This tutorial is for anyone who wants to make the sweet, frothy, strong-flavored elixir of life we call Café Cubano. In this post, you will not only learn how to make Cuban Coffee from a born and bred Cuban living in Miami. I will also explain to you why it’s the elixir of life.
…How To Make Cuban Coffee Read More »
Do you love deviled eggs? Then you’ll love my Cuban Deviled Eggs. It’s based on the classic deviled eggs recipe with one important addition… saffron. My son says that I would add saffron to just about anything. But this is not true! Saffron is an expensive spice so I use it very judiciously, but it’s so worth it on deviled eggs. Especially for Easter Brunch!
The Spanish name for deviled eggs is huevos endiablados. I really couldn’t find a recipe for huevos endiablados in my Cuban cookbooks. So I’ll admit that deviled eggs are not much of a Cuban thing. But it’s about time that changed! It’s time we crashed the deviled egg party platter with our own version!
And I’m not the only one that thinks so. I did find a few recipes online for Cuban deviled eggs that included garlic, tomato sauce, cilantro, or Spanish olives. But I’m very fond of the classics so I wanted to keep this Cuban deviled egg recipe simple and try it with my favorite Spanish spice, saffron.
While deviled eggs may not be a Cuban thing, they are a universally loved appetizer. The deviled eggs’ origin dates back to ancient Rome and you’ll find it in cookbooks all over the world. They are called by other names such as stuffed eggs, mimosa eggs, Russian eggs, and dressed eggs.
In fact, I did find a recipe for Florecitas De Huevos Rellenos (stuffed egg flowers) in the classic Cocina Criolla cookbook. So, there is a Cuban deviled egg recipe! I was tempted to try this recipe, but it called for deviled ham and that’s just a deal breaker for me. So, I had to come up with my own version.
It turns out eggs are not the only things that are deviled. The term deviled refers to spicy or highly seasoned foods and originates in 18th century England, where it’s spelled “devilled”.
This saffron deviled egg recipe is easy to make. The hardest part for most is how to cook the egg. You want the yolk to be fully cooked without the green ring around it. And the egg shell needs to come away cleanly so your egg has a smooth surface without any gouges or pockmarks.
The trick for easy peeling is to shock the eggs by placing them in ice cold water immediately and letting them cool for about 15 minutes. Kenji Lopez-Alt gives a great explanation of why this works in this Serious Eats article. I love how many experiments he went through to help us boil an egg! Much appreciated here!
As for how to cook the egg… you want to bring a pot of water to boil. Gently place the cold eggs into the water using a spoon (if you drop them in you’ll crack them). Lower the heat to simmer and cook 18 minutes. Kenji suggests 11 minutes, but he covers his eggs and I like to check on the simmer to make sure they are simmering and not boiling. I found that 18 minutes uncovered worked best for me.
Earlier I referred to classic deviled eggs and that usually means a mix of mayo, mustard and vinegar. My version sticks pretty closely to this except for delicious, magical saffron. I love that stuff!!
Now, I went with a lot less mayo than I would prefer. I’m trying to strike a happy balance between my tastebuds and my health. I like to eat these a lot, so by cutting down on the mayo, I get to enjoy them more! So, I went with ¼ cup of mayo, but you can easily go to ½ cup and get a creamier filling. If you do that, then I would increase the mustard from 2 to 3 tablespoons. Another way to lower the calorie count is to use reduced calorie mayonnaise.
My favorite topping is smoked paprika, it works so well with saffron! In fact, saffron and smoked paprika are the key ingredients in my favorite Paella Mixta recipe. I also like to add some chives for color and texture. But here are a few more toppings you can try: bacon, cooked chorizo crumbles, Spanish olives cut in half, red onions and caper gremolata, and cilantro. I tried all these variations and my favorites were the smoked paprika and chives, and bacon crumbles. But you go out there and have some fun with it!
Make brunch even easier with this Brunch Menu e-book that includes an easy-to-make brunch menu, complete with a shopping list and all the recipes you need. Download the book and let’s get cooking!
The saffron affiliate link adds a subtle but distinctive flavor to this classic deviled egg recipe with a Cuban twist! You can easily half this recipe for a smaller gathering. Party animals can easily double it too 😉
12 eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and White pepper to taste
Generous pinch saffron threads
Chives and Smoked Paprika for garnish
Boiling: Bring a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, use a spoon to gently place the eggs into the pan. If you drop them in, you can break them. Also, you can use cold eggs, straight from the fridge. Boil for 30 seconds, then lower to a simmer and cook for 18 minutes (check to make sure it’s simmering, the eggs will make a little rattling sound but you should not see bubbles). Once cooked add to a bowl of ice cubes and water, enough to cover the eggs. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before peeling.
