Arroz con Pollo de Miriam (Cuban-style Chicken and Rice)

Hello! Did you miss us? Well, we're back and we're back with deliciousness. And who better to teach us than our first-ever and most frequent teacher? The one and only Miriam!

We had been wanting to include Arroz con Pollo on the blog for a long time. After all, it is one of the most popular and omnipresent dishes in Cuba's culinary tradition. As with much of Cuban cuisine, the dish originated in Spain but it is definitely a staple in Cuban food. It was even featured in one of  the most iconic episodes of "I Love Lucy", with Ricky and Fred attempting to make it.

As always there are a million recipes for Arroz con Pollo, this is how Miriam does it and it's very good! So, don't go kvetching in the comments telling us it's "wrong" - it's not wrong, it's how she does it.

The recipe is divided in two parts: the chicken broth and the chicken and rice.

Let's do this!

Ingredients

 

Broth

4 - 6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Medium Green Pepper - chunked
1 Medium Onion - chunked
5 Garlic Cloves - whole
2 Packets Tropical Seasoning - we used Sazón Goya

• NOTE: If you use chicken with bones, you can omit the tropical seasoning

1 Medium Tomato - chunked
1/2 Tblsp Sea Salt or to taste

Chicken and Rice

1 Medium Onion - diced
1 Medium Pepper - diced
5 Garlic Cloves - minced
Olive Oil - enough to cover bottom of pot
1/2 tsp Salt
7 oz Can of Whole Red Pimentos - save liquid
12 oz Jar of White Asparagus - save liquid
8.5 oz can of Sweet Peas - save liquid
1/4 tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp Sofrito Criollo - we used Kirby
12 oz Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 cups Cooking Wine
6 cups of the Broth from above
2 Bay Leaves
2 lbs Short Grain Rice
1/4 tsp Annatto Powder  - we used Bijol
1 Bottle of Beer
1/2 tsp Sea Salt or to taste


Process

This recipe makes 16 servings

Broth:

1. Add ingredients in pot and add water to cover everything. Bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, lower temperature to sustain a low boil.
3. Cook for approximately one hour or until chicken's internal temperature is 165° F.
4. Remove the chicken and set aside.
5. Strain and press vegetables into the broth and discard.
6. Set broth aside.

Chicken and Rice:

1. Shred the chicken.

1. Dice onions and peppers and mince the garlic.

1. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot.
2. Add shredded chicken and brown lightly. 

1. Add garlic, onion and peppers. Add sofrito criollo, tomato sauce, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp cumin. Stir thoroughly.
2.  Add cooking wine, liquid from peas, asparagus and red pimentos. 
3. Cook mixture on high until onions and peppers are soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Taste for seasoning, add salt as needed.
5. Turn the stove off.

• NOTE: If you want, you can turn this off now and return when you're ready to add the rice and finish cooking the dish.

1. Rinse the rice.

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
2. Turn chicken mixture back on to high. Add 6 cups of broth, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 bay leaves, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Bring the mixture to a full boil.

1. Add the rice and 1/4 tsp of Bijol. Bring back to a full boil. 
2. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 20 minutes. 
3. Take out of the oven, add beer and stir. 

• NOTE: If you want the arroz con pollo to be "a la chorrera" (soupy) add more broth to taste. You will have a lot of broth left, it can be frozen and used in other dishes.

1. Add pimentos, peas, and asparagus for garnish.

Miriam made sweet fried plantains - the classic accompaniment to arroz con pollo - and we paired it with a crisp, lovely Rosé. We all enjoyed a wonderful dinner, sharing old memories and making new ones.

Do you have an arroz con pollo recipe? How is it different? Let us know in the comments, and also let us know if you make Miriam's recipe and how it turned out.

¡Buen provecho!

Guiso de Maíz de Miriam (Cuban Corn Stew)

Once again Miriam welcomed us into her home to share more of her delicious recipes. This time it was a hearty Cuban favorite, Guiso de Maíz - a stew combining corn, calabaza, potatoes and yumminess! We spent a lovely afternoon, evoking memories, sharing plans and munching on cheese and crackers while sipping a delicious Rosé as the guiso cooked. It was, as often happens at these gatherings, a multi-generational group of women sharing, thereby making the food that much more delicious.

Ingredients

3 tbs Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion - chopped
1 Medium Green Pepper - chopped
3 Garlic Cloves - chopped
½ lb Ham - chopped
2 Spanish-style Chorizos - chopped
1 8 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
¼ cup Vino Seco or White Cooking Wine
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube - dissolved in water
2 15.25 oz Cans of Corn - reserve liquid
4½ cups of Water
4 Corn Cobs - chunked into 1 inch thick pieces (Frozen mini cobs work as well, either whole or halved)
1 Medium Potato - chopped
1 Bay Leaf
1 Medium Calabaza (Cuban Squash) or Butternut Squash - Peeled and Chunked
Pinch of Annatto
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

The Process 

This recipe makes approximately eight servings.

