My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog

Rice. An in-depth look. (And a giveaway.)

In keeping with our Hispanic Heritage Month, I've decided to tackle a subject that's near and dear to us. It's something that we feel absolutely passionate about.

But we Cubans are passionate about so, so many things. (Well, everything, really....but that's not important right now.)

I know I shouldn't be surprised when the mildest topics bring up so many intense and varied opinions.

Today's seemingly innocuous topic is rice.

Much to my everlasting delight, my beautiful and enormously entertaining cousin, Yllien, takes on the topic of Hispanics and Asians and Rice and Rice Cookers and a poor mook named Osvaldo.

Please enjoy. (And get some popcorn. I'll wait.)

                                        

My friend, Ana Quincoces has an entire section in her cookbook ¡Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine about rice. She even shows you how to make it old-school in a pot on the stove. (Page 82.)

I, personally, use a rice cooker. Often. Next to my pressure cooker, it's the hardest working appliance in my kitchen and is in constant use.

So now, let's talk rice.

Today's giveaway is an autographed copy of Ana's cookbook, ¡Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine.

Of course, you know that the real reason you should have this book in your kitchen is because my recipe for My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Torrejas (made with guava and creme cheese, thankyouverymuch) can be found on page 204. *takes bow*

But I digress......

Rice.

To be entered in the drawing for the cookbook, please answer one or all of the following questions:

• Do you wash your rice?
• Do you use a rice cooker or are you an old-school pot-on-the-stove-topper?
• Isn't my cousin, Ylli adorable? ;-)

I'm guessing we have a lot of rice to talk about, so let's let this contest run through the weekend. Please share it with your friends. Ask them the questions on Facebook. You'll be surprised at how much emotion rice engenders.

I will pick a winner randomly from your comments on Sunday, September 25th at 5 pm.

So, rice.....your thoughts? 

Fricase de Pollo - a lo Cubano

As you know, I've recently been participating in Mizkan's™ Cooking Challenges. See here and here.

To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15), we were asked to share a recipe from our country, or "Receta de Mi Pais." 

For this challenge, I chose to enter one of my family's favorites, Fricasé de Pollo.

The Original Story* about the Fricasé de Pollo goes like this:

The first time my husband (then boyfriend) was to meet my big, fat, Cuban family, my mom made what we would consider a regular (albeit wonderful!) Cuban meal.

I spent days and hours preparing Eric for the meet and greet. I explained our customs, our politics, what topics were allowed and what NOT to bring up. I could have written a complete guide to meeting the Cuban girlfriend’s parents.

In fact, I still may. I think I’ll call it - “Huat to Especk if Ju Don’ Espik Espanish.” 

I coached him on what to say to my dad. I told him how he was expected to treat my mom. I told him our island history and my family history. I told him the number and names of all my siblings and their offspring.

I explained that if all else failed, to just nod and smile. I thought I had told him everything he needed to know.
For the dinner, my mom made a typical Fricasé de Pollo.

So it surprised me, after he passed the Cuban Family Review (with flying colors, of course), when he said:
 

“You didn’t tell me your mom was an amazing gourmet cook.”

“Umm… she’s not. She’s just Cuban. Like me.” 

 He proposed just a few days later. =D

*posted on Babalú blog on August 9, 2007

Fricasé de Pollo a lo Cubano 

(This recipe works well for both slow cookers and pressure cookers)

The challenge was to use one of the Holland House brands in the recipe. I chose Holland House White Cooking Wine. 

 

• 3-4 lbs. Chicken pieces (I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs)
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. cumin
• garlic powder
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cups red potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 2 packets Goya® Sazón Completo
• 1 1/2 cup Holland House® White Cooking Wine
• 1 cup Bitter Orange Juice* (see recipe below)
• ½ cup green olives (stuffed with pimientos)
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 2 bay leaves

1. Make the sofrito by sautéing the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until the onion is translucent.
2. Season the chicken pieces with cumin and garlic powder.
3. Add chicken back into the slow cooker or pressure cooker along with the rest of the ingredients.
4. In the slow cooker - cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5.
5. In the pressure cooker - cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
6. Serve over white rice.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote Mizkan cooking wines, vinegars and marinades. I also received samples of Mizkan’s Holland House, Nakano and World Harbor brand products and promotional material from Mizkan to assist in preparing the posts. All opinions and recipes in this series are my very own.

