Natilla de Elda (Custard)

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:

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

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

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

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

1. 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.

1. 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.


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

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


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


3. 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.

1. Remove from heat.


2. Stir in the vanilla extract.


3. 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.

1. Allow to cool before refrigerating.


2. 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)

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

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


2. Add the chicken.

1. Add whole, peeled onion.


2. Add peeled, rinsed and sliced carrots.


3. Add peeled, rinsed and sliced malanga.

1. Add tomato sauce.


2. Add peeled, rinsed and chunked potatoes.


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

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


2. Cook for 45 minutes.


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

1. 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:

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


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


3. Cut the plantains into diagonal chunks.

1. Peel the chunks and cut them into smaller diagonal chunks.


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

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


2. After 10 minutes, set the pot aside.


3. 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!

Croquetas de Miriam (Ham Croquettes)

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

1. Grind ham (in grinder or food processor).

2. In a blender mix the milk, flour and nutmeg.
3. In a skillet, sweat the onion in butter until it's translucent.
4. Add the ham to the onion and butter mixture and combine.
5. Pour the flour mixture into the skillet and cook over medium heat.
6. Fold the ham, flour mixture and onion mixture into a paste.
7. Refrigerate the paste overnight.
8. The next day form the paste into 2 inch croquettes.
9. Dredge each croquette in cracker meal.
10. Dredge each croquette in egg seasoned with salt and pepper.
11. Dredge each croquette in cracker meal again.


12. 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!