Carne Molida Guisada
Stewed Ground Beef Filling

Yield: 24 Portions

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

Ground Beef                                                    4    lb

Vegetable Oil                                                   2   tbsp

Sofrito                                                               4   cubes

Tomato Sauce                                                   1 cup oz. or as needed

Sazon with Culantro and Achiote                 2   packet

Ham Flavor Base                                              1   tbsp

Beef Flavor Base                                               1   tbsp

Chopped Green Manzanilla Olives              6   ea.

Chopped Roasted Red Peppers                     4   oz.

Method

1. In medium sauce pan heat the oil add the sofrito and saute for 1 minute
2. Add tomato sauce, sazon, beef and ham base
3. Add olives and red peppers
4. Add ground beef and mix well
5. Simmer for 20 minutes until the beef is well seasoned and fully cooked
6. Chill and set aside for assembling the pastelillos o alcapurrias.

Ropa Vieja

Stewed Shredded Beef

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

skirt or flank steak                                          3 1/2 pounds

extra virgin olive oil, for browning beef        2 tbsp

onion, quartered                                             1 large

carrots, roughly chopped                                2 ea.

cloves garlic, crushed                                     5 ea.

bay leaf                                                           3 ea.

dried oregano                                                  1 tbsp

ground cumin                                                  1/2-1 teaspoon

peppercorns                                                     12 ea.

For the next step:

All Braised beef, shredded

extra virgin olive oil                                        2 tablespoons

yellow onions, thinly sliced                             2 ea.

green bell peppers, thinly sliced                      2 ea.

red bell peppers, thinly sliced                          2 ea.

To braise beef:

1. Season beef with salt and fresh-ground pepper.
2. Coat the bottom of a 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Add water to cover about 3/4 of the beef and toss in the rest of the braising ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off any foam.
3. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until beef is tender, checking occasionally and adding more water as necessary. Depending on the cut and quality of the meat, this could take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Remove from heat and allow meat to cool in the braising liquid. Remove meat and set aside; discard vegetables.
5. Boil the liquid for around 1/2 hour to reduce it.

Suggestion:

• The beef can be braised up to one day in advance. Store the meat and liquid separately in the refrigerator.

To make the rest:

1. Shred the meat with your hands, trimming excess fat as you go. If the meat seems tough at this stage, don’t worry – it will soften as it simmers.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and sauté onions with green and red peppers and garlic until softened. Add shredded beef, braising liquid, tomatoes, tomato paste and cumin.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste then garnish with green peas and sliced olives (optional).
5. Simmer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, adding more braising liquid as needed. I tend to simmer ropa vieja for 1 hour or more, which I find really heightens the flavor.

Ropa vieja means “old clothes” in Spanish. The recipe derives from the shredded meat and vegetable which appears to be in a colorful strips of rags. It is Cuban beef stew that is usually prepared with rice dishes and crusty bread.

Shrimp Asopao

Shrimp and Rice Soup

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

Vegetable Oil                                                   2    oz.

Picnic Ham                                                      10   oz.

Diced Spanish Onion                                       3     lb.

Carrots                                                             1     lb.

Celery                                                              1     lb.

Sofrito                                                             3   cubes

Tomato Paste                                                   12   oz.

Shrimp Base                                                    12   oz.

Sazon with Culantro and Achiote                   2    packet

Sliced Manzanilla Green Olive                       6    oz.

Shrimp Stock (or water)                                 1    gallon

White Rice                                                      1    lb.

61/70 P&D Shrimp                                         3    lb.

Medium Diced Potato                                     1    lb.

Method

1. In a large heavy pot heat the oil @ medium high heat, add ham and let render until crispy.
2. Add sofrito, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, olives, shrimp base and sazon goya.
3. Add the shrimp stock or water and rice.
4. Allow to boil @ medium high heat for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked an soft.
5. Add diced potatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes until potatoes are fully cooked.
6. Add shrimps and simmer for 1 more minute.
7. Turn off and remove from the heat, rice will continue to thicken the soup.

Bacalaitos

Salted Cod Crispy Flat Fritters

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

Dried salted cod fish                                        1 lb

All-purpose flour                                             1 lb

Water where cod fish was boiled                     2 cups

Method

1. Soak the salty cod fish until it is tender and not too salty. Shred it and set it aside.
2. Mix the flour with water until you have a good batter consistency (like a loose pancake mix).
3. Smash the garlic, oregano, cilantro and sweet peppers in a pilon (mortar and pestle) and add it to the mix.
4. Add salt, pepper and all-purpose seasoning to the mix and taste the batter.
5. Add more seasoning if needed. Add an envelope of sazon for color (not too much so it doesn’t make the batter to yellow). Stir in the cod fish and let stand aside for about and refrigerate for an hour. You can fix the batter the day before and place it in the refrigerator for the next day.
6. When ready to fry, in a shallow frying pan just heat canola or vegetable oil to 350°, pour the mix with a 2oz. ladle over the hot oil and fry about 2-3 minutes per side until crispy.
7. Remove from the oil and place on a platter with paper napkins to eliminate excess oil.
8. Serve immediately.

Salmorejo de Jueyes

Stewed Crab Meat Coastal Style

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

Fresh or pasteurized crab meat                        1 lb

Sofrito                                                             1 lb

Tomato sauce                                                  3 tbsp.

Olive oil                                                          1 tbsp.

Method

1. Sauté olive oil, sofrito, capers, olives and sazón for 2 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Add crab meat and continue simmering for 7-10 minutes.
4. Cool down and set aside.

Crema de Platano

 Cream of Plantain Soup

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

Green plantain peeled, diced                           1 ea.

Medium yellow onions, sliced                        1 ea.

Chicken broth                                                  4 cups

Light cream                                                     1 cup

Salt                                                                  1 teaspoon

White pepper                                                   1 pinch

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until a smooth consistency, except for the cream.
2. Cook at medium high 15-20 minutes until all ingredients are homogeneous and the soup have thickened.
3. Thoroughly stir in cream, adjust the flavor with salt, pepper.
4. Accompany with chips made out of green plantains.

Habichuelas Coloradas Guisadas

Red Kidney Beans Stew with Pigs Feet

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

Canola oil                                                         2 teaspoons

Diced lean cured ham (jamón de cocinar)        8 oz.

Cooked red kidney (reserve water)                   2 lb.

Salted pig feet                                                    2 lb.

Tomato sauce                                                     8 oz.

Sazón                                                                 1 packet

Sofrito                                                               2 cubes

Method

1. Put the oil in a deep saucepan, turn the heat to medium and add the jamón.
2. Saute together with the sofrito and after 3 minutes add the tomato sauce, ham base, sazon, olives. Stir for 2 minutes.
3. Add the beans, potatoes, water from the beans and stir.
4. Turn heat to medium high. When boiling, cover with a lid and turn heat to low.
5. Wait 20 minutes and they are ready.

Fricasee de Pollo

Chicken Fricassee

Ingredients                                                      Amounts

To season the chicken:

Chicken pieces, seasoned                                 3 lbs.

Adobo                                                               3 tsps.

Olive oil                                                            3 tbsps.

Vinegar                                                             1 tbsp.

Garlic, mashed                                                 3 tbsps.

Method

1. Season the chicken ahead of time (at least 1 hour) and refrigerate until needed.
2. In a medium sized saucepan heat olive oil, add chicken and cook until it is brown on both sides, remove from oil.
3. In the same pan add the sofrito, tomato sauce, white wine, chicken base, ham base, sazon, and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and the rest of the ingredients, season to taste, cover and cook over medium heat for 35 minutes until the chicken is tender.