Tender Cuban-Style Pork Ribs

One of my favorite foods to eat has always been pork ribs. And there is nothing better than ribs that are both flavorful and tender. What makes these Cuban-Style ribs really great is that you don't need an oven to make them. You can just make it directly on your stovetop! What makes it even better is the ribs evenly cook so all of your pork ribs will be nice and tender. And of course, packed with the wonderful flavor Cuban food has to offer. This is a very simple recipe that tastes amazing, and is easy to make! So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy : ) 

Tender Cuban-Style Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS:  

• 2 1/2 pounds of pork spare ribs
• 3/4 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 large red bell pepper  
• 1 large onion  
• 5 ounces of green olives  
• 1 cup of white cooking wine  
• 3 cups of water 

TOOLS NEEDED: 

• A large pot 
  
• Knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS: 

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions): 

1. Collect the ingredients.  
2. Prepare the ingredients. Cut off the ends of the onion, the root part. Remove the outer layer of the onion, cut the onion in half, and then cut it into 1/8 inch slices. 
3. Prepare the red bell pepper. Remove the stem and seeds, and then cut the pepper into slices about one inch thick. 
4. Cut the pork ribs into 3 or 4 manageable pieces similar in size. (Note: This depends on the weight of the pork ribs. You want the pieces to be similar in size so that they evenly cook). 
5. Add the pork ribs to the pot, so that it is evenly distributed to cover the bottom. Then add the garlic powder and salt to evenly coat the pork. Next, add in the onion, red pepper, green olives, and about 3 cups of water (Note: The water level should be just enough to cover up to the top of the pork ribs). 
6. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil on maximum heat. 
7. Once boiling, reduce heat to a little above medium heat, and continue to cook for 1 hour. 
8. Add in a ½ cup of cooking wine, and let continue to cook for 20 minutes. 
9. Now, flip the meat, raise the heat to medium high, and let continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture is gone. Make sure you continue to check and turn the meat so that it browns on both sides. 
10. When the meat is browned and almost all of the moisture is gone, add a 1/2 cup of cooking wine to deglaze the pan. Use a spoon to loosen up everything from the bottom of the pan. And the ribs are ready to serve!
    

Portion the ribs however you'd like. And enjoy : )

Picadillo

One of the easiest and most versatile recipes is picadillo. In my Cuban family, picadillo is made with ground meat cooked with the typical onions, peppers, and seasons along with other ingredients like raisins, green olives, and potatoes. This dish offers the perfect balance between the saltiness of the green olives, the flavors of the seasonings, and the sweetness of the raisins. Picadillo is typically served with rice. However, it can also be used to make empanadas, Cuban meat pies, burritos, tacos, nachos, and so on. I usually leave out the raisins if I am going to make something like a taco or burrito. In fact, the raisins and potatoes are optional, even though they are typical ingredients in Cuban-style picadillo. Picadillo is another great recipe where you just put everything in a pot and let it cook, with the exception of the potatoes which are fried separately. This is a really simple recipe, quick to make, and is extremely versatile and flavorful. So have fun trying out this recipe and enjoy!       

Picadillo Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ lbs of ground beef
• ½ of a large green pepper
• 1 medium-sized red pepper
• 1 large onion
• ½ of a 5.75 oz jar of green olives, plus 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive fluid
• 1 ½ cups of raisins
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 packet of sazón con azafran or ½ tablespoon saffron
• 2 medium-sized potatoes
• Vegetable or corn oil for frying

