

This recipe makes approximately 6 servings

Add olive oil and meat to pot. Set on Medium heat until the meat browns.

Set the temperature on High. Add complete seasoning, bell pepper and onion.

Cook until onions and peppers wilt. Add garlic.

Lower temperature to Medium High. Add wine and water to almost cover the meat.

NOTE: If more liquid is needed, add a mixture comprised of a higher wine to water ratio.

Cover until the mixture comes to a slow boil.

Stir and lower to Medium. Cover for about one hour, stirring approximately every 20 minutes until the meat can be pierced with a fork but not so tender it falls off the bone.

Once the meat can be pierced with a fork raise the temperature to Medium High, taste for salt (add to taste if needed) and cover.

Begin to check the meat often, continue boiling until the meat is fork tender and the liquid has reduced to about half.

Add tomato sauce and Sazón.

Continue cooking on Medium for about half an hour until the liquid has thickened into sauce.

Serve with white rice.

¡Buen provecho!

image sources: ox tail, Badia Sazón Completa, Edmundo Golden Cooking Wine, Sazon Goya.

Vaca Frita de Esther

2009-05-02T10:43:00.032-04:00

On Sunday we set out to learn how to make “the best Vaca Frita in the world”, according to two very reliable sources – the “chef's” teen-aged grandsons. Who knows more about food than teen-aged boys? The teacher was Esther, our friend’s mother, who took over her daughter’s kitchen to teach us how to make this delicious Cuban staple.

We’re dividing the recipe into two parts – Part One is cooking the meat and Part Two is frying the meat.

Ingredients

Part One
½ head garlic – smash the cloves
3 Roma tomatoes – quartered
1 large onion – cut in large wedges
1 green bell pepper – cut in strips
1 teaspoon of Sazón or other Latin seasoning mix
½ teaspoon salt
1½ lbs Beef Flank Steak
Water to cover the ingredients

Part 2
1 large onion – thinly sliced
3 heaping teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon salt
Olive Oil to coat the pan

Process

This recipe makes approximately 6 servings

Part One

Cut the meat vertically, with the grain, in half or thirds (depending on its width).

Add the meat, vegetables and seasoning to pot.

Add the water to cover the ingredients.

Set pressure cooker as usual. Cook on medium for 30 minutes until the meat is fork tender.

NOTE: If you’re not using a pressure cooker, just follow the recipe as indicated, except let the meat and other ingredients slow boil for at least an hour until the meat is fork tender.

NOTE: You can also use a slow-cooker setting it on Low for about 8 hours.

Turn the heat off and take pot off heat source. Let the pressure release completely.

Remove meat and set aside.

NOTE: The broth and vegetables make a great base for soup.

Part Two

Shred the meat using your hands and/or a fork.

Add salt, garlic, half of the sliced onions, and the lime juice.

Coat a frying pan with olive oil and add mixture to the cold pan without heating the oil.

On medium heat stir the meat constantly, adding additional onions and more oil gradually as needed.

Once the onions are soft and the meat cooked, raise the heat and sear the meat until it’s slightly brown and crispy.

Serve with white rice and black beans, or plantains, or all three!

As usual there was wine and great conversation, with some family gossip, memories and secrets being shared – fun! We all enjoyed a wonderful lunch of Vaca Frita and since we doubled the recipe we had enough to take some home!

¡Buen provecho!

Caldo Gallego de Roberto (Galician White Bean Stew)

2009-02-04T17:27:00.027-05:00

Last Sunday we visited Grace and Robert again - a couple of months ago we learned how to make Grace’s delicious Carne con Papas – but this time Roberto taught us how to make his famous Caldo Gallego. OH. MY. GOD! It is so good , particularly when it’s a little cold outside as it was on Super Bowl Sunday.

Here's Roberto - our teacher for the day

Caldo Gallego is a traditional Cuban dish with origins in Galicia, Spain. It is comfort food for many because it’s so warm and hearty. You can serve Caldo Gallego in a small bowl as a soup course, but most often it is served in a big bowl as the main meal because it contain greens, beans and meat. Don’t let the amount of fat used fool you, the beans and collard greens make it a relatively healthy meal.