* Bitter Orange Juice (Naranja Agria) Recipe

If you can’t get bitter orange juice in your area, it is just as easy to make your own:

 

• 2 parts orange juice
• 1 part lemon juice
• 1 part lime juice (I love using the little key limes for the taste.)

This is an ever-so-Cuban marinade for chicken and pork.

By the way, have I told you how much I love my digital pressure cooker? I do. I love it. ;-)

  

Sabor! Cookbook Winner

Thank you all for being so patient. I just got back from San Antonio last night and I have sooo much to tell you, but before I do that, I'd like to thank you for sharing your menus for your family celebrations. You gave me so many ideas! Check the comments section of the post entitled:

Happy 40th Birthday, Versailles! (An homage and a giveaway.)

The winner of Ana's beautiful (autographed!) cookbook, Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine is (drum roll, please)......

Congratulations, Karen! Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! in the subject line (so I don't accidentally delete you) with your snail mail address so I can get the cookbook out to you right away.

If you want a copy of Ana Quincoces’ amazing cookbook, you can find it on Amazon.com.

For the rest of you, don't give up! I have another awesome giveaway coming up next weekend, so stay tuned and as always, thanks for reading and playing with me. =D

Authentic Cuban Cuisine - A Winner

Thank you all for sharing the magnificence of the cooks in your family.  I particularly like the quote:

“What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?”

It seems particularly appropriate based on your answers. The food that was made and served with such love in our childhoods has taken a place of honor and importance in our memories. Again, thank you for sharing that and trusting me with your memories.

Just so you know, I read each and every answer. You made me smile (and made me a little hungry, but that's not important right now) as I read who it was in your family that made the delicious dish of your choice. I also laughed out loud at Maggie's memory of her mother being really great at making reservations. That was hysterical!

Now, without further ado, the winner of the Authentic Cuban Cuisine Cookbook is..........(drum roll, please)...........

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Melanie Perez-Lopez said...

My mother-in-law made a wonderful ropa vieja. I never understood the name, but loved the food!

Reply July 08, 2011 at 03:19 PM

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Congratulations, Melanie! You're so going to love it! Please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG  in the subject line (so I don't accidentally delete it) and your snail mail address so that I can send out the cookbook ASAP.

For the rest of you, here's my conversation with the author, Martha Abreau Cortina, about where you can get your own copy. I'll also add a link to my sidebar. Do it. It's a wonderful addition to any Cuban cookbook collection.

She says, “It's available in Amazon.com, Books-A-Million stores and online; Barnes & Noble. Some book stores might not have them at the stores, but they will order it on request because it is in their catalogs. The more cutomers that request it in Barnes & Noble, the better chance they will have it at their stores soon. Thanks!”

Thank you again for sharing your memories with me and for playing along. I love giving things away, mostly because of your overwhelmingly positive responses. Thank you to Martha and to Pelican Publishing Company for making this giveaway possible.

I have lots more very cool stuff to give away this summer, so stay tuned. I may even have to start calling this The Summer of the Fabulous MBFCF Giveaways^®.   ;-)

Besos,

Marta

Rising to the challenge - Chimichurri of Awesomeness®

I'm pleased to tell you that I've been included to take part in a series of Cooking Challenges by Holland House^® and Mizkan^® along with several other Latina bloggers.

The first challenge was to use one of many Holland House products to create A Latino 4th of July on the Grill. To be honest, Eric is the Grill-meister around here. I am just Hero Support. What to do?

Eric: “I'll grill the steak and you should make that awesome Cuban chimichurri sauce of yours.”

Me: “Are you referring to my Chimichurri Dipping Sauce of Awesomeness^®?”

So I began with the Holland House White Wine Vinegar.....

and the rest.....is Awesomeness. ;-)

  

So, for your 4th of July Grilling pleasure - Cuban style....

