The Cuban Arroz Con Pollo

Pin It

Arroz con Pollo  is one of the most traditional and beloved of all Cuban recipes.  It is usually served for Sunday lunch,  family gatherings and festive events.  Contrary to what you might think, it is not a hard dish to make and that is perhaps one of its major appeals.

I confess that I was a bit scared to try it myself as, for years, it had been the domain of one of my aunts.  Whenever one of us wanted to have it,  all we had to do was ring her up.  No way would any of us step up to the plate.  A couple of months ago my nephew came up for a visit and begged me to make his favorite dish.  Maybe it was the vodka, or the fact that it had been a long time since I had it,  but it was time for one of us to man up and meet the challenge.  So the next day, with my aunt on the line every step of the way, I finally conquered the fear and can now say that the "torch has been passed to a new generation."  Phewey!!

As with black beans, every Cuban cook has his or her own version of this famous recipe.  Aside from the chicken and the Cuban sofrito, the traditional ingredients are saffron, Valencia rice, pimentos and peas.  My grandmother also added canned asparagus to finish the dish and my aunt adds a bit of pimenton to the rice.  This is a new twist and a welcomed addition.  Pimenton is one of the key ingredients of the Spanish paella and it definitely adds depth to the flavor of the rice. Wine is not traditional and beer is debatable, but they also add to the flavor and I would not omit.  Just like I add a dash of vodka on the rocks at the end of some of my recipes,  I am sure there was a time when some Cuban did the same with the beer he had been drinking and that's how it became a part of the recipe.

Last December,  for the second time since I've been in Georgia, I invited my son's in laws for a family gathering on the Sunday before Christmas.  The first year I served them the Roast Pork and the Cuban Black Beans with a Flan for dessert.  This year they had the Arroz Con Pollo with Fried Bananas, Avocado and Pineapple Salad and mother's Merengon for dessert.  I am flattered my daughter in law's grandmother asked me for the recipe.  Not only is she a fabulous cook but also one of the most gracious and charming of Southern ladies and the epitome of the old South.  It is a pleasure to share this recipe with her.

Cook's Notes:

The recipe is for 8 to 10 servings.

I usually figure on a cup of rice for 3 people and a piece and a half of chicken each.

It is best to buy a whole chicken and cut it up, as the pieces will be uniform in size.  If you buy pieces, buy legs and thighs, bone in and skin on, as they have more flavor.  Don't use breasts as the meat is too dry.  If you must, only add a breast or two and cut them in half.

Valencia rice can be found in most supermarkets.  I buy mine at Publix under the brand Mahatma.

Saffron can be found sometimes in the Latin section of the supermarket for less than you would normally pay in the Spices section.

If you cannot find pimentos unsliced in a jar, look for roasted red peppers.

Try to use Spanish olive oil.  Remember what grows together goes together and olive oils differ in taste.

Pimenton is Spanish paprika and can be found in Specialty stores.  I buy mine at HomeGoods!  Don't substitute with regular or Hungarian paprika.

Buy the canned small peas and white or green asparagus, not frozen.

Arroz Con Pollo A La Chorrera

    

Ingredients

12 pieces of chicken, bone in and skin on, preferrably legs and thighs
Spanish olive oil
1 large onion diced
1 green pepper diced
3 lg cloves of garlic, mashed and finely diced
2 laurel leaves
1/2 tsp. Pimenton de la Vera (Spanish Paprika) 
1/2 cup Pomi tomatoes crushed
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp saffron threads
2 1/2 cups Valencia rice
5 cups good chicken stock heated
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can or bottle of beer (I used Heineken, but any good beer, not lite, will do)
1 can whole Pimentos
1 large can small Petite Peas (I use Le Seur)
1 jar or can white or green asparagus

 Directions:

Marinade the chicken in lemon juice, sliced onions and some garlic at least for a couple of hours.  Remove from the marinade and dry in paper towels before browning.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the saffron.  Turn off but keep warm.

In an oven proof deep skillet add 3 TB olive oil and slightly brown the chicken.  Remove to a plate.

In the same skillet make a sofrito by adding the onions, green peppers, garlic and bay leaves.  Cook until the onions are translucent.  Add the wine and 1 cup of the heated  broth and saffron. Bring to a boil,  Reduce the temperature to medium and add the Pomi tomatoes.   Add the chicken and braise until tender and almost cooked.

Taste the sauce and correct for salt and pepper.

