Cuban chicken meal

[livwire68]

Alright tonight I am doing Cuban chicken, black beans, rice and plantains and Mojito's of course. The only thing I am really changeing is how I cook the chicken! Mine will be over a charcoal grill and a whole chicken with back bone removed to lay flat.

Chicken in Garlic and Wine Sauce
(Pollo al Ajillo)

This is a typical Cuban variation of cooking chicken. In this way, the chicken is fried and the garlic and ingredients are fused into the chicken, giving it a distinct and great flavor!
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

4 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic gloves (minced)
1 cup large onion (quartered)
2 tbsp cilantro
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup lime juice
salt and black pepper

Directions

Prepare the chicken by sprinkling salt and pepper to both sides of each piece. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and lightly brown the chicken breasts on both sides, cooking the chicken for at least a few minutes. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 3 minutes, mixing the chicken with the onion and garlic. Add the lime juice, cilantro, and white wine and reduce the heat to medium-low, allowing to simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the chicken is well cooked on both sides. Place chicken on large plate and garnish with parsley.

The chicken can also be roasted "pollo asado al ajillo". This dish is also exceptional, and gives the chicken a juicier and enticing taste for your buds. To prepare, you will need an entire 3 lb chicken, and marinade with the above ingredients in addition to 1 tspn cumin in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The chicken is then lightly browned as above, then removed from the frying pan and roasted in the oven to 350 degrees.


Black Beans and Rice
(Arroz con frijoles negros)

Black beans and rice is the stable of Cuban tradition. It is included in many cuban meals. Black beans and rice compliments many Cuban meals and is absolutely delicious!
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients


2 cups cooked black beans
2 tbspn olive oil
2 garlic gloves (minced)
1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 large onion (chopped)
1 cup water
1 tspn red wine
1/2 tspn cilantro
1/2 tspn ground cumin
1/2 tspn oregano
1 tspn vinegar
1 tspn salt and black pepper
2 tspn sugar
1 bay leaf


4 cups long-grain white rice
1 tspn salt
1 tspn canola oil

Directions

The left hand ingredients are for the black beans, the right for cooking the rice. Pour the 2 cups of long-grain white rice into a rice cooker, add the appropriate cups of water recommended by your cooker (usually about 3 cups or so), along with salt and 1 tspn of canola oil. Stir, cover and begin cooking.

For the black beans, you can usually buy them in a can. Make sure they are already cooked and do not come with any added ingredients. You will be making the "sofrito" yourself to add the Cuban spice to the black beans. In a medium-sized pot, add olive oil and heat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add onion and green bell pepper and saute for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for two additional minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the black beans and water. Stir well, and make sure the black beans and water mix in with the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Next add the red wine, cilantro, cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 mins, stirring ocassionally. Add the sugar and let simmer for additional 5 mins.

Let beans cool, and when rice is done, serve rice on big platter. Place black beans in a large bowl. Typically, the black beans are poured over the rice and mixed in. Enjoy!

[livwire68]

And the Plantains

Fried Green Plantains

(Tostones)

This is a very popular Cuban side dish, and always served with most Cuban main dishes.
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

3 large green plantains (peeled)
vegetable oil
salt to taste

Directions
Using a knife, cut the plantains into 1 inch thick chunks. In a frying pan or deep fryer, pour 2 to 3 inches of the oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain chunks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown. Remove them and placing them in a bowl with a paper towel to soak the oil. Wait a few minutes until the plantain chunks cool down. Using a paper towel, wrap the chunks and smash them flat. Place the smashed plantain chunks into the pan and refry again until they are golden brown on both sides. Place in a bowl with a paper towel to soak the oil and serve hot. Add salt to taste and enjoy!

[TheLostGringo]

Sounds tasty.

With a Dominican Wife I get my fill of Plantains, but I prefer the muduro or sweet plantain after it is beyond ripe.