HotmailGloria Estefan’s rockin’ Cuban recipes
Learn how to make authentic plantain chips and a tasty, meaty picadillo
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Cooking with the Estefans Nov. 11: Music duo Gloria and Emilio Estefan show TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford how to cook up some tasty Cuban dishes. Today show |
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If you're looking to add sizzle to your autumn menu, look no further than superstars Gloria and Emilio Estefan's favorite Cuban recipes. In their new cookbook, “Estefan Kitchen,” the celebrated couple re-create authentic, savory dishes from their well-known Miami restaurant, Bongos Cuban Cafe. Even if you've never heard of many of the book's Cuban delicacies, you can whip up these dishes right in your own kitchen.
Picadillo is probably one the most popular Cuban dishes. Variations are found across Latin America and one of the key differences between Cuban-style picadillo and the way it's made in other countries is that we use pimento-stuffed Spanish olives in ours.
We like to use capers and raisins in our version, but you can omit them if you don't like them. The tomato sauce adds sweetness and makes the finished dish soupier than the way it's made in other places, and we usually serve it over white rice, with a helping of maduros and some black beans on the side.
A variation that my mother used to make at home in Cuba is called caballo, or "on horseback." It just means she fried up some eggs and set one on top of each serving of picadillo. It is an option that makes the dish totally different and even more delicious!
INGREDIENTS
1. In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, and brown the meat, stirring occasionally and ensuring that the meat is not scorched. Remove the browned meat and drain any excess fat from the pot.
2. Add the remaining olive oil, and heat it over medium heat. Then add the green pepper, onion, garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent.
3. Return the browned meat to the pot, and add the remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the picadillo for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Remove the bay leaves and serve over white rice with platanos maduros (tostones, if you prefer) and black beans.
To make picadillo a caballo or "picadillo on horseback," just before serving, fry one egg per portion (over easy or over medium) and slide them into the picadillo.
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6-8 servings
These are often considered "Cuban Potato Chips." You can slice them the same way you would slice a banana to put on cereal, at a slight angle to make slivers a little longer, or you can cut them lengthwise into long strips. Just cut them thin, about the same width you would for potato chips. (You can actually find plantains chips in the potato chip aisle at a lot of grocery stores, but they won't be the same as when they are homemade.)
This recipe is more proof of just how versatile plantains are, and how many ways we've found to include them in Cuban cuisine.
To add some extra flavor, serve them with some mojo in a little bowl so people can dip them. You don't want to pour the mojo over the maraquitas, because then it will make the plantain chips soggy. It's best to dip. The mojo is very garlicky, but it's delicious. Just make sure everybody eats the garlic so you can talk to each other.
INGREDIENTS
1. Peel the plantains. Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, finely slice the plantains (about the width you would slice potatoes for potato chips). You can slice the plantains lengthwise or crosswise, as you prefer.
2. Fill a large skillet with enough vegetable oil to completely cover plantain chips. Then heat the vegetable oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Fry the plantain chips in batches, placing the chips in the heated oil carefully so as not to get splattered. Do not overfill the pan, as the chips will stick to one another. Turn the chips occasionally and fry until browned on both sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them.
4. Remove the chips from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Wait a few minutes. Then salt to taste and transfer to a serving dish.
5. While cooking the remaining batches, keep the fried chips warm by placing them in the oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit until ready to serve.
6. Serve with mojo on the side for dipping.
Slicing the chips lengthwise enables you to use them to create "plantain chip sculptures" in your favorite Cuban dish, by carefully inserting two or three chips — upright and placed so they rest on one another at the top — into your main course or side dish to give your dish some tasty height.
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