Saffron: While the eggs are cooling, crumble the saffron threads between your fingers and place in a small bowl or cup. Add a tablespoon of boiling water and let it sit while the eggs boil.
Peeling: Once the eggs have cooled 15 minutes, gently crack the egg all over (don’t do it too hard or you can break the egg white). Peel under running water. Rinse the egg to make sure there’s no shell bits clinging to it.
Scooping the Yolks: Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and gently remove the yolk, it should come out cleanly. If it doesn’t, use a spoon to gently scoop out whatever yolk is clinging to the egg whites. I cannot stress gentleness enough. You don’t want to damage your little egg cups!
Mixing: Add the egg yolks to a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until small crumbles. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, saffron threads with water. Mix with the back of a wooden spoon to make the mixture as smooth and creamy as possible. Add white pepper and salt to taste.
Stuffing: Use a mini scooper or a spoon to fill each egg cup. Or, you can pipe the mixture into the cups for a fancy look.
Piping: Take the yolk mixture and place it in pastry bag with a 1M star decorator tip. Pipe each egg cup until filled.
Garnishing: Garnish with smoked paprika and chopped chives.
Other great toppings you can use for these eggs are: crumbled bacon, crispy cooked Spanish chorizo, cilantro, Spanish olives.
I mentioned this in my post but it bears repeating… I used less mayo to lower the calories and guilt factor on these, but you can easily go to ½ cup of mayo and get a creamier filling. If you do that, then increase the mustard to 3 tablespoons. Alternatively, you can use reduced calorie mayonnaise.
If you want to add more complex toppings, I would suggest spooning in the mixture so you have more of a horizontal surface to work with. Also, the creamier the eggs (aka higher mayo content), the better the toppings adhere.
Cuban Deviled Eggs Are Great For Easter Brunch Read More »
Brunch is absolutely the best weekend meal! I love hanging out with friends and family sipping on a mimosa and munching on these super tasty smoked salmon avocado toasts. On their own, smoked salmon and avocado toast are brunch stars but paired together they are Oscar material!
Crostini plays a supporting role to thinly sliced avocado topped with smoked salmon and a red onion and capers gremolata. I first tried making these little salmon toasts with cream cheese, but it was overpowering. The avocado has a more subtle flavor that lets the salmon shine through. And the gremolata was the perfect complement for both.
This brunch recipe doesn’t require any cooking and can be prepared in advance and assembled just before serving. If you can’t find ripe avocados, substitute avocado mash for the sliced avocado. However, don’t use guacamole for the base because it’s a bit too much with the gremolata.
Let’s review this cast of characters.
Crostini – I used half inch slices of French bread cut diagonally. This gives you more room for smoked salmon and makes it more than just a bite. If you’re pressed for time, you can use store-bought crostini, but it’s better if you can make them. Store-bought crostini tends to be thinner and crispier. And having a thicker slice with a bit of a chew gives you a more satisfying bite and mouthfeel.
Avocado – I used thinly sliced avocado fanned out on the crostini. It looks super fancy and it’s so easy to make. You slice the avocado in half, peel it and thinly slice it from top to bottom. Then you run your fingers over it slightly to flatten and fan the slices like a deck of cards.
Smoked Salmon – I love the way the smokey flavor stands up to the other ingredients in this salmon toast. I had tried making a marinade for the smoked salmon, but it overpowered the salmon. The gremolata gives you a great punch without drowning out the delicate salmon flavor.
Gremolata – I love this part! Gremolata is a traditional Italian herb condiment made with lemon zest, parsley and garlic. My take on it includes red onion, capers and cilantro, instead of parsley. The cilantro tastes so good with avocado!
These tasty little toasts are perfect for Easter brunch, but they are so friendly and versatile you can serve them at just about any occasion.
Change the crostini for two thick slices of sourdough bread to make smoked salmon avo toast breakfast for two.
Or cut the French bread into half-inch rounds to make smoked salmon canapes for your next party. This recipe makes eight little salmon toasts, but you can double the amount by cutting the bread crosswise into 16 small half-inch rounds.
Hanging out with friends having wine? These are perfect little montaditos, a Spanish tapas dish made with bread piled high with toppings.
This little avocado toast has range, baby!
Don’t know about montaditos? It’s a special type of Spanish tapas (appetizer) made with baguette-style bread topped with all kinds of good stuff. Check out my Ropa Vieja Montaditos recipe to get a better idea.
Ready to brunch? Dale!
Make brunch even easier with this Brunch Menu e-book that includes an easy-to-make brunch menu, complete with a shopping list and all the recipes you need. Download the book and let’s get cooking!