Add the rice, a pinch of pimenton and the remaining 3 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil.  Place in the preheated oven and cook until the rice is almost done.  Add  half of the beer and continue cooking.  If the rice absorbs most of the beer and is still hard, add the other half and continue cooking until done.  You want to make sure the rice is tender and moist  and the consistency is similar to that of a risotto.  Cooking time is approximately 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven.  Cover the top with the pimentos halved, the petit pois and the asparagus in a decorative way.

All photos Lindaraxa 

How To Make The Perfect White Rice

Pin It

My daughter laughed when I told her my first recipe in this blog was going to be for white rice..then a long silence. That was 3 years ago, almost to the day, and I still haven't published that post. Today, after three long years and almost 600 recipes I am going to do so.

It took me years to come up with the perfect method for cooking rice seeing that I always cooked it the way my mother does, and although she's a fabulous cook, she's a terrible rice maker.  Making good white rice is not as easy as it seems.  It is an art and the mark of a good Latin cook.  Believe me, I have had my share of bad ones and very seldom have I experienced the real thing.  The quality of the rice, the amount of water and the pot used to cook the rice are the most important equations in achieving perfection. And no, a rice maker won't do the trick, it will just make you a good amateur rice maker.

Unlike Chinese or Japanese white rice, boiled white rice as eaten in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East should not be sticky.  Asian rice is sticky for a reason...so that you can easily pick it up with chopsticks!  The only time I increase the water to twice the amount of rice and cook it covered until done is when I make it to accompany Chinese food.  For all others I use the quantities and method a specified below.

To begin with,  I never use Uncle Ben's rice. When we first came to this country in the 60's that is all we could find in the grocery stores.  Then I moved to Miami in the mid 90's and discovered Mahatma, which is what most Latin cooks have been using for years.  Luckily, you can find it in any grocery store nowadays.

Second, I use less water than usual, and third but most important, I cook it uncovered for the first few minutes until the water is almost all absorbed and then cover and continue cooking in low heat until the rice is done. A Colombian cook showed me this method and she used to make the best rice I have ever tasted.

As to the right pot, there is only one.  A caldero is a cast iron cooking pot, similar to a Dutch oven, with a tight-fitting lid. It is used to cook rice, braise meat, and simmer stews and soups.  It is indispensable not only in the making of rice but for anyone interested in making good Latin food.  If you live in Miami, you can find them everywhere including Publix supermarkets.  You can also order them online through Amazon here, but do not order the set of 3, they are not made of cast iron aluminum.. 

18 centimeter cast aluminum caldero by Imusa

Calderos are a wonderful and inexpensive alternative to Le Cresuet braisers and if you need to put them in the oven just cover the plastic black button on top of the lid with aluminum foil.  It works! The 18 centimeter size is the one I use most often.  It is perfect for 1 to 1/2 cups of rice.

Latin cooks will have as many as four Calderos in varying sizes and prefer those made of cast aluminum because it gets seasoned with use. A seasoned Caldero is as personal to a Latin cook as a baseball mitt is to a ball player or a wok to a Chinese cook. Most use their caldero daily.

Oh, and one last thing, do not wash the rice before cooking!




Here are the measurements for 1 cup of rice which serves 3-4 people.

1 1/2 C of water
1 tsp. canola or other neutral oil or butter (i use the latter)
1/2 tsp salt
1 C Mahatma Rice

In a saucepan with a covered lid or caldero bring the water, salt and butter to a boil.  Add rice, stir with a fork to ensure rice is level  and covered in water and lower temperature to low.  Cook uncovered until half the water is absorbed .

 Then cover and continue cooking until all the water is absorbed.*  DO NOT TOUCH THE RICE.  If you see that the rice is not fully cooked when the water is almost all absorbed, add a little more water, cover and continue cooking. 

Once rice is done, lift cover, fluff with a FORK and remove from the stove.   Let all the steam come out. You can place the cover back after a couple of minutes to keep warm.  Rice should be served immediately after it's done.

Perfect!

*Some cooks place a folded paper towel between the rice and the lid in the last minutes of cooking. This helps to absorb extra moisture

Photo #1 Getty
All others Lindaraxa

The Classic Cuban Bistec de Palomilla

Pin It

Classic Cuban food is really unsophisticated and simple.  It is spicy but by that I do not mean it's hot. Onions, green peppers, and garlic are the key ingredients in a traditional Cuban sofrito, sometimes with the addition of tomato paste, parsley or lime.