Chimichurri Dipping Sauce of Awesomeness^®

• 1 bunch of cilantro leaves (or Italian Parsley)
• 8 cloves of garlic (peeled)
• 1/4 cup Holland House White Wine Vinegar
• Juice of one lime
• 1/2 cup white onion
• 1/4 cup roasted red pepper strips
• 3 Tbsp. oregano
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Put all ingredients EXCEPT the olive oil in blender or food processor and pulse to a thick mixture. (Do not over-process!)
2. Remove from processor and whisk in olive oil - very important!
3. Add salt and pepper liberally.
4. Serve over fresh grilled steak or use as a dipping sauce for bread.

WARNING: Chimichurri Dipping Sauce of Awesomeness^® is highly addicting. Don't say I didn't warn you. =D

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to promote Mizkan cooking wines, vinegars and marinades. I also received samples of Mizkan’s Holland House, Nakano and World Harbor brand products and promotional material from Mizkan to assist in preparing the posts. All opinions and recipes in this series are my very own.

How to make Cuban coffee with KILLER espuma. You're welcome.

Making Cuban coffee is more art than science.

I think I learned how to make Cuban coffee when I was about 8 years old and able to maneuver in the kitchen without hurting anything. It wasn't just a matter of making the coffee itself, there had to be a frothy topping to that café and just the right amount of sweetness. Of course, like anything else, some people can make it happen with apparently less effort than others. Hence the artistry.

My dad always smelled of a pleasant mix of Vitalis, puros, and Bustelo. If Cuban music is the soundtrack of my life, the aroma of freshly brewed espresso is the fragrance.

Obviously, you can use a fancy espresso machine to get your café made for you at the press of a button. But I'm from the old espresso-maker-on-the-stovetop school of Cuban coffee making.

Why?

Because of the ESPUMA. That's what we call the frothy stuff on top. (I would say "espumita," but the stuff I'm talking about is much more powerful than the diminutive suggests.) Killer Espuma - I should trademark that! - is a matter of personal pride in our family. Today, my daughter, Amy Kikita, who is The Official Family Killer Espuma^® Maker will share her secret for the Perfect Cuban Espresso with Killer Espuma^®.  ;-)

(By the way, she doesn't really talk like that, but that's not important right now.)

In keeping with today's theme of All Things Coffee, I am grateful for the generous folks at IMUSA^® for providing today's fabulous giveaway gifts.

Thing 1) An old-school (of course!) Aluminum Espresso CoffeeMaker in RED. (It's the same as the beautiful red one in the video.) Along with a set of four RED espresso cups & saucers.

Thing 2) A nine piece Stainless Steel Espresso Set. Beautiful, no?

They also have a wonderful and varied line of espresso related items. Check that out right here.

So, for a chance to win one of the two featured prizes above, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or both of the following questions:

• Do you use a new-fangled espresso machine to make your café, or are you an old-school stovetopper, like me?
• Do you like your espresso with Killer Espuma^®?  ;-)

I'll choose 2 winners on Thursday, June 16th at 6 pm Pacific Time.

Thank you, IMUSA^®!

(cross-posted at Babalú blog)

¡Sabor! Hot Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the 2 lucky winners of the ¡Sabor! Cookbook.

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Ileana said...

If I was a chef, I would be famous for my Everything But the Kitchen Sink-PAELLA baby! And maybe your favorite might be anything with dulce de leche. ;-)

Reply February 28, 2011 at 12:48 PM

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sonia said...

My specialty? Lasagna con platanos maduros of course! Or maybe my jamon in mango sauce? Great contest and glad to see you're feeling better!!!

Reply March 01, 2011 at 06:10 AM

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I chose the winners by entering the number of entries (not the accidental duplicates, of course) into the True Random Number Generator at Random.org.

Congratulations! Please contact me by sending an email with your snail-mail address and put HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG! In the subject line.

As for the rest of you: Thanks for entering and please SHARE some of those fabulous recipes!

Buen Provecho!

