What would a nice Cuban dish with cheese be?!
If possible, give the recipe.
Answers: I have a friend that is Cuban. And I want to throw him a Party. But I don't know any good dishes,
If possible, give the recipe.
CUBAN SANDWICH
Traditional Ingredients:
3 slices (almost shaved) of boiled ham
3 slices of turkey (optional)
3 slices roast pork hot or cold
3 slices of salami
3 slices of Swiss cheese
3 or 4 slices of pickles
1/3 cut Cuban bread hard crust
Optional Ingredients:
3 slices of tomato
4 slices of green bell pepper
3 slices onion
1/3 cut French or Cuban bread
1 leaf romaine lettuce
mayonnaise, mustard to taste
It is important that the sandwich be prepared on Cuban bread, French or Italian bread - any artisan style bread with a hard crust.
All cold cuts should be sliced very thinly; almost shaved. Slice the bread in an open faced fashion and spread lightly with mustard first, then with mayonnaise. Remember this is not entirely traditional, but still good.
Add the ham (roast pork), turkey and salami. Next add a layer of tomato, pepper, onion and lettuce. Top the sandwich and press.
Press the sandwich on a hot skillet with a weight on top. A suitable weight would be a heavy (clean) cast iron skillet that has been heated until sizzling.
Or better yet, use a sandwich press or panini grill if one is available.
CUBAN SPAGHETTI
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 green pepper, chopped
Garlic to taste
1 lb. shredded Velveeta cheese
2 cans tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 jar stuffed olives
2 cans tomato soup
Spaghetti
9x13 inch pan
Tabasco sauce
Brown beef, add onion, celery, pepper, tomatoes, soup and garlic. Cook until done. Cook 1 package spaghetti.
Make layers in casserole: first sprinkle dash of Tabasco sauce, then layer of spaghetti, then layer of sauce. Top off sauce with layer of cheese each time. Cook 1 hour at 350 degrees. Can be frozen ahead of time. You may substitute A-1 sauce for Tabasco, if preferred.
Arroz con Pollo cuban style
1 large chicken, about 4 pounds, cut into 8 pieces.
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Sofrito and broth:
2 Tbsp Anato oil or olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
3 cups water (*)
1 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups beer
1/2 tsp annatto seeds, or 1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb Valencia or Arborio rice
Sliced red pimientos for garnish
Can of green peas (Petit Pois) for garnish
Wash the chicken and blot dry with paper towels. Mix the oregano, cumin, white pepper and vinegar in a large glass bowl. Add the chicken, turning the pieces to cover with the mixture. Let marinate at least 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large heatproof casserole (**) Brown the chicken pieces all over, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a platter and pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
For sofrito: Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the oil in the casserole, cook over medium heat heat until soft but do not brown, about 1 or 2 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for one more minute. Return the chicken to the casserole with the sofrito and cook for about 1 or 2 more minutes.
Add the water, wine and beer(*), saffron (if you use it instead of annatto oil), tomato paste and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, place annato seeds in small saucepan with 1/4 cup of the chicken cooking liquid. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain mixture back into the chicken.
To finish the dish:
Thoroughly wash rice swishing with your hands, and drain off the water. Continue doing this until water runs clear.
Bring chicken mixture to a boil, stir in the washed rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. If it starts to dry out and rice is still al dente, add more liquid. If it gets too soupy, uncover during the last 10 or 15 minutes of cooking.
Just before it is done, stir in half of the petit pois and pimientos. Garnish with the rest.
A good and easy one is "Tostones".
3 to 4 large unripe (green) or barely ripe (slightly yellow) plantains
About 2 cups olive or canola oil, for frying
With a sharp small knife cut ends from each plantain and cut a lengthwise slit through skin. Cut plantains crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces and, beginning at slit, pry skin from pieces. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat 1/2-inch oil over moderate heat until just hot enough to sizzle when a plantain piece is added. Fry plantains in batches, without crowding, until tender and just golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. With tongs transfer plantains as fried to paper towels to drain.
Remove skillet from heat and reserve oil. With the bottom of a heavy saucepan or a wide solid metal spatula flatten plantains to 1/4-inch thick (about 3 inches in diameter). Into a bowl of warm salted water dip flattened plantains, 1 at a time, and drain them well on paper towels.
Heat reserved oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and fry flattened plantains in batches, without crowding, until golden, about 3 minutes. With tongs transfer tostones as fried to paper towels to drain and season with salt if desired.
These make a great snack or side dish
He would love this.....These dont all have cheese, but theses are cuban comfort foods..
Cuban Sandwich
(Sandwiche Cubano)
The Cuban sandwich is one of the staple foods of Cubans. Typically available in most Cuban food establishments, Cuban sandwiches consist of pork and ham, and Cuban bread. The sandwich is typically pressed using a sandwich press and served warm.
