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).

Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

There is nothing like having a bowl of cream of (insert whatever vegetable name here) soup. I love soups that are thick and have the body to them. Unfortunately, I am sensitive to dairy and have to limit how much dairy I eat, which can be very difficult at times. However, I’ve managed to create a recipe for cream of mushroom soup that tastes just like the dairy version but is actually dairy-free. This soup comes out thick and creamy in texture with a strong mushroom flavor. It is also a great option to eat when doing a liquid detox because it is very hardy and satisfying. My mushroom soup recipe is also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free friendly; requires few ingredients, and is quite simple to make. So have fun trying out this recipe, and enjoy!   

Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 48 oz of baby bella mushrooms
• 7 cups of water
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 1 cup rolled oats, finely ground
• 4 teaspoons of onion powder
• 4 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 2 ½ teaspoons of salt
• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A frying or sauté pan
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor

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. Finely grind the rolled oats in a food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency. Take ¾ths of the mushrooms and cut them into ¼ inch cubes. Then take the remaining ¼ of mushrooms and cut into slices ¼ inch thick.
2. In a large pot, add the onions, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and cook the onions on high heat, with the pot covered, until the onions are translucent. Be sure to stir the pot occasionally.
3. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes with the pot covered stirring occasionally until the mushrooms begin to brown, have released some fluids and reduced in volume by half.
4. Now add the ground oats to the mushrooms and mix thoroughly. Then add the water to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, and let cook for 20 minutes with the pot covered stirring occasionally.
6. While waiting, sauté the sliced mushrooms in a frying pan. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat on high heat. Then add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Next, add a pinch or two of salt to the mushrooms and continue to sauté for a few minutes until the mushrooms have browned (See video demonstration for a visual). Turn off the stove and set the mushrooms aside for later.
7. After cooking for 20 minutes, the oats in the soup should have completely dissolved, and the soup should have thickened. Now season the soup with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper and stir thoroughly (Note: don’t over season the soup at this point as the soup still needs to cook an additional 10 minutes).
8. Next, add some of the sautéed mushrooms to the soup. You can reserve some of the mushrooms to place on top of the soup if you want. Then stir the soup and let cook for another 5 minutes.
9. At this point, the soup is done. You can add more salt and pepper to taste if you’d like and then the soup can be served!

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.

Cuban-Style Chicken Croquettes

Another great recipe for using pre-cooked or leftover chicken is to make croquettes! I absolutely love the Cuban chicken croquettes my abuela and mother make, especially with a side of chicken soup loaded with fideos. Actually, my nephews and niece go crazy for my mom’s chicken croquettes, which they adorably dubbed “chicken nutties,” because they taste that good! So, it should be no surprise that the chicken croquette recipe I am sharing is a family recipe. There are actually different ways to make Cuban-style croquettes as there are various ingredient combinations that can be used for the filling.  However, this recipe will focus on a basic chicken croquette. In my family, the croquettes are made alongside sopa de pollo (recipe for Cuban chicken soup here), because the chicken used to make the soup is taken out and converted into croquettes. My family’s croquette and soup recipe is very economical as 3 lbs of chicken makes a large quantity of soup and a dozen relatively large croquettes (or even more if made smaller). This is a typical cooking strategy in Cuban cuisine as it helps get the most out of a minimal amount of ingredients, particularly if your access to food is limited. The croquettes are quite simple to make, and provide a different way to eat chicken that is delicious! The crunchiness of the coating of the croquettes offers the perfect textural contrast to the soft, moist, and smoothness of the chicken filling. So have fun trying out this recipe and enjoy! 

Cuban-Style Chicken Croquette Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds of chicken, cooked and then ground 
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 cup of homemade soup broth (recipe found here) or you can use premade canned or cartooned soup broth
• 1 cup breadcrumbs plain, unseasoned (you can use seasoned if you want)
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup of milk

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A frying pan
• A food processor
• 1 medium-sized mixing bowl, 2 dishes at least 1 ½ inches deep, and 1 dish or tray to place the croquettes
• A wire rack
• Utensils (e.g., forks, spoon, tongs)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS     

    

                                                                  

