Boliche - Cuban Pot Roast Recipe - In the Crockpot

If I Had a Superpower

Sometimes when my family is around the dinner table, we play games where we ask hypothetical questions. The discussions always take an interesting turn as we dig into our imaginations to try and one-up each other.

A few nights ago, my son, Jonathan threw out this question:

“If you had a superpower, what would it be?”

And so the game began.

Lucy: “I’d love to be able to stop time.”

Eric: “I would want to read people’s minds.”

Adam: “Super strength, hands down.”

Apparently they have given this a lot of thought. (Or maybe they’ve just watched X-Men more often than I have, but that’s not important right now.)

“Create fire!”

“Walk through stuff.”

“Laser vision!”

The conversation went round and round with everyone offering suggestions and even fantasizing a little and I still could not come up with a remotely suitable answer. They became a little impatient with me.

“Mom, you don’t need to take this so seriously.”

I thought hard. And you know what I finally came up with?

If I had a superpower, it would be to be able to give people comfort when they needed it. Wouldn’t that be amazing? This superpower would involve being tuned in to the type of pain others were in and being able to give them exactly what they needed. I didn't know what to even call it.

But suddenly, I had an epiphany....

"I know! If I had a superpower, I would be... A Cuban Mother!"

(Shut up. I know.) =D

boliche

Crockpot Boliche(Cuban Pot Roast) Recipe

  • 4 lb. chuck or rump roast (slow cooking will make it fork tender)
  • flour
  • 8 cloves of garlic – minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Dried oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2-cup olive oil
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced thickly
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1-cup naranja agria (bitter orange marinade)
  • 1-cup dry white wine
  • 1-cup small red potatoes
  • 1/4 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives with liquid
  • 3 bay leaves

1) Pat the roast dry and lightly flour.

2) In a mortar, smash the minced garlic, salt, pepper and oregano together to form a thick paste.

smashed garlic

3) Rub the garlic/oregano paste all over the roast.

meat rub

4) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the roast on all sides.

5) When the roast is browned, remove from skillet and place in crockpot.

6) Place the onions in the same skillet you used to brown the meat in, and cook them quickly – maybe 3 minutes on medium high heat. Do not brown.

7) Remove onions and place over the roast in the crockpot.

add onions to pot

8) Cover the roast with beef stock, tomato sauce, bitter orange, and white wine.

9) Add the potatoes, olives, and bay leaves.

add potatoes &  olives

10) Cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Or if you like, 30 minutes on high-pressure in a pressure cooker.

11) Arrange the roast on a platter surrounded by the potatoes, onions and olives.

12) Carve the roast and serve at the table. (What good is having a superpower if you don't get to show it off sometimes?)

slice of boliche

Buen Provecho!

// <![CDATA[ var pfHeaderImgUrl = '';var pfHeaderTagline = '';var pfdisableClickToDel = 0;var pfHideImages = 0;var pfImageDisplayStyle = 'right';var pfDisablePDF = 0;var pfDisableEmail = 0;var pfDisablePrint = 0;var pfCustomCSS = '';var pfBtVersion='1';(function(){var js, pf;pf = document.createElement('script');pf.type = 'text/javascript';if('https:' == document.location.protocol){js='https://pf-cdn.printfriendly.com/ssl/main.js'}else{js='http://cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js'}pf.src=js;document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(pf)})(); // ]]</p></div>

Classic Cuban Chicken Soup Recipe

I'm sick. And so's Eric. *cough, sniff*

We've got feverish-coughing-sneezing-and-hacking colds.  

*hack, sniff, achoo!*

A good, old-fashioned snotty-stuffy-headed cold. And there are certain things one does when one is Cuban (or happens to live with a Cuban) and has a cold. My friend, Chantel over at Yuca Baby addresses those Cubanisms in a hilarious way.

Right now I'm trying to build up my Cuban Immunity Arsenal* (*or C.I.A.) and gathering what I need. And the first thing I need, is Homemade Cuban Chicken Soup. 