Since it takes a long time to make, it is best to make large quantities and freeze the remainders – it gets better with time. And again, because it takes quite a while and requires some prep work – lots of peeling and cutting – do what we did and get together with a few friends. Be sure the wine is good and plentiful and that you have some “saladitos” for sustenance during the hard work – we had ham and manchego cheese canapés along with fresh fruit.

Ingredients:

8 quarts of water
3 lbs dried Great Northern Beans
5 lbs potatoes – peeled and chunked
3 lbs turnips – peeled and chunked
4 lbs flank steak – cut into large pieces
5 lbs bone-in-ham – cut into large pieces
2 lbs bacon slices (sliced bacon slab or pancetta can also be used)
6 oz. salt pork (or pork leaf fat called “unto” in Spanish) – rinsed and cut up
10 Spanish chorizos
2 bunches of collard greens – washed well and shredded

NOTE: This is what the "unto" or salt pork/pork leaf fat looks like in the package.

Process:

This recipe makes approximately 20 servings.

Soak the beans between 6 and 8 hours.

Peel and chunk potatoes and turnips.

Cut the flank steak and the ham – save the ham bone.

Add all the ingredients, including the ham bone – except the collard greens - to the beans and water.

Bring to a boil - it doesn't look pretty, but it's OK - it'll get better.

Set temperature to medium and cook until the beans are ready - approximately 90 minutes.

NOTE: At this point the broth will be a reddish-orange because of the chorizo. Don’t panic! It will change color once the greens are added.

Wash, shred and add the collard greens.

Cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove the flank steak pieces, the ham pieces, the chorizo and the ham-bone and serve on a separate platter.

The finished product

Crème de Vié de Cris (Cuban Egg Nog - sort of)

2008-12-01T22:48:00.040-05:00

We finally got Cris to teach us how to make her famous Crème de Vie (pronounced crehm deh vee or crehm deh vieh - it's supposed to be French!). She's been bottling this stuff and giving it as a Christmas goodie for years, and it is always very well received. Now she's decided to share the knowledge. She told us she's tried several recipes through the years and has taken elements from several until finally settling on this one.

After the lesson, we spent the afternoon enjoying pastelitos and other snacks. Cris had made a batch of Crème de Vie weeks ago so we were able to enjoy a glass or two. Everyone got a bottle of the fresh batch to take home and enjoy over the holidays.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
8 egg yolks
12 oz evaporated milk
14 oz condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups white rum
Ground nutmeg for garnish

Process

This recipe makes 1 quart of Crème de Vie

Bring sugar and water to a rolling boil until the sugar dissolves and the syrup lightly coats a spoon. Set the syrup aside to cool.

Separate and lightly whisk the egg yolks.

Add the evaporated and condensed milks to the yolks and whisk.

Add the vanilla and rum. Mix well.

Slowly add the syrup to the egg mixture after ensuring the syrup has cooled. Mix well.

Strain the mixture at least twice to ensure all solid pieces of sugar or egg are removed.

Pour into bottles and let them sit for about an hour. Store in the refrigerator.

NOTE: Cris recommends refrigerating the crème de vie for a minimum of three weeks, the longer it's stored the smoother it gets.

Serve chilled in a liqueur glass or a small glass - a little goes a long way! Garnish with nutmeg if desired.

¡Buen provecho and feliz Navidad!

Do you have any traditional Christmas recipes to share?

Carne con Papas de Grace (Cuban Beef Stew)

2008-11-12T21:10:00.009-05:00

Several requests for a good and simple Carne con Papas recipe have finally been satisfied. Our teacher Grace welcomed us into her home so we could learn how to make this delicious Cuban comfort food. We were joined by family members who only added to the fun!

Grace served the carne con papas with white rice along with a delicious avocado and tomato salad followed by an amazing flan - we're going to have to recruit her to teach us how to make that flan - and of course, cafecito! Oh and there was plenty of wine to go around of course.

