Our favorite version of this dish is from Larios on the Beach, a South Beach restaurant owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan; we loved its drier texture and hint of bacon fat. So we tried their moros recipe from The Estefan Kitchen cookbook, available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/045122518X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_y3yfxbXGVV5BK (Apr. 2016)
Cuban churrasco
We followed this recipe but did not purée the marinade ingredients. http://icuban.com/food/mobile/churrasco_cubano.html After marinating the steak overnight, we cut it into four serving size pieces. We pan-seared each piece and then finished them (in a 9x13 baking dish) in the oven at 350 for about 10 mins. (Apr. 2016)
Huevos in a hole
We tried this recipe from the Pioneer Woman, except that we used leftover flour (instead of corn) tortillas: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/huevo-in-the-hole/. Very tasty, but be warned that the tortillas can burn easily in butter, so keep your burner on medium (or lower) heat. (Apr. 2016)
Caramelized pears a la mode
We tried this Chuck Hughes recipe that involves butter, brown sugar, pears, and a splash of bourbon. We garnished with Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream and crumbled Biscoff (in lieu of graham crackers). Recipe here: http://m.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/chuck-hughes/caramelized-pears.html (Apr. 2016)
Korean-style anchovy-infused zucchini
Using a mandolin, thinly slice one large zucchini on a diagonal, then set aside. Separately, heat 2 tsp neutral vegetable oil in a large wok, then add 1 clove garlic (microplaned) and 1 tsp anchovy paste. Sauté until fragrant, then add 1 Tbsp mirin and the zucchini ribbons. Mix well, and sauté until zucchini is… Continue reading Korean-style anchovy-infused zucchini
Indian stewed split red lentils with zucchini
Based on Shubhra Ramineni’s Healthy Indian Vegetarian Cooking, available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0804843112/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_1ggbxbK87A26M. We added two small zucchini (cut into ½ inch thick wedges) but otherwise did not modify the recipe. (Apr. 2016)
Cuban black beans and rice (moros y cristianos)
I tried this recipe from Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban: http://icuban.com/food/mobile/moros_y_cristianos.html. This was tasty, but I prefer the drier version crisped up with lard. It also was quite involved, since this recipe called for dried black beans that needed to be reconstituted. (Apr. 2016)
Cuban rice, made in a rice cooker
Rinse 2 cups (using a rice cooker measuring cup) of long-grain rice several times, drain, then place in the inner pot of an electric rice cooker. Add one garlic clove (peeled and bruised), 1 tsp salt, and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Carefully add water to the pot until it reaches the “2 cup” mark on… Continue reading Cuban rice, made in a rice cooker
Cuban minced beef hash (picadillo)
Recipe here: http://icuban.com/food/mobile/picadillo.html. We used olives stuffed with pimiento. We also made a few modifications: first, yellow and red bell peppers in lieu of two green; second, fresh marjoram in lieu of dried oregano; and finally, golden raisins in lieu of regular raisins. (Apr. 2016).
Oven-roasted shishito peppers
When I spotted fresh shishito peppers at H-Mart, I couldn’t resist trying them at home. We tried Michael Symon’s recipe from The Chew: https://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/roasted-shishito-peppers-michael-symon Preheat the oven to 500. Trim the pepper stems slightly (¼ inch) to reduce the risk of them getting burnt and puncture the bottom of each pepper with a needle to… Continue reading Oven-roasted shishito peppers