Bistec de Palomilla is one of the most traditional Cuban recipes, right up there with black beans and roast pork.  It is found in every Cuban restaurant you will ever visit.   Usually when I'm not sure about the caliber of the food in a new Cuban restaurant, this is what I order and I'm seldom wrong.  If the palomilla is not good, the rest will be inedible!

If you live anywhere outside Miami, you will find the steaks at your local supermarket labeled as top sirloin steaks. They must be very thin, no more than a quarter inch thick.  Pound them a little to get to the desired thickness,  Do not get top round steaks, they will be tough.

In Miami you will find palomilla steaks, labeled as such,  that are fairly sized and you can figure on one per person.  In the rest of the country, where you buy top sirloin steaks, they will be smaller so figure accordingly.

Another way of eating palomilla, and you must be a real Cuban for this, is to top the steaks with the raw onions and parsley instead of sauteeing them at the end.  I love it like this but certainly not if I'm planning on talking to or kissing anyone for the rest of the day.

Traditionally, palomilla is eaten with white rice and fried bananas.  Oh, and if you are a real Cuban, you will squeeze some lemon or lime juice on top before eating.  Just saying....

This is not traditional, just a bit of creativity...but soo good!

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter 3 tbsp olive oil 6 thin-sliced top sirloin steaks 4 tbsp lime or lemon juice 1 large Spanish onion (chopped) 2 garlic cloves 2 TB finely chopped parsley salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Marinade the steaks in half the chopped onion and 2 TB lime or lemon juice for an hour or two.

Mince the parsley and combine in a cup with the other half of the chopped onions.  This is one of the secrets of a good palomilla!

Heat 2 TBs olive oil and 1 TB of butter over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Mash the 2 cloves of garlic and saute in the oil for about a minute.  Remove from the oil and discard.  

Place two to three pieces of the steaks in the pan and saute on medium high for 1 minute on each side. Repeat again until all the steaks have been cooked. The steaks should be very thinly cut, so cooking time should only be a few minutes. They should end up slightly browned on the outside and medium rare inside.  If you like them medium, cook them an extra minute but not more, or you will end up with a tough palomilla and that's a no no.

Place the steaks on a paper towel covered plate and keep them warm.

Add the extra TB of oil to the pan as well as the onions from the marinade and the onion parsley combination,  2 TB lime or lemon juice and sautee for a couple of minutes. Pour over the steaks, add salt and pepper to taste and extra parsley for garnish if desired.    Serve with white rice and a lemon or lime wedge on the side.Yum!

Cuban Chinese Food...Mandarin Chicken Thighs

Pin It

This recipe derives its name from the mandarin oranges (clementines) that are prevalent in most supermarkets at this time of the year and not from the traditional dish found at most Chinese restaurants.  It is an attempt, and a very successful one at that, to use up the remains of a box that was purchased during the Christmas holiday. You could classify it as elegant leftovers or Cuban Chinese Cuisine.

I use orange juice in a lot of my recipes, particularly in chicken and pork marinades, and the addition of a small amount of lemon juice as a substitute for naranja agria or bitter orange, is very typical in many Cuban dishes, perhaps as a result of the large migration of Chinese laborers who settled in Cuba in the middle of the 19th century. 

The Chinese first arrived in Cuba in significant numbers in the late 1850s to toil in Cuba’s sugarcane fields after the abolition of slavery in England led plantation owners in Cuba to search for workers elsewhere.

China emerged as the labor source following deep social upheaval after the First and Second Opium Wars. Changes in the farming system, a surge in population growth, political discontentment, natural disasters, banditry, and ethnic strife -- especially in southern China -- led many farmers and peasants to leave China and look for work overseas. While some willingly left China for contract work in Cuba, others were coerced into semi-indentured servitude.

On June 3, 1857 the first ship arrived in Cuba carrying about 200 Chinese laborers on eight-year contracts. In many cases, these Chinese “coolies” were treated just as the African slaves were. The situation was so severe that the imperial Chinese government even sent investigators to Cuba in 1873 to look into a large number of suicides by Chinese laborers in Cuba, as well as allegations of abuse and breach of contract by plantation owners. Shortly after, the Chinese labor trade was prohibited and the last ship carrying Chinese laborers reached Cuba in 1874.