Ingredients

4 medium onions - chopped
2 medium green peppers - chopped
1/4 cup corn oil
5 lbs Beef for stew
2 tsps Lawrey's Garlic Salt with Ground Parsley
4 lbs medium potatoes - peeled and chunked
1 lb jar Ragu Traditional Pasta Sauce
2 14.5 oz cans cut green beans - drained

Process

This recipe makes approximately 10 servings.

Sweat the onions and green peppers in the oil until the onion is translucent.

If necessary, cut the beef chunks into large bite sized pieces.

Season the beef chunks with 1 tsp of garlic salt.

Add the meat to the onion and pepper mixture. Stir to brown evenly.

Season the potatoes with 1 tsp of garlic salt and add the potatoes to the pot.

Add the pasta sauce.

Cover and cook on medium-low for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the green beans.

Cook for another 10 minutes, setting the lid ajar so some of the liquid can evaporate and the sauce thickens a bit.

Traditionally served with white rice.

¡Buen provecho!

El Potaje de Lentejas de Miriam (Lentil Soup)

2008-10-29T21:42:00.004-04:00

Miriam, our very first teacher - the one who taught us how to make croquetas back in February - once again shared her culinary skills with us. This time we made Potaje de Lentejas – which was perfect for Saturday’s stormy weather.

The fact that Miriam was the one who taught us how to make this was inevitable, as she is in charge every New Year’s Eve for making lentil soup in order to observe the New Year’s tradition – eating lentil soup on New Year’s Eve will bring you prosperity the following year. So amidst all the other “traditions”, the lentil soup is a mainstay.

This time we met at her daughter’s house and then followed the “class” by having a great dinner – Miriam’s sister made a pork loin. (By the way, that same sister, her name is Nora, will be teaching us how to make Turkey Fricassee some time next year.) Accompanied by some hearty red wine, a salad and good friends, it was delicious!

We had a great time as always, sharing stories of Miriam and her sisters’ travels all over the world, reminiscing about early days in Miami, and just laughing and being silly. It was a wonderful afternoon.

Ingredients

14 oz. bag of lentils
1 medium green pepper - chunked
8 cups of water
1 medium onion – minced
5 cloves of garlic - minced
2 carrots – peeled and sliced
1 packet or cube of chicken bouillon
1 packet of Sazon Goya – the one with Coriander and Annatto (this can be replaced with any Latin seasoning with coriander)

1 chorizo – sliced
2 small smoked ham shanks
3 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp tomato sauce
Salt to taste

Process

This recipe makes approximately 10 hearty servings.

Sort through the dry lentils to remove foreign objects.

Rinse the lentils.

Add lentils and peppers to the water.

Mince the onions and garlic together and add paste to the lentils.

Add everything except the salt to the lentils and water.

Set on high until it comes to a boil.

Taste the liquid and add salt to taste.

Set the temperature to Medium-Low. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes.

NOTE: Some lentils absorb more water then others and you may want to add more water to get it to your preferred consistency as some like it soupier than others.

Once it has cooked and thickened, take out the ham shanks.

Strip the meat, shred it and put back into the soup. Stir well.

NOTE: The green peppers are cut into chunks so they can be removed if desired. Their flavor may overpower the lentils if the soup is stored for later use.

Take off heat.

NOTE: The longer the soup sits, the more it will thicken.

Serve as soup or over rice.

¡Buen provecho!

La Carne Fria de Nora (Cold Meat Roll)

2008-09-30T19:31:00.058-04:00

Last Sunday Nora and her husband J.C. welcomed us into their beautiful home so that we could learn how to make the traditional party food Carne Fria, served sliced with crackers. It also makes a delicious snack or light meal.

There was wine, and all kinds of yummies to munch on while we worked and home-made arroz con leche (rice pudding) for dessert. As a bonus, Nora showed us a culinary treasure – she had bound two composition notebooks full of her mother’s handwritten recipes! They were wonderful, and may be the source of future cooking lessons from Nora.