These smoked salmon toasts are an easy brunch recipe that requires no cooking. Smoked salmon and avocado piled high on a crostini with a lemon and caper gremolata is the perfect dish for breakfast, brunch or a party.
8 slices of French bread cut on the diagonal, half-inch thick and 5 inches long
2 small Hass avocados
4 ounces smoked salmon
1/4 cup red onion finely diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped capers
3 tables olive oil, divided
zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
chives for garnish
These smoked salmon avocado toasts require no cooking, just a little toasting for the bread.
Crostini: Cut 8 slices of French bread on the diagonal. The slices should be half-inch thick and 5 inches long. Brush with one tablespoon of olive oil and lightly toast.
Avocado: Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Peel and thinly slice each half. Gently push on the avocado slices to fan them out like a deck of cards. Take about 1/4 for each piece of toast. Place the slices on the toast and gently mold to fit.
Salmon: Portion the salmon into 8 equal portions of half an ounce each.
Gremolata: Take the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon zest, onions, capers and cilantro and mix in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble: Top each avocado toast with one portion of smoked salmon and a spoonful of the gremolata across the top.
Garnish: Cut 8 chives about 5 inches long and top each toast with one chive.
You can use mashed avocado in place of the sliced avocado.
You can make the gremolata and toast the bread ahead of time and then assemble when you’re ready to serve.
You can turn this avocado toast into smoked salmon canapes. Just double the servings from 8 to 16 by cutting the French bread into half-inch rounds (crosswise not diagonal) and top with 1/8 of an avocado and a quarter ounce of salmon.
Easy Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast For Brunch Read More »
These tasty little beef and cheese empanadas are so easy to make and a great way to savor leftover picadillo. Empanadas are a popular Cuban snack sold at Cuban bakeries and restaurants. You’ll also find them in just about any snack counter in Miami. I love to have these as tapas with a little wine or sangria, but they also work as a snack or light lunch.
Empanadas are originally from Spain, but you’ll find them in most Latin American cuisines. The term comes from the verb empanar, which means to coat or wrap with bread.
While empanadas are from Spain, many cultures have a recipe for meat pie. It’s an early version of convenience food. I just love that they are so super easy to make and are a great appetizer, especially served with a little sriracha aioli on the side.
My favorite stuffing is spicy ground beef (picadillo), but you can stuff these little hand pies with so many other yummies. The ones you’ll find most often at Cuban bakeries are filled with guava and cream cheese, picadillo, or chicken. This beef and cheese empanada recipe is stuffed with cheese and picadillo because that’s my daughter’s favorite combo. I used a Colby Jack cheese mix because it pairs so well with the spicy ground beef.
You’ll need about one and a quarter cups of picadillo to make these empanadas. You can use my Authentic Cuban Picadillo recipe. Picadillo is a very popular Cuban dish made of spicy ground beef with olives and served with black beans and rice. It’s the ultimate Cuban comfort food! Make the picadillo for dinner and then use the leftovers to make these cheesy beef picadillo empanadas.
Some people make their own empanada dough, but I’m not one of them. I usually buy the frozen empanada discs that are ready to go. So, I can make these empanadas on a whim, whenever I have some picadillo leftovers. One day when I grow up, I’ll make my own dough.
I like to bake these beef and cheese empanadas because it’s so much easier than frying. But my daughter loves them fried (of course she would… especially when I’m the one frying them :P). But I must say the dough is definitely crunchier and tastier when you fry them.
If you’re frying these, you need to make sure you have a good seal on the dough, so the stuffing doesn’t come out and the oil doesn’t seep into the picadillo filling. To do this, you just need to wet the edge of the dough with a little water and then use fork tines to seal the edges.
If you’re baking the empanadas, add a little egg wash and paprika to the tops before baking.
Let’s make some empanadas ya’ll!
When I make these, I think of my Abuela Melba. She used to make empanadas for me and my brother. Years later, after I was married, she would make a batch for me and my hubby and call me to come and pick them up. That was a great way to get me to stop by her house often!
She would always ask me how I liked them and if they were better than my mom’s. That woman loved a little competition! As she got older, her cooking skills started to decline, and her empanadas were a little too greasy with the filling seeping out of the dough. I would still come and pick them up and tell her how good they were, because I knew it pleased her.
Cooking for us was one of the ways she could communicate my hubby. She didn’t speak any English and Jay didn’t speak any Spanish at that time. So, the empanadas were her way of saying she liked “Jerry” (she could never get his name right!).
Food is a connector and memory maker. It helps bridge the gap between languages, generations, and cultures. So, the next time you want to connect and love on your peeps, cook up a batch of your signature dish and share it with them.
These super tasty, cheesy Cuban beef empanadas are very easy to make and can be fried or baked. They are a perfect way to use up Cuban picadillo leftovers!