Many of these laborers intermarried with the local population of Cubans, Africans and mixed-race women, although laws forbade them to marry Spaniards. These Cuban-Chinese began to develop a distinct community. At its height, in the late 1870s, there were more than 40,000 Chinese in Cuba.

In Havana they established “El Barrio Chino” or Chinatown, which grew to 44 square blocks and was once the largest such community in Latin America. In addition to working in the fields, they opened shops, restaurants, and laundries and worked in factories. A unique fusion, Chinese Cuban cuisine melding Caribbean and Chinese flavors, also emerged. (Wikipedia)
.

Dragones Street in Havana's Chinatown

Some famous Cubans of Chinese ancestry include former dictator Fulgencio Batista and one of Cuba's foremost painters, Wilfredo Lam.

While the following recipe is my own, it melds some of the distinct characteristics that make up what is known as Cuban Chinese food.

Serves 4

Ingredients

 8 chicken thighs with skin
4 clementines or mandarin oranges
1/2 lemon
2 TB soy sauce
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic
3 TB olive oil
2 TB butter
1 laurel leaf
Salt and pepper
chopped parsley

White rice

Directions

Pat and dry the chicken thighs and place them in a bowl. Cut the mandarins in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken thighs. Do the same with the lemon.  Add the soy sauce and the chopped onion. Add the mandarin and lemon skins. Cover the bowl and marinade the chicken for a couple of hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towles.  In a skillet melt the butter and olive oil.  Brown the chicken pieces on medium high.  Remove to a plate.  Add the mashed garlic and onions from the marinade and sautee until translucent.  Add the chicken pieces back to the pan, the clementine juice as well as the skins and a laurel leaf.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender and cooked, about 30 minutes.  If the sauce begins to dry out add some water to the pan. At this point, you might also add more soy sauce if desired. When the chicken is done, uncover and add some chopped parsley on top.  Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with white rice

Photos Lindaraxa

Guess Who's Coming For Lunch...

Pin It

I guess Fall is the time of the year to entertain distinguished guests.  Almost a year ago, on a visit to New York City, I had the pleasure of cooking for my dearest friend Reggie Darling. This year, I am thrilled to be making lunch this Sunday for another dear friend, Blue from The Blue Remembered Hills,  a popular blog here in Atlanta.  Blue, the Celt and I have been meeting for dinners in several restaurants in Atlanta but this will be the first time that both of them will be entertained by Lindaraxa at her home.

Believe it or not, it is difficult to choose a menu for first time guests, particularly when they are readers of your blog.  So many things to choose from...that's what usually drives me crazy.  In Reggie's case I narrowed it down to the fact that he was coming back from a weekend at Darlington Hall and New Yorkers love nothing more than comfort food on a Sunday night.  What better than  lasagna bolognese and apple crisp for dessert.  A strange combination but apples were in season.

This time I asked the guests to choose a menu.  French, Italian, German or Cuban.  It never fails that they will opt for Cuban and seeing that it's Sunday lunch and not dinner it is the perfect choice.  So I sent another email...picadillo or pork and black beans?  They replied, both! Well, unless it's the last dinner or you are angling for cardiac arrest both is not an option.  So after much soul searching and back and forth consultations amongst each other they chose the pork and black beans.  So here's the menu:

A Cuban Lunch At The Lake

Chorizo in Sherry And Onions

Manchego Cheese

Yucca Chips

Roast Pork Tenderloin, Marinaded in Adobo Sauce 

Black Beans and White Rice

Baked Plantains with Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Sherry

Green Salad

Caramel Flan

Baked Meringues

Cuban Coffee

It is going to be a glorious day tomorrow with temperatures in the 60's and no clouds. You couldn't ask for more. Everything is ready and all that is left is a bath for Lucy, the sous chef, to meet her Scottish friends!



Who? Me? Bath? WHY???!!

 

Plates from Gien, France

photos Lindaraxa

Empanaditas de Guayaba... Baked Cuban Guava Pastries

Pin It

You could say that guava is the national fruit of Cuba.  We eat it morning, noon and night.  There is nothing like stopping at a Cuban joint mid morning and getting a cup of Cuban coffee with a small guava pastry.  I had an uncle who ate nothing else for dessert but guava paste* with cream cheese and Cuban crackers.  Every single night. My personal favorite is guava shells in syrup with cream cheese but these little guava pastries are a very close second.


