Ajiaco Criollo

Ajiaco Criollo...a great Cuban food recipe to try !

Ingredients:

Meats and Poultry:

• ½ pound jerked beef
• ½ chicken
• 1 pound brisket
• 1 pound boneless pork
• 1 pound rib roast of pork
• 7 liters of water

Vegetables:

• 2 corncobs
• ½ pound malanga
• 2 green plantains
• 1 pound cassava
• 1 pound sweet potatoes
• ½ pound white malanga
• ½ pound yam
• 2 ripe plantains
• 2 lemons

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons lard
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 large pepper
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons salt (approx.)

Corn balls:

• 1 pound ground green corn
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon milk
• 2 tablespoons lard
• 2 cloves of garlic

Instructions:

Chop the jerked beef in chunks and let it soak overnight. On the following morning drain it.
Put the soaked jerked beef and the half chicken chopped in half into a large pot. Let it boil for about an hour. Add the brisket, the boneless pork cut in pieces and the rib roast. Let it boil for approximately another hour. When the meats have been boiling for a while some of the fat must be taken out and the stock skimmed.
While the meats are being cooked make the sauce and peel the vegetables. When the meats are tender, add the vegetables in the order they appear on the ingredients list. At the same time add the sauce, so that everything is cooked at the same time. At the time of adding the ripe plantains also prepare the corn balls to
put them in at the end.

Mix the ground corn with the salt, the milk and the lard in which two cloves of garlic have been sauted. Spoon this batter out. Drop the balls over the vegetables in the stock. Cover and let it simmer for approximately another hour. Don't stir it until the corn balls are thoroughly cooked.
To thicken the soup, mash two or three chunks of vegetables in some of the stock. The Cuban food recipe is ready to serve....nice ! Enjoy it !
chicken-broth-caldo-de-pollo.

Chicken broth (caldo de pollo)

Chicken broth (caldo de pollo)

Ingredients:

• ½ pound of chicken
• 6 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 tomatoes
• 3 peppers
• 1 stalk of parsley
• 1 onion

Instructions:

Cut the meat in slices two to three inches thick. Combine all the ingredients into a pot. Let them soak for half an hour. Put the pot over the fire and bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about two hours. The pot must be kept covered. Strain the broth. The Cuban Food recipe of chicken is ready to serve...enjoy it ! Nice !
ajiaco-criollo.

Arroz con Pollo-Chicken with Rice

Arroz con Pollo-Chicken with Rice...an amazing Cuban food recipe to try !

INGREDIENTS

• 4 strips of bacon
• 8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
• Salt, pepper, and cumin for Chicken
• Olive oil for frying
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-5 cachucha peppers (or 1 large green pepper), chopped
• 4 cloves garlic mashed
• 1 (12 oz.) bottle of beer
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (8-ounce) can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Bijol Powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 1/2 cups of parboiled rice
• 1/2 cup frozen green baby peas (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté the bacon in a large frying pan. Reduce heat to low and let the fat render out of the bacon -- about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper and a little cumin.

Once the fat is released, remove the bacon, increase temperature to Medium-high and add the chicken to the hot bacon fat. Remove the chicken when it is browned on both sides.
Add a little olive oil to the same pan you fried the chicken in, and sauté the onion and green pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the mashed garlic and cook an additional minute or two, stirring frequently.
Take the chicken broth and beer and pour into a large covered pot.
Add the browned chicken pieces, cooked onions and green pepper, tomato sauce, Bijol, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. And hey, why let all that delicious bacon go to waste? Chop it up and toss it in! Bring everything to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
Add the rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. When the rice has absorbed some of the liquid, cover and simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and not soupy. Add the frozen peas during the last five minutes of cooking only.
For a dinner, serve the whole chicken pieces with the rice. For a party, you may remove the chicken, skin, de-bone and break it into bite-size chunks. The Cuban food recipe of Arroz con Pollo Chicken is ready to serve.....enjoy the chicken....nice !
ajiaco-criollo.

Arepas-Corn Pancake Sandwiches

Arepas-Corn Pancake Sandwiches...a unique Cuban food recipe to try ....Nice one !