Sabor! Cuban Cookbook - A Hot Giveaway

My beautiful friend, Ana Quincoces, has authored an equally beautiful Cuban cookbook. (I say equally, only because the pages are filled with fabulous photos of both her and her food, and I can't think of which is more gorgeous, but that's not important right now.)

Just recently, Ana was voted Miami's Hottest Chef over on Eater Miami.

I know what you're thinking. And yes, she is even more lovely in person. She also happens to be an amazing woman and a good friend. So when this Hottest Chef contest began and Ana asked me, I was eager to help.

So I quickly jumped on Facebook and asked a thousand of my closest friends (=D) to please vote for her.

Ana easily won the competition in Miami and came in second in the Nationals. Felicidades, mi vida!

 

I'd like to think it was the "embullo" of all the voting MBFCF readers that secured her win. Either way, true to her word, she sent me some of her autographed cookbooks as a Thank You to give away here. I know! Generous, right?

Of course, for those of you that don't know, Our relationship goes back to the day she found My Big, Fat, Cuban Torrejas recipe and asked if she could include it in this very same cookbook. ("Claro que sí!")

Very cool, right?

For those of you who don't know torrejas, they are a Cuban version of stuffed French Toast. (I have a sudden craving for Guava and Creme Cheese....)

So, I have, not one, but two cookbooks to give away today. (Thanks, Ana!)

In order to enter the drawing for a chance to win this gorgeous Cuban cookbook, please leave a comment on this post answering the question below:

• If I was a chef, I would be famous for my _____________. (Fill in the blank.) Your answer can be a fantasy or an actuality, but please remember this is a family blog. 

Leave a comment on this post and I'll choose a winner on Thursday, March 3rd at 11:00 am Pacific Time.

Can you guess what my answer would be? =D

Also, if you're not already a fan of My Big, Fat, Cuban Family on Facebook, please click this link or the one up at the top right of this site and LIKE it. That way, you won't miss any of the relajo!

Cheaters Lechón Asado (don't judge me.)

It's raining like mad here in So Cal. And we live in The Bubble (aka. The O.C.). And Nochebuena falls on a Friday. And the men-folk are all working. What does this mean?

It means that there will be no Cuban Caja China Pig Roasting for us. (*insert sad face here*)

Of course, this does not mean that we won't have our lechóncito. We are, after all, self-respecting Cubans. Going without lechón on Nochebuena is not an option.

It just means we'll cheat a little. ;-)

Super Garlicky Lechón Asado (In the crockpot. I know. Shut up.)

• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. Pork loin chops – the big, thick ones
• 2 cups Mojo Criollo*
• 1 white onion – sliced into rings
• 1 tsp. Parsley

1. Stab each of the chops two or three times and brown them quickly in the olive oil.
2. Put them in a crockpot. Cover with the mojo and the onion slices and sprinkle with parsley.
   Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Or on low for 6-8 hours.
3. For added Cuban tastiness: Double the Mojo recipe and after the pork is cooked, pull it apart just a bit - it should be very tender - then, move it into a roasting pan.
4. Pour mojo over the pork and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Serve with black beans and white rice.

*Mojo Criollo
You can use the mojo that comes in a bottle, or make your own.
Here’s my recipe.

• 20 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Coarse-ground Pepper
• 2 tsp. Oregano
• 1 ¾ cups bitter orange juice
• ¼ cup white vinegar

1. Using a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, salt, pepper and oregano to make a paste.
2. Stir in the orange juice and vinegar.

They'll never know the difference. =D

Buen Provecho!

"Cubanism can strike at any age."

Me: "I made 'fanguito.'" (FAHN-GEE-TOH)

Amy Kikita: "Fanguito? Really, Mom? Wait! Is that another Cubanism? Isn't 'fango' the Spanish word for 'mud?' Where exactly are you??"

She sounds puzzled, and I picture her tilting her head to one side (kind of like a German shepherd).

Me: "In the kitchen. 'Fanguito,' yes. It's really dulce de leche. But I made it in the crockpot. Isn't that cool?"

Silence. (I'm guessing she's processing and translating and praying for her mother's sanity.)

Amy Kikita: "You freaked me out just a little..." (under her breath): "I guess Cubanism can strike at any age."