Roasted Pork Stuffed with Moros

Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 (6 to 8) pound fresh ham (Pork Shoulder)
1/4 cup oregano
3/4 cup sour orange juice
1/4 cup garlic, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound black beans
5 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 Italian peppers, divided, 1 diced, 1/2 in 1 piece
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and divided, 2 chopped, 2 crushed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 pound white rice
Red wine vinegar
Preparation:
First marinade the pork by combining the 1/4 cup oregano, sour orange juice, 1/4 cup garlic, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and let it stand for 1 hour. With a very sharp knife, cut ham across lengthwise exposing the bone. Cut around the bone and remove it. By making small cuts spread the ham until it is flat then trim into 4 equal rectangular shaped pieces. Discard any excessive fat. Season the meat with marinade and sit for at least 2 hours, refrigerated. Soak beans in water overnight. Bring beans, bay leaf and the 1/2 of pepper to a full boil. Simmer until beans soften then strain and remove pepper. Reserve the water (if necessary add more water to make 4 cups). In a large pan saute 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, diced pepper, chopped garlic and oregano until translucent. Add the rice, beans and water and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt. Reduce heat and cook covered until rice is soft. In a pan saute crushed garlic in the 4 tablespoons of olive oil until brown. Remove the cloves and add them to the rice. Season to taste with vinegar and let stand. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rice in the middle of the ham and fold both ways until stuffing is fully covered. Tie with string both lengthwise and across. Place in a roasting pan and cook for 20 minutes per pound or until inside cavity reaches 150 degrees.

Pollo Asado

Servings: 4
Ingredients:
3 lb whole chicken
2 Tsp dry oregano leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 Tsp salt, or to taste
6 garlic cloves
1/2 Tsp cumin
Juice of one lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange
Preparation:
Rinse chicken, pat dry. Place chicken breast up in a foil-lined shallow roasting pan. In mortar, place garlic, salt, oregano and black pepper, mash them well together. Mix with butter and lemon. With your fingers, carefully separate skin from breast, massage 1/2 of mixture gently between breast and skin, then spread the remaining mixture evenly over the whole chicken. Tuck wings under and tie legs together. Place pan in center of rack and cook for 40 minutes at 350 F (175 C), basting occasionally. Cook uncovered at 400 F (200 C) for 5-7 minutes. The chicken will taste better if marinated overnight.

Fricase de Pollo

Ingredients:
4 lbs chicken fryer cut in 8 pieces
6 garlic cloves, cut up
1/2 cup sour orange juice (or mix half-half lime and orange)
1 lg onion sliced
1 lg bell pepper sliced
1 small can tomato sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 small can Petit Pois (English Peas)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced pimiento filled olives
1 tsp capers
1 cup dry Sherry Wine (*)
1 lb potatoes, peeled and quartered
Preparation:
Marinade chicken pieces in garlic cloves, citrus juice, onion and bell pepper for at least one hour. Heat oil and brown chicken. Add onion, pepper and citrus from the marinade. Add tomato sauce, raisins, olives, capers, Sherry, salt & pepper. Add water to cover the chicken. Add the potato pieces in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Add the can of small peas just before serving.Wonderful over fluffy white rice.(*) Be sure to use only Sherry that you would drink, as so-called "cooking sherries" are loaded with salt.

Deviled Crab Cakes

Croquette Dough:
3 loaves stale American Bread- no crusts
1 loaf stale Cuban bread - ground very fine and sifted
1 level tbsp paprika 1 tsp salt
Preparation:
Soak American bread in water 15 minutes. Remove, squeeze until almost dry. Add Cuban bread gradually until dough is formed. Add paprika, salt. Mix well. Make ball from dough. Place in fridge about 3 hours
Crabmeat Filling
5 tbsp oil 3 onions finely chopped
½ red or green pepper finely chopped (or both)
4 garlic cloves mashed
1 level tsp crushed red hot pepper (Italian style)
2 bay leaves ½ tsp sugar
1 level tsp salt 1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 lb can fresh crab meat - claws - picked over and shredded
Preparation:
Fry onion, pepper(s), garlic, hot pepper in oil for 15 mins. (Very slowly) add bay leaves, sugar, salt, tomato paste. Stir. Cover and cook 15 minutes on low heat. Add crabmeat. Cook 10 minutes and then uncover. Keep in fridge 2 hours. Take about 3 tablespoons dough. Press in the palm of your hand. Add 1 tbsp crab mix. Seal like croquette with 2 pointed ends.
Dip into following mixture:
2 eggs well beaten with ½ cup milk, salt, dash black pepper. Mix 1cup cracker meal and ½ cup flour. Roll croquettes first in cracker/flour, then in egg mix, then in cracker/flour again. Refrigerate 2 hours (Never get the idea this is not something you dash off at the last minute!). Fry in deep fat until brown.

