CRD's: Fried Donuts

Let me tell you about the birds and the bees
and the Cuban refugees.

I have coined these fried donuts CRD's – Cuban Refugee Donuts.  Donuts were a novelty to newly arrived Cubans.  Back in the sixties we couldn't afford to buy donuts at donut shops (or anywhere else for that matter), but that didn't stop us from attempting to make them at home.  We had a great aunt whom everyone affectionately called Tia Nena, and she was the one who taught me how to make donuts from what were then 9¢ Pillsbury dough rolls.

Separate your dinner rolls and knead them a bit with your fingers. Poke a hole in the middle. (or you can elongate and twist the dough). Bring a skillet with 1/2" of vegetable oil to medium high heat. Place your donuts in the oil 2 or 3 at a time. The donuts will inflate. If they brown too quickly lower the heat, we want the dough to cook through. Flip your donut and remove when golden brown to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Who doesn't like fried dough? Dust your CRD's with powdered sugar. You may enhance your donut experience by dipping into sweetened condensed milk.

Quick Tuna/Pasta Salad

I'm always in a hurry to make lunch. This is quick and serves 4-6

6 oz. boiled pasta
2 cans of tuna (10 oz)
1/4 cup onions, diced
1 celery stalk diced
1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
sliced olives, green and black
2 to 3 large dollops of mayonnaise
salt and pepper

A Full Pantry?

I never really kept a full pantry in Miami. Having experienced several hurricanes, some quite devastating, it made no sense to keep too much food in the house. Of course, one needs to be prepared with an abundance of non-perishable food, but in Florida without air conditioning everything is perishable.

Once I would hear that a hurricane was imminent I would stop buying food that needed refrigeration. Everything in the freezer needed to be consumed, not just because it would spoil when the electricity went out (notice I said when not if), but to make room to make ice. Any plastic container would do: tupperware, empty soda jugs, juice jugs, even styrofoam cups. Important things needed to be taken care of: getting business deadlines done, boarding up the house, filling the gas tank, getting cash out of the bank/ATM, standing in line at the grocery stores to get as many gallons of drinking water, loaves of bread and bags of ice you could get your hands on, filling the bathtub in case the water went, etc.

Then the frenzy would begin in the kitchen, trying to beat the clock. What time is it supposed to hit? Four? Five hours?  Into the oven went whatever roast or chicken had been in the freezer.  Prepare meatloaf with the ground beef.  Into the oven. Those eggs will spoil. Boil them.  Sandwich meats: stick them in the freezer they'll be thawed by tomorrow. What about the milk, the cheeses, the mayo, the orange juice? Eat it. Drink it. Deal with it. All of this was done in vain knowing that it could not all be consumed in the next 24-36 hours before all the ice had melted and the food started to rot in the Florida heat.  Of course, the beer could not go to waste; my husband took care of that.

Once the perishables were disposed of the "fun" would begin.  In Florida the majority of homes have electric ranges which, of course, are useless without electricity.  We had a charcoal grill, (and even the charcoal becomes scarce). So, what to make with just canned food and dry goods?  It takes a really long time to boil a pot of water with just a little bit of charcoal, but I have patience. In went the spaghetti noodles. Open a can of spaghetti sauce and one of canned ham, I think there's some onion and garlic that's still good. A little red wine will make everything better. Above a sterno flame I prepared the sauce, and eventually the noodles gave in and went limp. That night, eleven of us ate spaghetti by candlelight in the back yard among the debris of fallen trees, demolished fences and scattered sheds, roof tiles at our feet.

Shrimp Spring Rolls

Not long ago I was in line at a local pharmacy.  In front of me stood a slim woman, well dressed with tight jeans and heals.  I've never been a girly girl, but I admired her style, and especially her hair. I've always had bad hair days, and this woman's hair had no frizz, no split ends, it looked healthy and bouncy with a lovely color. Dare I ask what product she uses? As I contemplated approaching her, she turned around. To my horror, she must have been about 90 YEARS OLD!  I gasped!  This is an example of what I would call false advertising! 

This happens with food too.  Have you ever been into a fancy bakery where the confections are outrageously priced, but they look sooooo good that you're willing to take out your wallet for what you imagine must be delightfully orgasmic.  You take one bite and then it's F*!% S^&#;! This tastes like crap! What's on the inside matters.

