Fricase de salpicon cubano -- Cuban Meatballs in Creole Sauce

I love good Cuban food.  When I lived in Miami, I tried lots of different dishes and tried to re-create them at home.  One of my favorite take-out dishes was chicken fricassee (fricase de pollo cubano).  Fricase de pollo was chicken braised in a delicious creole sauce, a tomato-based sauce with tomato sauce, green peppers, onions, and plenty of garlic!  This yummy dish included a variety of veggies like cubed potatoes, carrots, green olives, capers, and raisins fort the perfect touch of sweetness.  After trying so many different dishes and learning to cook them myself, I even used some of those delicious Cuban flavors--the tomato, the cumin, the pork, the capers, the oregano, and lots and lots of garlic-- to create my own flair.  This dish is a new spin on the traditional Cuban fricase creole sauce combined with my take on Cuban meatloaf, salpicon, but turned into meatballs.  I give you fricase de salpicón!  You'd be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn't love this one.  It's an easy, home-run-of-a-dish!  Enjoy!

Fricase de salpicon cubano

1 onion, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

2-3 cloves garlic - sauce

1/4c raisins

1/8 cup green olives

1 TB capers (optional)

tomato sauce - ~ -1-1/2 cups

3 cubitos maggi

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp paprika

1 or 2 bay leaves, depending on size

~1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp adobo

2 TB naranja agria or bitter orange* (or mix orange and lime juice)

salt to taste

pepper generously

 frozen peas

*found on international aisle of supermarket or in Latin market.  I recommend Badia or Goya brand.

salpicon

1.5 lbs ground turkey

1/2c oatmeal (processed a bit in spice grinder until it resembles bread crumbs)

1 egg

6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled (reserve bacon fat)

3 TB tomato sauce

1 heaping tsp dried onion (or do the work and chop 1/4 onion)

3 cloves garlic

Goya adobo to taste (the blue capped bottle)

1/2 tsp bijol

1/2 tsp paprika

salt (about 1 TB)

generous amount of pepper

Procedure

1. Form flat meatballs or mini meat loaves using the salpicon ingredients.  Be sure not to overwork the meat mixture, or you'll get touch mini meat loaves.

2. In bacon fat over medium heat, brown meat on all sides until almost cooked

3. Remove from pan and set aside

4. Sautee onions and peppers bacon fat until translucent

5. Add in garlic until fragrant

6. Cook sauce over medium heat until thickened, 10 mins or so.

7. Add in meat and frozen peas cook until meat is done and peas are thawed.  Do not overcook peas.  They should still be firm and vibrant in color.

8. Serve with white rice and, if you fancy, twice-fried green plantains or fried ripe plantains.

Cuban Frita Burgers

When I lived in Miami, there were burgers of all kinds--Korean Fusion burgers from Sakaya Kitchen and their delicious food truck, there were Colombian burgers with sweet and savory sauces of all varieties imaginable, and Cuban burgers, called fritas.  While Colombian burgers were probably my favorite, the frita (free.tah) is the most practical to make at home with ease.  These burgers are smoky and garlicky with a nice sweet zip from the ketchup.  You definitely do not need any sauces or anything like that on these burgers, as they are packed with flavor.  Cheese is optional, but potato stix are a must.

These red-tinged burgers are aromatic and irresistible and are sure to please your guests.  Even the pickiest eater will be won over by this Cuban treat.  If you're lucky, you can go old fashioned and sub the ground pork for Spanish chorizo.  Be careful here as it must be Spanish, not Mexican chorizo.  You want that nice paprika-laced sausage that isn't the least bit spicy.  In Miami, they sell ground Spanish chorizo in the pack, just as you can buy ground beef here.  If you can find Spanish chorizo around, it's even better.  Either way, you're in for a real treat!  I hope this delicious frita becomes a staple in your home, just as it is in mine.  For me, it's the only way to eat a burger at home, well...this and portabella mushroom and beef combo.  Enjoy!

Cuban fritas

Ingredients
1/2 - 3/4 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef
2-3 TB ketchup (or 2 TB tomato paste can also work)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 onion, finely diced
1 tsp cumin
1-1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 TB cilantro leaves (measure before chopping) then chop (most people don't use this, but I love it)


Procedure
1.Mix together by hand all ingredients above and grill as normal.