Unlike the guava pastries you buy from street vendors or coffee shops which have a flaky "millefeuille" type of pastry and are called pastelitos, the ones we make at home are baked in a pie like crust...with cream cheese!  For some reason which I haven't been able to decipher, the kind sold in the streets are not made at home and these you can't find on the streets.  Go figure

This is my mother's recipe and the one I have been making for years.  It is so easy, you can make it with your eyes closed.  The only drawback is you must make the dough the day before and refrigerate for 24 hrs. If you think of them at the last minute, you can't make them that day.

Tomorrow night we have a friend of my daughter's for dinner.  He is studying at the Cordon Bleu to be a chef.  When I asked him what he wanted for dinner, without missing a beat, he said Cuban.  That is always the case when I ask and it is a wise choice.  Cuban food is at its best when cooked at home; so find yourself a Cuban friend who will make it for you.  The menu tomorrow? Picadillo with white rice, green banana chips and Cuban Guacamole salad.  I think these guava pastries will make a great dessert.

I will prepare a full dough recipe today, use half for the guava empanadas tomorrow, and freeze the other half to make savory empanadas  (with leftover picadillo) at a later date. They are great for cocktails or to bring along on a picnic.


 Ingredients

 3 cups flour
 1/2 lbs. butter
 1 regular cream cheese

 2 egg yolks

 guava paste*

Directions:

Prepare the dough the day before.  Mix everything except the guava in a food processor or with a pastry blender.  The dough will look like pie dough. 

Roll into a ball, wrap in Saran Wrap and refrigerate overnight.  If you are saving some for a later date, divide the dough and put  half in the freezer.

Bring the dough out and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Roll it out using a floured rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thick.

 Cut the dough into circles, with a cookie cutter or small bowl. (I use a coffee cup). Size the circle according to how large you want your empanadas. I like a 4-inch diameter circle.

Put a small quantity of guava paste in the center of the circle (about 1/2 inch square) and fold over to make a half circle. Don't over-fill!

 Seal the edges with a fork to make a scalloped edge. Pierce them once in the middle with the fork tines.

 Brush with egg yolk and place in preheated 350 degree oven until brown... about 30 minutes, depending on your oven.

 * you can find guava paste in the Latin section of most grocery stores or order online

Guava paste is a combination of guava pulp, sugar, pectin and citric acid, which is cooked slowly until exceedingly thick and rich. It comes in individually wrapped bars that are firm enough to slice. Guava paste can be found in Latin markets and some specialty gourmet stores. Slice and serve this low-fat, low-cholesterol sweet as a snack or with cheese for dessert.

Photos Google

El Floridita...The Cradle of the (Real) Daiquiri

Pin It




Hemingway and Errol Flynn at El Floridita in the '50s

It's that time of the year when the warmer weather gets us thinking of switching from our usual winter libations to fun and refreshing cocktails, at least once in awhile.  To tell you the truth, this post has been in the archives for over a year waiting for me to find an old photo of my grandfather at one of his favorite jaunts, El Floridita in Old Havana.

In my house, it was a name that was frequently mentioned when I was a child.  My father was often going to or coming from El Floridita when he had business downtown, although I never heard my mother's name mentioned in the mix.  Unlike La Bodeguita del Medio another of Havana's famous bars, the Floridita seemed to attract more of the Cuban elite and less of the tourists that frequented the city in those days.  Both were a short walk from the Hotel Ambos Mundos where Hemingway used to stay.  It is said that one day he stopped by to use the bathroom and when he came out he saw all these filled glasses lined up at the bar.  He asked what they were and asked for a sip and the rest is history.

Hemingway's room at the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Old Havana

History of Floridita

Founded on November 16, 1519, the township of San Cristobal de La Habana celebrated its 298th birthday in 1817. At that time Havana was a city of just over 84,000 inhabitants, protected by a system of fortresses and walls from the constant siege of corsairs and pirates.

The wall divided the city in two: the walled portion, where the rich Spaniards and Cuban-born whites resided: and the portion outside the wall, inhabited by poor blacks and country folk, who entered and exited the walled city every day.

One of the main access points to the walled city was the Monserrate gate, with its entrance on Obispo Street and it’s exit on O'Reilly Street. Like the other gates, it opened at a set time in the morning and closed at a set time at night, signaled by cannon blasts at the San Carlos de la Cabana Fortress.

Around that time, ice made its appearance in Havana. Although it had been lauded for its medicinal benefits, it was put to its greatest use in this city to chill drinks, warding off the sweltering tropical climate.

