EL MEU ARROS A LA CUBANA - MY CUBAN STYLE RICE

This is a dish that was very popular when I was growing up in Catalonia. Not sure what the connection is with Cuba. When we travelled there, we never saw it on the menu of traditional restaurants. However, it is a very popular recipe enjoyed by both children and adults.

I have changed the traditional recipe and have added Chile con carne instead of the traditional tomato sauce. Also, by using black rice instead of white, it adds a crunchiness which I find works fantastically well with the richness of the sauce.

Ingredients

ARRÒS A LA CUBANA

1 cup black rice
2 bananas (ripe if possible)
4 eggs
25g butter
CHILE CON CARNE
50ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 star anise
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 green chilli, seeds, removed, finely chopped
500g pork and veal mince
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
175ml red wine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef stock
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin red kidney beans

METHOD:
Cook black rice as per packet instructions and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 170 C.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and star anise and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until softened.

Add the garlic and chilli and cook until fragrant.

Add the mince and cook, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon until it's brown - about 6-8 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and spices and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer and then cook until reduced by half (4-5 minutes).

Add the Worcestershire sauce, stock and tomatoes and season well.

Bring to the boil, cover with a lid or aluminium paper and transfer to oven.

Bake for 1/2 hour or until sauce is reduced and thick.

Stir the beans into the chile con carne sauce and keep warm.

Melt butter in another large frypan and add the bananas.

Cook until brown on one side and then turn over.

Add eggs to same frypan and cook to your liking.

Serve rice with the chile, banana and eggs.

Serves 2 - (You will have some chile leftover for another recipe)

You can cook the eggs to your liking. The banana is just superb when mixed with all other ingredients. You want more!!

Variation
Below is the same recipe (using the leftover chile con carne), this time served with homemade tortillas, guacamole and crème fraîche. It was absolutely delicious!

Comments

TOMATO CARPACCIO WITH SPRING ONION & GINGER SALSA

There is only one trick to this salad: the tomatoes must be ripe! The rest is easy and it is so delicious, you will want to make it many times. It would be a fantastic side dish to accompany any recipe. It is exceptionally good. INGREDIENTS 3cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 3 spring onions, very finely sliced 40ml sunflower or olive oil 2 tsp good quality sherry vinegar 400g (beef) tomatoes (2-3 depending on size) sliced 2mm thick 1 small green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 1/2 Tbsp finely shredded coriander 1 Tbsp olive oil flaked sea salt METHOD: Put the ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of flaked salt into a pestle and mortar and crush to a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl with the spring onions and stir to combine. Put the oil into a small pan and place on a low heat until just warm: you don't want it to heat too much. Pour over the spring onions and add 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Stir together and set aside. Chop the chili and shred the

SLOW-BAKED LAMB SHOULDER

This is a lamb recipe that is so delicious you are going to make it more than once. A favourite of friends and family. I like to accompany with a couscous salad with feta and almonds and a yoghurt and bean dip . Recipes in this blog. INGREDIENTS 1.8 - 2.2 kg lamb shoulder, with or without the bone 2 tsp sea salt flakes 8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 6 sprigs rosemary, stripped and leaves chopped 1 Tbsp black peppercorns 100ml extra virgin olive oil zest and juice of 1 lemon 3 Tbsp dried oregano 100ml white wine vinegar METHOD: Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan-forced). Trim extra fat from lamb. If you using a shoulder with the bone, make small incisions on the skin. Grind the salt, garlic, rosemary and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or small food processor. Add the olive oil, lemon zest and juice and dried oregano. If using a boned shoulder, open out the lamb. Massage the marinade into the lamb. Make sure it goes into the small incisions. Place t

TOFU MEATBALL KORMA

Tonight's meal is the Ottolenghi's Korma Feast. Gosh it was delicious 😋 ! I have been super tired with work and haven't felt much like cooking. We have not been eating very well in the last couple of weeks.... But tonight we really had a great meal even though I had to spend hours in the kitchen 🙄 . But it was worth it 😁 . Tofu meatball korma & Spicy berbere ratatouille with Olive oil flatbreads . All made from scratch. Just superb! The tofu meatballs are just amazing. I have leftover tofu and will make a batch and freeze them for another day. I can eat them just with no sauce or any other sauce. They would be lovely with some tomato base sauce or any curry sauce. But even with a side vegetable dish or salad. My husband thought that they were made with mince meat!! Yum yum! Ingredients ½ red onion, thinly sliced (60g) 2 tbsp lemon juice 40g cashews 20g blanched almonds 6 cardamom pods, shells discarded and seeds removed 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp coriander seeds

THE BEST ONION GRATIN

I love this recipe. I have to stop myself for not eating more than I need. It goes really well as part of a baked dinner. When you try it, you'd want to make it again and again. 😍😋💚 Ingredients 4 medium red onions, peeled and quartered olive oil sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced a small wineglass of white wine 4 Tbsp crème fraîche 50g gruyère cheese, grated 50g parmesan cheese, grated Preparation Preheat the oven to 200°C. Break the onion quarters apart to give you little 'petals'. Place these in an earthenware oven dish. Drizzle with a couple of glugs of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss in your thyme and garlic. Mix up well, add your white wine. Cover with a double layer of tinfoil, wrap tightly and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the dish from the oven, take the tinfoil off and pop the dish back in the ove

ROAST CABBAGE WITH PECORINO

This is the first time I cooked this recipe and it is amazing!! We had leftovers and served warmed the following day for lunch with family members and they all wanted the recipe. It is just a very different way to eat cabbage and it is scrumptious. From Ottolenghi's cookbook 'Simple'. INGREDIENTS 120ml olive oil 2 lemons: finely grate the zest to get 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cabbage (sweetheart, pointed cabbage or other), cut lengthways into eighths a small handful of parsley or tarragon leaves, roughly chopped 30g of pecorino or parmesan cheese, shaved salt and black pepper METHOD: Preheat oven to 220°C. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the oil, lemon zest, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Set aside 2 Tbsp. Arrange the cabbage on a parchment-lined tray and brush with the oil mixture. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden-brown. Transfer the c

HOMECOOKING WITH TERESA

Search This Blog