1 1/4 cup Authentic Cuban Beef Picadillo
1 1/4 cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
1 package of frozen empanada discs (they come 10 to a pack and can be found in the freezer section)
1 egg (for brushing on the baked empanadas)
Paprika for garnish (for baked empanadas)
1 cup oil (if you’re frying)
Picadillo: Prepare Cuban Picadillo according to recipe found here. If you’re using leftovers, don’t reheat. We want to use the filling cold. If you made picadillo for this recipe, let it come to room temperature before filling. Otherwise, it will make the dough too soft and it could tear. Take out the shredded cheese.
Dough: Thaw the frozen dough, it should take about 15 minutes. You can pull apart the discs once they begin to thaw to speed up the process, but be careful not to crack the dough.
Prep: Flour your working surface so the dough doesn’t stick. Get a little bowl of water for sealing the dough. If you’re baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and beat the egg and set aside.
Filling: Add two tablespoons of picadillo and two tablespoons of cheese to one empanada disc. Dip one finger into the water bowl and wet the edges of the dough.
Fold the dough and seal with fork tines.
Baking: Brush the empanadas with the egg wash and sprinkle a little paprika on the tops. Bake for 27 minutes or until golden.
Frying: pour oils into a shallow frying pan and heat to about 350 degrees on medium high. Carefully place each empanada into the oil and lower the heat to medium. Fry on each side for about 3 minutes. Take out with tongs and drain on paper towels.
Cooking time is based on baking the empanadas. If you’re frying, you can shorten the time by about 10 minutes.
You can opt for making all-beef empanadas and leave out the cheese. If you do that, use 1/4 cup of picadillo filling.
Serve with sriracha aioli.
Easy Beef and Cheese Empanadas Read More »
Good mornings are always on the menu with this super creamy and tropical mango orange smoothie. It’s everything I love about Miami… it’s sunny and bright, tangy and tropical. The flavors blend so well that every sip feels like a conga line in your mouth!
This is the absolutely most luscious frozen fruit smoothie you’ll ever make.
Together, these three ingredients give this smoothie a very tropical vibe, like you should be sitting on a beach chair, with a little paper umbrella in your smoothie! Bananas, almond milk, and protein powder balance out the smoothie and give it the satiety you need to make it more like breakfast.
There have been times that I’ve been craving this smoothie with no orange juice on hand. I just replace the orange juice with a bit of extra almond milk. It’s still delicious, but I do miss the citrus tang, though. In that case, it’s more of a mango banana smoothie recipe. Either way, it will brighten your morning!
I like to use frozen mangos for this smoothie. Frozen fruit helps make your smoothies thick and frosty without diluting the flavor with ice cubes. You can freeze your own or buy frozen mango chunks.
Back before Hurricane Irma destroyed her tree, my mom (aka Bean Train) used to bring me the mangoes from her backyard which were absolutely the best I’d ever tasted. I would freeze them and have mango smoothies all the time!
Now I use frozen mango chunks from the freezer section unless it’s summertime. Then, I use fresh mangos that my friends and neighbors give away. The mangos are falling off the neighbors’ trees, so they are always happy to share their extras. In fact, you can find little roadside stands even in residential areas where folks are either selling or giving away their extra mangos. Talk about pop-up stores!
When I’ve had to buy them at the store, I usually buy the Kent mangos, but you can try other mango varieties. They should work fine.
If you’re using fresh mangos, one mango yields about one cup of mango chunks… maybe a little more. Mangos have a huge pit, so the yield is not as much as you’d expect from such a big fruit.
The pit also makes them a little tricky to cut. Instead of peeling the mango, cut the fleshy sides of the mango, avoiding the pit in the center. Then, to each fleshy side, you’ll make shallow cuts lengthwise and crosswise to form a hashtag, but don’t cut through the skin. Then bend the skin back to reveal little cubes you can easily eat.
But wait! We’re cutting these to make a smoothie! So, don’t eat them, instead, cut them and lay them out in a single layer on a plate or small tray. Now cut the flesh around the pit as much as you can and lay those pieces on the tray as well. Now you can nibble on the pit!
Go ahead and freeze for about 2 hours and then you can store it in a ziplock bag. To make things easier, you can freeze in cup portion bags. I like to wait until the next day so the mangos are totally frozen and will give my smoothie that frothy feel without adding ice cubes.
This is a healthy mango smoothie with coconut milk, banana, orange juice, almond milk and protein powder. I used just ¼ cup of canned, unsweetened coconut milk because it gives it such a rich taste. But you could opt for ¾ cup of Silk coconut milk with fewer calories (replace the ½ cup almond milk in that case). It won’t be quite as rich, but still a treat! You can use any protein powder you like. I used whey protein, but you can use a plant-based protein powder to make this a vegan mango smoothie.
