Feasting on Cuba

Tonight I had my Brother and my three nephews over for dinner. I created just one of favorite Cuban dishes. This is your typical staple meal in any Cuban home. It consists of...

White Rice
Stewed Cuban Black Beans
Bistec Frito with sauteed Onion
Sweet Fried Plantains
Tomato & Lettuce salad with Olive oil, Vinegar and Salt

I would love to give the recipe but, these are one of my killer dishes that I keep to myself until I can unveil.

I think having a Cuban restaurant, diner or cafe would rock and this will be one dish on there. Just like growing up, Sunday dinners at Abuela's house (Grandma). We would have a full spread. Just an overwhelming amount of food and it was incredible! I desire to retain every good memory I have with my Grandparents. In doing that I enjoy creating these dishes I grew up on and sharing them with everyone. I'm telling you, Cuban food..its the best out there! Hands down!

Guiso de Maiz

Guiso basically translates into Stew. This typical "Corn Stew" Guiso de Maiz is a traditional Cuban dish I grew up eating. It is one of my favorites. I grew up loving corn and butternut squash. I join the two in this dish and they make a beautiful marriage together. Its a total comfort food. Normally I would cook it in the Fall, but got corn laying around, good way to use it up, very filling and can feed up quite a bit. We serve it with white rice or you may eat it alone. I might add, sweet fried plantains never hurt to accompany this savory yet subtly corn sweet dish. Give it a try.

Guiso de Maiz

1 lb of cubed up Ham
Olive Oil
1 White Onion, chopped
6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
4 Goya Chorizo, sliced
6 oz. Cooking Wine
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
2 Goya Azafran packets
1 small can of tomato sauce
3 cups Water
4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced
1 Butternut Squash, cubed
2 cups, fresh cut off the cob corn kernals (you may use frozen)
3 cobs of corn cut split each into 4 mini cobs
2 bay leaves


1. Put enough oil to coat deep pot. Heat up and add the ham, onion, garlic and peppers. Saute for a couple minutes. Add the tomato sauce, chorizo, black pepper, goya seasoning packet, bay leaves, cooking wine, water and potatoes.

2. When potatoes start to become soft add all the corn and squash. Let it cook on low for another 20-30. Serve with rice or eat with a spoon. I'm sure just some good crusty bread would be good with this to dip in. Add some heat to it. Almost put some red pepper flakes, but decided to go traditional.

All I have to say about Cuban food...once you go Cuban..you can't go back. It will open your taste buds to a whole new world of flavors. This was very flavorful and didn't even need salt. The ham has salt in it and cooking wine also. YUMMO!!! Esta bien..as some would say. :)

Carne Asada en Cazuela con Papas Asadas

Cuban Pot Roast Massi's style with oven roasted Yukon Gold mini potatoes. I LOVE..absolutely LOVE this dish! It is total comfort and what other pair than meat and potatoes will give you that warm feeling. Well...I can think of another few. But this is an all time favorite I grew up eating that I give a different twist each time I make it. Dang..can I take a nap now?

Carne Asada en Cazuela
con Papas Asadas

3-4 lbs of Roast (Any cut will do)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Ground Onion Powder
Ground Garlic Powder
Cumin Powder
Ground Oregano
Paprika
2 Tbsp of Minced Garlic
1 bottle of Goya cooking wine (I use the Golden one)
2 Bay leaves
Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
1 lb of baby carrots, or sliced carrots
1/4 c of Green Olives (optional)
Yukon Gold Potatoes (Small New red potatoes are good too)

1. I make sure the meat has time to sit on the counter to get the cool edge off. Then I season everywhere..I mean EVERYWHERE! With all the listed dried seasonings. I don't measure you just shake on as much as you want and rub it in real good. Give it a good pat and say good-bye!

2. In a heated dutch oven or large pot, add enough Oil to cover bottom of pot say Adios to that hunk of beef and add it to the pot. You should hear a nice sizzling sound. Ahh....

3. Sear all sides of roast for about 1 1/2-2 min on each side. Once browned and seared add wine, minced garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce to a Med-low and let simmer boil. Let it cook for 2 1/2 hours. Take meat out and let sit. Then slice into desired size. Add back to pot with carrots and olives. Let cook for another 10 min or so until carrots are soft but with a bite to them.

4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425. Prep the mini yukons on a sheet pan. Drizzle with Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 mins. Take out. They should be browned. Add to the meat and give it all a bit stir.

We eat ours with White Rice. I ate mine with Brown rice today for my fiber and grain. I have to say the Red potatoes are the best with this. You can add some stewed tomatoes also and pearl onions and make like a stew. It's so yummy to the tummy.

Carne con Papa

Carne con Papa is a Cuban dish. Translates to "Meat with Potatoes". Its a stew consistency. You can eat alone, or traditionally with White Rice. Usually accompanied with a good tomato and green leaf salad and sweet fried Plantains. Although there are variations on making this dish, today I made it this way.

Carne con Papa

3 Lbs. Beef stew Meat
1 Medium White Onion, finely chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped
8 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 small can of Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup of Cooking Wine
1-2 Bay leaves
2 Lg. Baking Idaho Potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced into chunks
1 Tbsp of Capers
3 Tbsp of Green Olives
Black Pepper
Goya Naranja Agria Seasoning Powder
Goya Azafran Seasoning packet 1 or 2 depending on your taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Water

1. First heat up a large pot and add Oil enough to skim the bottom. Season the meat with the Goya seasoning powder all over. Then add to pot and brown a bit.

2. Add garlic, onion and green peppers to meat, saute a bit. After a couple minutes of sweating, add tomato sauce, cooking wine, bay leaves, capers, green olives, Goya Azafran seasoning packet and black pepper. ( This dish needs no salt since the Goya powder has salt and the cooking wine add plenty of flavor along with the capers and olives."

3. Stir and bring to a boil, then add potatoes and water just to enough to barley cover potatoes or more if you want liquid.

4. Bring to a 2nd boil and lower heat so it simmers covered. Let it sit to a simmering boil for about 15-25 minutes and give it a stir. Time will vary, depending on the meat. If meat is tender and potatoes are just about soft, uncover and let it cook and thicken. Probably another 5-7 minutes. Let set and cool.

I at times have added sliced big chunks of Okra. When I was a kid I loved green beans with them even corn! That's just me. I say do it up as you like and even add some heat!