Here's that recipe:

Sopa-de-pollo-400x300
Sopa-de-pollo-400x300

Sopa de Pollo (Cuban-style Chicken Soup) Recipe

  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped up
  • 1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped up into small bits (unless you love cilantro, go mellow on this, but don't skip it.)
  • 1 Tbsp. cumin
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil ( for sautéing)
  • 3 Tbsp. white flour
  • 8 cups of chicken stock (2- 32 oz. containers)
  • 8 chicken thighs (keep the skin and bones on for now, they add to the flavor)
  • 1 yuca peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (I use frozen)
  • 2 red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into cubes
  • 2 ripe, cooked plantains (I use frozen - these add a surprising sweetness), sliced into rounds
  • 6 oz. super thin fideo noodles. (again, go mellow on the noodles as they can easily take over the entire dish)
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. Sauté the green onions, cilantro, and cumin in olive oil. Quickly whisk in the flour.

Sopa-2-400x300
Sopa-2-400x300

Keep whisking to avoid lumps. (When the cilantro cooks, it looses it’s bite and leaves an incredible flavor. Don’t skip the cilantro!)

2. Immediately add 1 cup chicken stock, and continue to whisk until well blended.

Sopa-3-400x300
Sopa-3-400x300

3. Remove this mixture from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

4. Place chicken thighs and remaining chicken stock in an 8 quart stockpot.

Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Sopa-chicken-400x300
Sopa-chicken-400x300

6. Add the yuca, potatoes, and plantains.

Veg-into-sopa-400x299
Veg-into-sopa-400x299

7. Simmer for another 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

8. Remove the chicken thighs from the soup and run under cold water in a colander to cool.

9. Skin and debone the soft chicken, manually shredding it into bite-size pieces.

Rinse-chicken-400x300
Rinse-chicken-400x300

10. Return the chicken to the chicken stock-onion-cilantro mixture.

Chicken-in-green-400x300
Chicken-in-green-400x300

11. Add the chicken-chicken stock-onion-cilantro mixture to the soup.

Green-chicken-into-pot-400x300
Green-chicken-into-pot-400x300

12. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and the noodles.

Sopa-lemon-400x300
Sopa-lemon-400x300

13. Continue cooking for at least 8 to 10 more minutes or until noodles are soft.

14. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken-sopa-400x300
Chicken-sopa-400x300

So now that I have my Homemade Cuban Chicken Soup, there's just one thing left to do in my quest to rid myself of this virus.

Vicks VapoRub
Vicks VapoRub

I'm rubbing it on the soles of my feet before bedtime and putting on some thick socks. I know. Shut up.

Eric calls it Cuban Voodoo. And I have to admit, I believe there are some mystical, healing properties to the VapoRub (or "El Bix"). And after the chicken soup, I'm feeling all nostalgic and wanting some childhood comfort. But I promise you that I draw the line at lighting a candle to San Lazaro. 

Never mind. It's a Cuban thing. But that's not important right now. ;-)

Ay Dios mio.

// <![CDATA[ var pfHeaderImgUrl = '';var pfHeaderTagline = '';var pfdisableClickToDel = 0;var pfHideImages = 0;var pfImageDisplayStyle = 'right';var pfDisablePDF = 0;var pfDisableEmail = 0;var pfDisablePrint = 0;var pfCustomCSS = '';var pfBtVersion='1';(function(){var js, pf;pf = document.createElement('script');pf.type = 'text/javascript';if('https:' == document.location.protocol){js='https://pf-cdn.printfriendly.com/ssl/main.js'}else{js='http://cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js'}pf.src=js;document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(pf)})(); // ]]</p></div>

Starting our Nochebuena right - Thank you, Avocados from Mexico.

Nochebuena preparations are in full swing around here.

The pig is happily marinating in the Mojo Criollo I told you about a few days ago. The Matervas are chilling in the fridge. Lucy is out in the world on a hunt for Turrones.

Every time the phone rings or there is a text, it is Christmas related.

My sister, Helen, calls: "We need an appetizer."

We have tons of food for Nochebuena. Need is a relative word here. But I know better than to argue with my big sister. She's Cuban. And she's helping with the food. Enough said.

My mom calls: "We need a green salad." What she means by that, is a salad with just lettuce, asparagus, and avocado. She doesn't usually eat salad. She just wants an excuse to have avocados.