2. Top the burgers with shoestring potato stix, a slice of cheese.  Typically, you use American cheese, but I like provolone too.  In fact, I like to use one slice of each, yum!

References for inspiration
http://insightcuba.com/blog/2013/02/08/recipe-of-the-week-frita-cubana-the-cuban-hamburger

Cuban Style Churros *Churros Cubanos*

Living in Miami, churros were one of those very special iconic treats.  Although churro shops were a dime a dozen, nothing is like a good Cuban churro, the best of which everyone knows is found only at King's Ice Cream on Calle 8.  Go figure.  King's is a Cuban style ice cream spot known more for it's churros than anything else.  I was a sucker for the churros with guava sauce, yum, yum, YUM!

King's is one of those old school spots that has been there since the beginning of time.  As they say is the case in most places in Cuba, they have kept everything original at this Miami mainstay, right down to the churro machine and the water fountain.  King's isn't the prettiest place on the block; in fact, you'd walk right by it without thinking twice, but anyone who lives in Miami knows that it's the place to go in Little Havana for some great churros.

Here's a recipe that I found for traditional Cuban style churros.  This style of churros is nothing like the Mexican version.  They are more airy and have a thinner crisp than their Mexican cousins, much akin to the traditional Spanish churro.  I think they are far superior in texture and, ironically, they contain almost no added fat in the batter.  They're simple, easy-to-make, and absolutely delicious.  Make this easy yet impressively delicious treat for your friends and family, and they're sure to disappear!

Churros cubanos

Ingredients
1c flour
1c water  (some people will use water and half milk)
1/2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
just enough oil for deep frying
granulated sugar for dusting
1 pastry bag or large ziplock with the corner snipped out.
a 1M decorating tip (very cheap and at any craft or baking store)

Procedure
1. Heat oil over med high heat, 390F, if you have a thermometer.

2.  In a separate pot, place water, butter, and salt in a pot and allow it to  reach a rapid boil.

3. Once water is at a rapid boil, add in all of the flour at once, remove pan from heat and stir mixture briskly with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough is achieved.  The dough will be very thick, so your arms may tire quickly.

4.  Insert tip in piping bag, load it up with dough (not more than 1/2 to 3/4 for optimal control) 

5. Begin piping churros onto a plate in prep for frying.

6.  Once oil is very hot, carefully lift churros off of plate and fry until light golden brown, being sure not to overcrowd pot.

7. Drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle generously with granulated sugar and serve immediately.

8. Serve with chunky strawberry glaze or traditional hot chocolate sauce, if desired, or enjoy with just sugar.  Yum!

*Yields about 20 medium length churros, enough for 3or 4 people

References: 
http://tasteofcuba.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=71

http://platostradicionales.blogspot.com/2013/02/receta-para-hacer-churros.html

Cuban Style Homemade Custard - Natilla cubana a mi manera

I love homemade custard.  When I was in Miami, I absolutely loved the Cuban natilla from the bakery or the pastry cream in the delicious Cuban pastries.  This is my version of the Cuban favorite.  It has more egg yolks and no cornstarch, as used in the old school version, so it is richer.  Mmmm, mmm.  This recipe is creamy, flavorful, but not too sweet, and it has a delicious flavor boost from the lime zest and cinnamon.  Enjoy a small bowl of this tasty treat for dessert.  It's so deliciously indulgent!

Natilla Cubana - Cuban Style Homemade Custard

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1/2 c + 2TB sugar (natural or turbinado sugar preferred)
1c milk
1 piece/strip of lime zest
1 small cinnamon stick or half a cinnmon stick
1 split vanilla bean, 1 tsp vanilla, or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1. In a heat safe bowl, whisk the yolks along with 1/3 of the sugar until a thick ribbon consistency is achieved.  This means that when you lift a spoonful of the mixture and pour it, it forms thick ribbon like folds.

2.  Meanwhile, place the milk, lime zest, cinnamon stick, and vanilla over medium heat.  Once boiling, strain and pour the milk over the yolk mixture, whisking rapidly.