This smoothie totally lives up to its name, it’s absolutely the creamiest I’ve ever had! Everything about this smoothie contributes to it’s super creamy texture.
Mornings seem a little perkier with orange juice. But orange juice by itself wouldn’t make much of a breakfast, would it? So this little orange and mango smoothie is the perfect alternative! I promise you’ll love mornings again with this delish smoothie that reminds you of sunshine and paper umbrella drinks!
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This healthy and delicious mango orange smoothie is the perfect way to start your mornings! The mango and coconut milk give it a very tropical taste vibe and the protein powder gives this frozen fruit smoothie some staying power!
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
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Frozen Mango Chunks: I used storebought frozen mango chunks, but you can cut your own fresh mango. Either way, you’ll need to freeze the mango to get the best creamy texture without having to use ice. One mango yields about a 1 cup or more of mango chunks.
Protein Powder: I used whey protein powder but you can use whichever one you like. You can make this into vegan smoothie by using a plant-based protein powder.
Prep Time: It should take less than 5 minutes to throw this mango orange smoothie together if you’re using frozen fruit. Calculate 10 minutes more if you’re cutting and freezing your own mangos. In that case, you’ll also need to wait a few hours or overnight to make the mango smoothie.
Mango Orange Smoothie Is The Creamiest Read More »
I absolutely love Cuban picadillo! And what’s not to love? This picadillo recipe has very basic ingredients and comes together in just 30 minutes. And the leftovers have endless possibilities!
Picadillo is a very common Latin American dish made with ground beef. Like most Cuban dishes, Cuban picadillo uses a sofrito base of onions, peppers, and garlic sauteed in olive oil. We use it in just about all Cuban cooking. This mix is the Cuban version of Italian soffritto and French mirepoix, which call for onion, carrot, and celery.
Other picadillo ingredients include tomato sauce, cooking wine (vino seco), cumin, and oregano. Some versions throw in fried, cubed potatoes or raisins, or both. My crew likes it simple, so I don’t add these. But can I just say it’s sooo good with raisins? It’s got that sweet and savory thing going on. Maybe when I have an empty nest, I’ll be able to make my picadillo with raisins ?
Most Cuban picadillo recipes call for ground beef, but traditional recipes included a mix of ground beef, pork, and ham. Growing up, Mami used three parts ground beef and one part ground pork to make her picadillo, which is how I made this recipe. But you can make it with all beef. The combination of ground beef and pork gives you a milder, less beefy flavor. But either way, it’s delicious! I’ve even made it with ground turkey (with 7% fat); it’s not a finicky recipe.
Usually, I make it with just ground sirloin, but I wanted to give you the option to try it with the pork. If I’m using a mix of beef and pork, I cook the meat first and drain it since ground pork is a bit fatty. If you’re using all ground sirloin, you don’t need to brown the meat first. You can make the sofrito first and then add the seasonings and the raw meat and break up the meat with a wooden spoon. Let it cook for a bit before you add the tomato sauce and other ingredients.
What do you serve with Picadillo? Usually, I serve this dish with rice, black beans, and maduros, which is my ultimate comfort food! My son likes his with white rice and bananas, which is another way Cubans like to eat picadillo.
Now about the leftovers. Picadillo second day is even tastier! It’s the perfect filling for tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, nachos, stuffed peppers and so much more. You can even use it as a base for Shepherd’s Pie. Picadillo is just so easy, flexible and no fuss, I just love it and I hope you do too ❤️
There’s a direct link between memory and taste. A 2014 study found that the area of our brain responsible for our taste memories is directly tied to our ability to remember the time and place we ate it. Scientists believe this is a survival mechanism to keep us from eating poisonous things. That’s a very vital reason, but not as poetic as remembering the taste and smell of your grandma’s cookies.
The reason picadillo, rice, and beans are such comfort food for me is because it takes me back to second-grade me sitting in a small private school in Little Havana. We had just moved to Miami from New York City, and everything was so different, except the picadillo. Mami had placed me in a little school owned by Cubans, and they made home-cooked lunches for us. Wednesdays was picadillo day. And with so many things being different, it was nice to have my favorite dish to help me deal.
Why do you love certain foods? When you eat it does it take you back to another time and place? That connection between our food and our memories is what Bean Train is all about. I record Mami’s best recipes because I don’t want to lose them. One day in what I hope is a very distant future, I may need a bowl of her Congri to comfort me when I can no longer pick up the phone and speak with her.
This quick and easy Cuban Picadillo recipe is so easy to make and a perfect topping for rice bowls, tacos, empanadas and so much more.
