Potaje de Garbanzos de Nora (Chickpea Stew)

A few weeks ago we published Nora's Garbanzos Fritos, well the day she taught us how to make them, she also taught us how to make one of Cuban cuisine's "comfort foods" - Potaje de Garbanzos. I know that for me this brings back memories of my grandmother, who as a true Spaniard could solve all your problems with a good "potaje". This is another recipe that has been requested for years, and now here it is!

After it was done, we all sat around Nora's dining room table surrounded by art and knick-knacks, and most importantly good friends. All we needed to make this a hearty late lunch was some crusty Cuban bread and a dry Spanish rosé.

Now let's get cooking!

Ingredients

1/4 head of Cabbage - cored and chunked
1 Ham Hock
1 Pig's Foot
1 Spanish Chorizo - chunked
1 large Onion - quartered
1 medium Green Bell Pepper - cored and split
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Potato - chunked
4 cloves Garlic - peeled and whole
1 14 oz bag Chick Peas
1/2 cup chopped Ham Steak
1/4 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp ground Oregano
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/4 Tsp ground Bay Leaf (or two whole bay leaves which must be removed before serving)
1 Tsp Salt

Process

This recipe makes 8-10 servings.

Note: This recipe uses a pressure cooker. Follow the indications for your pressure cooker as needed.

1. Rinse and soak the beans over night with the water about two inches above the beans.
2. Drain the beans and place them in the pressure cooker.
3. Add the ham hock, onion, pig's foot, potato, spices, bell pepper, ham and garlic.
4. Add water to cover the ingredients by about two inches.

1. Set pressure cooker on High until it pressurizes. 
2. Reduce temperature maintaining pressure for 35 - 40 minutes until the beans are tender. 

1. Release pressure. Take out and mash 1/4 cup of the cooked chick peas. 

1. Incorporate the mash into the mixture to thicken it. 
2. Add the cabbage.
3. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. 
4. Leave uncovered on Medium High for about 20 minutes until the cabbage softens and the broth thickens as desired. 

Note: To make the broth thicker, mash more beans and add to mixture to achieve desired thickness, or leave on simmer as needed to reduce liquid.

Note: If the soup is too thick, add liquid as needed.

Now you can share this delicious dish with friends and family! It's hearty enough to serve as a main dish and you can freeze the leftovers.

¡Buen provecho!

Garbanzos Fritos de Nora (Fried Chickpeas)

Last weekend, Nora once again invited us to her home, this time to teach us how to make a dish we had been wanting to include in the blog for years - Garbanzos Fritos! This versatile treat can be an appetizer, a side dish, or a main course. It's so versatile, it can be served hot, room temp or cold! Even better, it's easy to make.

We served it with a crisp Chardonnay and had a great time enjoying good friends, wine and food.

Ingredients

2 15.5 oz. cans of Chick Peas
1/4 cup Tomato Sauce
9 oz. Ground Chorizo (Spanish Sausage)
8 oz. Diced Ham
1 small Onion - minced
3 cloves Garlic - minced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Process

This recipe makes about 8 appetizer sized servings.

1. Drain the chick peas.
2. Add olive oil to a skillet. When the oil is hot, add onion and garlic. 

1. Saute until translucent.
2. Set the temperature to Low and heat the tomato sauce, chorizo, and ham. 

1. Fold the the chick peas into the mixture.
2. Switch the temperature to Medium High and heat through. 

NOTE: If you prefer the chick peas "wetter", add more tomato sauce to taste.

That's it! Serve it with crusty bread as an appetizer or "tapa", a side dish, or as a main course. It also makes a great dish to take to a party - you'll be a star!

¡Buen provecho!

Arroz con Leche de Nora

On Sunday we spent the afternoon learning how to make Nora's arroz con leche (rice pudding). She made a point of specifying that this was "Spanish style" arroz con leche, which works for us because the Spanish influence is, of course, huge in Cuba's culinary tradition. So this recipe does not include evaporated milk or condensed milk which we often see in "Cuban" arroz con leche.  In my case, my grandmother who was Spanish, made it like this - a blast from the past for me!

While the arroz con leche cooked we snacked on cheese, pepperoni, "bocaditos" (Cuban-style ham salad sandwiches), a yummy salad that Nora prepared, and of course wine! A couple of us even had a shot of Dominican Barceló rum!

Then as if Nora wasn't doing enough with the hosting and teaching - she had a little "raffle" for those of us there, where the winner (me!) got a beautiful scarf knit by Nora herself! She does it all! And as always, there were lots of stories and reminiscing - it was a great time.

Now let's get to it!

Ingredients

1/2 cup short grain rice (also known as pearl rice)

6 cups whole milk

3 cups water, more if needed

1 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Lime peel without pith (the white part)

1/4 tsp salt

Ground cinnamon to taste

Process

• Peel the lime in as long a piece as possible, taking care to avoid the pith.

• Add water, rice, sugar, cinnamon stick and the lime peel in a non-stick pot. Set it on high and bring to boil.

• Once it comes to a boil, stir occasionally. The rice will begin puffing up.

• Once the water is evaporated check the rice's texture, if it isn't soft enough continue adding water in 1/2 cup increments and letting it evaporate until the desired tenderness is reached.
• Once the correct consistency is achieved, add the milk. Once the milk warms through, add the salt.

• Still on high, bring the milk to a boil. Once it starts boiling, lower the temperature to Medium. Stir occasionally as it thickens.

• Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, remove the cinnamon stick and lime peel.

• Pour the rice pudding into a large bowl or into individual serving dishes. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap allowing the plastic to lay on the surface of the pudding, this will avoid a film from forming on the top.

• Chill.
• Add ground cinnamon upon serving.

This traditional dessert tastes good both chilled and room temperature - and yes, even warm!  It's a great finishing touch to a traditional Cuban meal or as a mid-afternoon snack followed by a cafecito.

¡Buen provecho!

Carne Fria de Nora (Cold Meat Roll)

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

1. Puree onion and garlic in a blender or food processor.

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


2. Knead the mixture into the consistency of a thick paste.

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

Coating

1. Scramble and salt the eggs.


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

1. Dredge in the egg mixture.

1. 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.

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

1. Tie the ends securely with twine.

Cooking

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

1. 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.

1. Take the meat rolls out of the water.

1. Remove the cloth from the meat rolls while still hot.

1. 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.

1. 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!