3. Once well-blended, return the blended mixture to the pan and return to medium heat, stirring constantly.

4. Once the mixture reaches a boil, allow to boil for two minutes, continuing to whisk.  At this point, return the thickened mixture to the heat safe bowl.

5. Top the mixture with either sifted confectioner's sugar or small pats of butter to prevent the formation of a skin on top of the custard.  Allow to cool and then refrigerate before serving.

*This is a fairly small recipe, so if you have a larger family, it can be easily doubled.

Mojo Marinated Chicharron ( Latin Style Fried Pork Belly)

For those who are unfamiliar, chicharron (Chee Chah ROHN) is a type of fried pork common in many Latin American countries.  It is prepared using chunks of the same meat that bacon comes from, but the skin is left on and it is uncured and still in slab form before being cut into pieces.  I am not much of a fried food person, but some chicharron once a year is darn tasty!  It's crunchy on the outside, the meat is tender, and the layer just beneath the crisp skin is slightly chewy, mmmmm, mmmm, mmm!  Chicharron on its own is often eaten as a street food or a snack


This particular recipe is even more wonderful because you marinate the meat and pack it with flavor before frying it.  I dare you to try eating it without licking your fingers!  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!  Enjoy this recipe for some out-of-this-world chicharron!


You can see my video for the process here.  It's in the middle of cooking the mofongo, so part of the video is frying plantains too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqcUatytmk&feature=player_embedded

*This is the same recipe that I use for my mofongo or Latin style stuffed fried green plantain mash


Chicharron     

1. Desired amount of chicharron, marinated overnight in mojo recipe above.  You only need maybe 1/3 lb of chicharron for the actual mofongo, but I got 1.5 lbs and enjoyed the rest on its own.  It's super cheap.  Just ask the butcher to cut you some pork belly with the skin, meat, and fat all in tact.  Cut the chicharron into 1-1/2" - 2" pieces to fry. 3/4 cups water 1 tsp baking soda    

     
Procedure:

1. Rub the marinated chicharron in the baking soda.  Cook the chicharron  over medium low heat (Skin side UP--you don't wan't to cook it in water or it'll get chewy, not crispy) in 3/4 cup water. The reason for drying it is because the marinade adds a lot of liquid and excess liquid will make your chicharron chewy.  It isn't supposed to cover the meat. 
2. After about ten minutes of cooking on medium low (it should look very close to cooked, if not cooked), transfer the meat into a separate, ungreased, pre-heated pan to let it fry in its own grease over medium high.  Be sure to turn the meat two or three times to allow it to become crispy and brown on all sides.  
3. Alternatively, you can also just fry it the chicharron the whole way it its own fat, rather than doing water, if you don't want to risk messing it up and getting chewy chicharron. Traditionally, the process is to cook the chicharron in 1 cup of water over medium low until the water evaporates, then it fries in its own grease.  This doesn't work for this recipe since we used a liquid marinade, not a a basic salt or salt and oregano dry seasoning.  Besides, many people end up with chewy chicharron with the water process anyway, and some opt to just fry the meat in its own grease the whole way, skipping the water altogether. 

Homemade Garlic Plaintain Chips--Mariquitas!!

Mariquitas are a Cuban snack commonly enjoyed throughout Latin America.  In Miami, fresh mariquitas can be found at many Cuban restaurants, bakeries, and sandwich shops.  They're crispy, salty, and absolutely delicious whether eaten alone or with some tangy and flavorful mojo sauce.  Enjoy my version of mariquitas with a tasty garlicky twist :).

Mariquitas (plaintain chips)

1small  pot of oil 

1 plantain, sliced thinly, either on a bias or in rounds

1 clove of garlic cut into three pieces

salt

water

Heat oil with garlic slices over medium high heat.  Meanwhile, soak plantain slices in salt water to remove sticky residue and flavor the chips.  Once the oil is ready, pat the plantain slices dry and add the one-by-one into the oil, stirring constantly.  Let the chips fry until golden brown and crispy.  Be sure to stir constantly as they can and will stick if you don't.  After the first minute or so of frying, remove the garlic, as it has already released it's flavor and you don't want it to begin to become bitter.