Using ground beef only: You can omit the ground pork and use 2 pounds of ground sirloin. In that case, you don’t have to precook the meat. You can sauté your onions, garlic and peppers and add the raw beef when the onions are soft. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon, the same way you would with the beef and pork mixture.
Using ground turkey: It’s also good with turkey. However, if you’re using turkey, replace the tomato sauce with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and double the paprika and oregano. Also, cook for an extra 15 minutes to give the ground turkey a little more time to absorb the flavors.
Authentic Cuban Picadillo Recipe You’ll Love Read More »
Ooh, you are so going to wow your friends with these little shredded beef appetizers, which I’m calling Ropa Vieja Montaditos. They are totally Instagram-worthy and the perfect wine party appetizer! You may not be as excited with the strange-sounding name, but you will once I ‘splain what my little ropa vieja sandwich is all about.
I didn’t just make up the name montadito. This Spanish word describes a particular type of appetizer consisting of a baguette-style bread piled with toppings. The root word means to mount. So, in essence, you’re mounting deliciousness on a bread canvas to create little works of art that won’t last very long on a plate! Trust me, this is the best thing to happen to bread since the invention of the slice.
Now, montaditos are usually more like little sandwiches served on baguette bread. My shredded beef appetizer is more like an open-faced ropa vieja sandwich. A little different, but the name totally works.
Ropa Vieja is a shredded beef stew simmered in a savory tomato sauce. The original recipe migrated to Cuba from Spain, and it’s one of the most popular dishes served at Cuban restaurants in Miami. Ropa Vieja literally means old clothes, which could refer to how it looks. But I found a sweet story online about an old man who had no food for his family, so he cooked his old clothes and prayed over the simmering pot. Then God answered with shredded beef!
So now, let me tell you about my little shredded beef and french bread appetizer made with love. I got the idea for this Spanish tapas recipe after visiting a local tapas bar, Bulla Gastrobar. Bulla, pronounced bu-ya, means noise in Spanish. And it was noisy, but it was a good noise. Some of the bu-ya was me smacking my lips over the tapas menu. Tapas are savory little bites served with drinks at Spanish bars (tapas bars), in case you’re wondering. So many Spanish vocabulary words today!
As I was drooling over the menu, I noticed this fantastic little dish pass right by me. I had not seen anything like it before! The dish was a montadito. I ordered one for the table and soon was digging into a little slice of french baguette bread piled high with brisket, tomato marmalade, guindilla pepper, and tetilla cheese. As soon as I tasted my little brisket montadito, I was already planning to make my own version with Cuban ropa vieja.
Allow me to present my own montadito creation with ropa vieja, sweet plantains (maduros) , melted gouda cheese, and pickled peppers. Oh, so yummy and perfect for a tapas party, for brunch, or for lunch or dinner, served with wine, beer, or sangria.
These are super easy to make if you have ropa vieja leftovers. If you don’t’, make the ropa vieja first and enjoy that for dinner, making sure to save a little for the montaditos on day 2. Ropa vieja is usually served over rice with fried sweet plantains called maduros. So save some maduro leftovers too!
Once you have your ropa vieja and maduros leftovers, the rest is pretty much assembly and comes together very quickly.
If you like this recipe, you’ll want to check out my Smoked Salmon Avocado Toasts, they are an easy brunch recipe that requires no cooking 😉
I hope these inspire you to make your own little bread canvases! If you do, share them with me. I’d love to try them too! ¡Buen provecho!
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Try these impressive little French bread appetizers made with ropa vieja and maduros. They are perfect for a tapas party! They come together quickly and can be assembled and finished later. If you don’t have ropa vieja leftovers, you can get the recipe here and enjoy that for dinner the night before.
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Cuban ropa vieja leftovers. Here’s the Cuban ropa vieja recipe.
½ cup diced Maduros get the recipe here
4 slices gouda cheese cut into four each (total of 16) or 1/2 cup shredded gouda cheese
16 slices of pickled peppers or Manzanilla olives
Serve with beer, wine, or sangria.
I cut the bread slices to 1 inch but it can be a mouthful once you add the toppings. You could cut just a little shorter and it will save you some calories, too. My best advice is to test with 1 sandwich before you make the rest to see what height works for you.
Cuban Ropa Vieja Sandwich Appetizer Is Impressive and Simple Read More »
I grew up cooking Cuban food. And this chicken fricassee recipe is the first one I mastered when I was a teenager. What is a fricassee? It’s more a method of cooking than an actual dish. Fricassee is a French word that means cut up pieces of meat sauteed and then simmered in a sauce. This method is also popular in Spain.