I found rice paper for spring rolls at the market the other day, and I decided to try it out. I read online that you just have to dampen it to make it pliable. It's ready to eat as is, or you can fry them or steam them. I made these with cooked shrimp, lettuce, cucumber, avocado, and shredded carrots, and they are translucent so we can see what's on the inside! Oh, and of course it goes without saying, these are NOT Cuban.

Croquetas de Jamon: Ham Croquettes

Today my adventures lead me to croquetas de jamon – ham croquettes. Although commonly served at parties, these appetizers are consumed at any time of day. They can be served at breakfast, prepared in a sandwich at lunch, as an appetizer at dinner or as a midnight snack. Croquettes are difficult to describe if you've never tasted one or even heard of them. Basically they are made of ground ham, formed into small cylindrical shapes, lightly breaded and fried. This is a time consuming recipe, and few modern-day Cubans bother making them at home since they are readily available in Cuban bakeries, cafeterias, restaurants, and even packaged frozen; yet, I cannot find them here. So, if I really want them, I must make them myself.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups ham (ground or finely chopped in a food processor)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped in a food processor)
• 2 cloves garlic (pressed or chopped in a food processor)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups milk, scalded
• salt and pepper to taste

For the breading:

• flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• very fine bread crumbs or cracker meal

vegetable oil for frying

In a large skillet melt the butter and whisk in the flour, gradually add the milk whisking until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Place the mixture into a bowl and let it cool thoroughly. Refrigerate. It's best to work with this mixture when it's completely cold. Okay, now to form the croquetas. First, you will need to sprinkle a light layer of all purpose flour onto a work surface. Line up to 2 shallow bowls. In the first one beat an egg (you can add a little water to it), and in the second, pour the fine bread crumbs. Scoop up 1 tablespoon of the ham mixture and roll it on the floured surface to form a cylinder about 2 inches long and 3/4 inches in diameter. Dip it in the beaten egg and then in the bread crumbs. Repeat this process over and over renewing the flour/egg/crumbs when necessary. At this point you can freeze those that you will not consume right away.

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet bring 1 to 2 inches or oil to medium high heat. Fry 5 or 6 croquettes at a time until golden on all sides, turning with a slotted spoon. Transfer them to a paper-towel lined platter. Keep in a warm oven until you have fried all that you desire.

Yields 30.

Cuban Style Pot Roast turned Stroganoff

I can't cook Cuban food everyday, but most of my recipes have a Cuban flavor. This is basically a Stroganoff made with a Cuban-spiced pot roast ... sort of.  It's good. Trust me.

I pulled out the Crock Pot and in went:

3 1/2 lb roast
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup sherry
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp orgeno
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Once the roast is done, remove the broth (about 6 cups worth) to make a typical american gravy, and pull the roast apart with a fork. (The roast should be tender enough to do this without effort).

Boil 1 lb of fettucini noodles and drain. Set aside.

For the gravy:
In a large pot melt 4 tbsp butter over medium high heat whisk in 3-4 tbsp flour to form a paste and slowly add in your 5-6 cups beef broth whisking until thickened.
Add the pulled roast and fettucini noodles and mix together. I threw in some green peas for color.

Refrigerator Blindness

Wives and mothers beware! There is a common affliction that affects most men and many children.  Prolonged exposure to an open refrigerator can lead to Refigerator Blindness.  We see it all the time. Our husbands/children will walk over to the refrigerator, open the door and stare for a few minutes at which time we will hear a yell ...
"Where's the ketchup?" "It's in there!" "I can't see it." Refrigerator Blindness.

In my household Refrigerator Blindness has metastasized.
"We're out of sugar." "Look in the pantry." "I can't see it!" Pantry Blindness.
"Where's the can opener?" "In the drawer." "I can't see it!" Utencil Drawer Blindness.
"Where are my car keys?" "Look in the refrigerator." Alzheimer's.  

Quick Ham & Potato Salad

I bet you have leftover Easter ham. I made a quick salad for lunch.

4 ingredients:
potatoes, peeled, chopped and boiled
ham, chopped
onions, chopped
mayonnaise
(salt and pepper if needed)

That's it. I didn't write the amounts, but you can eyeball it depending on how much ham you've got left.

Bocaditos: Finger Sandwiches

We've all arrived at our present destination via the decisions we've made in life.  It's astounding how two simple words led me on a thirty-year-long path of sleep deprivation, physical flagellation, mental debilitation, moral degradation and artistic suffocation.  Those two words were I do.  No, no, it wasn't the answer to that question. The question was "Do you want a job in advertising as a graphic designer?"  I do.

