Cuban Cuisine: Stuffed Potatoes- Papas Rellenas

Stuffed Potatoes-Cuban Papas Rellenas - 

2 lbs large potatoes (peeled and cut into quarters)
1 lb picadillo (seasoned ground beef)
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup dry bread crumbs
4 eggs
1 tsp salt

Add salt to a pot of cold water, and boil the potatoes until they are soft. Drain the potatoes, and then mash them, then set aside to allow them to cool. Separate the egg yolks from the whites in two bowls. Mix the egg yolks into the mashed potato mixture, whisk the egg whites for a minute.  Take a 1/4 of a cup of the mashed potatoes, and form it into a ball. Make a dent in the ball, to give it more of a bowl shape. Fill the indentation with a tablespoon of picadillo, and then reseal it. Reshape the potato as a ball again. Dip the ball in the egg whites, then roll the ball around in bread crumbs until it is coated. For a better coating, or for a crunchier texture, you may dip the ball into the egg whites again and coat it with another layer of bread crumbs. Refrigerate the potato balls for at least four hours before frying.To fry, pour enough oil into a skillet or frying pan to cover half of the balls, the oil should be at least 350°. Place several balls into the frying pan and cook on each side until golden brown, usually 2-3 minutes, taking care not to overcook. Drain the stuffed potatoes on paper towels, do not stack them. The other cooking method is to deep fry the papas rellenas at 375° until golden brown, they cook best deep-fried when they are frozen.

To Make the Picadillo:
1 lb ground meat
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
Pimiento stuffed olives
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the ground meat, onions and garlic. If meat is not too lean, pour out whatever fat you render.turn heat down to medium low. Add the tomato sauce and wine. While it simmers, chop up the pimiento stuffed olives and add to meat mixture, it is ok to add a little bit of the brine, if you wish. Adjust the seasonings per taste.

Cuban Cuisine: Roasted Chicken with Sauce- Pollo Asado con Salsa

Pollo Asado en Cazuela recipe - Roasted Chicken with Sauce

1 large roasting chicken
1 juice of a sour orange or the juice of a lemon or lime
1 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves - mashed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 onion, chopped
1 laurel (bay) leaf
3 Tablespoons oil or lard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken with salt, the citrus juice and the mashed garlic for several hours. Drain it but reserve the marinade and then sautée the chicken to golden in the oil or lard. Add the white dry wine, bay leaf, onion, pepper and the left over marinade.

Cook at a lower temperature, turning over often to make sure all of the chicken cooks evenly, until done*. For easier cooking and serving, you can cut chicken up in pieces before marinating. You can add peeled and diced potatoes if you wish.  

Chefs note: Chicken will be done when no pink juices flow when pricked with a fork, but don't check too often or all juices will run out and leave meat too dry.

More to come in Learning Spanish is Fun!

• History of Cuban Food
• Roots of Cuisine of Spain
• History of Mexican Food from Aztecs to Conquistadors

Cuban Cuisine:Recipe- Oxtail Soup- Rabo Encendido

Cuban Oxtail Stew recipe - Receta de Rabo Encendido Cubano

 "Rabo Encendido" (literally means Lit Tail) is more of a stew than a soup, at least the Cuban version, and there are as many versions as there are Cuban Chefs. I made this the other day and it actually tastes better the next day.  You can make it with or without the chocolate powder. It's delicous hearty stew to be eaten on cold days to warm you up.

Recipe:

4 pounds oxtail, cut in chunks
Flour for dredging meat
1/4 cup olive oil
Two onions, chopped
Two green peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, mashed with 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon unsweetened chocolate powder (for a slight mole taste)
One can (12 ounce) tomato sauce
One cup red wine
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup dice potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery

Dredge the meat with flour. In a large pan or Dutch oven, brown the meat on both sides in the oil, approximately five to six minutes. Remove meat. Sauté the onions and green pepper in the same pan. When the onions start to get translucent, add the mashed garlic and cook for one additional minute.

Add the tomato sauce, wine, beef broth and all spices. Add the potatoes, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer for two hours or until meat is tender on low heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings, if necessary. Add additional beef broth if needed.
Remove bay leaves, serve. This is delicious by itself or rice as an accompaniment.


Bueno Provecho !

Recipe: Cuban Arroz con Pollo -Cuban Chicken with Rice

Cuban Arroz con Pollo - Cuban Chicken with Rice

Arroz con Pollo is one of the most popular Latin American dishes. It's a derivation of Paella, the traditional Spanish dish, it has a lot of the same ingredients: safron, white whine, chicken, red bell pepper and peas. Arroz con pollo recipe can require annato seeds and oil to give it that vibrant yellow color but it's entirely optional. I have cooked Arroz Con Pollo without Annato seeds and still comes out delicious. I cook the rice with a bit of beer instead of water and it gives a nice Cuban touch. This recipe serves about 4-6 people.

Recipe:

For Chicken:

1 large chicken, about 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces.
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Sofrito and broth:
2 olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
3 cups water (*)
1 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups beer*
1/2 tsp annatto seeds, or 1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/4 -1 cup of Raisins to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:
-Wash the chicken and blot dry with paper towels. Mix the oregano, cumin, white pepper and vinegar in a large glass bowl. Add the chicken, turning the pieces to cover with the mixture. Let marinate at least 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a large heatproof casserole. Brown the chicken pieces all over, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter and pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.