And it’s from there that fricassee found its way to the Spanish Caribbean. Cuban Chicken Fricassee (Fricasé de Pollo) has a tomato base with dry wine.
My first fricassee used turkey instead of chicken and I was so proud of it too! Growing up Cuban in Miami, a traditional turkey dinner wasn’t something I did until I was married to my very American husband. I remember thinking I had bitten off more than I could chew as I was cutting up the turkey, but it came out delicious. Mami tried to take the credit for the turkey fricassee since she’s the one who taught me, but I wouldn’t let her. Lady, it was my trophy turkey!
I used to make this with a cut-up fryer chicken, just like Mami used to make. Nowadays I only use skinless chicken thighs. I find chicken breast to be too dry and drumsticks not as meaty.
My Cuban Chicken Fricassee recipe includes carrots and saffron which my Mom didn’t use. Saffron is not traditional and it’s a pricey spice, so it’s totally optional. I like using it because it gives it such an amazing flavor, similar to paella. I found myself compulsively tasting the sauce when I already knew it was good. So super tasty!!
Some recipes also call for raisins but my crew doesn’t like them. I would definitely recommend you try it at least once with the raisins to see if you like it.
This dish is usually served over white rice, but you can also use brown rice. Or serve it as a stew with some crusty bread for dipping. Make enough for leftovers because this recipe is even better the second day. When my kids were little, I would shred the chicken and mix it with rice. The kids loved it! ¡Buen provecho!
As a teenager, I was so annoyed when my mom tried to take credit for my accomplishments, like making Turkey Fricassee from scratch. I didn’t want to be in her shadow. But now that I’m a parent, I understand my mom was simply excited that I succeeded with her help. Parenting can be so hard sometimes, it’s exhilarating when our kids succeed because that means we also succeeded as a parent. Thank you so much Mami, sorry I was such a brat about the fricassee.
Chicken Fricassee Cuban style is a savory chicken stew served over rice. It’s a very popular Cuban dish that’s easy to make.
Serve over rice or with Cuban bread for dipping into the sauce!
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I used to cook this with a regular dutch oven pot, but I recently purchased a Cuisinart Cast Iron Porcelain affiliate link Casserole and I love it! It doesn’t stick and it’s easier to clean than I expected. And I love how even it heats and how pretty it looks. I’m linking to the one I used for this recipe.
Easy Chicken Fricassee Cuban Style (Fricasé de Pollo) Read More »
This Cuban congri rice recipe launched the Bean Train Blog! This is Mami’s best beans and rice recipe and the one that her kids and grandkids want to learn and pass down. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, my brother calls from North Carolina asking how to make it. Every time. That’s what gave me the idea to start this blog, so, Thank You, Henry!
I’m willing to tackle any cuisine, cook up a storm and invite a few extra mouths. But I hadn’t made this recipe until I started the blog. I knew I was grandma material when I could make this recipe just like Mami’s (well, almost, but don’t tell her!).
Congri is a traditional Spanish black beans rice dish served with just about anything Cuban, especially with roast pork (lechón asado) on Christmas Eve (Noche Buena). Now let’s briefly consider the congri vs. moros debate (or just skip this paragraph if you’re not Cuban). Depending on where in Cuba you lived, congri is made with red beans and rice and moros y cristianos is made with black beans and rice. My mom was a Havana gal, so I grew up calling this black bean version congri.
It’s been hard perfecting this black beans and rice recipe because my mom doesn’t use exact measurements. It’s a little pinch of this, a dash of that, and a handful of the other thing. She cooks “a ojo de buen cubero” which basically means she eyeballs everything. But she’s been making this recipe for so long that it always comes out fantastic. I had to watch her like a hawk to get the measurements down.
You can’t use canned beans for this congri recipe. You really need to make them from scratch because you’ll be using the bean broth as well as the beans. Softening the beans can be done quickly in the Instant Pot, but you’ll need to finish the rice on the stovetop. Now let’s talk about soaking the beans. My mom always soaked the beans overnight and then replaced the water with fresh water. Some folks say this is not necessary. But recently, I’ve been reading more about anti-nutrients and lectins and how soaking the beans helps remove some of the harmful anti-nutrient compounds. Added bonus, soaking also reduces the complex sugars that can lead to gassy side effects. So, it turns out Mami was right. Soak them beans!
You can also turn this rice dish into vegan black beans and rice by omitting the salt pork. Add a little extra salt in that case. You can taste and make that call. Salt pork is common in southern cooking, so it should be easy to find. But, you can substitute bacon or pancetta for the salt pork if it’s easier. I use a lot of it in this recipe because my daughter loves it so much, but you can use a little less and still have great flavor. ¡Buen Provecho!