Cubans love avocados. My sister wants appetizers. My mom wants her avocado. (This is a winning scenario for me.)

Enter: Avocados from Mexico. Thankyouverymuch.

I've got this.

Avocados logo
Avocados logo

I'm making Avocado Cocktails for my appetizers. And I'm already anticipating the ooh's and aah's from my big, fat, Cuban family. I'll share the super-simple-but-impressive-why-didn't-I-think-of-this-earlier recipe with you right now.

Avocado Cocktails Recipe

  • 4-5 ripe avocados
  • 1 bottle cocktail sauce
  • 1 fresh lemon
  • salt & pepper to taste
Avocados
Avocados

1) Slice avocados into 1 inch chunks.

Slice avocado
Slice avocado

2) Put the avocado chunks into a medium size bowl and give them a squeeze of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

3) Add salt & pepper to taste and gently mix the avocados with a wooden spoon. You're just coating them with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, so you want to mix as gently as possible.

Mix lemon & avocado
Mix lemon & avocado

4) Pour cocktail sauce over the avocado chunks and mix to coat.

Mix cocktail & avo
Mix cocktail & avo

5) Gently spoon coated avocado into serving cups.

6) Pour another small amount of cocktail sauce into your cups.

7) Then give them each another squeeze of lemon for flavor.

Squeeze of lemon
Squeeze of lemon

8) Garnish with lemon slices or wedges and chill for at least an hour.

Avocado cocktails final
Avocado cocktails final

9) Serve cold.

10) Take bows.

My mom will be happy because she's getting her avocado. My family will sooo love these appetizers. (Total win!)

{Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Avocados from Mexico and they are generously compensating me for sharing this. The recipe is my own. I am thrilled that they gave me the impetus to make such a delicious dish with my family. I'm sooo winning here.}

// <![CDATA[ // &lt;![CDATA[ var pfHeaderImgUrl = &#39;&#39;;var pfHeaderTagline = &#39;&#39;;var pfdisableClickToDel = 0;var pfHideImages = 0;var pfImageDisplayStyle = &#39;right&#39;;var pfDisablePDF = 0;var pfDisableEmail = 0;var pfDisablePrint = 0;var pfCustomCSS = &#39;&#39;;var pfBtVersion=&#39;1&#39;;(function(){var js, pf;pf = document.createElement(&#39;script&#39;);pf.type = &#39;text/javascript&#39;;if(&#39;https:&#39; == document.location.protocol){js=&#39;https://pf-cdn.printfriendly.com/ssl/main.js&#39;}else{js=&#39;http://cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js&#39;}pf.src=js;document.getElementsByTagName(&#39;head&#39;)[0].appendChild(pf)})(); // ]]&gt; // ]]>

For more fabulous recipes from Celebrity Chef Pepín, please visit the Avocados from Mexico Posadas site.

Lechón Asado Recipe - In the Crockpot!

From the archives - for your holiday pleasure....

Martas-kitchen-logo 1
Martas-kitchen-logo 1

I love to tell stories. This is part of my Cuban legacy. As Val (from Babalú Blog) and I discussed before I started doing this feature, I will probably have a story to tell each time I post a recipe. Today's story has an interesting twist.

My mom (the 93 year old) likes to tell stories of her life in Cuba. And I pay attention. She recalls a peaceful and sweet pre-revolutionary life back in her small town - back in “the day.” The few families that lived in the small port all knew and cared for one another.

Her family owned a huge German Shepherd they named Lindbergh, after the famous aviator. (Of course, in 1930's Cuba they pronounced it Leem-Berr.) Everyone in her small town knew this dog. The kids in town would come over and taunt Lindbergh (I know. I know. It's so NOT a Cuban pet's name) through the picket fence. The way she describes him, Lindbergh had a reputation for being pretty ferocious, and had bitten a few kids in his day. It was kind of an adventure for the kids to get the dog to react from the safety of the other side of the fence.

There was one daring kid, Pepin, who apparently felt exceptionally brave one day. He climbed up and straddled the fence. The big dog leaped up and opportunistically took a chunk out of the kid's ummm...rear end.