For sofrito:

 Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the oil in the casserole, cook over medium heat heat until soft but do not brown, about 1 or 2 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for one more minute. Return the chicken to the casserole with the sofrito and cook for about 1 or 2 more minutes.

Rice:

Add the water, wine and beer(*), saffron (if you use it instead of annatto oil), tomato paste and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, place annato seeds in small saucepan with 1/4 cup of the chicken cooking liquid. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain mixture back into the chicken. Thoroughly wash rice swishing with your hands, and drain off the water. Continue doing this until water runs clear.


Bring chicken mixture to a boil, stir in the washed rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. If it starts to dry out and rice is still al dente, add more liquid. If it gets too soupy, uncover during the last 10 or 15 minutes of cooking. Just before it is done, stir in half of the peas (petit pois),raisins and pimientos. Garnish with Red Peppers. I usually roast mine first to give it a smoky taste.

Nota Bene: Making it with Beer is a nice Cuban Touch and gives it a nice tangy flavor. I adjust the quantity to the total needed for cooking.

Recipe- Tortilla Espanola - Spanish Tortilla

 

This is a Classic Spanish Tapas Dish eaten everywhere in Spain, in all the Tapas Bars, plain, cold, with a bit of aioli sauce or ( garlic sauce). Some recipes call for chorizo or red peppers. I like the simple version with just eggs, potatoes and onions. It's delicious just in it's simplicity and can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack or in between two baguette slices.

4 huevos 4-6 eggs 1/2 kilo de patatas 1/ 2 kilo of potatoes 1 brown onion

Aceite de oliva (un vaso, 1/4 de litro) Olive oil (one glass, 1 / 4 liter) Sal Salt

Pasos Receta:    Paso 1 : Lavar y cortar las patatas en laminas finas.   Paso 2 : Se baten los huevos con un poco de sal y una vez batidos se añaden las patatas, mezclándolas bien con el huevo batido. Una vez puesto el aceite a calentar se echan las patatas, añadiendo un poco de sal y se fríen. Truco: Si la tortilla gusta con las patatas más desechas puede ir desaciéndose la patata con la rasera mientras se muev Cuando se vean doradas se apartan y es importante que escurran el aceite en un colador o en un plato con papel absorbente. Paso 3: Se prepara de nuevo la sartén en el fuego con dos cucharadas pequeñas de aceite que cubran una lamina del fondo de la sartén. Se echa la mezcla del huevo y las patatas. Truco: mover agitando la sartén con habilidad para que no se pegue la tortilla. Paso 4: Se le puede dar vueltas hasta que quede dorada por ambos lados según el gusto... Y ya está nuestra tortilla de patatas. Recipe Steps: Step 1: Mince onions and cook until they are translucent. Take them out of the pan and put aside in bowl. Step 2: Wash and cut the potatoes into thin slices.  Heat the oil, add the potatoes, adding a little salt and fry. When potatoes are golden brown, take them out of the pan, and drain oil a colander, and place potatoes on a plate with paper towels. Step 2: Beat the eggs with some salt and pepper and once beaten add the potatoes, mixing thoroughly with beaten egg. Step 3: Put pan back on stove, covering the bottom of the pan with a sheet of oil. Put onions and the egg mixture and potatoes. Step 4: Shake the Pan a bit as if when you are making an omelet like Julia Child.When you perceive that the egg mixture is like a curd and a bit hard, put a plate on top and turns the tables (it's easy, just have to do it safely).  Cook until  both sides are golden brown according to the taste, put a parsley in middle for presentation  ... . And Voila there's your omelet!  This is delicious with a cup of really thick Spanish hot chocolate and it's easy to pack in your lunch box. Nota Bene: Patatas is the Spanish ( from Spain) word for Papas or Potatoes

More Cuban and Spanish Recipes Coming Soon in Learning Spanish is Fun !

Mayan Hot Chocolate

Mayan Hot Chocolate

In Mexican ancient civilizations, before the Spanish conquistadors imported chocolate to Spain and added sugar, the ancient Mayans and Aztecs drank the bitter cacao
("Ka-Kow") mixing it with wine, and adding spices: vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and chile.  Remember when Juliet Binoche adds chiles to her chocolate in the movie Chocolat ? Well, you don't have to be a movie star or an Aztec Emperor to make your own Mayan Hot Chocolate with this ancient recipe of chile-infused milk, cinnamon, nuts and vanilla. This is an excellent drink when the weather is cold or to treat yourself after a long days work, surely, it will warm you up and soothe your soul.

 Ingredients
1 chile pepper, cut in half, seeds removed (with gloves)
5 cups whole or lowfat, or nonfat milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 3 tablets Mexican chocolate, cut into 1/4"pieces
2 tablespoons sugar or honey, or to taste
l tablespoon almonds or hazelnuts, ground extra fine
Whipped cream

Instructions
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat water to boiling; add chile pepper. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Remove chile pepper; strain water and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick until bubbles appear around the edge. Reduce heat to low; add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves. Turn off heat; remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add chile-infused* water, a little at a time, tasting to make sure the flavor isn't too strong. If chocolate is too thick, thin with a little more milk. Serve in small cups and offer ground almonds, hazelnuts and sesame seeds and whipped cream.

Serves 4-6
*Chile can be infused in Milk instead of water
Enjoy !

To Learn More Have a Peak at this Blog on Ancient Civilizations and  History of Chocolate


This article was written by Sabrina Rongstad-Bravo

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