I have taken for granted how comfortable and fearless I feel in the kitchen. I owe my mother a debt of gratitude for encouraging me to cook, but I didn’t realize it until a few years ago. Sometimes hurt makes us focus on the negative, and we miss the goodness around us. My mom tended to be very critical of me when I was growing up, which damaged my self-esteem. But she always supported my efforts in the kitchen. I never thanked her for that.
A few years ago, a very talented friend of mine shared why she doesn’t enjoy cooking. When she was young, she tried to make her Dad breakfast and burnt it, and her dad called her stupid. That made me think about my own confidence in the kitchen and how my mother treated my first cooking attempt.
I was eight years old when I made my first dish from scratch. Having seen my mom make Spanish omelet dozens of times, I was sure I could pull it off. So I cracked the eggs, cut up a potato, and cooked it together, not realizing that you had to cook the potato before adding it to the omelet.
I served my mom and stepdad raw potato omelet! They ate it up and told me how delicious it was!! Years later, my dad confessed that Mami made him eat it and say he loved it.
My mom has her shortcomings, but she also has excellent qualities. Being a parent myself, I realize that moms are not perfect, but we do the best we know-how. So thank you, Mami, for sharing your love of cooking with me and always letting me try new things in the kitchen. Sorry, I burned the kitchen a little (just once).
Congri is a traditional Spanish black beans rice side dish served with just about anything Cuban, especially with roast pork (lechón asado) on Christmas Eve (Noche Buena).
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The Best Cuban Congrí Rice (Black Beans and Rice) Read More »
What is ropa vieja? The translation means old clothes, but I don’t know if it’s because old clothes are comfortable, like comfort food. Maybe it’s because you cook it as long as you would boil old clothes back in the day. Either way, my Cuban ropa vieja recipe translates to shredded beef deliciousness!
Full disclosure, as yummy as this is, it’s not my favorite way to eat shredded beef. I prefer to make vaca frita (fried cow) with the ropa vieja meat, but that’s a post for another day. Ropa Vieja is my hubby’s favorite dish. He usually orders this when we eat out at a Cuban restaurant. Hey, sometimes this gal needs a night off, too!
I used to make this dish with flank steak, what a newbie mistake! I learned Mami makes it with shoulder London broil, which is way cheaper. You can buy enough to feed a battalion (batallón) or have enough for great leftovers!
I think Ropa Vieja is the king of leftovers because it tastes even better the next day, and you can make standout party food like shredded beef quesadillas, shredded beef empanadas, or shredded beef and maduros flatbreads. I love having appetizers for dinner, don’t you? It magically transforms dinner time into party time, especially with a glass of merlot.
Mami always made ropa vieja in the pressure cooker. But all the cool kids are using the Instant Pot these days, and I wanna be cool, so I switched it up. This ropa vieja recipe’s directions are the same in either the Instant Pot or the pressure cooker.
Some folks make the Ropa Vieja in the slow cooker, but no matter how many recipes I’ve tried, it’s just not a winner. You really need to simmer the beef at a higher temp to get the sauce to reduce. Otherwise, it’s more like shredded beef soup… not a fan. You could, however, cook the beef in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low and then transfer the beef to the stovetop to finish it.
You can serve this over rice with twice-fried green plantains (tostones) or fried sweet plantains (plátano maduro). I’m really into rice bowls these days, so I like to try different bowl buddies, like:
Traditional Cuban: Shredded beef, white rice, sweet plantain bits (maduros), and black beans (or you can use congri rice instead of the rice and beans).
2nd Generation Cuban: Ropa Vieja, Brown Rice, Roasted Cauliflower, and cilantro.
Mashed Cuban Bowl: Ropa Vieja, yuca mash, carrot slices, and Brussel sprouts. It’s like a deconstructed Cuban shepherd’s pie.
I hope you enjoy this authentic Ropa Vieja recipe and try the other dishes you can make with the leftovers.
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This shredded beef dish is one of the most popular dishes served at Cuban restaurants and a family favorite at my house. It’s typically served with white rice and fried maduros.
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Slow Cooker Instructions: Cut the meat across the grain into three-inch pieces. Place in a slow cooker with one cup of water and2 bay leaves and cook on high for four hours.
Stove Top Instructions: Cut the meat across the grain in three-inch pieces simmer on the stovetop for about an hour and a half.
Serving Suggestions: Serve as a traditional Cuban dish or mix it up with these alternatives.
2nd Generation Cuban: Ropa Vieja, Brown Rice, Roasted Cauliflower, and cilantro.
Mashed Cuban Bowl: Ropa Vieja, yuca mash, carrot slices, and Brussel sprouts. It’s like a deconstructed Cuban shepherd’s pie.
Cuban Ropa Vieja Recipe in the Instant Pot Read More »