Ingredients

For Meat Rolls
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
½ lb. ground ham
1 onion – minced
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup garlic cloves
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp oregano
4 eggs
1 cup cracker meal

For Coating
6 eggs scrambled
1 cup cracker meal
Pinch of salt
Cheese Cloth
Cooking Twine

For Cooking
1 onion – halved
1 tbsp salt
12 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
Water to cover meat at all times
Aluminum foil

The Process

This recipe makes enough party snacks for 40-50 people.

Meat Rolls

Puree onion and garlic in a blender or food processor.

Combine the ground meats, salt, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, cracker meal and spices with the onion and garlic.

Knead the mixture into the consistency of a thick paste.

Make three or four cylindrical rolls, approximately 8 – 10 inches long.

Coating

Scramble and salt the eggs.

Dredge each meat roll in the cracker meal, brush off any excess cracker meal.

Dredge in the egg mixture.

Dredge in the cracker meal again brushing off any excess cracker meal.

TIP: The carne fria can be prepared ahead of time and frozen in aluminum foil after breading.

Double wrap each meat roll in a piece of cheese cloth.

Tie the ends securely with twine.

Cooking

Add halved onion, salt, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and spices to the water and bring to a boil.

Place the meat rolls in a single layer into the boiling water for two hours.

NOTE: As the water evaporates add more as needed so that the meat rolls are always covered. Add a pinch of salt to the water each time.

Take the meat rolls out of the water.

Remove the cloth from the meat rolls while still hot.

Wrap the meat rolls in aluminum foil and allow them to cool.

NOTE: The carne fria should be prepared at least 24 hours prior to serving having been placed in the refrigerator over night.

To serve slice into thin rounds – preferably with an electric knife.

TIP: To make the carne fria in a pressure cooker, use one cup of water and cook it for 25 minutes.

We each got to take some carne fria home - talk about a great party favor!

Make this for your next party and you'll have a taste of a traditional Cuban "saladito".

Until next time...¡Buen provecho!

Picadillo de Joaquin (Cuban Ground Beef)

2008-08-05T11:40:00.042-04:00

Saturday afternoon we spent the afternoon learning how to make Joaquin's picadillo. It's a twist on the traditional Cuban version, let's call it *enhanced* as it includes Spanish chorizo! After lunch, as usual we enjoyed a fabulous "sobremesa" or post meal conversation - lots of stories, lots of laughs.

Joaquin, our Teacher

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
2 medium onion – chopped
1 medium green pepper – chopped
3 garlic cloves – minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup of cooking wine (vino seco)
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
½ lb ground ham
1 medium chorizo – minced
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Olives – to taste
Capers – to taste
1½ oz Raisins
¾ oz. pack Sliced Almonds1 tsp steak sauce (optional)

The Process

Make the sofrito by heating the oil, adding garlic, pepper and onions (in that order). Lower the temperature and stir until the onions are translucent.

Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce and cooking wine to the sofrito. Stir occasionally.

While the sofrito continues to cook, combine the beef, pork, ham and chorizo salt and pepper until all the meats are well incorporated. This is best done the old fashioned way, with your hands.

Add the meat to the sofrito for about 20 minutes or until browned. Stir often breaking up any large chunks of meat.

Stir in the olives and capers. Cook for about 5 minutes. Taste for spices and add steak sauce if desired.

Add raisins and almonds. Mix thoroughly and take off the stove.

The Finished Product!

This recipe makes 8-10 servings and can be served traditionally over white rice with fried ripe plantains.

For a heartier meal, we added hash brown potatoes on the side and two fried eggs atop the picadillo – this is called “a caballo”.

Do you have interesting variations in your recipe? Let us know.

Until next time...¡buen provecho!

Los Frijoles Colorados de Mery (Red Bean Soup)

2008-06-30T19:54:00.001-04:00

We spent a wonderful afternoon at Mery and Angelito's (Cris' in-laws) house not only learning how to make a fantastic Cuban style red bean soup, but also looking at old pictures, telling stories and drinking wine!