Thus emerged, at the corner of Obispo and Monserrate Streets, an establishment named after the "queen" of fruits: La Pina de Plata (The Silver Pineapple). There, one could calm a terrible thirst with juices, milkshakes, an almond-flavoured drink called Chorchata, and soft drinks made from fruit. Also available were alcoholic beverages and, by the end of the nineteenth century, the first combinations became fashionable: simple mixtures of rum, gin, vermouth or cognac which were the ancestors of classic international cocktails.

When it was close to 100 years old, La Pina de Plata changes its name to La Florida, with the goal of attracting the numerous visitors from the United State who passed through the Florida peninsula. The people gave the spot its definitive name with which it has achieved worldwide fame: EL FLORIDITA.

At that time there was an open bar from which it was possible to observe passers by. The 10-meter-long mahogany bar and the same Corinthian friezes remain today. In the 1910's it incorporated a restaurant area, headed by French chef Lapont.

In 1914, bartender Constantino Ribalaigua Vert arrived at El Floridita. A Spanish immigrant, he was known as "Constante" to his friends. In 1918 he took over from Salas Perera as the owner.


Hemingway with Constante tending bar

Constante was a master Cuban bartender, the very embodiment of professionalism, creativity, and cleanliness. He devoted his whole life to his profession, preparing cocktails behind the bar, and converted El Floridita into the city's cathedral of cocktails. Indeed, he had numerous creations: Presidente, Habana Special and much more. But the Daiquiri is undoubtedly the cocktail that achieved the greatest international fame, and for that reason, there is a phrase embossed in bronze on the ice chest over the bar: "The Cradle of the Daiquiri."

El Floridita became the most famous bar in Havana, and one of the most famous in the world. In 1953, “Esquire” magazine, called it one the world's seven best bars, along with, the Pied Piper bar in San Francisco, the Ritz in Paris and London, Raffles in Singapore, Club 21 in New York and the bar at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin.

One of the old timers

Since that time El Floridita has been frequented by distinguished visitors to Havana, ranging from artists to official guests of the government. But U.S. novelist Ernest Hemingway, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, was the most assiduous of all. He became a personal friend of Constante and after the latter's death in 1953, Hemingway continued to consider El Floridita his favorite spot in Havana during the more than 20 years he lived in the country. His favorite bar stool and a bronze bust unveiled in 1954, when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his "Old Man and the Sea" are permanent witnesses to his presence.

El Floridita and its Daiquiri have been immortalized in literature on more than one occasion. Perhaps the best description was written by Hemingway himself, in "Islands in the Stream".The British Regency style and décor that El Floridita bar/restaurant has today dates back to the 1950's, as does the carpentry work, lamps and the paintings on the walls.

In 1991 El Floridita was totally remodeled, respecting all the original elements, including the bust of Hemingway and the bar top.

Some of El Floridita's Customers

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Gene Tunney, Jean-Paul Sartre, Gary Cooper, Luis Miguel Dominguin, Tennessee Williams, Charles Scribner, Spencer Tracey, Rocky Marciano, Ava Gardner, Samuel Eliot Morison, Buck Lanham, Herbert Matthews.

Hemingway with his wife Mary and Spencer Tracy while filming The Old Man And The Sea 1958

Hemingway and Gary Cooper 1951

And more recently: Paco Rabanne, Joaquin Sabina, Pablo Milanes, Alicia Alonso, Silvio Rodriguez, Javier Sotomayor, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Matt Dillion, Danny Glover, Jack Nicholson, Giorgio Armani, Gianni Mina, Jean Michel Jarre, Fito Paez and others.

and, of course, my grandfather and his cronies way before Hemingway ever set foot!

My grandfather standing left in white suit, his brother seated left

El Floridita Daiquiri*


2 oz white rum
1/4 oz maraschino liqueur
1 oz lime juice
2/3 oz sugar syrup


Shake briefly with a glassful of crushed.  Strain into a glass.
Serve in an open champagne or martini glass.  You can top with a maraschino cherry.

Note:  Use real lime juice.   When squeezing the limes extract only the juice and nothing else. You do not want oils from the skin to get into the drink.