Remove the chips from the oil and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.  Enjoy their crispy, garlicky goodness!!  No need to add salt since they were soaked in salt water and are already perfectly seasoned ;).  

If you so desire, serve with Cuban mojo sauce.  Here is a recipe http://www.tasteofcuba.com/mojo.html.  Just be sure that you're using mariquita mojo (not the one with all of the herbs that you use to marinade).

Creamy, Rich, and Comforting Cuban Tamal Soup/Tamal en Cazuela

Tamal en Cazuela, which literally translates to tamal in a in a pot, is a wonderfully rich, hearty soup made with a base of fresh ground corn and cornmeal.  Many Cuban soups (such as crema de malanga (cream of malanga/yautia/coco yam) and sopa de ajo (garlic soup--see previous post) are very thick and hearty.  They are more commonly a creamy, even paste-like consistency as opposed to a thinner, runny texture.  It's amazing that these dishes were created on an island where there's no real winter because, for most of us, these dishes would seem like winter meals.  Oddly enough, I found the same to be the case in the Dominican Republic, where they regularly drink thick maizena (a thick, creamy, cornstarch-based hot drink) and eat hearty sancocho.  I assume that these very hearty dishes are primarily a product of the African influence in both countries.  Ahh, what a marvelously delicious influence it is.

For those of you who have never had or even seen tamal in cazuela, much like me for before I moved to Miami, it is very similar to a polenta or even grits in thickness, but is much creamier and smoother.  For those of you who just can't get into grits because, well, they're gritty...or because they just never seem to have enough flavor, tamal en cazuela is the answer to all of your problems--it's immensely flavorful, smooth and creamy, warm, rich, and comforting.  The flavor is intensely garlicky, like most Cuban food, and it also has the slightest touch of tanginess and sweetness from white wine added into the sofrito, or vegetable seasoning sauce.

Even though it's hot here, mid 80s or so, I still love this dish.  It's great for me because it lasts throughout my hot, busy days and because I can heat it up to lukewarm at home and it holds up until I eat at lunch time.  For those of you still enduring the bitter cold, you've got even more reason to make this dish.  Though it may be intimidating on the sole basis of being unfamiliar, don't be scared, you can definitely finish this dish in 40 minutes easily.  It doesn't need babying either.  Once you've got the soup together, just stir about every 7-10 minutes while it simmers.  Otherwise, leave it covered and let it do its thing.

Just as a note, to get an idea of the actual color, which is a beautiful, rich golden yellow, see the final video at 3:09.  The color on the soup in the rest of the video is way off and doesn't look appetizing, I know.

Tamal en Cazuela

Tools: blender or food processor

Ingredients:
1 lb of boneless pork, marinated 10 minutes in the mojo or cooked with lots of garlic and lime
**I cut them bite-sized in the vid, but I prefer the traditional small bits
**I used rib meat, which I would likely pre-simmer for 20 minutes to get it tender next time.  Use pork of your
choice.

1 lime
3-4 cloves of garlic
mojo (in lieu of the lime and garlic - the traditional recipe simply seasons the meat with salt and lime)
2TB  olive oil

1 small white onion, diced finely
1 green pepper, diced finely
3 cloves of garlic, smashed with salt or minced
1/2 cup tomato sauce (unflavored)
2 TB of dry white wine*
1.5 cups of yellow corn meal* (I did 3/4 cup but I'll do 1 cup the next go 'round)
salt to taste (about 1-1/2 tsp should do for the assembled soup)
1 TB olive oil

2 cups frozen sweet kernel corn, thawed
3 cups of water

* these are amounts that I have changed since making the video

Procedure:
In a large pot over medium heat with 2TB of olive oil, cook the marinated meat (or the meat with garlic and lime), stirring frequently, until it is about 85% cooked. 

Meanwhile, make the sofrito by sauteeing the green pepper and onion over medium low heat in a pan with 1 TB olive oil.  Once softened, add in the garlic, tomato sauce, and oil, and bring the pan up to medium heat.  Sautee for a few minutes to cook off the wine, stirring occasionally.