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium-sized pot
• A frying pan
• Knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• Spider strainer, mesh rack
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Soak the raisins in water for about 15-20 minutes (put enough water so that the raisins are covered, the water will be discarded anyway). While waiting, finely chop the red pepper, green pepper, and onion with a food processor.
2. Put the meat in a large pot, break up the meat, and cook on high heat to lightly brown the meat, but continue to stir and break up the meat. You don't want there to be clumps; it should be very refined.
3. Next, add the seasonings, red pepper, green pepper, and onion to the meat and mix thoroughly. Then add the olives and olive fluid to the meat, and drain the water from the raisins and add to the meat, and mix thoroughly. Then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 20 to 25 minutes with the lid covering the pot. Make sure to stir the pot occasionally.
4. While waiting, you can make the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut into slices a quarter inch thick. Then take each slice and cut into strips ¼ inch thick, and cut into cubes ¼ inch in size.  Now, oil in a frying pan at least ¼ inch deep and heat on high heat. Use one piece of potato to test if the oil is hot enough. If you see bubbles, the oil is ready. Carefully add the potatoes to the oil and cook until they have a golden brown color. Then use a spider strainer to remove the potatoes from the oil and place on a mesh rack.
5. At this point, the meat is done, and most of the fluid should have evaporated from the meat (See video demonstration for a visual; Note: if there is still too much fluid let the meat continue to cook for another 5 minutes). Add the potatoes to the meat and mix. Then serve the meat with a side of rice or whatever you’d like.  

Fufu de Platano (Mashed Plantains)

I know what some people may be thinking…. “another recipe using plantains?!” Well, yes. This is another recipe that uses ripe plantains. However, unlike the other recipes I’ve posted, fufu de platano involves the boiling and mashing of the plantains. Having plantains as a side dish is very common in my family, and fufu de platano is a favorite, especially the way my Abuela always made it. She always used ripe plantains and added chicharrónes to the mashed plantains, so you get a saltiness from the chicharrónes contrasting with the sweetness of the mashed plantains! Suffice to say, fufu de platano tastes amazing! Therefore, it should be no surprise that my recipe is based on my Abuela’s, because there is no need to change a good thing! This recipe is very simple, uses few ingredients, is a great side dish for any meal, and tastes amazing! You can also leave out the chicharrónes to make the dish vegan- or vegetarian-friendly. So have fun trying out this recipe, and enjoy! 

Fufu de Platano (Mashed Plantains) Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of pork fat
• 4 yellow, ripe plantains
• 6 pinches of salt

TOOLS NEEDED:

• 1 medium-sized pot and 1 small pot
• A masher
• A large mixing bowl
• A knife, fork, and cutting board

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Peel the plantains and cut them diagonally into large chunks, roughly 2 to 3 inches thick. Take the pork fat and cut into ¼ inch strips. Then cut into ¼ inch cubes.
2. In a medium-sized pot, fill the pot at least halfway with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Then add the plantain slices to the pot and let boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are fork tender.
3. In a small pot, put the cubed pork fat, sprinkle with about 6 pinches of salt, stir the pot to evenly distribute the salt, and cook on high heat until the fat has completely reduced and turned a golden brown color (see video demonstration for a visual; NOTE: cutting the pork fat into strips and cubes is easier if you freeze the fat first, then partially thaw it out).
4. Remove the chicharrónes (fried pork fat) from the pot with a strainer, place on a plate, and set aside for later.
5. After 20 minutes the plantains should be ready (NOTE: use a fork to test if the plantains are soft enough. If the fork pokes through easily, the plantains are ready). Drain the water from the pot or use a strainer to remove the plantains from the water.  Then place the plantains in a large mixing bowl.
6. Now, mash the plantains with a masher until it is finely mashed. Then use a fork to get it as refined as possible with little to no lumps (Note: if you don’t have a masher, you can just use a fork for this step).
7. Next, add the chicharrónes (fried pork fat) to the plantains and mix thoroughly to evenly distribute them in the mashed plantains. Then it is done and can be served (Note: I suggest adding the chicharrónes to the plantains right before you are going to serve the fufu so that the chicharrónes don’t get soggy).

Sopa de Garbanzos (Chickpea Soup)

Sopa de garbanzos is one of those foods that holds a special place in my heart. It makes me think of the times we would visit my Abuela’s house, and she made a big pot of garbanzo soup for us all to share. Just the smell of the soup was heavenly, and the taste divine. Suffice to say, my version of sopa de garbanzos is based on my Mother’s and Abuela’s recipes. This is the type of recipe that is very simple and efficient because all the ingredients are put into a single pot and left to cook. Little effort is required, yet the outcome is a hearty soup that is rich in flavor! This soup tastes great as is, served with a side of bread to dunk in the soup, or served with white rice. I really love Sopa de garbanzos, so have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Sopa de Garbanzos Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 3lbs of ham shank or butt (preferably with a bone)
• 1 large-sized onion
• 1 medium-sized red pepper
• 1 packet of sazón con azafran or ½ tablespoon saffron
• 45 oz of garbanzo beans (canned or dry)
• 1 teaspoon of salt (Note: the ham has salt, so don't add too much additional salt)
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 13 cups of water
• ¼ teaspoon of oregano