Constante Ribalaigua Vert (known as Big Constante), who ran the El Floridita when Hemingway was a regular customer, was described by the contemporary cocktail writer David Embury as follows: His limes were gently squeezed with his fingers lest even a drop of the bitter oil from the peel get into the drink; the drinks were mixed (but not overmixed). . . The stinging cold drink was strained through a fine sieve into the glass so that not one tiny piece of ice remained in it. No smallest detail was overlooked in achieving the flawless perfection of the drink

*From the 1934 Bar La Florida Cocktails Guide

Floridita Daiquiri #2

2 oz rum
1 oz lime juice
¼ oz grapefruit juice
¼ oz maraschino liqueur
½ tsp sugar


This was the house Daiquiri at the El Floridita Bar in Havana. The grapefruit makes a really nice addition, working almost as an alternative to sugar in taking the edge of the lime. This version is excellent frozen.

Papa Doble (Hemingway Daiquiri)

4 oz rum
2 oz lime juice
½ oz grapefruit juice
½ oz maraschino liqueur


This was Hemingway’s usual drink at the El Floridita, and is basically a double sized Floridita Daiquiri without the sugar. Since Hemingway was diabetic he limited his sugar intake, and apparently simultaneously doubled his rum intake to compensate. Hemingway drank them frozen, and the freezing probably helps mellow the acidity a little. Some suggest making the maraschino a float on the final drink. It is worth noting that potent, acidic, minimally sweetened drinks were quite common in the first few decades of the 20th Century, so a sugar-free Daiquiri was not such an odd idea for the time. Obviously, you could (perhaps should) either cut this one in half or share it between two.

No matter which one you choose, at least have a real one!



The History part is from the Floridita website here
Daiquiri #2 3 and comments from here

Photos from Floridita website, Google and Lindaraxa Photo #12 

Natilla...Custard With Meringue and Ladyfingers

Pin It

This is what every Cuban child of my generation grew up eating for dessert and what I made for my American children when they were growing up.  The original natilla is very simple to make and is rather a common dessert just like custard is in this country.  I would say natilla is softer and this recipe is somewhere in consistency between American custard and creme anglaise.  As to flavor, the combination of lemon rind and cinnamon gives it an addictive taste that keeps you coming back for more, sometimes in the middle of the night!

The only problem you have when you make the classic natilla is what to do with all the leftover egg whites. You can either freeze them or make baked meringues.  I did this for awhile until I wisened up and decided to incorporate them into the dessert.  The ladyfingers were a natural addition and once the dessert  cools completely they become as soft as cake.

I usually make the chocolate variation which I encourage you to try and only requires the additional step of melting some chocolate on  the stove or microwave.  It is very rich and very, very good!

A new generation of grandbabies will definitely grow up on this if Lindaraxa has any say in the matter!

 
Ingredients

1 quart milk

1 piece of lime or lemon rind

1 cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

8 egg yolks

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

4 TB corn starch

Cinnamon

8-10 ladyfingers (optional)

Meringue (optional)

Directions

Add salt, lemon rind and cinnamon stick to milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the stove and let cool. Remove cinnamon and lemon peel.

Beat egg yolks with an electric mixer until they are fluffy. Continue beating and gradually add the cornstarch mixed with the water and the sugar until it is completely mixed. Gradually add milk to mixture until you have a smooth consistency.  Pass through a sieve into a pan and cook in low heat, stirring occasionally until it's thick and begins to bubble.  Add vanilla and stir. Pour into individual serving bowls or one big bowl. . Chill completely in refrigerator. Sprinkle cinnamon on the top just before serving.

This is where the traditional natilla stops and mine begins.

Submerge about 8-10 ladyfingers in the natilla.  They will come back to the top but don't worry.  You will be covering with meringue.

Make a meringue with the 8 leftover egg whites a dash of salt and about 3TB sugar per egg white.  With a big serving spoon drop in dollops over the custard.  Return to refrigerator and serve well chilled!

Chocolate Variation:  Melt 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and add to egg yolks and sugar. Proceed as with rest of recipe..

Adapted from Nitza Villapol
Photos Lindaraxa

My Aunt Martha's Caramel Flan

Pin It

With a maternal grandmother who was famous for her culinary abilities, I inherited two aunts and a mother who are also great cooks.  It doesn't stop at that...my first cousins are wonderful cooks too and everybody is extremely competitive.   Each of us has developed an expertise and in this case, it it my mother's middle sister who shines in the flan category.  Now keep in mind that once your recipe is  decreed as "best of breed", nobody else in the family should invade that turf.  Your flan is the one everyone makes and when we get together, if it is flan we are having, that person gets to bring it! No, you cannot make that person's recipe for them and if you do so, you must be a glutton for punishment for there is no way yours will turn out as good and all that trouble will be for nothing.

