Cuba: Just the Recipes

 

Cuba: Cubanos and Courage

Yuca con Mojo (Cassava with Garlic-Citrus Sauce)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs yuca (cassava), peeled and cut into chunks

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup olive oil

• ½ cup sour orange juice (or substitute equal parts orange juice and lime juice)

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Boil the yuca in salted water until fork-tender, about 20–25 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sliced onion and minced garlic; sauté until softened and fragrant but not browned.

3. Remove from heat and stir in the sour orange juice and a generous pinch of salt.

4. Pour the hot mojo sauce over the yuca and gently toss to coat.

5. Serve warm as a side dish.

Picadillo (Cuban Ground Beef Stew)

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup tomato sauce

• ¼ cup beef broth (or water)

• ¼ cup raisins

• ¼ cup green olives, sliced

• 2 tbsp capers (optional)

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Olive oil, for cooking

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté until softened.

2. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Cook until browned.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, broth, raisins, olives, and capers (if using).

4. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes until thickened and flavorful.

5. Serve hot with white rice or use as a filling for empanadas/pastelitos.

Flan Cubano (Cuban Caramel Custard)

Serves: 6–8

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 1 hour | Chill: 3+ hours (preferably overnight)

Ingredients

Caramel:

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 2 tbsp water

Custard:

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: 1 tsp rum or orange zest

Instructions

1. Caramel: In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium heat. Swirl (don’t stir) until it turns deep golden amber (8–10 minutes). Quickly pour into a 9-inch round baking dish, tilting to coat the bottom. Set aside to harden.

2. Custard: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk eggs lightly in a bowl. Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, salt, and optional rum/zest. Whisk until smooth, then strain through a sieve. Pour into the caramel-lined dish.

3. Place dish in a larger roasting pan. Add hot water to the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides (water bath).

4. Bake 55–65 minutes until center is just set but still slightly jiggly. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 3 hours.

5. To serve, run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rimmed plate. Let caramel sauce cascade over the top.

Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef Stew)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs flank steak (or brisket/skirt steak)

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• ½ cup tomato sauce

• ½ cup beef broth

• ½ cup dry white wine (optional)

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• ¼ cup green olives (optional)

• Olive oil, salt, and black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot, cover steak with salted water and simmer until very tender (1½–2 hours). Remove, cool slightly, and shred with two forks. Reserve some cooking liquid if needed.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion, peppers, and garlic until soft.

3. Add shredded beef, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, wine, cumin, paprika, oregano, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Simmer uncovered 30–40 minutes until sauce thickens. Stir in olives near the end.

5. Serve with white rice and tostones or black beans.

Lechón Asado (Cuban Mojo-Marinated Roast Pork)

Serves: 4–6

Marinate: 8–24 hours | Cook: 1¾–2¼ hours

Ingredients

Pork:

• 2–3 lb boneless pork shoulder or loin roast

Mojo Marinade:

• ⅓ cup sour orange juice (or 3 tbsp orange juice + 1½ tbsp lime juice)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ large onion, thinly sliced

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1½ tbsp white vinegar

• 1½ tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Optional: pinch crushed red pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk together all marinade ingredients.

2. Pat pork dry, season lightly with salt/pepper/oregano/cumin if desired, then place in a bag or dish. Pour marinade over, including onions/garlic. Refrigerate 8–24 hours, turning occasionally.

3. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove pork from marinade (reserve liquid/onions). Place pork in a roasting pan, spoon some onions/marinade on top. Cover loosely with foil.

4. Roast 1½–2¼ hours until internal temperature reaches 145–160°F (juicy to shreddable). Uncover last 15–20 minutes for browning.

5. Meanwhile, simmer reserved marinade 5–10 minutes to make a sauce.

6. Rest pork 15 minutes, slice or shred, and serve with warm mojo sauce and onions. Pair with congrí, yuca, or tostones.

Tostones con Mojo de Ajo (Fried Green Plantains with Garlic Sauce)

Ingredients

Tostones:

• 2–3 green plantains

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• Salt

Garlic Sauce:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp lime juice

• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Peel plantains and cut into 1-inch thick rounds.

2. Heat oil to 350°F. Fry rounds 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Drain.

3. Flatten each piece (using a tostonera or glass bottom).

4. Fry again 2–3 minutes until crispy and deep golden. Sprinkle with salt.

5. For sauce: Gently warm olive oil, add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant (don’t brown). Remove from heat, stir in lime juice and salt.

6. Serve tostones hot with dipping sauce.

Cubano & Medianoche Sandwiches

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

• Cuban bread (firm, crusty) for Cubano; sweet egg bread (like challah or medianoche bread) for Medianoche

• Yellow mustard

• 8–12 slices Swiss cheese

• 8 slices roast pork (preferably lechón)

• 8 slices deli ham

• Dill pickle slices

• Softened butter

Instructions

1. Slice bread into sections and split lengthwise. Spread mustard on both sides.

2. Layer: ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles.

3. Close sandwich and butter the exterior.

4. Heat a skillet or press over medium. Press sandwiches (using a heavy pan or panini press) and cook 3–4 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese melts.

5. Slice diagonally and serve hot.

Croquetas Cubanas (Ham Croquettes)

Makes: 20–24

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter

• ½ small onion, finely minced

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 1½ cups warm milk

• 1 cup finely minced cooked ham

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• Salt and pepper

• 2 eggs, beaten (for breading)

• 1½ cups breadcrumbs

• Oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Melt butter, sauté onion until soft. Stir in flour to make roux; cook 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk until very thick. Fold in ham, nutmeg, salt/pepper. Cook until mixture pulls from pan sides.

2. Spread on a tray, cool, then chill 2–3 hours until firm.

3. Shape into small cylinders. Dip in egg, then breadcrumbs.

4. Fry in 350°F oil 2–3 minutes until golden. Drain and serve hot (great with lime or mustard).

Arroz Congrí (Moros y Cristianos – Black Beans and Rice)

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried black beans (or 1 (15 oz) can undrained + ½ cup water)

• 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed

• 3–4 slices bacon (or 2 tbsp olive oil/pork fat)

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

• 1 bay leaf

• 2½ cups bean cooking liquid (or water)

• Salt, pepper, and 1–2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. If using dried: Soak overnight, then simmer with bay leaf until tender (~1 hour). Reserve liquid.

2. Cook bacon until crisp; remove, leave fat. Sauté onion, pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, bay leaf until fragrant.

3. Add rice, toast 1–2 minutes. Stir in beans and 2½ cups liquid. Season.

4. Bring to boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook 18–20 minutes until rice is tender. Rest 5–10 minutes off heat.

5. Fluff, stir in vinegar, and serve.