Mantecaditos: Sugar Cookies - Cuban Style

I am copying this recipe directly from Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina.

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Guava paste (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together completely. Make a roll and cut 1/2 inch thick slices to form the cookies. Press down on the slices with the plam of your hand. Dent the center of the cookie with your thumb and fill with guava paste if desired. Bake at 350F degrees for 20 minutes.

The only problem I had with this recipe is that I had to add more shortening. The recipe may be correct and my measuring skills may be off since it is very difficult to get shortening into a measuring cup without making a complete mess. If you have trouble getting the dough to stick, add another 1/4 cup of shortening. Also I wasn't ready to bake yet, so I wrapped my roll in plastic wrap and refrigerated for a couple of hours.  The cookies were a hit.

What's for Lunch? Salmon Patties

 

This is very simple to prepare and very tasty.

2 cans salmon (approx 7 oz each)

12 saltine crackers, crushed

1 egg,

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Mix all these ingredients together. (I think I ended up using basil instead of parsley.... I don't know what I grabbed from my herb garden, but it tasted fine either way!) Coat the bottom of a pan with oil (I used olive oil) and form 7 to 8 patties. I formed round balls and then flattened them with the spatula, it works better for me this way. Brown on each side on medium high heat and you're done!

Cookbook Review: Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina

I have been graciously asked by Pelican Publishing to review Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina.

Ms Cortina is a native Cuban who learned to cook by watching her mother. Years ago she sat down with her and copied every recipe she enjoyed so much. Now these recipes are available to us.

Authentic Cuban Cuisine lives up to its name; these traditional recipes are as authentic as they come.  From appetizers to desserts and every course in between, Ms Cortina lays out a reference-style recipe for every scrumptious meal.  The ingredients are clearly listed in red and the instructions on the side are easy to follow.  Alternative ingredients are offered for those of us who live in areas where Spanish markets are not readily available: for example using Polska or turkey Kielbasa instead of chorizo.

Included is an English/Spanish ingredients list which I found very useful as well as an English index and a Spanish one for those of us who are familiar with the recipe by the Spanish name. There is also an extensive beverages section including everything from mixed drinks such as the popular Mojito to the Wheat Shake (Batido de Trigo).

In going through this book, it reminded me of a typical Cuban kitchen. These are the home-cooked meals I remember as a child: the desserts my abuela made such as rice pudding (arroz con leche), the roast pig (lechon asado) of nochebuena, and the everyday black beans and rice.

If anything was lacking it was a sandwich section which we can only hope will be included in a future edition. :)

Check back soon as I will be replicating a recipe from Authentic Cuban Cuisine.
 

I have included a link for those of you who may be interested in purchasing this book.*  Click here.

*Please note, Cuban in the Midwest is NOT making any money off the proceeds from the sale of this book.

No-Knead Bread #2

I made a no-knead bread a few days ago, and I was so impressed I decided to give another try. I made some adjustments to the recipe and the family seemed to prefer it. I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour,  more yeast, more water and more salt.... the recipe follows:


3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp. instant or regular active dry yeast
2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups tepid water

In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add the water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice, then roughly shape into a ball. Grease a bowl place your dough into it and turn it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with a towel and let sit for another 3 hours.

Once the bread has rested for 2 1/2 hours, preheat the oven to 450°. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Flip the dough over into the pot. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it’s nice and golden.

This loaf had more air in it. It was lighter, not as dense as the one I had baked previously.

What's for Lunch? Homemade Chicken Tenders and Coleslaw

 

I've noticed I've been cooking a lot of chicken lately. Has anyone noticed how high the price of beef is these days? My weekly grocery bills have skyrocketed.  It seems I'm spending the same, but coming home with less. Anyway, this is very simple to make. With two chicken breasts you can make lunch for four.