This soup recipe makes about 8 servings and can also be served in the traditional Cuban fashion over white rice.

Mery, our teacher!

The Ingredients

12 oz. bag Red Kidney Beans
4 cups water - enough to cover the beans
1 lb. Smoked Pork Shank - leave whole
1 lb. Smoked Pork Shoulder (ham) - chunked
6 oz. Spanish Chorizo (3-4 sausages) - leave whole
1/3 Medium Green Pepper - chopped
1/2 Medium Onion - chopped
2 large garlic cloves - minced
2 Bay Leaves
1/4 cup corn oil
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Black Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
3 Small Potatoes - peeled and cubed
2 lb Calabaza - peeled, seeded and cubed

The Process

Soak beans in plain water for 2 hours. (You can do this in the pressure cooker to avoid using another pot)

Put the lid on the pressure cooker and seal. Cook on High until the cooker pressurizes.
Once the cooker has pressurized change the stove temperature to Medium. Cook for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat until all pressure is gone. Remove the lid.
Set on low heat and add the smoked pork shoulder, smoked pork shank, chorizo, green pepper, onion, bay leaves, garlic, corn oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Without replacing the lid return to heat, taste for salt and pepper, add more if needed. Set on Medium for about 45 minutes until the soup is thick enough to coat a spoon.
Add the potatoes and calabaza.
Leave on Medium for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Remove from heat.

TIP: When you're making any Cuban-style bean "potaje", if it doesn’t thicken properly, for whatever reason, scoop out some of the beans and puree them in the blender. Add the pureed beans back into the pot to help the thickening process.

The Finished Product

Mery served the red beans in the traditional Cuban style over white rice and with a green bean and onion salad. A California Pinot Noir was a great accompaniment.

In keeping with traditional Cuban dining, we enjoyed the most traditional of Cuban desserts, guava and cheese! We had Guava marmalade with cream cheese and Guava paste with Gouda cheese - fantastic! And to finish it all off, delicious cafecito.

Nice and simple...Another beautiful afternoon spent with wonderful food, stories and people!

¡Buen provecho!

El Pastel de Guayaba de Aba (Guava Pie)

2008-05-31T10:46:00.001-04:00

This was a surprise cooking class, literally planned two days before it happened. Our "teacher" Maria Cristina (Aba) is - OK stay with me here: our friend's brother-in-law's grandmother. How cool is it that she was willing to teach us?

We got together on a Friday after work. One of the participants was very pregnant and "due any minute" - well she gave birth to a healthy baby girl the very next day! I think it was the guava fumes that did it. Now, enough dilly-dallying, let's get to the cooking.

The Ingredients

4 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup COLD shortening (have the shortening in the refrigerator for at least an hour)

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 egg yolks for the dough + 1 egg yolk mixed with a little milk for the egg wash glaze

1 cup cold water (you probably won't use it all)

2 cups guava marmalade

Note - we used 9 inch foil pie pans, but you can use rectangular tart pans or whatever pan you like.

The Process - makes four 9" pies

Preheat oven to 350
Sift the flour with baking powder, salt and sugar

Add the cold shortening and two egg yolks.
Mix with your fingertips (no kneading) until the mixture becomes small crumbles. Don’t use the palms of your hand because that will warm the shortening and make it harder to work with.

Add the water a tablespoon at a time as you mix the dough with your hands (again without kneading) until the dough separates from the bowl (similar to making a pie crust).

Form a ball with the mixture and put it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Grease four pans with a little shortening , flour lightly and set aside.

Sprinkle flour on two large sheets of wax paper.
Divide the big dough ball into 4 smaller balls.
Place about 2/3 of a dough ball on one sheet and cover it with the other. Reserve remainder of dough ball for lattice strips.

Roll out the dough to about 1/8 of an inch. Do this with each dough ball.

Place the rolled out dough in each pie pan trim to fit pan.

Spoon out and spread 1/2 cup of the marmalade on the dough for each.