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
1 loaf cuban bread*
1/2 lb baked ham (thinly sliced)
1/2 lb roast pork (thinly sliced)
1/2 lb swiss cheese (thinly sliced)
dill pickles (thinly sliced)
butter
yellow mustard
mayonnaise
Directions
Cut the bread open horizontally, and spread butter inside on top and bottom. Next, place the pickles along the bottom half, along with the pork. Spread some mustard on top of pork, then place the ham slices. You can spread some mayonnaise on top of the ham, this is optional. Place the slices of swiss cheese on top of ham. Cover the sandwich and cut into 4 pieces. Using a sandwich press, grill the sandwich 2 to 3 mins on each side. Make sure to compress the sandwich by pressing it initially to make it thinner than its original size. When done, the bread should be lightly toasted and cheese melted. Slice the sandwich in half diagonally,
* French bread may be substituted
Fried Green Plantains
(Tostones)
This is a very popular Cuban side dish, and always served with most Cuban main dishes.
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
3 large green plantains (peeled)
vegetable oil
salt to taste
Directions
Using a knife, cut the plantains into 1 inch thick chunks. In a frying pan or deep fryer, pour 2 to 3 inches of the oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain chunks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. Remove them and placing them in a bowl with a paper towel to soak the oil. Wait a few minutes until the plantain chunks cool down. Using a paper towel, wrap the chunks and smash them flat. Place the smashed plantain chunks into the pan and refry again until they are golden brown on both sides. Place in a bowl with a paper towel to soak the oil and serve hot. Add salt to taste and enjoy
Fried Sweet Puffs
(Bunuelos)
This treat is sweet and delicious. And it's hard to just stop at one!
Serving Size: 2 dozen
Ingredients
1 1/3 whole eggs
1/3 cup milk
2/3 tspn baking powder
2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar
2/3 tspn salt
Glaze
4 oz butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bacardi rum
1/4 cup water
dusting powdered sugar
Directions
Mix flour, baking powder together in a large bowl. Add sugar and salt and mix. Add butter to bowl, and use a fork to crumble the mixture, making sure to mix in the butter evenly. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add milk to bowl and mix. Add mixture to the large bowl with flour mixture, and mix. Sprinkle flour on a flat kneading board and knead the dough until smooth. Break off small pieces of dough and roll into balls.
Heat pan with canola oil, and fry balls until golden brown, frying on all sides. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. You may optionally add glaze to the bunuelos for extra sweetness. Prepare the glaze by melting butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar, water, and rum and slowly bring to a boil. Then reduce to medium, and let cook for 10 mins. Let cool. Pour glaze over bunuelos and allow them to absorb the glaze for about an hour. Serve using serving plate and enjoy!
Black Beans and Rice
(Arroz con frijoles negros)
Black beans and rice is the stable of Cuban tradition. It is included in many cuban meals. Black beans and rice compliments many Cuban meals and is absolutely delicious!
Serving Size: 6
Ingredients
2 cups cooked black beans
2 tbspn olive oil
2 garlic gloves (minced)
1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 large onion (chopped)
1 cup water
1 tspn red wine
1/2 tspn cilantro
1/2 tspn ground cumin
1/2 tspn oregano
1 tspn vinegar
1 tspn salt and black pepper
2 tspn sugar
1 bay leaf
4 cups long-grain white rice
1 tspn salt
1 tspn canola oil
Directions
The left hand ingredients are for the black beans, the right for cooking the rice. Pour the 2 cups of long-grain white rice into a rice cooker, add the appropriate cups of water recommended by your cooker (usually about 3 cups or so), along with salt and 1 tspn of canola oil. Stir, cover and begin cooking.
For the black beans, you can usually buy them in a can. Make sure they are already cooked and do not come with any added ingredients. You will be making the "sofrito" yourself to add the Cuban spice to the black beans. In a medium-sized pot, add olive oil and heat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add onion and green bell pepper and saute for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for two additional minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the black beans and water. Stir well, and make sure the black beans and water mix in with the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Next add the red wine, cilantro, cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 mins, stirring ocassionally. Add the sugar and let simmer for additional 5 mins.
Let beans cool, and when rice is done, serve rice on big platter. Place black beans in a large bowl. Typically, the black beans are poured over the rice and mixed in. Enjoy!
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You have two answers with Cuban sandwich recipes. They both look good.
You can't go wrong with Cuban sandwich. I was introduced to these when I worked in Miami FL.
Awsome!
This is the only thing that comes to mind with cheese that Cubans may enjoy. Cuban do stuff with cream cheese but it's usually deserts. The Cubans enjoy the Spanish Manchego cheese so you may want to use that as an appetizer.
Queso Bola (stuffed round cheese - Edam)
4 eggs
2 diced yellow onions
2 pounds choice ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small chopped green pepper
1/4 cup of sliced olives
1 tablespoon of capers
1 tablespoon of parsley
1/4 hot pepper, minced -or Tabasco to taste
3 tomatoes, peeled & chopped
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
-pepper and salt to taste
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce
Olive oil
1 Edam cheese about 2 to 21/2 lb.
Bring the cheese to room temp. On the upper part of cheese cut a small circle and scoop out the inside, leaving the shell of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. Remove the wax.
Heat the olive oil, sauté the onion & pepper then add the meat along with the seasonings the tomato and the paste. Simmer until done and let cool. Next beat the eggs and add to the meat mixture.
Now grease the top of a double boiler or a casserole dish then fill the cheese with the meat mixture.
Cover with cheese lid.
Now set the casserole in a pan of hot water and put in oven at 350 F. for 11/2 hours or the double boiler over simmering water with a lid for the same amount of time.
Serve warm, serve in slices.
yum!
you get a star!
copying and pasting now!