Cuban Cooking Made Easy
When I shared our Cuban family recipes for Fricase de Pollo (chicken fricassee) and Arroz Amarillo con Pollo (yellow rice with chicken) a common question was, “What is Bijol (pronounced Bee-hol) seasoning?” When my Cuban mother-in-law started teaching me how to make Cuban food over 25 years ago, I asked her the same question. Bijol …
What Is Lechón Asado (Cuban Roast Pork With Crispy Skin)? Lechón Asado (Cuban Roast Pork) is traditionally a whole suckling (young) pig that has been marinated in Cuban mojo criollo and roasted outside in a fire pit or in a Caja China. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to achieve that perfect balance of …
Mojo Criollo (pronounced mo-ho kree-oyo) is a Cuban marinade consisting of naranja agria, garlic, olive oil, limes, and spices. Mojo Criollo can be used to marinate just about anything. Pork, Lechon, chicken, shrimp and even yuca and potatoes are the perfect marrying of ingredients. It can also be used as a dipping sauce for yuca …
What is Arroz Amarillo Con Pollo? Arroz con Pollo is rice with chicken in Spanish. My Cuban mother-in-law always called it arroz amarillo con pollo which translates to yellow rice with chicken. Either way, it is like Cuba’s version of paella. Arroz amarillo con pollo is a one-pot dish that consists of rice, chicken, and …
What is Cuban Fried Rice (Arroz Frito)? Cuban fried rice or arroz frito is exactly what it sounds like. Fried rice with a Cuban twist. What is the twist you ask? Cuban fried rice is made with leftover masitas and plantains The combination of the savory pork, the salty soy sauce (salsa china) and the sweetness …
The Old Cuban makes a fantastic Cuban New Year’s Eve cocktail. Why do you ask? I think the inventor, Audrey Saunders said it best. She described it as “the Mojito in a little black dress.” Her goal was to take the classic Mojito and give it a glamorous upgrade. Mission accomplished! The first upgrade is …
What is Masitas de Puerco? Masitas de puerco is all about succulent pork chunks, marinated to perfection (overnight if you can wait), and then fried to a glorious golden brown. Every bite is a journey into the heart of Cuban cuisine, filled with rich flavors and unforgettable memories. There are so many Cuban dishes that …
What Is Papa Rellena? Papa Rellena literally means filled potato. So what are we filling potatoes with? We are filling mashed potatoes with picadillo (ground beef). Sounds delish right? Just wait for the second part. First, we take the picadillo and stuff it inside a mashed potato ball. Then, we roll these balls around in some …
Let’s start with the obvious question, “What is a lasagne recipe doing on a Cuban recipe website?” Answer, “Everybody loves lasagne!” I have read many recipes on the internet and every one of them say, ‘this recipe is the best’. It’s my mom makes the best, my nonna makes the best, or my dad makes …
Yuca, pronounced Yoo-ka, is a starchy tuberous root also commonly known as cassava. However, yuca is not the same thing as yucca. I see many recipes and articles interchanging the two. Yucca is a shrub with white flowers that grows in dry climates. Yuca is a tubular root vegetable like a potato. It grows in …