2 chicken breasts
salt / pepper / onion powder / garlic powder
lime juice

all purpose flour
1 egg
seasoned bread crumbs

oil for frying


Place your chicken breast on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet to flatten. Repeat with the second chicken breast. Cut into thick slices. Season with salt / pepper / onion powder / garlic powder and splash of lime juice. Refrigerate for one hour.

Using three bowls pour flour into one, beat an egg into another (add a little water), and pour bread crumbs into the third. Coat your chicken pieces in flour, pass them through the egg wash and give them a final coating with the bread crumbs.

Heat a skillet with about 3/4 inch of oil and drop your chicken pieces in one by one.  (Do not put too many in at once). Fry til golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.



I also made the coleslaw.... 1/4 head of cabbage chopped, 1 carrot grated and store-bought slaw dressing. Easy.

Pollo Al Vino • Chicken in Wine Sauce

It's been a long time since I've made chicken this way. I don't know what's taken me so long seeing as it is sooooo good!

1 whole chicken quartered
2-3 cups worth of chopped onion
1 green bell pepper chopped
5-6 cloves garlic pressed
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry sherry
2 carrots cut in chunks
2 small red potaotes cut in chunks
12 pimento stuffed olives
salt
pepper
paprika
olive oil

Season your chicken quarters with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat a large pot drizzled with enough olive oil to coat the bottom. On medium heat saute the onions, green peppers and garlic. Add the chicken pieces ( I removed the skin from the chicken breasts) and let them brown a bit about 5 minutes on each side. (You may have to add more olive oil if they start to stick to the pot).  Add the sherry, bay leaf and carrots. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Add your potatoes and adjust seasoning. Cover and simmer another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Serve on a bed of white rice.

No-Knead Bread

I was reading one of may favorite blogs, From Croatia.... To The States, and I saw the link to make this bread. I've never really had much success at making bread, but this seemed so simple that I had to try it. I'm going to copy the recipe from the original link.

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for dusting (you may whole wheat)
1/4 tsp. instant or regular active dry yeast (note: it's 1/4 tsp. not 1/4 oz)
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. water

In a large bowl stir together the flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and let it rest on the countertop for 18-24 hours at room temperature.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice, then roughly shape into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Fold it over the bread or cover with another cotton towel and let it sit for another hour or two.

While the bread is resting, preheat the oven to 450°. Put a 6-8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and flip the dough over into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that’s OK. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it’s nice and golden.

Roast Chicken

 

I've been butterflying my chickens since last Thanksgiving when I butterflied my turkey. Unfortunately my camera's battery died on me as I was taking pictures. I like to prepare the chicken this way for a couple of reasons: first it roasts more evenly and second by removing the back bone, I have more meat for my soup pot. (I also removed the ribs and center bone)

I seasoned this chicken very simply.
2 cloves garlic pressed with  a handful of dried rosemary, and a liberal sprinkling of seasonsed salt. Rubbed on both sides. In the oven at 350F for about one hour.

Following are the pictures I was able to take before I had to recharge the battery.

Remove the giblets and the neck. Wash your chicken under cold water.

Turn your chicken breast side down on a cutting board.

Using a good pair of kitchen sheers cut along both sides of the backbone and remove.

Prepare a chicken stock with the giblets, neck, and back of the chicken. Add onions, garlic, tomato, whatever you may have in your vegetable bin to add flavor.

Merengue Pie Crust

I came across this recipe here.  It seemed like such a wonderful idea! You can fill it with chocolate cream or vanilla custard or lemon curd or strawberries or just about anything that goes well with merengue, and it was so easy to do.

4 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup + 2 tbsp superfine sugar (I used powdered sugar)
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.


Preheat the oven to 375F degrees the reduce it to 200F degrees. (I lowered it to 180F)

Line a baking sheet with parchment and draw a 10-inch circle on it. Turn paper over.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar in a bowl until the whites form soft peaks. Add sugar 2 teaspoons at a time, while continuing to beat until the merengue is stiff and glossy. Beat in the vanilla.


