Havana Nights. February 28, 2017.
For February, the Divas dined on fun and flavorful Cuban food - picadillo, ropa vieja, cuba libres, and laissez les bon temps rouler (well, dinner club was also on Mardis Gras).
Picadillo
courtesy http://www.mybigfatcubanfamily.com/2016/07/picadillo-recipe/
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
1 ½ lbs. Ground beef (I have substituted ground turkey and it’s still awesome)
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
¼ cup dry white wine (the cheaper, the better!)
4 Tbsp. Pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1 small box of dark raisins
½ tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Oregano
Pastelitos De Carne
courtesy http://delishdlites.com/baking-recipes/pastelitos-de-carne-cuban-picadillo-filled-pastries/
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/3 c all purpose flour1 c Cuban Picadillo
1 egg, beaten
light agave nectar or simple syrup
courtesy http://www.mybigfatcubanfamily.com/2016/07/picadillo-recipe/
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
1 ½ lbs. Ground beef (I have substituted ground turkey and it’s still awesome)
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
¼ cup dry white wine (the cheaper, the better!)
4 Tbsp. Pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1 small box of dark raisins
½ tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Oregano
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion, green pepper and garlic until the onion is translucent.
- Add the ground beef and brown over medium heat.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and continue cooking until meat is tender and completely cooked through. About 25 minutes.
Pastelitos De Carne
courtesy http://delishdlites.com/baking-recipes/pastelitos-de-carne-cuban-picadillo-filled-pastries/
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/3 c all purpose flour1 c Cuban Picadillo
1 egg, beaten
light agave nectar or simple syrup
- Unfold pastry and dust both sides with flour.
- Using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut as many circles as you can, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Place about 1/2 teaspoon of Picadillo in the center of each circle.
- Cut a second set of disks from the second pastry.
- Brush edges of each circle with beaten egg.
- Place pastry disks over the meat filling and press edges with your fingertips.
- Press down on the edges with a fork to seal. Make a small slit in the top of each to allow steam to escape.
- Bake at 400 for 15-20 mins on the highest rack of the oven, until lightly golden on top.
- Lightly drizzle with agave or simple syrup.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/salad_1_orig.jpg)
Avocado Salad
from My Big Fat Cuban Family
2) For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, Sazón Goya Complete and the cooled red bell pepper.
3) Arrange red onions on a plate, top with sliced avocados.
4) Salt the avocados.
5) Pour dressing over everything.
6) Top with fresh cilantro.
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- 1/2 large sweet red onion, sliced into rings
- Sea salt
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Juice of 3 limes (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 packet of Sazón Goya Complete
- Salt & pepper to taste
2) For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, Sazón Goya Complete and the cooled red bell pepper.
3) Arrange red onions on a plate, top with sliced avocados.
4) Salt the avocados.
5) Pour dressing over everything.
6) Top with fresh cilantro.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/ropa.jpg?250)
Ropa Vieja (Cuban-Style Shredded Beef)
6 oz. bacon, roughly chopped
2 lb. flank steak, cut into 1 1⁄2″ strips
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Cubanelle or green pepper, thinly sliced
6 oz. tomato paste
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried oregano
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup (16-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1⁄2 cup halved, pitted, green olives
1⁄3 cup sliced jarred pimiento peppers
3 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
Render bacon in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat in pot.
Season steak with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes; transfer to plate.
Add onion and peppers; cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add tomato paste, cumin, thyme, oregano, garlic, and bay leaf; cook until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping bottom of pot, for 1 minute.
Return bacon and steak to pot with stock and tomatoes; boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until steak is very tender, 2–3 hours.
Remove steak, and shred; return meat to pot with olives, pimientos, capers, and vinegar. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in cilantro before serving.
6 oz. bacon, roughly chopped
2 lb. flank steak, cut into 1 1⁄2″ strips
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Cubanelle or green pepper, thinly sliced
6 oz. tomato paste
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried oregano
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup (16-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1⁄2 cup halved, pitted, green olives
1⁄3 cup sliced jarred pimiento peppers
3 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
Render bacon in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat in pot.
Season steak with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes; transfer to plate.
Add onion and peppers; cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add tomato paste, cumin, thyme, oregano, garlic, and bay leaf; cook until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping bottom of pot, for 1 minute.
Return bacon and steak to pot with stock and tomatoes; boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until steak is very tender, 2–3 hours.
Remove steak, and shred; return meat to pot with olives, pimientos, capers, and vinegar. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in cilantro before serving.
Flan Cake Recipe
2. Grease and flour a large Bundt pan.
3. Prepare cake mix.
4. Pour the caramel topping around the bottom of the Bundt pan.
5. Pour cake mix over caramel.
6. In a blender, mix together well: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract.
7. Sift and pour gently over cake mix in the Bundt pan. (You’re sifting out any large pieces of the egg.)
8. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
9. Place filled Bundt pan in a 9×13 pan filled with hot water about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the Bundt pan.
10. Bake (in the water bath) one hour at 350 degrees. It should be slightly golden brown. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick in the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.11. Remove from water bath and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
12. Invert onto a cake plate. The caramel will still be runny – it’s supposed to be to melt over the cake, so be careful when inverting! Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- 1 yellow cake mix (from a box or your favorite recipe)
- 1/4 cup caramel topping
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 large can evaporated milk
- 1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
2. Grease and flour a large Bundt pan.
3. Prepare cake mix.
4. Pour the caramel topping around the bottom of the Bundt pan.
5. Pour cake mix over caramel.
6. In a blender, mix together well: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract.
7. Sift and pour gently over cake mix in the Bundt pan. (You’re sifting out any large pieces of the egg.)
8. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
9. Place filled Bundt pan in a 9×13 pan filled with hot water about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the Bundt pan.
10. Bake (in the water bath) one hour at 350 degrees. It should be slightly golden brown. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick in the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.11. Remove from water bath and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
12. Invert onto a cake plate. The caramel will still be runny – it’s supposed to be to melt over the cake, so be careful when inverting! Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.