When I started out, I didn't have a car.  Working in Miami Beach and living over 20 miles away, I had to make two bus transfers followed by a mile walk to get home.  My boss would sometimes give me a ride to my halfway point.  As has always been the norm in downtown Miami, there are countless of homeless people who live under the overpasses of the expressways.  My boss would point and say, "That's what happens to old ad men."  I would chuckle, but believe me, ad men (and women) really are madmen.  It's the relentless deadlines and the unreasonable, inconsiderate, narcissist demands of the clients, and more importantly the biting of ones tongue that brings us to our demise.

But this blog is about food. So where am I going with this? For those of us who cannot speak our minds for fear of losing our income, I suggest we present those who annoy us and make our lives so impossible with the subliminal finger... the Finger Sandwich, that is.

To make a traditional finger sandwich make sure you choose thinly sliced bread of a tight grain. (Unlike what I used in the picture which was a soft white). Cut away all crusts, apply your spread and cut each sandwich into thirds to ensure that fingers alone can perform the task of lifting to mouth.

For the spread we start with a  base of
8 oz. cream cheese
3 - 4 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise
1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives, chopped

Add
6 - 8 oz canned
ham  or deviled ham or tuna or salmon or chicken

Mix all ingredients until smooth

The Cuban bocadito sandwich which one orders at bakeries for parties is made with small sweet rolls (I substitute the Hawaiian sweet rolls found at any grocery) and ham spread.

Merenguitos

I made Señoritas (see post below) which required 3 egg yolks. "Do  you want an egg white omelet?" I asked my husband. "No." Okay then I will have to make merengue.  I had never made merengue before, and I was surprised at how easy it was.

3 large egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of Salt
3/4 cup sugar
Baking parchment, sprayed lightly with PAM (I didn't have parchment so I placed them on aluminum foil. Worked okay.)

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they reach the soft-peak stage. Add a pinch of salt and continue to beat. Add a small amount of sugar at a time until you've incorporated all of the sugar into the mixture. Don't be afraid to dip your pinky finger in there for a taste, there's no chance to add sugar once they're baked. The mixture should reach the stiff peak stage (test by scooping some onto a spoon or fork and when turned upside down it doesn't fall off).

Scoop dollops of merengue onto your parchment leaving space between them for expansion.

Bake merengues at 200° F for approximately two hours. The meringues should be dry and crispy,  not brown.

Señoritas

I had every intention of making these señoritas with a traditional filling of natilla (vanilla custard) which I wrote down from my sister's 1966 copy of Nitza Villapol's recipe book, but I chickened out and took the easy route using a recipe from Three Guys from Miami

I was a little apprehensive about the flavor of the filling possibly being too overpowering, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well they turned out.

I've copied the Three Guys from Miami recipe here. My personal notes are in red.

Filling:

1 can condensed milk 
1 can evaporated milk 
1 can of water (use the evaporated milk can) 
3 egg yolks 
3 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch (combine this with the water until smooth) make sure you completely dissolve the corn starch in the water so there are NO lumps
2 tablespoons of powdered sugar for dusting the pastries

Add last: 
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of butter - softened to room temperature

1. Combine the first five ingredients in a medium pot.
2. Stir on low heat until mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Stir with your right arm until it falls off, then continue with your left. This takes quite a while of continuous stirring, so go to the bathroom, send your text message, let out the dog, etc. before you start this.
   
3. Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter and beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until cool.

Pastry:

1 sheet from 1 package of Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets

1/2 cup powdered sugar (approximate)

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. My oven is temperamental, I set it at 375F.
2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. I didn't flour my surface. Cut the pastry sheet into 3 strips along the fold marks. Place the pastry strips onto baking sheets. I sprayed my baking sheet with non stick cooking spray. Handle the pastry as little as possible!
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastry sheets from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Split the three baked pastries into 2 layers, so that you have 6 layers in all. I cut them in half first then split them, (it's easier that way) so I had 12 layers in all.
4. Sprinkle some powdered sugar to cover all of the layers. (I missed this step. I don't think it hurt any.) Assemble the señorita by spreading approximately 3/4 cup of the filling on the first layer. Top this layer with a second layer, again spreading the filling on top. Finally cover this layer with a third piece of pastry. I put the powdered sugar only on this top layer and I sprinkled a little cinnamon also.
5. REPEAT this process with the remaining three puff pastry layers. (When done you will have (four) large pastries, each with three layers.)