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup milk
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup ground frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup Arepa Flour or 1 cup finely ground yellow corn meal
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup water (approximately)
• Mild Swiss cheese, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring the milk to a boil in a small pan.
Add the five tablespoons of butter. Let stand.
Grind one cup frozen yellow corn kernels in a food processor. In a large bowl, mix the arepa flour, salt, sugar, ground corn, and mozzarella. Make a well in the center and gradually add the hot milk. Stir until there are no lumps.
Work the dough until it is smooth and sticky. Add water as necessary if the dough is too thick. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough between two sheets of wax paper to about 1/4" thickness.
Cut out arepas with a large cookie cutter-- about 3 inches in diameter. (We've had good luck using a small straight edged bowl.)
Heat a lightly buttered griddle on medium. Cook the arepas in batches until crispy and golden brown on each side. Immediately place a slice of cheese on one arepa and cover with another to make a sandwich.
Heat on griddle until cheese melts. You can also make the pancakes only and store them in the refrigerator or frozen until ready to serve. Just lightly butter two pancakes, put a slice of cheese in between (on the unbuttered sides) and heat on the griddle at low-heat until the cheese melts.
The Cuban food recipe is ready to serve....enjoy !
arroz-con-pollo-chicken-with-rice.

Alce con Papas - Elk with Potatoes

Alce con Papas - Elk with Potatoes...a great Cuban food recipe...try this one out !

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds elk meat, cut into 2-inch cubes (You may substitute fake elk, AKA beef)
• White flour for dredging olive oil for sautéing
• Cumin by eye
• Salt by eye
• Pepper by eye
• 1 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 cups white potatoes, chunked
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 cups beef or elk stock
• Juice of one fresh lime

INSTRUCTIONS
Pour a generous quantity of olive oil into a large sauté pan and turn the burner to high. Sprinkle the elk (or beef) cubes with a little red wine, then add cumin, salt, and pepper by eye. Dredge the
cubes in the flour. Just before the oil starts to smoke, reduce heat to medium high and carefully drop the seasoned and floured elk cubes into the hot oil in small batches. Turn quickly to brown on all sides, then remove from pan and reserve.
Use the same oil to sauté the onions and green peppers. When the onions are nice and limp, add the crushed garlic and sauté just one minute more, stirring constantly.
Place the meat and the onion/pepper/garlic mixture in a large saucepan or stock pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat and potatoes are fork tender -- about 2 to 3 hours.
You may also finish this in the crock pot. Bring everything to a boil as indicated above. Then transfer everything to your crock pot. Set the crock pot on low, cover and cook all day -- a minimum of 8 hours. The Cuban food recipe is ready...hmm..nice !
arepas-corn-pancake-sandwiches.

ALBONDIGAS - Cuban Meatballs

ALBONDIGAS - Cuban Meatballs ...a nice Cuban food recipe to try !

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• (Try Cuban, or Club Crackers. You can also buy prepared crumbs)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 teaspoon dry yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 small onion chopped fine
• 1/2 cup green onions chopped fine
• Flour for rolling
• Olive oil for frying
• SAUCE
• Olive oil for frying
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves mashed
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can tomato sauce

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large bowl, mix eggs, cracker crumbs, and milk together. Blend in the ground beef and all remaining ingredients.
Form mixture into large balls. Roll in flour to lightly coat and sauté in olive oil until cooked through.
To make sauce, sauté onion and green pepper in olive oil until translucent. Add mashed garlic during the last minute or two of frying. Drain thoroughly.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the sauce in a large sauce pan, add the cooked meat balls, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 30 minutes. The Cuban food recipe is ready to serve...enjoy it !
alce-con-papas-elk-with-potatoes.

Ajies Rellenos

Ajies Rellenos -Stuffed Green Peppers...a great Cuban food recipes to try ! Nice one !

INGREDIENTS

• 6 large green peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained (save the tomato juice)
• 2 cups day old bread (preferably Cuban) cubed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup red or white wine
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

INSTRUCTIONS
Wash green peppers, slice off stem end, and remove seeds and membrane. Drop the peppers into boiling water that has been lightly salted. Boil for two or three minutes and remove.
Sauté onion with ground beef and a little olive until browned. (DO NOT DRAIN.) Stir in tomatoes and heat through. Remove from heat and stir in bread cubes, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup ketchup.
Stuff peppers and place in lightly greased baking pan.
Mix 1/2 cup ketchup with 1/4 cup tomato juice, wine, and one teaspoon ground cumin. Pour this sauce over the peppers, cover the pan, and bake at 300° F for 45 minutes.
The Cuban food recipe of Ajies rellenos is ready to serve...great !
albondigas-cuban-meatballs.