Caribbean League Final ..

Sofrito

Sofrito

4 oz tomato sauce
1/8 Lb chopped salted pork
1/8 Lb chopped ham
1 small minced onion
1/4 minced bell pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
1 envelope "Sazon" or substitute with achiote
1 chicken bouillon cube
few minced sprigs cilantro
few minced sprigs parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Then add salted pork and ham. Cook
for 4 minutes on medium high heat. Add remaining ingredients and
lower heat to medium. Cook until onions are softened. Use in recipe calling for sofrito.

Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich

3 thin slices (almost shaved) boiled ham
3 thin slices turkey (optional)
3 thin slices roast pork hot or cold
3 thin slices salami
3 thin slices Swiss cheese
3 or 4 slices pickles
1/3 cut Cuban bread hard crust

3 thin slices tomato, optional
4 thin slices green bell pepper, optional
3 thin slices onion, optional

1/3 cut French or Cuban bread
1 leaf romaine lettuce mayonnaise mustard 

 

It is important that the sandwich be prepared on Cuban bread (hard crust). You can substitute an 8" sub, grinder or hoagie bread. (Slice the bread open face and spread mustard first then mayonnaise remember this is not traditional, but still good). Add the ham (roast pork), turkey, salami. (Then add the tomato, pepper, onion and lettuce remember this is not 'traditional,' but still good). Then top your sandwich and press. Press the sandwich on a hot skillet. If you have a sandwich press, use it to heat and press your Cuban.

Caribbean Chicken

Caribbean Chicken

4 cups cooked rice
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup flaked/shredded coconut
15 oz can pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice, undrained
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
8 teaspoons lime juice
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
4 sheets aluminum foil

Caribbean Jerk Season

Caribbean Jerk Season
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 Teaspoons vegetable oil

Combine allspice, dried thyme leaves, paprika, hot pepper sauce,
and vegetable oil in small bowl, mix well. Wrap and seal foil to
form 4 packets.

Preheat oven to 450 F or preheat grill to high. Spray foil with
nonstick cooking spray. Combine rice, red pepper, onions, coconut, pineapple, brown sugar, and lime juice. Center 1/4 of rice mixture on each foil sheet. Rub Jerk Season over chicken, place on top of rice mixture on foil sheets. Bake 18-20 minutes on a cookie sheet in preheated oven or grill 18-20 minutes on high in covered grill.

Puerto Rican Chicken With Rice

Puerto Rican Chicken With Rice

3 1/2 lb. frying chicken, cut
1/2 c. onions, chopped
1/2 c. celery
1 c. Spanish olives, sliced (reserve the liquid)
1 small jar chopped pimientos
1 can peas and carrots with water
1 small can tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. rice
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Brown chicken pieces in olive oil and then drain. Saute onions,
celery and Spanish olives; add the browned chicken pieces.
Combine the rest of the ingredients. Cook slowly, covered, stirring
frequently because rice will stick. This delicious main course
is ready when the rice is fully cooked.

Baja Baked Chicken

Baja Baked Chicken

10 green onions, chopped
1 medium-size onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Scotch bonnet pepper or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, place all of the
ingredients except the chicken. Process for 30 seonds, forming a
paste. Scrape the sides at least once during the processing.
Place the chicken in a bowl, covering it with the paste. Force
the paste into any crevices in the chicken. Marinate for 4 to 6
hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken in a baking dish in a single layer and bake for
45 minutes, until the meat pulls easily from the bone. Turn the
chicken after 20 minutes and baste with the pan juices. Serve
with rice, and curried vegetables.

Jerk Chicken

Jerk Chicken

6 to 8 green onions, diced
1 medium-sized onion, diced
2 to 4 scotch bonnet peppers or jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon whole cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips

Place all ingredients except chicken in a food processor fitted
with a metal blade. Process for 10 to 15 seconds at high speed. Place the chicken in a bowl and pour the marinade over it. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat grill until coals are gray to white.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain off any excess liquid. Place on the oiled grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is white in the center. Serve the chicken with fried plantains, pumpkin rice with kale, and steamed
okra.
Jerk chicken can also be baked in the oven. Pour the jerk marinade over chicken pieces (4 drum, 4 thigh) and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, turning after 3 hours. Remove the chicken pieces and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until meat pulls easily away from the bone. Bake 30 to 40 minutes if using chicken breast strips.

Arroz Con Pollo ( Chicken with rice )

Arroz Con Pollo ( Chicken with rice ) 

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 cup rice; uncooked
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon saffron
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 clove garlic; minced
Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 F Degrees.

Heat oil in a frying pan and brown chicken on all sides. If all of the chicken does not fit into the pan, cook in batches. Add onion and garlic and continue to cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add saffron to chicken stock and mix until dissolved. Place rice, tomato sauce, and chicken stock in a medium to large casserole pan and stir until the rice is even on the pan and well coated with stock mixture. Place chicken and onion mixture on top. Cover with a casserole lid or aluminum foil and cook for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked and the rice is tender. If chicken or rice has not been fully cooked by the time the liquid has been almost fully absorbed, add water in small amounts and continue to cook until done.

Avocado Soup

Avocado Soup

2 medium-ripe dark-skinned (Haas) avocados
2 1/4 c vegetable stock
1 1/2 to 2 ts curry powder
3/4 ts salt
1/8 to 1/4 ts white pepper
1/2 c heavy cream
2 tb fresh lemon juice

Split avocados in half with a knife and remove the pits. Set aside
one half. Scoop out the insides of the other three halves with a
spoon and blend with 1 cup of the stock in a blender until smooth.
Stir in the curry powder, salt, pepper, cream, and remaining stock.
Chill.

When ready to serve, garnish the soup with thin avocado slices that have been cut from the remaining avocado half and dipped in lemon juice.