Help with Cuban food

[QSis]

I vote for ropa veja. It is easy, traditional and DEE-LICIOUS!

Lee

[Michael in FtW]

Here is a collection of Cuban recipes that will give you more than a couple to pick from.

The black bean soup from your link is neither salty (unless you add too much salt - the reason the rescipe doesn't specify an amount is because you need to "salt to taste") nor sweet- like Andy M. said ... the sugar is only used to balance the "flavors".

Regarding the Cuban Sandwich - here is some history and recipes.

I've had plantains that were fried crips like potato chips (or banana chips) and I've had them cooked soft and sweet like Bananas Foster. "Dry and Mushy" seems to be a contradition of terms - (dry being too little moisture or over cooked, and mushy too much moisture or under cooked), a bad recipe, a bad execution of the recipe, or maybe the plantains are too under ripe. Here are some plantain recipes for you to look at.

[dergyll]

Everything about the sandwich went fine untill I went looking for cuban bread, and there were none in my local grocery store. I ended up looking all over my neighborhood stores and finding nothing.

Will regular bread do? Or will this affect the grilling part of the sandwich more than I like?

Thanks for the rapid responds!
Derg

[cliveb]

I'd have thought a "Cuban Sandwich" was really a bit of a contradiction in terms; something like an "English Curry" or an "American Sushi", and far more likely to have originated in "Western" civilization than Caribbean/ South American civilization.

Black beans. Pork. Plantains.Guava fruit. Rice. Peppers...
take a look at this and see what you think...
http://www.cubanculture.com/english/cocina.asp

[Michael in FtW]

Well, Derg, I doubt you're going to find "Cuban" bread in your regular grocery store up there in Connecticut. Your best substitution for "from the store" where you live would be a loaf of French bread (texture and flavor is very similar).

If you want to make your own ... here are some recipes.

[dergyll]

I'm using this weekend as a prep-time, the cook-off is this monday afternoon. I'm going to run down to New York today to pick up some stuff and people. (They say you can find anything in NY!) This was our third assignment, the first two being Chinese and French, which both went okay.

About the ropa veja, it looks delicious, apart from rice, what else can it be served with? Are there any particular sauce I need to get? (Since Im going to NYC)

Thanks abunch guys and wish me luck!
Derg

[Claire]

After living in Florida my favorite cuban sandwhich is this: I buy a softer loaf of French bread, that is a little fatter than your average French loaf. The kind that most Americans use to make garlic bread. My deli happens to sell roast pork slices. I buy that and some thin sliced, not-too-sweet ham. Some of those dill pickles that are sliced thin for sandwiches, and some swiss cheese. Then I oil a skillet that the sandwich fits in, and put two skillets (heavier is better, but I've done it with anything) on the stove and heat them. This is the secret. Heat both skillets. Put the sandwhich in one, then take the other skillet and press in on the top of the sandwich. The pressing is the secret to this sandwich. You don't need a panini grill to do it.

[Mark Webster]

I did work down in Key West for a few years and had the opportunity to enjoy many cuban dishes. Roasted pork is a great entree with some yellow rice, black beans and of course fried plantains.

A great Cuban sandwich can be made with a couple slices of roasted pork, sliced ham, a white melting cheese (even a provolone), a dill pickle slice and a couple drops of hot sauce. Use a sour dough bread or another hearty bread, brush with melted butter and grill.

Mark

[thegrova]

I have only ever had one Cuban meal and it was at a restaurant in NYC (Cuban of course!). I am interested in trying more Cuban food and was wondering if anyone could recommend a few good / classic cuban cookbooks.

[BrazenAmateur]

Originally Posted by Flourgirl

(she's Cuban married to an Irishman)

Whaddya know....I'm an Irishman married to a Cuban

Different Cuban though, lol.