Once the sofrito is ready, add it to the meat and continue the cooking process, stirring the seasoning into the meat and its juices.

Meanwhile, grind the corn in a blender or food processor.  It will get stuck, so just use your spoon to move the mixture around and process the mixture again until homogeneous.  Once you have a homogeneous mixture, add in 3 cups of water and process the mixture again until homogeneous.

Once the meat has cooked for a few minutes, strain the corn mixture into the soup and blend.
Once blended, add in the corn meal and blend.  Cover and simmer over low heat for an hour, stirring every 7-10 minutes to avoid sticking.  Thirty minutes is sufficient, but one hour will simply intensify the flavors.

Makes 4 sizable servings.
 

Warm, Comforting and Super Easy Cuban Garlic Soup - Sopa de Ajo Cubano

I know it's freezing cold on the regular these days back home, but it was in the mid 80s here for the past month, and all of a sudden the past week has dropped down into the low 70s and into the 60s at night.  I know you guys will have no sympathy, but for me, that is freezing!!

All of this rapidly changing weather plus the onset of allergy season here has me super congested.  I've got a runny nose that just won't stop.  So, with the nights being chilly and me battling all this congestion, I've been in the mood for soup.  After having Cuban food with my friend the other night, I was craving some garlicky Cuban goodness, but it had to be something quick.  I Googled and Googled some more until I decided on Cuban garlic soup (sopa de ajo).

Sopa de ajo was inherited from the Spanish and Cubans have adapted it to their taste.  This is like their version of chicken soup; Cubans swear a good sopa de ajo can cure the worst of head colds.  After trying my first bowl tonight, I have to say, it's definitely a better cure-all than chicken soup.  Even the smell of this soup cooking makes you start feeling better.  I must say, a little garlic seems to take care of way more than just vampires.  This warm, comforting soup has a rich, garlicky flavor and a velvety texture to which garlicky toasted bread croutons are added for a deliciously crunchy variation of texture.  Any garlic lover is sure to enjoy this incredibly easy and flavorful dish.

Tip:
The trick is to be sure to temper the beaten eggs just before the soup reaches a boil, whisking rapidly and adding the broth in a slow, steady stream.  If your eggs curdle, it likely isn't ruined.  Just strain the egg; the flavor is likely fine

Also, be sure to strain out the garlic and onion before serving .

Add the croutons only as you are serving.  Do not add to the main pot if you plan to have leftovers.

The following recipe was adapted from : http://www.ehow.com/how_5710025_make-cuban-garlic-soup.html (the soup looks nothing like the photo--it's yellow and velvety)

References:
http://www.tasteofcuba.com/garlicsoup2.html
http://cocinacubana.cibercuba.com/2008/11/01/179/sopa_de_ajo (pimenton dulce - paprika)


Sopa de Ajo Cubano
16 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 quarts of chicken stock (2 cartons)
3 eggs
8 slices of Cuban bread (or French as a substitute, but do NOT use white sandwich), cubed
1 tsp paprika (optional) --this is closer to the Spanish version, but most Cubans don't use it
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of olive oil for sauteeing (yes, you do need it all.  You will be splitting it up into three fryings)

Over medium low heat, sautee the minced garlic for a few minutes in the olive oil, until softened.

Once softened, strain the oil and set the garlic aside (you will use it toward the end).

Coat the bottom of the pan with the garlic oil and turn the heat up to medium to medium high.  You do not need to pour it all in, just coat the bottom of the pan (maybe 2 tsp - 1TB)

Fry the cubed bread until crispy (does not need to be brown).

Remove the bread from the oil and set aside for later use.

Add the rest of the oil, turn the heat to medium, and sautee the onion until translucent

Once the onions are translucent, add in the chicken broth, add in the garlic, and add the paprika, if using.

Serve the soup with the garlic bread croutons you fried previously and one raw egg per person over the toast, which you allow to cook in the hot soup bowl.  Enjoy!

Notes:
Some people do the bread in full slices
Some people poach the egg in the soup per person by opening a raw egg onto the top of the soup while it boils and letting the egg cook 2-3 min.