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect ingredients. Finely chop the onions in a food processor or by hand. Cut the red pepper into long strips about a ¼ inch thick.
2. To a large pot, add the ham in one large piece (not cut up), the onion, red pepper, garbanzos, saffron, garlic powder, salt, and oregano. Then add enough water to the pot leaving at least an inch of space empty on the top of the pot. Stir the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 2 hours with the lid skewed on the top of the pot.
4. Now add about 2 cups of water and let cool for another 30 minutes.
5. Turn off the soup. Remove the ham from the soup, place on a cutting board, and let cool for a few minutes. Then use a knife to remove the ham meat from the bone along with any cartilage or fat pieces. Discard the bone, cartilage, and fat.  Then cut the ham into medium or small chunks and put the meat back in the soup.  Now the soup is ready to serve!

Cuban-Style Shrimp

I am a big fan of seafood. I really love it, and one of my all-time favorite seafood dishes is the Cuban-style shrimp made by my mother and Abuela. Not only are the shrimp cooked to perfection, but the sauce is heavenly! There is nothing like eating a plate of Cuban-style shrimp with a side of white rice to mix with the sauce or dunking a piece of bread in the sauce. You can even serve it with pasta or use it to make a shrimp pizza (YUM!). It is just amazing! What makes it even better is how simple the recipe is and how quick it is to make. Yet, it has a bold flavor that will make people think it took hours and a lot of work to make! This recipe is one of the gems I learned from my mother and Abuela, so have fun trying this recipe and enjoy!  

Cuban-Style Shrimp Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs of shrimp (use fresh or frozen raw shrimp)
•  ¾ of a large red pepper
• 1 large onion
• 32 oz of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 packet of sazón con asafran or ½ tablespoon saffron

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Finely chop the onions in a food processor or by hand. Slice the red pepper into long strips about ½ inches wide. Clean the shrimp by removing the shells and deveining the shrimp.
2. In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat on high heat.
3. Now add the shrimp, onion, red pepper, salt and garlic powder to the pot and sauté until the shrimp begin to turn pink.
4. Next, add the saffron and tomato sauce to the pot and mix thoroughly.  Then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 25 to 30 minutes, but stir the pot occasionally throughout the cooking process.
5. Once the shrimp and red peppers are fork tender, the shrimps are done and can be served.

Tostones

One of the best side dishes to any Cuban meal are plantains as they can be made in a variety of ways. I’ve already posted a recipe for how to make platanos maduros, which are made with ripe plantains, and a recipe for plantain chips using green plantains. And another great way to make plantains is to make tostones using green, unripe plantains. In fact, tostones can be made using plantains that are green all the way to starting to turn yellow but are still firm. Very ripened plantains, like the kind you want for platanos maduros, won’t work for tostones. Tostones are really great because they can be eaten as is, lightly salted, or can be added to soups, roasts, and stews. Moreover, they are very simple and inexpensive to make, so have fun trying out this recipe and enjoy! 

   

Tostones Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more green plantains (you can use plantains that are firm and just starting to turn yellow)
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A frying pan or small pot
• A knife and cutting board
• Forks or spatula for flipping and removing plantains from the oil
• Wire strainer

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. First, peel the plantains, cut into slices 1 inch thick, and reserve the peel for later (see video demonstration for further detail).
2. Fill a pot or frying pan with oil at least 2 inches deep. Heat the oil on high heat.
3. Once hot enough, carefully place the plantain slices in the pot/pan, so they are not overlapping. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the plantains for 2 minutes. Then flip the pieces over and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until they start to have a golden yellow color. Remove the plantains from the pot/pan and place on a plate.
4. Now take the plantain peel, place one cooked plantain piece on the peel, fold the peel over, and press down over the plantain slice with the palm of your hand. You want to squash and flatten the plantain a bit so that the slices are about ¼ inch thick (see video demonstration for visual). Repeat the process for the rest of the plantain pieces.
5. Next, place the plantains back into the oil and cook on medium-high heat for about 1 minute and 30 seconds flipping the tostones over ½ way through the cooking process. Cook the tostones until they are golden brown. Then remove the tostones from the oil, place on a plate, add a little salt over them (if you want), and serve!