My grandfather (sur-name, Perez-Puelles) felt soo bad about the dog attacking the kid, that he paid for Pepin to receive medical attention. Poor Pepin was out of commission for a few weeks recovering from the bite in the nalga.

As my mom continues telling the story, I can sense she still feels bad about the incident. She tells the story apologetically. She figures that Pepin must be an old man now, since this happened over 70 years ago. Even so, she muses, he probably still has the scar from the dog bite.

I kind of feel the family guilt over this one, too. Poor Pepin and his dog-scarred nalga.

After all these years, it was not until just yesterday that I discovered the kid's last name.

I found out that Pepin's brother lives in Miami. And I even spoke to his nephew yesterday.

How random is that??

This recipe is quick, like Lindbergh, and tasty, like Pepin's umm ....

So by way of saying that the Perez-Puelles family still feels bad about the whole dog-bite incident, today's recipe is dedicated to:

Pepin PRIETO and his family.

And... just curious... Val, does your Uncle Pepin still have the scar?

Lechon
Lechon

Quick and Tasty Lechon Asado Recipe - Estilo Pepin

  • 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs. Pork loin chops – the big, thick ones
  • 2 cups Mojo Criollo*
  • 1 white onion – sliced into rings
  • 1 tsp. Parsley

1) Stab each of the chops two or three times and brown them quickly in the olive oil.

2) Put them in a crockpot. Cover with the mojo and the onion slices and sprinkle with parsley.

3) Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Or on low for 6-8 hours.

4) Serve with black beans and white rice.

*Mojo Criollo

You can use the mojo that comes in a bottle, or make your own.

Here’s my recipe.

  • 20 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Coarse-ground Pepper
  • 2 tsp. Oregano
  • 1 ¾ cups orange
  • ¼ cup white vinegar

1) Using a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, salt, pepper and oregano to make a paste.

2) Stir in the orange juice and vinegar.

(Original Lechón Asado Recipe posted at Babalú Blog. March 2007)

Cuban Picadillo Recipe - Comfort Food

I love to cook and entertain and I almost always make Cuban food when we have company. People are usually surprised that even the simplest food is so flavorful.

In the early 60’s when we were new to this country, my mom experimented with all kinds of traditional, inexpensive American foods. We kids went along with it for a while, but it was my dad who got very vocal about getting his picadillo at least once a week.

The moment we began to smell the sofrito, all was right again in our little exile world.

Ingredients
Ingredients

I have been reluctant to serve picadillo to American friends because it is my absolute favorite comfort food and it’s a little difficult to explain that the incredible sweet and sour taste comes from pimiento-stuffed green olives and raisins. Then the explanation becomes more complex when I start raving about how tasty it is for breakfast the next day with a fried egg.

Raisins & olives
Raisins & olives

I figure…

If you just don’t “get it" - there's more for me.

PICADILLO
PICADILLO

Papi’s Favorite Picadillo Recipe

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ½ green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
  • 1 ½ lbs. Ground beef (I have substituted ground turkey and it’s still awesome)
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Pepper
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (the cheaper, the better!)
  • 4 Tbsp. Pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
  • 1 small box of dark raisins
  • ½ tsp. Cumin
  • ½ tsp. Oregano

1) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, green pepper and garlic until the onion is transluscent.

2) Add the ground beef and brown over medium heat.

3) Add the rest of the ingredients and continue cooking until meat is tender and completely cooked through. About 25 minutes.

4) Serve over white rice. And tostones.

5) Makes 6 servings.

// <![CDATA[ var pfHeaderImgUrl = '';var pfHeaderTagline = '';var pfdisableClickToDel = 0;var pfHideImages = 0;var pfImageDisplayStyle = 'right';var pfDisablePDF = 0;var pfDisableEmail = 0;var pfDisablePrint = 0;var pfCustomCSS = '';var pfBtVersion='1';(function(){var js, pf;pf = document.createElement('script');pf.type = 'text/javascript';if('https:' == document.location.protocol){js='https://pf-cdn.printfriendly.com/ssl/main.js'}else{js='http://cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js'}pf.src=js;document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(pf)})(); // ]]</p></div>

Papa Rellena Recipe with Pictures

Multi-Tasking

Like every other Cuban mother out there, I am constantly aware of my charges. That is, I’m constantly trying to stay one step ahead of my family. I’m always anticipating their needs and their wants and their ‘antojos.”