Roll out more dough to create lattice strips.
For each pie, cut out lattice strips long enough to go across the pie just short of the actual edge of the pie and lay them on top of the guava. Make a border with additional strips covering all the short ends of lattice.

Trim off excess bottom crust.

Brush the milk and egg wash over the lattice strips and borders.

Bake the pies for approximately 30 minutes until golden.

Note: This pie dough can also be filled with chicken fricassee, ground beef, tuna, etc. to make savory pies. For savory pies, rather than using a lattice topping, you can make a solid top.

Not bad for an impromptu session, huh? Let us know how you like the pastel or if you make a savory version of it. Also, we're planning the next few classes now, so check back often for some new "old" recipes.

¡Buen provecho!

La Natilla de Elda (Custard)

2008-04-28T09:47:00.026-04:00

Saturday we spent the afternoon at Elda's house learning how to make traditional Cuban Natilla -(nah-tee-yah). The recipe she shared with us was her mother's - so it was truly sharing a recipe between generations.

Natilla (custard) is one of those dishes that is a bit idiosyncratic - there are all sorts of little tricks and secrets that make the difference between an OK Natilla and a great Natilla. So bear with the quirks and the results will be a fantastic Natilla.

The Ingredients:

3 ½ cups whole milk (set an additional ½ cup aside to dilute corn starch)
12 oz. evaporated milk
1 cup half and half
6 egg yolks
4 heaping tbsp Corn Starch
¼ tsp sea salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
2 inch lemon peel
1 cup of Sugar (set an additional ½ cup aside)
Ground cinnamon (as garnish)

NOTE: Elda recommends using a heavy gauge stainless steel pot (to provide slow and even heat conduction) and wooden spoons.

The Process:

Combine whole milk, evaporated milk, half and half, lemon peel, whole cinnamon stick, sugar, butter and salt in heavy gauge pot.

In a separate container add the cornstarch, and then add ½ cup of milk. Stir to dissolve all lumps.

Add egg yolks to corn starch mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Strain to eliminate hard bits of starch and stray egg whites.

Place pot on stove (make sure the burner is smaller than the pot) and set to High. Heat the mixture until it comes to a simmering boil and then lower to Medium.

Taste the milk mixture. It should taste like very sweet milk, not gritty but sugary. Slowly add additional sugar to taste, stirring to completely dissolve each addition. Typically anywhere between 1/8 and ½ cup of sugar are added.

Slowly stir about three ladles of the heated milk mixture to the egg and cornstarch mixture to temper the eggs.

Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the milk mixture.

Add the tempered eggs to the pot stirring constantly and in one direction.

When the mixture comes to a boil again, lower the temperature to Medium Low and cook for 3 minutes or until it coats the spoon.

Remove from heat.

Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour into a glass or ceramic container and cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the Natilla – this will avoid a skin from forming on the top. Do not cover with a lid until it cools in order to avoid condensation.

Allow to cool before refrigerating.

Sprinkle with powdered cinnamon when served.

TIP: Making Natilla is all about patience - bringing ingredients together slowly and stirring often so that they completely incorporate and not burn to the bottom of your pan. You can’t over stir but you can add too much sugar, so be careful.

Variation
For a slightly different flavor, you can replace the cup of half & half with a 14 oz. can of condensed milk. If you do so, rather than starting off with 1 cup of sugar, start with ¾ cup and then add sugar to taste. We were told this method requires more diligence in combining the milks.

Served cool, Natilla makes a great summer dessert.

We spent a wonderful afternoon among friends sharing stories, champagne and best of all a wonderful family recipe. Thank you Elda!

¡Buen provecho!

Sopa de Pollo de Marcia (Chicken Soup)

2008-03-16T19:26:00.037-04:00

For our second cooking class we learned how to make Marcia's Sopa de Pollo. Marcia is our good friend Patti's mother and she and her husband Rafael welcomed us into their home. Patti's sister-in-law and baby nephew visiting from Tallahassee were also there.