Lechon Asado

Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
3-4 lb pork butt
2-3 oz. cup white wine
1-2 oz. lemon juice
6-8 oz. Mojo
Preparation:
Coat meat with Mojo and marinate for 30 minutes or more
Place in oven pan and cover with foil
Roast for 1 ½ - 2 hours @ 450 degrees (or until center reaches 180 degrees)
Take out of oven and use tongs to pull meat apart until shredded
Place shredded pork in a pot of stove top
Cook on low flame mixing regularly

Churros

Ingredients:
1 cup white flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
oil for frying
several Tbsp granulated sugar to sprinkle or honey
Preparation:
This churros recipe makes 2-3 servings for breakfast. In the case additional servings are needed, prepare in batches so churros are warm when served.
Pour vegetable oil, such as canola or corn oil into a large heavy bottomed frying pan. Make sure there is about 2 inches of oil in the pan to cover the churros. There should be enough oil so that they float freely while frying. Set pan aside.
In a medium sauce pan, pour 1 cup water. Add oil, salt, sugar and stir. Bring water to a boil.
While waiting for water to boil, dry the cup used to measure the water and use it to measure flour, since it is necessary to have equal parts flour and water. Pour flour into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add baking powder and stir.
Once water boils, remove saucepan and begin heating oil in frying pan.
Slowly pour boiling water from saucepan into flour mixture - stirring constantly with a fork until it is a smooth dough without lumps.
Note: Dough should not be runny like a batter, but rather a sticky smooth dough.
Spoon dough into a churrera (a large cookie press) or pastry bag.
Carefully squeeze dough into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spatula or long-handled fork. Place on a paper towel to drain.
Once drained, cut into manageable lengths. Sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with honey and serve.

Picadillo

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds top choice ground beef

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cup olive oil

1 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 small green bell pepper, chopped fine

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup tomato sauce

1 medium potato peeled and cut into pieces

8 green olives, pitted and sliced

Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:

Thoroughly combine the beef, oregano, and cumin in a mixing bowl.Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the garlic, onion, and bell pepper until soft. Add the meat, wine, and tomato sauce. Cover and cook over a medium to low heat for about 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes, cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Add the olives and cook uncovered, for another 15 minutes, or until the liquid is almost fully reduced, making sure that the meat is still moist. Season with salt and pepper for taste.
Serves 4

Flan

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C milk
1/2 C water
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients and pour into a 2 quart baking dish that has been lined with a caramel coating. (Recipe follows.)Place pan in a larger pan that contains water. Bake 55-65 minutes or until pudding is soft set. Chill. Invert onto platter. Drizzle caramel on top when serving.
Caramel coating:
1/2 C sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. water
Cook everything in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until bubbly and caramel brown. Do not burn! Pour into a warm baking dish. Roll dish to coat sides.

Ropa Vieja

Ingredients:
2.5 lbs. flank steak
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 mild chilies, chopped
1 carrot, peeled
1 big onion, diced
4 big tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 celery stalk
1 bell pepper, chopped
dash cayenne to taste
Preparation:
Put the meat in a pot and cover with water. Add the carrot, the peeled onion, and the celery stalk. Boil, then simmer 1-2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from heat and cool in the liquid. Remove and shred the beef when cool. Reserve stock. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Cook the diced onion, garlic, and green pepper about 5 minutes. Add the chilies, tomatoes, and tomato paste, plus 2 cups of the stock. Add cayenne. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Raise the heat and uncover until sauce thickens some. Pour sauce over beef. Serve hot.