World Recipes

Tail on Fire Oxtail Stew (Rabo Encendido, Cuba)

4 pounds oxtails, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups homemade or canned beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
1 large green bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and minced
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Few sprigs of parsley (for garnish)

Rinse oxtail pieces under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Mix together the flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge the oxtails in the seasoned flour. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtails in 3 batches in the oil, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. When they have browned, remove them to a large plate.

Return all the oxtails to the pot with the beef broth, wine, bell pepper, minced onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the oxtails are very tender, about 3 hours. Skim off the fat with a ladle. Taste and correct seasonings.

Transfer oxtails with a slotted spoon to a large serving bowl and keep warm. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce it until it is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the oxtails, then garnish with parsley.

Serve at once with steamed white rice.

Vaca Frita (Cuba)

1 (2 1/2 pound) flank steak, cut in half
    (or chuck steak or roast)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion, cut in half and each half thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Place the beef and bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with salted water, and cook over low heat, covered, until the meat is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (chuck roast may take a little longer). Remove the meat from the stock and allow to cool at room temperature (save the stock for another use).

When the meat is cool, cut into 2-inch chunks, shred it using your fingers, and place in a nonreactive bowl. Add the citrus juices, garlic, salt, and pepper, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Remove the meat from the marinade and squeeze out the excess liquid. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until fragrant and cook the beef shreds, stirring 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook until the beef is crisp, another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve over white rice.

Sancocho (Dominican Republic)

2 tablespoons extra light virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
2 or 3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 or 2 whole chickens, washed, skinned, and cut up
2 to 3 teaspoons oregano
2 to 3 teaspoons garlic salt
2 to 3 teaspoons herb garlic seasoning
1 1/2 quarts water
2 or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
3 or 4 ears of field or yellow corn, cut in half or thirds.
3 to 5 cilantro leaves
Couple chunks of otoe or malanga, peeled and washed
Nice size piece of zapallo or calabasa, peeled and washed
Nice size piece of name, peeled and washed
Couple chunks of yuca, peeled and washed

In large pot over medium heat, add oil, onion, and celery. Saute for several minutes. Add chicken and about 1 or 2 cups of the water. Sprinkle oregano, garlic salt, and herb garlic seasoning. Cover and let flavors mix for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 to 3 cups of water at a time, keeping the mixture at a slow boil until all water has been added. Add chicken bouillon cubes. Add corn. Cook on slow boil for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Peel the vegetables. Cut up in 2- to 3-inch pieces. Soak in water.

Skim gray foam from top of cooked chicken broth. Add cilantro leaves. Drain water from vegetables and add vegetables to chicken broth, except the zapallo (or calabasa). Stir gently. Allow soup to boil slowly. Add zapallo 5 minutes later. Allow zapallo to cook on top of mixture. Allow to boil slowly for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add salt, pepper, and/or hot sauce to taste.

NOTE: Frozen sancocho vegetables may be purchased in many grocery stores. Substitute frozen vegetables, if desired, rather than purchasing fresh vegetables.

For a clear broth, once the vegetables are tender, carefully remove them from the soup; place in covered container.

For a thicker broth, allow the vegetables to continue cooking; vegetables become very soft and break apart. Zapallo will break apart very fast.

If additional broth is needed, add a can or two of chicken broth plus one cilantro leaf.

Roast Pork a la Criolla (Puerto Rico)

Criolla (also known as Creole throughout Latin America) refers to the first generation born in a new country. This dish was probably fixed by the first generation of Spanish born in Puerto Rico, using oregano which was brought to the islands from the Mediterranean. This pork roast is traditionally made with fresh ham.

1 (3 pound) boneless pork single loin
    roast or boneless fresh ham roast
    (inside round), netted or tied
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon salt

In a small bowl, mix together all seasonings, then rub this mixture on all surfaces of the pork roast. Place roast in shallow pan and roast at 350 degrees F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted reads 160 degrees F. Remove roast from oven; let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Serves 8.

NOTE: Use leftovers for Cuban Sandwiches.

Puerto Rican Pork Roast

1 (4 1/2 to 5 pound) bone-in pork shoulder roast
12 medium cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 tablespoon dried powdered oregano
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar or freshly-squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Rinse pork shoulder under cold running water. Pat it dry with paper towels. Cut shallow slits with a small sharp knife all over the pork shoulder.

Make an adobo, a garlic-spice rub. Puree the garlic with the oregano, salt, black pepper and vinegar or lime juice in a food processor or electric blender. Pour in the olive oil and blend well. You can also make the adobo the old-fashioned way by crushing the garlic, oregano and slat and pepper with a mortar and pestle, and then combining the crushed garlic mixture and the vinegar and oil.

Place pork in a shallow roasting pan, then pour the adobo over it. Rub the adobo into the pork with your fingers, forcing it into the slits. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate it in the refrigerator overnight.

Roast the pork at 350 degrees F, basting regularly with pan juices, until tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the pork from the pan to a carving board and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve the pork hot or warm, with accompaniments of your choice.

Puerto Rican Beef Stew

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds beef top round, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup tomato sauce
3 bay leaves
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
1/2 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives
1/4 cup (60 ml) raisins

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over moderate heat and brown the meat. Add the peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, oregano, tomato sauce, bay leaves, salt and pepper and simmer covered for 1 hour.

Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer an additional 15 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Masitas de Cerdo (Puerto Rico, Cuba and Central America)

These chunks of pork are traditionally made with pork shoulder and are fried. They are similar to carnitas, the braised pork cubes found on Mexican menus.

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 cup sour orange juice (or use 1/4 cup orange
    juice and 1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Place pork cubes in a self-sealing plastic bag; mix together remaining ingredients and pour over pork cubes; seal bag and refrigerate overnight.

Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade, and place pork cubes in a shallow baking pan. Roast at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until pork is tender. Remove to serving platter and serve hot.

Serves 6.

Mango-Marinated Beef Kabobs

1 small ripe mango
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 drops red pepper sauce
1 pound beef boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 large firm bananas, each cut into 6 pieces
12 (1 1/2-inch) cubes fresh pineapple

Pare and remove seed from mango; place mango in blender container. Cover and blend on low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Mix onion mixture, mango, brown sugar, curry powder, vinegar, salt and pepper sauce in a non-reactive bowl. Stir in beef. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

Remove beef from marinade; reserve marinade. Alternate beef, banana and pineapple pieces on each of four 14-inch metal skewers. Brush marinade over all sides of fruit. Set oven to broil or 550 degrees F. Broil kabobs with tops about 4 inches from heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn; brush with marinade. Broil until beef is of medium doneness and fruit is brown, 7 to 8 minutes longer. Heat remaining marinade to boiling. Serve kabobs with marinade and hot cooked rice, if desired.

Yields 4 servings.