My mother's best of breed recipe is her black beans and my other aunt's a Spanish dessert called Brazo Gitano that even I wouldn't think of tackling.  I tremble every time I have to make my mother's black beans recipe for the family group in this neck of the woods.  But just as I have passed the making of the Christmas tree to my daughter, I am hoping the black bean nod of approval will soon be passed on to me.  Get the picture?

I am making this flan for my son's in laws who will be a great group to serve as judges as they are Southeners and definitely have never had the anointed one's flan.

This is the classic Cuban flan, which is as light and delicious as it is timeless. In this recipe, though, it has more egg yolks than normal which makes it slightly richer but just as light. This basic flan recipe is also used to make flans of different flavors by substituting another liquid for part or all of the milk. For example, the best sweet oranges in Spain come from Valencia and Murcia, and an orange flan, made from freshly squeezed juice, is popular there.  My Aunt Martha also makes a knock your socks off Coconut flan.  That also is part of her turf and nobody has come close to even trying...hmmm, stay tuned!

Because flan takes a while to cool, it is usually prepared the day before.  That way it also absorbs some of the caramel at the bottom of the pan. When making it for a large group, it is practical to prepare a single large flan in a tube pan.  In the summertime, I sometimes fill the hole with strawberries or blueberries and it is very refreshing.

Makes 12 servings


Ingredients

For the flan:

4 cups whole milk

1 strip lime zest

1 cinnamon stick

6 whole eggs

6 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

dash of salt

For the caramelized sugar coating:

1 1/2 cup sugar

You will need a tube pan


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

To prepare the caramelized sugar coating, spread the sugar evenly in the bottom of a heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat. It may take several minutes before the sugar begins to melt. Without stirring, watch the sugar closely as it begins to liquefy at the edges. All of it will slowly turn first into a yellowish and then golden syrup and finally into a brown caramel sauce.

When the liquefied sugar is turning from golden to brown, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. (If you miss this point, the sugar will quickly turn too dark and taste bitter and you will need to discard it and begin again.)

Working swiftly, pour the liquid caramel into a tube pan and tilt to cover the bottom, the sides of the cone and the sides of the dish evenly. It is important to do this transfer quickly, as the change in temperature causes the caramel to solidify rapidly. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, lime zest, pinch of salt and cinnamon stick over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the milk with the flavor of the seasonings. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a bowl, combine the whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and granulated sugar and whisk to blend well. Pour the cooled milk through a fine-mesh sieve held over the egg mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour the mixture into the coated tube pan.

Arrange the pan in a large, deep baking pan or roasting pan. Pull out the oven rack, put the baking pan on it, and pour boiling water to a depth of about 1 1/2 inch into the pan to create a water bath. Bake for about 1  hour, or until set when tested with a thin-bladed knife in the center. Take out of the oven and let the flan cool in the water bath.

You can cover and refrigerate the cooled flan in the tube pan overnight.  The next morning, run a knife around the inside of the mold and the sides of the cone to loosen the edges of the custard and then invert the flan onto a dessert plate.  Pour all of the caramel that is left on the mold over the flan.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Arroz Con Leche...Rice Pudding

Pin It

This is the rice pudding I grew up with and the one I still pester my mother to make.  It is light, mellow, not too sweet and very white, nothing like the yellow goop with raisins you find premade at the deli.  Once you try this recipe, nothing else will ever do!

The key here is the lime peel and the use of whole milk rather than evaporated or condensed milk.  If you can't find limes go ahead and use lemon peel, but I much prefer the former.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white rice

• 1½ cups water

• 1 small piece of lime peel.

• 1 small cinnamon stick

• 4 cups milk

• 1 cup sugar

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• cinnamon powder


Preparation:

Boil the water, lime peel, and cinnamon stick. Add rice. As soon as the rice begins to boil, turn down
the heat, stir, and cover. Cook until soft, about 20 minutes.

Add the milk, salt, vanilla and sugar. Cook at medium-low heat, uncovered, until it gets thick and rice has absorbed most of the milk. Stir once in awhile so it will not stick.

Fish out the cinnamon stick and pour into a bowl or several individual bowls and sprinkle with powdered cinnamon. 

Let cool and stick in the refrigerator.  Serve cold.


Source: Cocina Criolla by Nitza Villapol