Please understand that I’m not trying to brag here. This is just how our own Cuban mother groomed my sisters and me. I know you know what I’m talking about. It goes something like this: Mami is making a big dinner of Masitas de Puerco, pero Papi prefiere bistec, so Mami will not only make the Masitas (and they will turn out perfectly delicious, of course, but that’s not important right now) but Papi will definitely also get his bistec, too, made to his specifications. It's the way it's always been. It's how it will always be. Cuban mothers are GIVERS.

I’m really not as pro as my mom was in the food-distribution wars. I know what my family will want; I just stretch it out and work to make sure to put it into the rotation.

For example: I made picadillo on Monday, and boiled the potatoes while the picadillo was cooking so that I could make Papas Rellenas for Tuesday with the leftover picadillo. Are you following? I’m constantly multi-tasking and trying to second-guess what my family will be enjoying next.

Here's how I plan my Cuban menu for the week:

  • Monday - Picadillo - The picadillo becomes the filling for Tuesday’s Papas Rellenas,
  • Tuesday - I'll serve those Papas Rellenas as a companion to Crockpot Lechon
  • On Wednesday the pork goes into some Fried Rice with Pork,
  • Thursday you'll still have leftover Pork but only enough to go into Cuban sandwiches.

It's all about planning....

All that to say this: My family will be eating well this week and and they will praise me with great praise and I’ll demurely brush it aside with “It was nothing…”  When really all it took was some preparation and forethought. And bada-boom! It’s Papas Rellenas. And that’s what I call Cuban multi-tasking!

What about Friday? I know you're asking about Friday. Friday my grateful husband takes me out and lets someone else do the cooking - it's called..... A Date.

That is all.

Papa rellena
Papa rellena

Papas Rellenas

  • About 6 baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • Garlic Powder
  • Parsley for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp. Warm milk ( maybe slightly more - warm a little milk in a small cup for this part)
  • PICADILLO (leftover from the stuff you made last night.)
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 1 Tbsp. Water
  • 1-2 cups Corn Flake Crumbs
  • Oil for frying

(originally posted on Babalú Blog. May 2008.)

1) Boil potatoes until they are fully cooked.

2) Drain.

3) Mash the potatoes – by hand along with the salt , garlic powder and warm milk. DO NOT ADD ANY BUTTER.

4) Let cool just until you can handle them with lightly greased hands.

5) Grab a handful of the mashed potatoes and make a little bowl (about the size of half a large golf ball), making an indentation in it.

Thumbprint
Thumbprint

6) Do that again. Stuff the indentations with picadillo and bring the two halves together and smooth the outside. You should have a cute little picadillo-stuffed potato at this point.

Filled
Filled

7) You can make these whatever size you like, actually. Repeat until you’re out of potatoes or picadillo.

8) Beat the eggs with water until they are a little fluffy.

Corn flake crumbs
Corn flake crumbs

9) Dip the papa rellena into the beaten egg, then roll in the corn flake crumbs mixture until lightly covered.

10) Dip a second time in the egg mixture and again in the bread crumbs.

11) Cover the rellenas and refrigerate for at least 3 or 4 hours or overnight before the next part!!!

Take them out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before frying.

12) Fill a large frying pan with enough oil to cover half a ball.

13)Fry each ball at least 2 minutes per side, turning once – or at least til they’re golden brown. (color is everything!)

Tres rellenas
Tres rellenas

You can serve them hot or cold, as appetizers or as a main dish. Amy Kikita likes hers with grilled onions served over the warm potato. You can also spice up the bread crumb mixture if you like.

God, I love Cuban food! (yes, that was a prayer. =D)

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Recipe With Pictures

Thanksgiving (el Sanguibin) with my big, fat Cuban family is always a wonderful and fun celebration.

As Cuban refugees who are now proud American citizens, we are mindful of just how much we have to be thankful for. In my family, while we’re waiting for the birds to fry, (oh yes, we do!) we have appetizers and play games. It’s noisy. Sooo noisy! In that talking-yelling-over-each-other way that only Cubans can do and still follow all the conversations within a two mile radius. God, I love that.