1. Soak the calabaza in water.
2. Coat the pan with olive oil and set temperature to Medium - Low.
3. Add green pepper, onion, garlic and salt and saute until vegetables are soft.
4. Add ham and chorizo.

1. Add tomato sauce, cooking wine, bouillon, black pepper.

1. Add canned corn with its liquid, three cups of water, annatto, corn cobs, potato and the bay leaf. 

1. Cover and cook at medium low for 5 minutes, then check for salt and add salt to taste. Cover and continue cooking  for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Once the potato is done, add calabaza and 1.5 cups of water into the mix. 

1. Cover and continue cooking at Medium - Low until calabaza is soft, about 15 minutes. 
2. Turn off and leave covered until serving.

The Finished Product

Miriam served the guiso over brown rice and with mariquitas (plantain chips), but it is can be accompanied by sweet fried plantains, fried green plantains (tostones), or a green salad. It's all good!

As always, we had a wonderful meal and a fabulous time. This is a great dish when you have company.

¡Buen provecho!

Papas Rellenas de Miriam (Fried Mashed Potato Balls)

We spent a fabulous Sunday afternoon at Miriam and Gladys’ house when we went for the Papa Rellena lesson - it was a big group this time. As usual, before and during the cooking lesson we drank wine and enjoyed snacks - this time it was Spanish omelet, cheese, olives and crackers. Yum!

This time Miriam’s triplet granddaughters joined us, so the recipe and lesson were truly shared with two generations!  There's two of the granddaughters, Michelle and Kristen in the picture with Miriam.

While you can find larger Papas Rellenas or stuffed potatoes in restaurants and bakeries, traditionally they are a staple for parties or as a “merienda” or snack. If you want to make a meal of these, you can serve them with rice and salad.

At parties they’re usually smaller than these and are served alone as finger food. If you’re eating them as a snack they’re often accompanied by Saltines or Cuban crackers. Some people have them with ketchup.

This recipe makes approximately 20 golf ball sized papas rellenas.

Ingredients

Oil to Fry (Miriam used Canola)
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbs Grated Parmesan
3 Lbs Red or White Potatoes
1 Egg
3 ozs Cracker Meal
½ Lb Picadillo (Cuban Style Ground Beef)
Salt
Pepper

Process

Set aside ½ Lb of left-over Picadillo, or prepare it using this recipe , the picadillo portion of this recipe, or your own recipe.

Peel and lightly salt the potatoes.

Steam - DON'T BOIL - the potatoes to fork tender.

• Mash the potatoes while adding the butter and cheese. Taste the mix and add salt and pepper as needed.
• Place the mash in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

• Beat the egg adding salt and pepper to taste.
• Roll the mashed potatoes into golf ball-sized balls.

• Make a thumbprint dent into the potato ball.

 

• Stuff with about a tablespoon of picadillo.

• Reroll the potato to enclose the picadillo

 

• Dredge the ball in the beaten egg.
• Roll the potato ball in the cracker meal

 

• In a frying pan heat oil to about 350 degrees. Add potato balls leaving enough room so they can be rolled easily.

 

• Roll the balls continuously in the hot oil until evenly browned.

 

• Place the fried potato balls on paper towel to drain.

 

The final product should have a firm consistency with enough picadillo so you can get a good burst of flavor.

Try the papas rellenas and share with friends!

 ¡Buen provecho!  

Fricasé de Pollo de Miriam (Chicken Fricassee)

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 known 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 to taste
pepper to taste
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.

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, Italian seasoning and garlic. Marinate in the sour orange juice for at least two hours.
2. Coat pan with olive oil and brown the chicken pieces.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan.
4. In the remaining oil with drippings, add onion, red and green peppers. Saute until soft.
5. Add sun dried tomatoes with reserved oil. Stir into onions and peppers.
6. Add tomato sauce, cooking wine, a pinch of salt, bay leaf and sweet red pimientos with reserved liquid.
7. Add the chicken to the sauce mixture. Cover and cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes.

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

9. 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

Potaje de Lentejas de Miriam (Lentil Soup)

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.

1. Sort through the dry lentils to remove foreign objects.
2. Rinse the lentils.
3. Add lentils and peppers to the water.
4. Mince the onions and garlic together and add paste to the lentils.
5. Add everything except the salt to the lentils and water.
6. Set on high until it comes to a boil.
7. Taste the liquid and add salt to taste.
8. Set the temperature to Medium-Low. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes.

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

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

1. 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.

1. Take off heat.

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

Serve as soup or over rice.

¡Buen provecho!