Spoon meringue into the traced circle, smooth with a spatula and shape like a shallow bowl.
Place in the lower third of the oven, and bake for at least 5 hours (the longer it stays in, the surer you can be that the shell will arrive at crisp perfection). Then turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the turned-off oven to cool, preferably overnight.

 

Before placing it in the oven.

Fully cooked and cooled. I wished it had looked prettier, but it tasted great!

Jiffy Hush Puppies

I've had this package of Jiffy corn muffins in the pantry for a while, and since I was going to make batter-fried fish tonight I thought I'd take it out and transform it from muffins to hush puppies which would go better with the fish. Here's what I did, and they turned out very well...

1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
Oil for frying

Mix all these ingredients together in a bowl. Heat the oil and Drop the batter 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil. Fry until golden brown, turning the hushpuppies during the cooking process. Transfer to paper towel lined plate.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

I have made many bread puddings, some of which I have posted on this blog. This one is a bit different. It has more of the flavor of a cinnamon bun.

Ingredients
8 cups worth of leftover bread (cut into small cubes, then measure)
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins

As I have mentioned before I freeze the heals of sandwich bread, or the end piece of a french loaf, the lonely leftover hamburger bun, and when the freezer needs cleaning out, I make bread pudding. Of course you can use fresh bread. Make sure you do not use any bread with nuts or seeds.

Heat your oven to 325F. Place a large pan with water in the center of the oven. Cut up your bread into cubes and measure about 8 cups worth. Place these into a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix your milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon powder and vanilla. Pour this mixture over your bread and mix well.  Add your raisins.  Let it sit for a few minutes so that the liquid may permeate the bread. Grease a bread pan and pour your mixture into it. Place this pan inside the large pan with water. Bake for about 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

For a sugar glaze mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tbsp water. Drizzle on top.

Roll Call: Absent

Yikes, I've been "absent" for a while. I've been so busy with work and other obligations that I've barely had time to step into the kitchen, much less to photograph and write about what I've made. Luckily it finally feels like Spring here; the days are longer, and I'm sure I will be inspired to make something delicious!  I will soon be "present."

Cuban Crock Pot Pork Roast

Several readers have asked me if they can prepare their Cuban style pork roast in a crock pot. I set off to find out. Obviously a large pork shoulder or pork butt will not fit in a standard crock pot, but this 4 1/2 lb pork roast fit quite nicely. I marinated it overnight and this morning I set the crock pot on high and put the roast in there. In about 6 hours it was thoroughly cooked and falling off the bone, but it was pasty white and unattractive. I set the oven broiler on high and let it brown for about 10 mintues. It's delicious!

Ingredients:
4 1/2 lb pork roast
1 head garlic (you can use less if you're not a big fan of garlic)
1 cup sour orange juice (or 2/3 cup orange juice + 1/3 cup lime juice)
1 tbsp dry oregano
1/2 tbsp rosemary (optional)
liberal amount of salt

Take 1/2 your garlic head, peel the cloves and slice them in half lengthwise. Stab your roast randomly and insert a piece of garlic into the meat.
Peel and crush or mince the other 1/2 your garlic head.  Place in a bowl and add your juice and herbs. Pour over your roast and sprinkle liberally with salt on all side. Marinate over night.
Place the roast along with the marinade in your crock pot on your preferrable setting depending what your time restrictions are. Remove cooked roast from crock pot, reserve the drippings. Turn your oven broiler on high and let brown for 5-10 minutes (keep your eye on it). Pour dripping over the roast. Slice and serve with a side of white rice and black beans.

Quick Crab & Pasta Salad

I always have some canned lump meat crab in the pantry, and who doesn't have pasta? This is a quick and tasty salad... only 4 basic ingredients.

12 oz lump crab meat (2 cans)
1/2 lb small shell pasta (any pasta will do, even spaghetti)
12 medium sized black olives sliced
4-6 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Pimento for garnish

Boil your pasta according to directions, strain and let cool. Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate. Serve. That it!