Puerco Asado, December 6, 2017

Yesterday, I remembered in time that I meant to marinate my pork roast so we could have puerco asado for supper. The smell permeated the kitchen even before I started cooking it, making it smell like nochebuena, Christmas Eve. My wife had urged me to buy some plantains and hoped I would make something yummy and Cuban. Fried pork chunks, masitas de puerco, is my very favorite Cuban dish, but this one is much less labor-intensive, so I tend to make it a lot more often. As usual, I served it with black beans, white rice, fried ripe plantains (maduros)--although, they could have been sweeter and more to my liking if they'd had a few more days to ripen--and a butter lettuce salad with avocado slices and sweet onion slivers. I could just put the dressing in a glass and drink it--or pour it over my pork, which is what I did last night. This pork is also great with mojo criollo to accompany it. Yum! For the dressing, simply whisk together about 1/2 c. Spanish olive oil with the juice of 1 lemon until it emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper.

Cuban Puerco Asado

5 lb. pork loin

4-5 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. oregano

Salt & pepper

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 c. orange juice

1/4 c. Spanish olive oil (non-Spanish okay, too)

1 c. dry red wine

Several hours before cooking, score the pork all over with a knife. Pound the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper into a paste. Rub all over pork roast. Add juices, oil, and wine to the roast (I use a large ziploc bag) and marinate a minimum of 2 hours. Overnight is even better. Make sure you turn it every so often. 

I love black beans over white (usually jasmine, for me, but I used basmati last night because we find ourselves with oceans of it and I was able to locate it more quickly than the jasmine rice) rice. I would cheerfully eat it with a salad as a tasty lunch. I like to sprinkle mine with some chopped onions. My wife likes shredded cheese on hers. I very seldom make my black beans from dry beans. If that's your thing, go ahead and start them soaking when you start the pork marinating the night before. Otherwise, here's a cheater version I usually use:

Quick & Easy Black Beans

1/2 c. Spanish olive oil (again, any good quality olive oil is fine)

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cans blqck beans (not drained)

1 tsp. cumin

A few dashes hot sauce (if you like it)

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar (also optional, but I think it really brightens it)

Salt & pepper

Chopped onions (garnish)

Heat oil. Cook the garlic, onions, & pepper until they are soft. Add rest and heat through. Serves 4-6. 

Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Pizza, March 25, 2017

While I was making hollandaise sauce Saturday morning, my wife needed to run some errands. I didn't want to start poaching eggs and toasting English muffins for Eggs Benedict until she was home---nobody wants cold eggs. So, I started work on dinner, mixing up some tomatillo salsa and marinating chicken for our chicken & black bean burrito pizza. I popped those in the fridge and dinner was nearly done when we got home from the zoo. I even got to take a little nap before
I started cooking. I only used half the chicken on the pizza---the rest will be nice in soft tacos for lunch this week. The original recipe came from Todd Wilbur's fun cookbook, Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, and is his approximation of California Pizza Kitchen's Southwestern Burrito Pizza, which I've never had. If it's still on the menu, I'd like to try it! If you've not checked out this cookbook, you should pick up a copy and play with it. We had salad and Sumo orange sections with this.

Chicken and Black Bean Pizza

Juice of 2 limes

3 tbsp. olive oil 

2 tbsp. soy sauce (I used reduced-sodium)

5 cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

14 oz. can refried black beans

Baked pizza crust

1/4 onion, sliced into slivers

1/2-1 c. shredded quesadilla cheese or Monterey Jack

1/2-1 c. shredded cheddar (I used mild)

Tomatillo salsa

Sour cream

Hot sauce

Mix lime juice, 2 tbsp. olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and red pepper. Add chicken & marinate at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat remaining tbsp. olive oil in skillet. Remove chicken from marinade to skillet, using a slotted spoon, and cook through. Spread beans evenly on crust. Sprinkle with onion slivers. Scatter chicken evenly across the pizza. Top with cheeses. Place pizza in oven and bake 12-17 minutes. Serve with tomatillo salsa, sour cream, and hot sauce. Serves 4. 

Salsa Chicken Sauté, January 25, 2016

I was planning to serve the salsa chicken sauté I made last night with just some romaine salad and pear slices, but then my beautiful wife asked if it was going over rice. She loves rice and it sounded great to me, so I cooked up a pot of rice, too. Then, she asked, "Is there cheese on it?" She loves cheese more than she loves rice, so I got a bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese out of the fridge to go along side the sour cream and avocado chunks I'd already laid out to top our meal. This is a really quick and yummy meal.