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

1. Collect ingredients. First, take the cooked chicken, and remove the bones, skin, and any cartilage. Then finely grind the chicken meat with a food processor.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, put the ground chicken and add the garlic powder, salt, and onion powder. Give it a quick mix. Then add the chicken broth and mix until the chicken mixture has a smooth (not pasty) consistency. (Note: You can add additional broth if needed, but you don’t want the chicken mixture to be too wet, or the croquettes won’t hold their shape or stay crispy once fried.
3. Next, set up a breading station with the chicken mixture, breadcrumbs, egg mixture, and a tray or dish to place the croquettes.
4. First, take a few (3 or 4 tablespoons) of chicken mixture and use your hands to form it into a small log/cylinder about 2 ½ inches long by 1 inch in diameter. Then coat the croquette thoroughly, on all sides with the breadcrumb, and place on a tray or plate. Repeat the process for the rest of the chicken mixture.
5. Now, coat the croquettes a second time. First, use a fork and a spoon to fully coat the croquette in the egg-milk mixture. Next, move the croquette to the breadcrumb and coat thoroughly on all sides. Then place the croquette on your tray or dish. Repeat the process for the rest of the croquettes.
6. Let the croquettes rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before frying (Note: This is an important step, as it helps dry out some of the moisture from the egg in the coating of the croquettes, and make the croquettes crispy once fried).
7. Put oil about a ½ inch deep in a frying pan and heat on high heat. Use a few breadcrumbs to test if the oil is hot enough. If you see bubbles, the oil is ready, and you can begin frying the croquettes.
8. Reduce the heat to medium-high (about a setting of 8), then place the croquettes in the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan as you need room to roll the croquettes to fry them on all sides. Cook the croquettes on each side for about 20 to 25 seconds or until golden brown (Note: the first croquettes put in the frying pan may take longer to brown on the first side, about for 35 to 40 seconds). Continue rotating the croquettes until all sides are golden brown or brown. For the small ends, you can either spoon some oil over the ends or stand the croquettes up using utensils, and hold it in the oil for 20 seconds. Once finished frying, remove the croquettes from the oil and place them on a wire rack. Repeat the process for all of the croquettes. Then place on a plate and serve.

Pasta Dough

Growing up in a Cuban-Italian household, I was exposed to Italian cuisine as much as I was to Cuban cuisine. I think when people think of Italian food, pasta is one of the first things to come to mind. Pasta is a simple and affordable meal option for many people. Moreover, pasta can be accompanied by  a variety of foods and sauces. It is also a great way to add bulk to a meal to feed large families or gatherings of friends. While boxed pasta is a great and affordable option, there is something really special about fresh pasta made at home. The texture is super silky, and the taste is wonderful! There really is a significant difference between fresh and boxed dried pasta. The convenience of boxed pasta is great. However, if you are looking to make a special meal, fresh pasta is the way to go, because the taste and texture are amazing! To make fresh pasta dough, you only need a few basic ingredients, so it is still quite affordable, very tasty, and so simple to make! You can also turn the dough into whatever pasta you want! You can even use it to make pasta for lasagna or ravioli. So have fun giving this recipe a try!

Pasta Dough Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour (or use 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour and 1 ½ cups of 00 flour)
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Cutting board, plastic wrap, and metal scraper.
• Pasta maker, manual or mechanical (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS         

                                                                           

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

1. Collect ingredients. Stir the flour in a bowl using a whisk to loosen up the flour.
2. Dump the flour onto your work surface, form it into a mound, and create a well (large hole) in the center.
3. Next, add half of the eggs (and olive oil) in the well you created. Then use a fork to beat the eggs together and begin to incorporate some of the flour from the inner rim of the well. As you mix the eggs with one hand, use your other hand to push the flour to maintain the well shape. When the egg has a paste-like consistency, add the rest of the eggs and continue to use a fork to slowly incorporate the flour.
4. The dough will start to come together once most of the flour is incorporated with the egg. At this point, start kneading the dough using the palms of your hands to push the dough out on the work surface and fold over (see video demonstration for visual). Once the dough is a cohesive mass, set it aside. Then scrape any dried bits from the work surface and discard.
5. On a lightly floured surface, take the pasta dough and continue kneading for 5 minutes. The dough should end up slightly sticky and elastic, meaning if you press down lightly on the dough you should see it spring back a little.
6. Now wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (Note: the dough needs to be completely covered in plastic wrap as air will cause the dough to dry out). 
7. Once the dough is rested, it can be used to make pasta using a pasta maker or rolling the dough out and cutting the pasta by hand.  

Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips)

Plantains are a great and versatile produce that also happen to be quite inexpensive.  One great way of making green plantains is to make plantain chips or what is called mariquitas de platano. You want to make sure you use green plantains to make mariquitas de platano as ripened (yellow or black) plantains will end up soggy. These chips are simple to make and very delicious. Everyone in my family loves these because the chips are light and crispy! Also, they pair well with a variety of food and can be eaten as a side dish or as a snack. This is another vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, and gluten free friendly food. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Mariquitas de Platano (Plantain Chips) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more green plantains
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying
• Salt to taste (optional)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Food processor slicer for a standard mixer or handheld slicer
• A small/medium pot, knife, cutting board, and wire strainer

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS             
                                 

                                                                         

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

1. Collect the ingredients. Peel the plantain(s) and cut it in half (Depending on the size of the plantain, the pieces should be 4 ¼ to 5 inches in size) 
2. Slice the plantains using a food processor, standard mixer attachment, or handheld (mandoline) slicer. If you have none of those, you could also use a peeler. The pieces should be thin, about 1 to 2 mm thick. 
3. Now put oil in a pot about 1 inch deep. Heat the oil on high heat and use a plantain slice to check if the oil is hot enough. If the oil bubbles, the oil is ready.  
4. Reduce the heat to medium-high and begin frying the plantains. Make sure you separate the plantain slices when placing them in the frying pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan or let the plantain slices overlap or they will clump and get stuck together. Cook the plantain slices for about 20 seconds or remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown. (Note: the plantain slices will cook very quickly in the oil and will continue to cook once removed from the oil, so be sure to remove them from the oil when the edges begin to brown). Use a wire or mesh spider strainer to remove the plantains from the oil and place on a plate/tray covered with paper towels. Once finished frying, the plantains are ready to serve. The plantains can also be saved to eat later or at any time as a snack.  