***NOTE: The plantains will continue to cook once they are removed from the frying pan,

so remove them when they are starting to turn golden brown to avoid overcooking or burning     

them.

Arroz con Pollo

Another viewer of mine requested an arroz con pollo recipe because they fell in love with the dish while vacationing in the Caribbean. And, well, I can’t really blame them, as arroz con pollo is one of my favorite dishes, especially when made by my Abuela! It is one of those dishes that is truly comforting to eat, and the taste is absolutely amazing! So, it should be of no surprise that my recipe is based on my Abuela’s recipe. The great part about arroz con pollo is that it is a one-pot wonder, which results in a complete meal of chicken and rice. The rice is extremely flavorful due to the blending of flavors of the freshly made chicken broth, small peas, roasted red peppers, and the addition of beer! Making fresh chicken broth and the inclusion of beer is really important as it gives the rice that distinct arroz con pollo flavor. The chicken also ends up extremely flavorful and moist. Overall, arroz con pollo is not difficult to make, and it is an incredibly satisfying meal, so have fun trying this recipe and enjoy!

Arroz con Pollo Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 lbs of chicken
• 2 medium-sized red peppers
• 2 medium-sized onion
• 3 cups of long grain rice (or medium grain rice)
• 7 cups of water
• 1 ³/₄ tbsp garlic powder
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 packet of sazón con asafran or ½ tablespoon saffron
• ½ cup of tomato sauce 
• 1 bottle of beer (about 1 ½ cups)
• 5 oz bottle of fancy pimentos/roasted red pepper, the water drained 
• 1, 15 oz can of very young small sweet peas 
• ¼ cup of olive oil 
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil 

·     

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• Fork, knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Remove the skin from the chicken (Note: if you use leg quarters or a whole chicken you need to cut the chicken into pieces and remove the rib ends along with the skin, so you don't get any loose bones in the chicken broth being created).
2. Finely chop the onions in a food processor or by hand. Slice the red peppers into long strips, 1-inch wide.
3. In a large, deep pot, put 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and spread around the pot. Heat on high heat, add the chicken to the pot, and brown the chicken on all sides. Then remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
4. Next, add the olive oil to the pot along with the onion and red pepper, and saute for 1 minute.  Then, add the tomato sauce and saute for 30 to 40 seconds.
5. Now add the chicken back to the pot, then add the water and stir to loosen up the bottom of the pot. Next add the salt, garlic powder, and saffron and mix. Bring the pot to a boil on high heat and let cook for 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 40 to 50 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken and red peppers from the pot and about 1 ½ cups of the fluid and reserve for later. Rinse the rice 3 times with water and drain the water each time. Then add the rice to the pot, stir to evenly distribute the rice in the broth, and let cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
7. Now loosen the rice with a fork, add the beer, and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked, not hard (Note: if the rice is still hard, add some of the reserved broth ¼ cup at a time. If the rice seems too wet, let cook for 5 minutes or more with the pot uncovered).
8. Once the rice is fully cooked, reduce the heat to as low as possible with the stove top still being on. Then add the peas to the rice and gently mix them in. Next, create pockets in the rice and add the chicken to the rice. Then top the rice with the red pepper and pimentos (Note: I suggest removing the skins from the red pepper using a thin knife, but it's not entirely necessary. Most of the skins should have separated from the peppers anyway so it should be easy to remove them). Let the rice sit on the stove top on the lowest setting for 5 minutes. The chicken, peppers, and peas should be warmed up, and the flavors will meld together. Then the rice is ready to serve!

