All Right you all asked for them... So here they are!!! This is a typical Cuban dinner
1.) Roast Pork (Cuban Lechon Asado)
This is a Cuban classic dish, found in a typical Cuban party! The pork is roasted and marinated in Mojo to give a distinctive flavor. This recipe is for a leg of ham, although a whole pig can be roasted as well... Serving Size: 10 -12 In other words, if one wants to use a whole pork loin instead of the ham, it will still come out as a fabulous dish!!! :) :) :)
One can also roast this in a barbecue grill also, and achieve some fantastic results as well!!! :) :) :)
Ingredients
7 lb fresh ham (pork leg with skin on)
Mojo for marinating and roasting
Ingredients for Mojo:
1/2 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves (minced)
6 garlic partial cloves (Taken from whole cloves!) Slice each one partially open also!
1 cup large onion (sliced thin)
1 cup sour orange juice or lime juice
1/2 tspn oregano
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn black pepper
1/2 cup Molasses
1 package of Goya Sason with Cilantro, or fresh chopped cilantro
Directions:
For the mojo, you will need a large bowl. In a large bowl, pour the sour orange juice or lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and sliced onion into the bowl and stir. Heat the olive oil over medium-high for 2 minutes, then when hot, pour olive oil into bowl. Be careful not to get burned, since some of it might splatter out. Mix the mojo ingredients, then let sit for 30 mins. Enjoy!
Directions
Prepare pork leg by piercing pork with a sharp knife. Place pork leg in large pan. Pour Mojo over and around pork as well as into the cavities formed from piercing the pork with a very sharp knife, place partial garlic cloves deep into six of the cavities also, cover in aluminum foil, and let sit in refrigerator overnight. You can buy pre-made bottled Mojo, or prepare it yourself. (I prefer to prepare it myself! ;) )
When you are ready to cook the pork, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pork in a large roasting pan with all the Mojo juices. With a large spoon, pour the juices all over the pork. Place the pan in the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Check pork occasionally and pour Mojo on sides over the roast pork with spoon. When the internal temperature reaches about 160 degrees F, remove the pork from the oven. Place pork in a large serving pan and cover with aluminum foil. Wait a few minutes to let cool down, then slice and serve. Enjoy!
2.)Black Beans and Rice (Arroz con frijoles negros) (Otherwise known as: "Morros Y Christiano's" if both the rice and black beans are cooked together)
Black beans and rice is the stable of Cuban tradition. It is included in many cuban meals. Black beans and rice compliments many Cuban meals and is absolutely delicious!
Serving Size: 6
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked black beans
2 tbspn olive oil
2 garlic gloves (minced)
1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 large onion (chopped)
1 cup water
1 tspn red wine
1/2 tspn cilantro
1/2 tspn ground cumin
1/2 tspn oregano
1 tspn vinegar
1 tspn salt and black pepper
2 tspn sugar
1 bay leaf
4 cups long-grain white rice
1 tspn salt
1 tspn canola oil
Directions
The left hand ingredients are for the black beans, the right for cooking the rice. Pour the 2 cups of long-grain white rice into a rice cooker, add the appropriate cups of water recommended by your cooker (usually about 3 cups or so), along with salt and 1 tspn of canola oil. Stir, cover and begin cooking.
For the black beans, you can usually buy them in a can. Make sure they are already cooked and do not come with any added ingredients. You will be making the "sofrito" yourself to add the Cuban spice to the black beans. In a medium-sized pot, add olive oil and heat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add onion and green bell pepper and saute for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for two additional minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the black beans and water. Stir well, and make sure the black beans and water mix in with the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Next add the red wine, cilantro, cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and let simmer for additional 5 mins.
Let beans cool, and when rice is done, serve rice on big platter. Place black beans in a large bowl. Typically, the black beans are poured over the rice and mixed in. Enjoy!
3.) Fried Sweet Plantains
(Platanos Maduros)
This is a very popular Cuban side dish, and always served with most Cuban main dishes... Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
3 large ripe -emphasize the term "RIPE!" plantains (peeled) (Green plantains in color is not "RIPE!") The color to look for on the skin is a fading of green into a light brown color.
vegetable oil
Directions
Using a knife, cut the plantains into 1 inch thick chunks. In a frying pan or deep fryer, pour 1 inch of the oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain chunks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. Remove them and placing them in a bowl with a paper towel to soak the oil.
4.) Cuban Avocado Salad
(Ensalada de Aguacate)
This is a typical Cuban salad, usually served with a traditional Cuban dinner... Serving Size: 6
Ingredients:
1 iceberg lettuce
2 large avocados (sliced)
1 onion (sliced vertically)
Dressing
3 tbsp vinegar (I like balsamic, but you can use what you prefer)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn pepper
Directions
Tear the lettuce into pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Arrange the avocado slices on top and then garnish with slices of onion on top. To make the dressing, use a blender and add the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Blend the contents well. Then pour over the salad. Enjoy!
I will post more later since this is only one style of a Cuban Dinner! ;) ENJOY!!! :) :) :)
Respectfully,
Henry
Henry, shame on you, NOW I HAVE TO TRY EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!!! I haven't had any cuban style meals since the last time I was in south florida, about 5 years ago. All I have to say it my mouth waters. At the moment I'm stuck on a boat in the gulf of mexico working, so I'll have to hold off for a couple of more weeks. They receipes look awsome. Thank you.
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