Not only did she teach us how to make her soup, but once the soup was made, we had a beautiful lunch with Marcia and Rafael where the conversation flowed about all kinds of stuff including, of course Cuba. Once again, food brought two generations together allowing for the sharing of memories and stories.

This is our teacher Marcia with her daughter, our friend Patti.

The Recipe - makes approximately 8 servings

The Ingredients:

2 lbs skinless chicken thighs (bone-in)
4 small potatoes (any type)
1 medium yellow onion
8 oz can tomato sauce

1 medium malanga (taro root)

2 carrots
11 cups of water
2 level tablespoons salt
1/2 lemon or lime

5 oz. dry angel hair pasta (preferably in rolls)

The Process

Add water and salt to large pot. Set the temperature on High.

Add the chicken.

Add whole, peeled onion.

Add peeled, rinsed and sliced carrots.

Add peeled, rinsed and sliced malanga.

Add tomato sauce.

Add peeled, rinsed and chunked potatoes.

Cover the pot and leave on high until it comes to a full boil.

Lower the temperature to Medium and uncover. Squeeze the half lemon into the soup.

Cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, take out the chicken, remove the bones and shred the meat.

Put the chicken back in, adding scrunched angel hair pasta. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.

The Plantain Option

Marcia adds medium-ripe plantain to the soup after it's cooked to avoid the soup from getting too dark because she doesn't like how it looks. Hey! She's the chef - and you don't mess with the chef! She cooks the plantains in a separate pot while the soup is cooking in the big pot.

So, if you want to add plantains - and in my opinion, you'll want to, it gives a slightly sweet flavor I love! - you'll need two medium-ripe plantains. They need to be greenish-yellow with black spots. They look like this:

In a separate pot add 2 cups of water and set the temperature on High.

Add 1 cube or packet of chicken bouillon. Bring the water to a boil.

Cut the plantains into diagonal chunks.

Peel the chunks and cut them into smaller diagonal chunks.

Put the plantain chunks into the water and bring to a boil.

Once the water begins to boil, lower the temperature to Medium and cook for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, set the pot aside.

Once the soup is cooked, drain the plantains and add them to the soup.

The Finished Product

Here's Marcia's Sopa de Pollo - with the Plantain Option. Good food, good conversation and good friends...it's a beautiful thing!

¡Buen provecho!

Las Croquetas de Miriam (Ham Croquettes)

2008-02-17T17:53:00.039-05:00

Today a group of friends got together to learn how to make Cuban-style Ham Croquettes - Croquetas de Jamón. There was a wonderful sense of camaraderie, lots of wine and lots of laughter as two generations of Cuban women got together to teach, learn and share stories.

Now, get ready to learn how to make "croquetas"!

This was our teacher, Miriam

The Recipe - makes approximately forty croquettes - about 2 inches long.

Ingredients:

Mixture
2 lbs. ground ham
8 tablespoons Butter
2 teaspoons finely minced onions
2 cups Milk (or one 12 oz. can of evaporated milk, completing the 2 cups with whole milk)
1½ cups All Purpose Flour
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
Salt to taste

Coating
Eggs as needed
12 oz. Cracker Meal
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Grind ham (in grinder or food processor).
In a blender mix the milk, flour and nutmeg.
In a skillet, sweat the onion in butter until it's translucent.
Add the ham to the onion and butter mixture and combine.
Pour the flour mixture into the skillet and cook over medium heat.
Fold the ham, flour mixture and onion mixture into a paste.
Refrigerate the paste overnight.
The next day form the paste into 2 inch croquettes.
Dredge each croquette in cracker meal.
Dredge each croquette in egg seasoned with salt and pepper.
Dredge each croquette in cracker meal again.

Fry croquettes in hot canola oil until golden brown while constantly rolling them in the oil - ensure the croquettes are not touching.
The finished product!

NOTE: The coated croquettes can be frozen in plastic wrap or aluminum foil indefinitely. Just thaw them before frying.

Let us know if you try "las croquetas de Miriam" and if you liked them.

Until next time...¡buen provecho!