Cuban Empanadas

One of my viewers requested for me to post a Cuban Empanada recipe, so I figured why not! Empanadas are really delicious and can be made in a variety of ways. However, the Cuban empanadas made amongst my family are fried (not baked) because they did not have access to an oven while living in Cuba. I will be providing some instructions on how to bake these empanadas to give you a few options. There is also a lot of variability in how to fill the empanadas. Filling empanadas with picadillo or guava are commonplace, but you can really fill these with whatever you want -ropa vieja, pollo en salsa, Cuban-style shrimp, etc. Just get as creative as you'd like! For this recipe, I am focusing on empanadas filled with picadillo. The empanadas are medium-large sized, about 6 inches by 4 inches, so you can choose to make them smaller or larger. Furthermore, the empanadas are light, flaky, and a bit crunchy with a slightly salty and sweet meat filling. The filling complements the outer shell of the empanada perfectly! So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy!

Cuban Empanadas Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

For the Picadillo/Meat Filling:

• 1 lbs of ground beef
• ½ of a large red pepper
• 1 medium-sized onion
• ¹/₃ of a 5.75oz jar of green olives
• 1 cup of raisins
• ¾ tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 packet of sazón con asafran or ½ tablespoon saffron

For the Empanada Dough:

•  2 ½ cups of flour
• ¹/₃ cup of shortening
• ²/₃  cup of cold (ice) water plus ¼ cup extra
• 1 ¼ tsp of salt

For frying:

• vegetable or corn oil (a few cups or more depending on the size of your pot)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium-sized pot
• Rolling pin
• Fork, knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Prepare the empanada dough first. Put the flour in a medium-sized bowl, add the salt, and whisk to loosen the flour and evenly distribute the salt. Then cut the shortening into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse grains. Next, add in the water a few tablespoons at a time and use a fork to mix. Continue to do this until all the water is added and the mixture formed large chunks. Now use your hands to press the mixture together into one large ball that stays together. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap, then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. While waiting make the meat filling.
2. Collect the ingredients. Soak the raisins in water for about 20 minutes (put enough water so that the raisins are covered, the water will be discarded anyway. You can set the raisins to soak before making the empanada dough). Finely chop the red pepper, and onion with a food processor. Cut the green olives in half or in thirds.
3. Put the meat in a large pot, break up the meat, and cook on high heat to lightly brown the meat, but continue to stir and break up the meat. You don't want there to be clumps, it should be very refined.
4. Next, add the red pepper and onion to the meat and mix. Add the seasonings, raisins, and olives to the meat and mix thoroughly. Then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Now turn off the heat and start rolling out the empanada dough.
5. Take the empanada dough out of the refrigerator and separate into 1 <iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="//www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x6i6mg5" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay"></iframe> ½ inch balls (about 12 to 13).
6. Now on a lightly floured surface, take one of the dough balls and roll it out to be 1/16th of an inch thick (very thin) by 7 inches in diameter. Make sure to keep it relatively circular, but any imperfections can be trimmed later. Add 5 or 6 tablespoons of the meat filling to the center, then wet the edges of the dough all around the meat and fold over the dough pressing from the meat outward to avoid getting air trapped inside and fully seal the empanada. Now use a fork to crimp the flat edge of the empanada which also helps seal it, and use a knife to even out the edges. Repeat the process for all the empanadas (Note: you can take the scraps and any excess dough, roll it out, cut into smaller pieces, and fry it as is, flat, without any filling, which tastes great with just a bit of powdered sugar and cinnamon)!
7. Now we can fry the empanadas. Take a medium-sized, deep pot, fill with at least 2 ½ inches of vegetable oil, and heat on high heat. You can use a small piece of the empanada dough to check if the oil is hot enough. If you see bubbles, the oil is ready.
8. Carefully, place one empanada in the oil (you can use a spatula to place the empanada in the oil to avoid splashing the oil) then let cook on each side for about 1 minute or until the outside is light brown then remove from the oil and place on a wire rack (Note: the first empanada will take longer to cook, and the rest will cook extremely fast). For the remaining empanadas reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 20 seconds on each side or until they are starting to turn light brown and remove from the oil and place on a wire rack (Note: the empanadas will continue to cook once removed from the oil and should end up a golden color, so don't overcook them in the oil; see video for visual).
9. Once all of the empanadas are fried, they can be served!

Note: you can also bake the empanadas if you want....just bake them at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes on each side or until they brown. Be sure to flip the empanadas over halfway into the cooking process.