So we start with the appetizers, and because we’re frying the turkeys, everyone has to come out (all 40 of them) and see just exactly how it’s done. Of course, everyone has an opinion (a really loud opinion) on the very best way to fry turkeys even if they’ve never done it before. God, I love that.

But back to the appetizers . . .

What’s the point of appetizers?

I know I’m sounding all Andy Rooney, but hear me out.

Are appetizers designed to make you have more of an appetite for the main dish?

To get your taste buds warmed up and ready for the rest of the meal?

Fine. Delude yourself into believing that there is a logical reason for appetizers, but I’m going to tell you a secret:

Appetizers exist just so that you can eat more and sooner.

There. Don’t you feel better now that you’re out of denial?

Anyway, I know everyone has their traditional favorite holiday foods, and I do too. So today I’m offering you my very favorite your-mouth-will-just-say-wow! appetizers. My family has been making these for as long as I can remember for every special occasion. In fact, I served these the other night, and my guests were amazed and delighted and even mentioned they had first tasted these in a real chichi restaurant in L.A. (Shut. Up. Who knew?)

I guarantee that when you serve these, your guests will be delighted and confused. And if they are Cuban, they will start guessing and arguing about what they are.

God, I love that. 

Bacon-wrapped dates
Bacon-wrapped dates

Bacon-Wrapped Date Appetizers Recipe

  • 1 lb. Fresh pitted dates (you can use regular dates and pit them yourself, but I’m just lazy.)
  • 1 lb. Bacon (not thick - thinner works better)

1) Pre-heat oven to 350°

2) Cut the bacon slices into fourths.

3) Wrap each date with bacon.

Wrapping dates with bacon
Wrapping dates with bacon

4) Bake at 350° for about 20-25 minutes or until bacon just starts getting crispy. (be careful not to overcook)

Bacon&dates
Bacon&dates

Nochebuena variation:

1) Slice the dates down one side.

2) Stuff with some Turron de Llema before wrapping in bacon. (Yeah, baby!)

// <![CDATA[ var pfHeaderImgUrl = '';var pfHeaderTagline = '';var pfdisableClickToDel = 0;var pfHideImages = 0;var pfImageDisplayStyle = 'right';var pfDisablePDF = 0;var pfDisableEmail = 0;var pfDisablePrint = 0;var pfCustomCSS = '';var pfBtVersion='1';(function(){var js, pf;pf = document.createElement('script');pf.type = 'text/javascript';if('https:' == document.location.protocol){js='https://pf-cdn.printfriendly.com/ssl/main.js'}else{js='http://cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js'}pf.src=js;document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(pf)})(); // ]]</p></div>

Pulpeta (Not Meatloaf)

I have a confession to make.

I’m really kind of embarrassed about this, but here goes. . .

I spent years being disappointed by good old-fashioned American-style meatloaf. There. I said it.

Growing up in a Cuban household here in the U.S.A. brings with it lots of cultural confusion. Meatloaf is my own personal hot button. Every time I had meatloaf, I kept thinking it would be tender, moist and flavorful (that right there sounded like a cat food commercial, didn’t it? Sorry. =D)

I am still stinging from the pain and confusion of Meatloaf Disappointment. Does anyone out there know what I'm even talking about? (sigh - it's lonely out here on this limb.)

I never met a meatloaf that matched what my taste buds were clamoring for. The dry, brown, meat-food that desperately needed ketchup (or “kachoo” in Spanish) just to make it palatable was so NOT what I wanted, that I finally just gave up.

That's right. I grew up, got on with my life and just lived with the disappointment. I finally chalked it up to that no-one-makes-this-dish-like-my-mom thing. And so said goodbye to meatloaf altogether, until . . .

I finally asked my mom what she did to make it taste so good.

Lesson number one: American meatloaf and Cuban meatloaf are light years apart. We Cubans only call it meatloaf to give Americans a frame of reference. We call it Pulpeta. (which sounds like there should be an octopus involved, but that’s not important right now).