Salsa Chicken Sauté

1 green pepper, very thinly sliced

1 red pepper, very thinly sliced

Olive oil or cooking spray

2 potatoes, cubed and cooked

3 c. cubed, cooked chicken

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

32 oz. salsa (I like Newman's Own Medium)

Sour cream

Avocado chunks

Cook peppers in a very large skillet with either oil or cooking spray for a couple minutes. Add everything but the sour cream and avocado. Stir well. Cover and cook on medium-low heat 10-15 minutes, to heat through. Serve with avocado and sour cream, over rice if desired, with cheese, if desired. You can omit the chicken and just add more black beans, for a vegetarian or vegan (skip the sour cream and cheese) meal. 

What We Ate Last Week, January 4-11

While the wee boy is snoozing, I thought I'd procrastinate on de-decking the halls a moment longer by playing catch-up here.

January 4-This would have been my granddaddy's 97th birthday. As I do every year on his birthday, I made his favorite birthday dinner, his mom's beefsteak pie. You can find the recipe here. I didn't make any peanut butter cookies this year, though. I served it with roasted green beans, mashed potatoes, and a green salad.

January 5-I went to a Moms' Night Out coloring party, so Jeannene fixed supper. When I got home, I had scrambled eggs, banana pecan chocolate chip pancakes, sausage, and bacon waiting for me. 

January 6-I didn't make my usual Cuban Nochebuena feast actually on Christmas Eve because our older boys were home and neither of them like Cuban food. Yeah, I don't get it, either. So, I made it last week, instead. I made puerco asado, black beans & rice, maduros, and avocado butter lettuce salad. You can find the recipes here.

January 7-Jeannene made soft tacos with Spanish rice.

January 8-Jeannene had gift cards for Olive Garden, so we went there for dinner. She had the stuffed chicken marsala and a beautiful Caesar salad she was nice enough to share. I got full from my bowl of Zuppa Toscana, which came to the table piping hot and with a nice, zingy amount of red pepper. So, my pasta came home to serve as lunches and dinner on the 9th. 

January 9-I was going to make gourmet grilled cheese and sherries tomato soup, but Jeannene had a terrible migraine and didn't feel like eating anything but toast. I decided it didn't make sense to make a pot of soup for just me when I had perfectly good leftover pasta and meatballs in the fridge, so I ate that. I did start the black bean soup for Sunday.

January 10-Our Red Tent Temple gathering was scheduled for Sunday night, but the roads were atrocious, so I encouraged the women who'd planned to come to spend time at home doing things to refill their wells, instead of braving the weather. Since I'd already made the black bean soup, I cooked up some rice and we ate it with the beans ladled over the top, with green salad to accompany. It was perfect for a snowy night! I'd modified the recipe from Crescent Dragonwagon's Downtown Black Bean Soup recipe in her marvelous Dairy Hollow House Cookbook. 

Black Bean Soup

2 quarts vegetable stock

2 c. water (I'd've used more stock, but didn't have it on hand)

3 bay leaves

1/4 c. olive oil

3 onions, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped (I'd intended to use 2, but one I'd just bought was rotten inside---I would use 2 next time)

1 jalapeño, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

Bring stock and water to a boil with black beans and bay leaves. Turn down to low, cover, and simmer a couple hours. Sauté the rest in the olive oil until tender. Mix into the black beans and let cook until very tender and well-integrated, flavor-wise. Eat as soup with rolls or bread or serve over hot cooked rice. I like chopped onions on mine. My wife likes sour cream and shredded cheese. Serves 6-8. 

I also made some bar cookies Dragonwagon has dubbed "Fallen Angels," which are very similar to my almost-grandma's "Molly Bars." Dragonwagon suggests adding butterscotch chips, but I used salted caramel chips, instead. My wife thinks the bars are amazing!

Salty Angels

1 stick butter

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

3 1/2 oz. shredded coconut

1 c. chopped pecans

1 c. salted caramel chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in oven in 13x9 pan. Add graham crumbs in an even layer. Pour milk evenly over top. Add coconut & pecans. Top with salted caramel chips. Press down a little. Bake 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. Makes about 2 dozen. 

January 11- Jeannene made a delicious pot roast in the crockpot, surrounded by scrumptious carrots, onions, and potatoes. 

Black Bean Chili, December 12, 2015

Whenever I make something vegetarian, Jeannene asks, "Where's the meat? Is there at least cheese in it?" She completely adored this vegan black bean chili (well, she did add shredded cheddar and sour cream---scallions are a nice garnish, too) and so did I. It's perfect for a chilly winter night. I made corn muffins (from a box) and a salad  (from a bag) to go with it. 

Black Bean Chili

1-2 tsp. olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cans black beans

Heat oil in a soup pot. Cook the onions, peppers, garlic, and salt until veggies are softened. Add seasonings and cook a couple minutes. Add tomatoes & beans. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on lower heat 15-20 minutes. Serves 4-6.

