So, last month Javani assured us that we would be doing salads and soups. We all thought that would be a nice change of pace and would help us all stay on track with eating better. Sometime however in the last month or salad turned into a Cuban feast. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I think the lamb was my favorite-cut and cubed and full of flavor. I grew up with lamb, but I've always been limited in the way I've prepared it. I must say between this Cuban recipe and the one from mediterranean night, I plan to use one of them for Easter dinner! But the highlight of any real Cuban meal is the mojitos...which were delicious-a nice tropical blend of mango and pineapple.
Oh by the way we missed you Vena! Javani picked soup for you because you are sooooo good at making soup. I included the recipe anyway. Maybe one day you'll make me lunch!
Next month we sample chocolate and wine...I'll keep you posted. Now on to the recipes...
Avocado & Pineapple Salad Recipe - Ensalada de Aguacate Y Piña
Mix the following ingredients for a simple Cuban-style salad.
Shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cups of pineapple chunks
1 large avocado, peeled and cut in slices
1 small onion, sliced thin
olive oil
red wine or cider vinegar
salt and pepper
Black Beans & Rice with Mango recipe
courtesy of the Cocina Cubana Club founded by Pascual Perez & Sonia R. Martinez
1/4 cup chorizo, crumbled
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup water
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
salt to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup chopped fresh mango
Cook 1st 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, till sausage is browned. Add next five ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
To serve, spoon bean mixture over rice in servings bowls, then top with fresh mango. If desired, garnish with fresh oregano. If chorizo is unavailable, use any other spicy sausage. Makes 4 servings.
Cuban Chicken Soup recipe (Sopa de Pollo)
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 boneless chicken, cut into pieces
1 chicken liver
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. ground oregano
1 medium onion, chopped well
1 tbsp. tomato sauce
1 potato, diced small
1 carrot, sliced
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 oz. vermicelli pasta
1 tsp lemon juice
In large pot, add water, chicken, liver, garlic, salt, oregano, onion and tomato sauce. Cook over medium heat until chicken is tender (20-30 minutes or so). Add diced potato and carrots, cooking over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender (20-30 minutes).
Using a blunt object or potato masher, slightly mash vegetables in pot. Add saffron and pasta. Cook until pasta is tender and add lemon juice.
Serves 5.
Cuban Lamb Shanks recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 pounds of lamb shanks in 1 ½ inch pieces
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon annatto oil
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
1 cup of chicken stock
In a large casserole or stock pot with cover, sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the lamb and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until tender about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Oh by the way we missed you Vena! Javani picked soup for you because you are sooooo good at making soup. I included the recipe anyway. Maybe one day you'll make me lunch!
Next month we sample chocolate and wine...I'll keep you posted. Now on to the recipes...
Avocado & Pineapple Salad Recipe - Ensalada de Aguacate Y Piña
Mix the following ingredients for a simple Cuban-style salad.
Shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cups of pineapple chunks
1 large avocado, peeled and cut in slices
1 small onion, sliced thin
olive oil
red wine or cider vinegar
salt and pepper
Black Beans & Rice with Mango recipe
courtesy of the Cocina Cubana Club founded by Pascual Perez & Sonia R. Martinez
1/4 cup chorizo, crumbled
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup water
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
salt to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup chopped fresh mango
Cook 1st 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, till sausage is browned. Add next five ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
To serve, spoon bean mixture over rice in servings bowls, then top with fresh mango. If desired, garnish with fresh oregano. If chorizo is unavailable, use any other spicy sausage. Makes 4 servings.
Cuban Chicken Soup recipe (Sopa de Pollo)
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 boneless chicken, cut into pieces
1 chicken liver
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. ground oregano
1 medium onion, chopped well
1 tbsp. tomato sauce
1 potato, diced small
1 carrot, sliced
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 oz. vermicelli pasta
1 tsp lemon juice
In large pot, add water, chicken, liver, garlic, salt, oregano, onion and tomato sauce. Cook over medium heat until chicken is tender (20-30 minutes or so). Add diced potato and carrots, cooking over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender (20-30 minutes).
Using a blunt object or potato masher, slightly mash vegetables in pot. Add saffron and pasta. Cook until pasta is tender and add lemon juice.
Serves 5.
Cuban Lamb Shanks recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 pounds of lamb shanks in 1 ½ inch pieces
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon annatto oil
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
1 cup of chicken stock
In a large casserole or stock pot with cover, sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the lamb and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until tender about 1 hour 45 minutes.