Lesson number two: It’s not baked in a loaf pan, but seared and then gently simmered in a savory Cuban-style sauce. Shut.Up. That, right there, makes ALL the difference! (This lesson is best learned with a sharp slap to the forehead and a hearty "Du-oh!")

Lesson number three: It is OKAY if you’re Cuban to not like American-style meatloaf. Embrace it. It will save you years of therapy.

Pulpeta
Pulpeta

Pulpeta

  • 1 lb. Ground beef
  • ½ lb. Ground pork
  • 1 small can deviled ham (or you can grind your own ham)
  • 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 tsp salt.
  • 1 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. oregano
  • 2 hard boiled eggs
  • Another cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 2 more beaten eggs
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • ½ green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 large can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 small jar diced pimientos
  • 1 small can sweet peas
  • 1 bay leaf

Wash your hands and roll up your sleeves. Trust me. There’s no better way..

1) In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork and deviled ham.

2) To this meat mixture add 1 cup of breadcrumbs, 2 beaten eggs, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano and knead it together until it’s thoroughly combined.

3) Shape this mixture into an oblong loaf.

4) Take the 2 hard-boiled eggs and push them into the loaf, so that they end up right in the center of the loaf, end to end. Shape the meat back into its oblong shape.

5) Refrigerate for at least an hour.

6) Put the rest of the breadcrumbs on a flat plate.

7) Put the other 2 beaten eggs on another plate. 

8) Carefully roll the loaf in the beaten eggs, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat.

Browning pulpeta
Browning pulpeta

9) In a large shallow frying pan, gently brown the loaf on all sides in olive oil. You are basically searing the outside until it creates a nice, crunchy crust.

10) In a pot with a heavy bottom, heat the olive oil and add the garlic, peppers and onions. Cook until soft. Add tomato sauce, white wine, pimientos, peas and bay leaf.

11) Gently place the seared meat into this mixture and reduce heat to low.

12) Cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Spoon the sauce over the meat occasionally as it cooks.

13) Remove the meat to a serving platter and allow to rest.

Egg in pulpeta
Egg in pulpeta

14) Slice the meat into about 1 ½ inch slices and be prepared for the ooohs and aaahs when you slice it to reveal the hard-boiled eggs.

15) Pour sauce over meat if desired.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I feel so much better now.

(originally posted on Babalú Blog. October 2007.)

Frita Cubana Recipe

Time Traveling

I close my eyes and take one bite and suddenly I am unstuck in time …

I’m in the heart of the city, which means I get to enjoy something amazing from one of the street vendors.

By “the city,” I mean Havana, 1960.

By “something amazing,” I mean a Cuban Frita.

Small. Sweet, yet spicy. With that crunchy crown of light-as-angel's-hair shoestring potatoes.

I think they were maybe a nickel apiece.

“Can I have two?” (Not because I was still hungry, but just for the taste.)

Chased by an ice cold Coca-Cola, another special treat.

I am 5 years old once again, shopping with my mother on the boulevard of the most beautiful city in the world.

Oops. I’m sorry. I was gone for a moment there, but I’m back now.

Fritas1
Fritas1

Try this Frita Cubana recipe and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that time travel is indeed possible. But I swear, it's completely impossible to eat just one. 

Frita Cubana Recipe

  • 3 packages dinner rolls
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ onion
  • ¼ green bell pepper
  • 1 lb. Ground beef
  • ½ lb. Ground pork sausage
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp. Chili sauce (or you can substitute red cocktail sauce)
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet Spanish paprika (pimenton)
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • 1 beaten egg
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and finely grated (yep! Just like you would grate cheese.)
  • Tomato paste

1) Preheat oven to 300.

2) Slice up the dinner rolls down the middle of the entire pack.

Fritas2
Fritas2

3) Place on a cookie sheet in the oven to warm.

4) In a food processor, using the pulse feature, mix together the garlic, onion and bell pepper until minced.

Fritas3
Fritas3

5) In a large bowl, mix together beef, pork sausage, bread crumbs, milk, chili sauce, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, beaten egg, pepper and salt.

6) Add the minced garlic, onion and pepper to the meat mixture.

7) Mix everything together by hand, and form meat into golf ball sized patties. Press down and set aside.