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

With the holidays approaching, it conjures thoughts of all the traditional dishes my Cuban family eats during our Christmas Eve meal. One main side dish that is served is frijoles negros (black beans), which goes really well with the roasted pork, yucca, white rice, fufu (mashed plantains), and shrimp served for the holiday meal.  However, black beans are an amazing recipe that makes for a simple, hardy, and healthy meal for any day of the year, not just holidays! This also happens to be a great vegan- and vegetarian-friendly recipe. It’s also gluten and dairy free! Black beans are simple, inexpensive to make, healthy, and delicious! So have fun giving this recipe a try and enjoy!   

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb (16 oz bag) of dry black beans
• 1 medium-sized green pepper
• 1 large onion
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon of salt
• 5 cups of water plus 2 cups of water to add later as needed

TOOLS NEEDED:

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

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

                                                                  

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

1. Collect the ingredients. First, put the dry black beans in a pot. Then rinse the beans three times with water, draining the water each time. Next fill the pot halfway, with about 5 cups of water, and let the beans soak for at least 2 hours or just let them soak overnight.   
2. Now finely chop the onion and green pepper in a food processor.
3. Once the beans finish soaking, add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cumin to the pot with the beans and water. Place the pot covered on the stove and bring to a boil on high heat. Then lower to medium-high heat and let boil for 5 minutes with the lid slightly uncovered. 
4. Next, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes (Note: The timing could be different based on the brand of beans used and how long you soaked the beans).
5. By this point, the fluid should have reduced. Add 2 cups of water and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
6. Now take a large stirring spoon and squash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup/liquid part of the beans (Note: Squash the beans until you get a thickness you like; watch the video demonstration for a visual/more details). Then reduce the heat to low and let cook for 15 minutes.  After that, the beans are ready to serve! 
   

Platanos Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)

Plantains are a very versatile and cheap food item. There are so many Cuban recipes involving plantains that vary in their preparation. One of my absolute favorite ways to make plantains is to fry very ripened plantains into what is called Platanos Maduros.  Plantains can range in color from green (unripened and not sweet) to yellow (ripe and somewhat sweet), and all the way to black (extremely ripe and sweet). For platanos maduros, you want to use ripe plantains that are at least yellow and beginning to turn brown or black. The darker (browner) the plantain, the better because they will taste very sweet when cooked, which is what you want for making platanos maduros (fried sweet plantains). What I love about platanos maduros is that they perfectly complement a vast amount of main dishes in Cuban cooking. The sweetness of the platanos maduros offers a counterpoint to many of the salty and savory flavored dishes of Cuban cuisine, which makes any meal feel complete and incredibly satisfying.  The fact that plantains are very affordable and the recipe for platanos maduros is quite simple, makes them a great side dish for any meal, even recipes outside of Cuban cuisine.  So give this recipe a try, have fun, and enjoy!

Platanos Maduros Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 or more Yellow ripened plantains that are turning brown/black
• Corn or vegetable oil for frying

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A frying pan
• A knife for cutting
• Forks or spatula to flipping and removing plantains from oil

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

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

1. First, peel the plantains and cut diagonally with a knife into slices 3/4th of an inch thick (see video demonstration for further detail).
2. Fill a frying pan with oil at least a 1/2 inch deep. 
3. Heat the oil on high and once hot enough, carefully place the plantain slices in the frying pan, so they are not overlapping. Cook on one side for 1 minute and 30 seconds, until golden brown or browned. Reduce the heat to medium-high and flip the plantains over to cook on the reverse side for 1 minute and 30 seconds, until golden brown or browned. If needed, flip over one more time and cook each side for an additional 10 to 15 seconds. You just want the platanos maduros to be in the range of being golden brown to brown. Some of the edges may blacken, but that is okay as the flavor will still be amazing. Once done frying, remove the plantains from the oil and place on a plate to serve. 

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

so remove them when they are browned to avoid burning them.

***NOTE: Also, monitor the heat of the oil throughout the cooking process as the natural

sugars from the plantains can make them burn rapidly. If the oil looks like it is getting too hot reduce the heat. If the oil begins to smoke remove the frying pan from the heat. Try to avoid the oil getting to the point of smoking as the plantains will burn quickly.