 

A Cuban-Style Nochebuena Feast

Since both of our boys spent Christmas with their girlfriends' families out of state, we decided to have a traditional Cuban Nochebuena dinner, usually enjoyed on Christmas Eve, for our Christmas Day dinner. Before I started work in the church, I made this dinner on Christmas Eve, but had bumped it to different days, depending on the year. It works beautifully as a Christmas Day dinner.

It being just the two of us, it wouldn't make sense to roast a whole pig like they do in many Miami backyards on Christmas Eve. So, I did a pork roast, black beans & rice, maduros (fried ripe plantains), and avocado & onion salad. We had a local oddity called Bumpy Cake for dessert. It's kind of like a Ho Ho Cake.

This pork roast is fabulous, but if you're vegetarian or vegan, the mojo marinade would be really good for tofu, as well.

Puerco Asado

A 5-lb. boneless pork loin
5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. oregano
Salt & pepper
1/4 c. lime juice
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. olive oil
1 c. dry red wine
A few bay leaves

The morning you are going to cook this, piece the pork roast all over with a knife. Mash the garlic, oregano, salt, & pepper into a paste. Rub it all over the pork roast. Place in a gallon zipper storage bag or nonreactive dish/pan. Pour the juices, oil, and wine over it. Add the bay leaves. Cover the dish/pan or seal the bag. Let marinate a minimum of 2 hours (all day is better), making sure to turn the roast several times during the marinating time. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Remove roast from marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinade for later, but discard the bay leaves. Roast the meat to an internal temperature of 150 degrees, about 2 hours, pouring marinade over it halfway through the cooking time and basting frequently for the second half of the cooking time. When finished, allow to stand 10-15 minutes, tented with foil, before slicing. Serves 8. (Leftovers can be employed in Cuban sandwiches, with ham, swiss, & pickles.)

I am too lazy to use dried black beans and always use canned. I sometimes really cheat, when I can find Goya black bean soup, and just heat it up. For special occasions, though, this is the recipe I like:

Cuban Black Beans

1/3 c. olive oil (Spanish, if you have it)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, minced

1 green pepper, chopped

32 oz. canned black beans, with their liquid

1/2 c. beef broth (vegetarians & vegans can omit or sub veggie broth)

1 tsp. cumin

A few dashes of hot sauce, if desired

2-3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Salt & pepper

Chopped onion for garnish

Heat oil in pan, then add garlic, onion, and pepper until they are softened. Add the rest and cook another 20 minutes or so. Serve with onions for garnish and cooked long-grain white rice. Serves 8.

Maduros (Fried Ripe Plantains)

4 very ripe plantains (skin should be entirely black---this takes time, so unless you can find black plantains at the grocery, you'll want to buy the green ones 2-3 weeks ahead), sliced on the diagonal

Oil for frying

Salt

Heat an inch of oil in a large skillet until it sizzles. Place one layer of plantain slices in the oil and fry until browned. Turn over and cook until browned on the other side. Remove from pan to a paper-towel-lined plate. Salt. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all plantains are fried and you are ready to eat. Serves 8. Plantains are also delicious baked, so if you don't want to fry them, you can bake them 20-25 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. 

Avocado & Onion Salad

Butter lettuce (or, if your wife prefers romaine, as mine does, do that)

4 avocados, sliced or diced

1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced into demi-lunes

Salt & pepper

1/2 c. (more or less) olive oil (again, Spanish is preferred)

Juice of 1 lemon or 2-3 limes

Arrange the lettuce in salad bowls or on a platter. Place avocado and onion atop the lettuce. Whisk salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar together. Drizzle over the salad. Serves 8. 

Cuban Black Beans for Patti

While I was on my honeymoon in New Orleans, a blog reader named Patti commented on another post, asking if I have a good black bean soup recipe. It so happens that I do. I love black beans, either eaten from the bowl like a traditional soup or ladled over rice. I can't vouch for the authenticity of this, as I use canned beans, but it tastes pretty good. If you want it soupier, just add some beef broth to it. 

Cuban Black Beans for Rice

1-2 tbsp. Spanish olive oil (you can sub any extra virgin olive oil)

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (white vinegar is fine, too)

3 cans black beans (I like Goya brand)

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. cumin

Salt & pepper

Chopped onions, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Sauté onion & pepper in oil until softened & onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute. Add vinegar, beans, bay leaf, cumin, salt, & pepper, mashing slightly with a wooden spoon to break down some of the beans. Cook about 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve over rice, with chopped onions and lime wedges. Serves 8-10. (sometimes I also squeeze a little lime juice and a little orange juice into the pan while this is cooking)