Fritas4
Fritas4

For the fried grated potatoes – You can substitute canned shoestring potatoes for these, but those are not to be found in my neighborhood, and besides, homemade grated potatoes are what make these fritas The Real Deal.)

1) Heat up about 2 inches on vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.

2) Fry up the potatoes (as many as will fit in one layer) to a golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon or spatula. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly.

Fritas5
Fritas5

Fritas:

1) While the potatoes are frying, coat the bottom of another large skillet with vegetable oil and heat to fry up the patties. Press down with a spatula to flatten. Cook about 3 minutes per side. They should be cooked through, but still juicy.

Assemble the fritas as follows:

1) Remove the dinner rolls from the oven and open.

2) Spread a little tomato paste (that’s right! NOT ketchup) on bottom half of each roll.

3) Place the cooked patty on top.

4) Heap on the fried potatoes – do not skimp here – this is what gives them their crunchy goodness!

Fritas6
Fritas6

5) Close the top and serve – preferably with some plantain or yuca chips and garlic dip.

Makes about 36.

Fritas7
Fritas7

Chase it with an ice cold Coke and just close your eyes. See what I mean?

Now, I DARE you to eat just one.

Originally posted in Babalú blog. October 2007

Huevos Habaneros Recipe

My family owned a farm just outside of Havana in Bejucal.

We would always travel to “the country” to celebrate holidays. I vividly remember one time that we were going to be meeting the rest of the family on the farm to celebrate Easter.

When we arrived at Finca Luzita (named after my mom, and the sign is still there today, but that's not important right now), we were greeted by hundreds of chirping baby chicks. Of course, this being Cuba, the sound they made was "pio, pio, pio."

To our absolute delight, they had been dyed in a rainbow of pastel colors. Seriously? Dyed baby chicks? Somebody call PETA!

Yes, dyed. It was non-toxic food coloring and I know it didn’t cause permanent damage because the little colored chicks (am I allowed to say “colored?”) grew up to be normal-colored chickens.

But oh, what an amazing psychedelic sight it was to have hundreds of the little colorful bundles of fluff running around. That memory is still vivid for me today.

When my kids were little, we would invariably have Easter egg hunts using the plastic eggs filled with treats. I always felt kind of sorry for them. Plastic eggs are nothing in comparison to that randomly moving noisy ocean of color swirling around your ankles.

Dyed chicks
Dyed chicks

After the fun of chasing the little pollitos around, we would have some kind of Easter brunch that included farm-fresh eggs cooked in a sofrito. Of course, it wasn’t called any formal name. I think, in fact, they just called it something very obvious like “Huevos en Sofrito.” (Most folks call them Huevos Habaneros - meaning from the Cuban city of La Habana, not to be confused with the impossibly spicy pepper.)

My childhood memories of Cuba B.C. are wonderful and magical and noisy and yes, maybe a little psychedelic.

Happy Easter!

Marta's Huevos Habaneros

Marta's Huevos Habaneros

Huevos Habaneros Recipe

For the sofrito:

  • Olive oil
  • 1 small onion – finely diced
  • 1 small pepper – red or green, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic – finely diced
  • 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 small jar diced pimientos – drained
  • 3 Tbsp. Dry white wine

For the eggs:

  • 8 large eggs
  • 4 Tbsp. Melted butter
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Parsley
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil (twice around the pan) and make the sofrito: onion, pepper, garlic sautéed until the onion is soft and translucent – about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, pimientos, and wine.
  4. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
  5. Lightly oil 4 small oven-proof ramekins or small bowls.
  6. Spoon the sofrito into each one, filling it half-way.
Huevos over sofrito
Huevos over sofrito

        7. Break 2 eggs into a bowl and slide them over the sofrito.  I break them into a separate bowl first to make sure they don’t break and will look pretty.

        8. Drizzle the melted butter over the eggs.

        9. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the whites are set and the yolks are still slightly soft.

        10. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley.

        11. Serve immediately with a side of bacon and hot Cuban bread.

        12. A variation is to cook the eggs in a greased muffin tin, turn them out and pour the sofrito over them.

(A version of my Huevos Habaneros recipe appears on Babalú blog March, 2008.)