Refrigerate your pastries for a couple of hours before serving. 

Click here for a link to the Nitza Villapol recipe for natilla. It is in English and it is halved, but I compared it to the original book and it is correct.

My Kind of Town: Chicago Is

The first time I visited the Windy City was in October of 1992, and it was as if I had always known it.  Everything seemed so familiar.  I felt at home.

I now live a two hour drive away, but unfortunately it has been almost two years since I've been there. My husband says my attitude changes as soon as I see the silhouette of the city come into focus from the expressway.  I become unusually happy.  My visits to the city in the last few years have consisted of hectic one day tours in the summer.  We park the car and walk, or take the free trolleys.  I've seen all the museums, and although I don't like to shop, I just adore Michigan Avenue.  I love the water taxi rides on the Chicago river and on Lake Michigan.  I have gone to the top of the Sears Tower and have seen the curvature of the Earth. (Yes, you can see it from up there. Notice the picture I took above, summer 2008).

I've eaten Chicago style pizza, and Chicago style hot dogs, but I still haven't found a Cuban restaurant. Oh, I know they exist. I can google you know, but from what I've read online, non of them sound authentic. So if you can recognize true Cuban food, and know of a restaurant in Chicago that serves it, please leave me a comment. If I'm lucky enough to get there this summer, I will definitely check it out.

Breaded Steak stuffed with Ham and Cheese

Breaded steak stuffed with ham and cheese with a side of yuca fries with mojo and salad.

Okay, I don't know where this recipe came from. I think it may have been my mother's invention – a culinary spark that extinguished almost as soon as it arrived, but we somehow managed to grasp it and store it into memory. Making this steak is relatively simple. Although Bistec Empanisado or Breaded Steak is very common in the Cuban kitchen, this differs with the additions of ham and swiss cheese (sandwiched between the steak and the ham).

You will need:
Palomilla Steaks (thinly sliced sirloin)
Seasoning (whatever you would normally season your steak with, I use seasoned salt and a little lemon)
Swiss cheese
Sweet ham
All purpose flour
1 egg
bread crumbs
vegetable oil 

I halved my steaks to make them easier to handle. I would have prefered thinner, but these turned out fine.
Lay one slice of swiss cheese on top of each seasoned steak and a slice of sweet ham above that. Now to hold it all together weave a toothpick through it at both ends.

To bread it, you will need three shallow bowls. Pour some flour into the 1st bowl, in the next one beat an egg (you can add a little water to it), and in the third, bread crumbs.

From left to right: flour both sides of your steak, drag it through the egg (both sides), and finish it off in the third bowl by coating it on both side with the bread crumbs.


Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan about 1/4 inch high. Bring the heat up to medium high and carefully place your steaks (steak side down) in the hot oil. If it starts to brown too quickly bring the heat down to medium. Let it fry for a few minutes before flipping. (This is where it gets tricky because you cannot tell how done your steak is, it takes experience and trial and error; however, depending on how thin your steak is, you could probably judge the cooking time correctly.)

Remove the toothpicks before serving. 

Yuca Frita: Yucca Fries

Hmmm, it seems like my last few posts have been all about fried food. I say why stop now? Let's make YUCCA FRIES.

Yuca (cassava) is a white starchy tropical root widely consumed in Afrida, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Yuca is firmer than potatoes and starchier and can easily be substituted for potatoes in soups and stews. It is usually boiled or steamed, but also fried as chips or in thicker chunks (as shown here), and eaten as a substitute for french fries.

I have been able to find fresh yuca here in the summer, but more often than not, I find it in frozen packages. I am making my yuca frita from frozen, but I am placing a picture here of what it looks like fresh. If you find it fresh, you must first peal it and cut it into large chunks before boiling.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the yuca and boil until tender (when you can easily slide a fork into it). Strain the yuca and let cool on a paper towels to absord the moisture.  Remove the woody center by slicing the cooled yuca vertically. Cut your yuca into thick strips.

While the yuca is cooling we will prepare a mojo. 
To the juice of 2 limes (you can use lemons) add 2-4 cloves of pressed garlic and 1 tsp salt. Stir. Set aside.

Heat enough oil to deep fry your yuca strips. Fry the yuca in batches until they reach a golden brown. Place on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Hold in a warm oven while you fry the remaining batches.

You can now sprinkle the hot fried yuca with the mojo, or serve the mojo on the side for dipping.