Sunday Night Supper Club: Cuba

Katie and Andy's empanadas.  Recipe to come.

and their delicious dipping sauce.

Ellen's grilled eggplant and zucchini

 

 

 

Chicken Fricasse. 

Chicken consomme:  Put in 3-4 pounds chicken pieces (I used a bunch of chicken backs that Sanford has been saving) in a large pot along with 1 peeled and chopped onion, 2 cups peeled and chopped carrots, 3 garlic cloves, 6 med tomatoes, peeled and chopped, 1 seeded and chopped green bell pepper, 1 tsp pepper and salt, 8 cups of water and a pinch of paprika.  Let set for 30 minutes.  Then bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer partially covered for 40 minutes.  Strain and set aside.

Chicken Fricassee:  Mix 4 pounds of chicken parts (we used legs) along with the juice of one orange, one lemon, 3 minced garlic cloves and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Heat 1/4 cup oil and brown chicken in batches.  Add marinade to oil.  Put chicken back in the pan.  Add 1 med chopped onion, 1 seeded and chopped green bell pepper, 1 spring chopped parsley.  Stir and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add 1 cup tomato sauce, 2 cups of the above chicken consomme, 1 cup diced city ham, 1/2 cup rinsed capers.  Stir and cook for a couple more minutes.  Add 1 cup dry white wine and salt and pepper to taste.  Add 1/2 pound peeled and diced potatoes.  Cover, bring to a simmer and reduce heat.  Simmer about 45 minutes.  I then took the cover off and reduced it a little.  Serve over white rice.

Perfect Cuban white rice:  In a med saucepan heat 1 tbsp veg oil.  Add 2 garlic cloves.  Saute until golden.  Remove garlic and add 1 cup long grain rice to oil. Stir and cook 30 seconds.  Add 2 cups water and 1 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 25 minutes.  Fluff and serve.

These recipes all came from The Cuban Kitchen

Yucca and mojo

Yucca:  Cook yucca in salted water until tender, about 30 minutes.

Mojo sauce:  Mix 1 cup sour orange (6 oz orange juice and 2 oz lemon juice) with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp melted butter, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp minced onion, 1 tsp salt, pepper to taste and let sit for one hour or longer.  (I think this mojo should be a staple in your kitchen)

Cuban Rum

These are Kurt's tasty Cuban sandwiches.  I want to take these in my lunch every day.

Mango salsa.

Josie's Cuban bruschetta:  Cuban bread with cream cheese (I think) and roasted red pepper and avocado.

Sam's rice pudding.  His recipe:  "It is just milk and rice.  And cinnamon"

This was a tasty, spicy pork dish.  Please put the recipe in the comments!

Mary Beth and Pete's shrimp casserole can be found at:     http://www.tasteofcuba.com/shrimpcasserole.html

Sleeping Olive.

Lucky to have Kemper in town!

Alex and Tracy left with a little of Kemper's work.

Popping shoes.

The last of day of Sammy's stache

Girls

Emma Jo

Boys outside.

Dri

This led to a very big headache.

Laura

Fun to meet new people!

Theo

Great night!

Aftermath

On the way to supper club.

This month's supper club was hosted by the lovely Werths.

WONTONS

WONTONS

In a food processor, mix together 3/4 cup ground pork, 1/2 cup peeled uncooked shrimp, 1 inch fresh grated ginger, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp chicken stock, 1 tbsp fish sauce, handful of cilantro, 4 sliced scallions and pulse to a paste.  Put a tsp of mixture in the middle of a wonton.  Use a beaten egg white to wet the edges.  Pull opposite corners together and seal edges.  Fry in oil heated to 300 degrees until golden.

Dim Sum

Also from Street Food comes Dim Sum.  All of these recipes are pretty quick and easy.

Dim Sum.  

Make filling in food processor - add 1/2 pound pork, 4 scallions, chopped, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp grated ginger and 4 oz chopped spinach.  Cut wonton wrappers into circles.  Place 1 tsp in center.  Use water to wet edges.  Press sides together.  Make pleats and flatten the bottom.  Steam for 6 minutes.  (Makes 35)

Sweet soy dipping sauce.

Mix together 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 finely sliced scallions, 1 tsp sliced chili and 1/2 cup boiling chicken stock.

Egg rolls

More Street Food, but again, using what I have, not necessarily what the recipe called for.  

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.  Put in a food processor the following:   8 oz ground pork, 1 diced onion, 4 sliced garlic cloves, 1 inch grated ginger, sliced chilis to taste and pulse a few times.  Add to oil.  Cook until pork is no longer pink.  Add some grated cabbage and carrots and 1 tsp turmeric.  Cover and cook 2-3 minutes.  Divide into 12 portions.  Place in egg roll wrapper and wrap like a burrito.  Seal with a little water and flour paste.  Fry  in 2 inches of oil at 360 minutes.  Cook 3-4 minutes

Dipping sauce:  Mix together 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 chopped chili and salt and freshly ground pepper.

CORN DOGS

Another recipe from Street Food.  Looking at the recipe today, I realize that I changed some of the ratios.  This might have been related to the cocktails I had earlier at the pool.  These were awesome and I am not a giant corn dog fan.  This is not the healthiest cookbook, but it has been fun so far.  Since we have a vat of canola oil, expect more fried food over the next couple of days.

CORN DOGS

Cut hot dogs in half.  (I suggest hebrew national hot dogs)  Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile mix together 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal and 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 tsp each salt and baking soda.  In another bowl mix together 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 egg.  Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until smooth.  Heat 2 inches of canola or peanut oil in a deep skillet to 375 degrees.  Dip hot dogs on sticks into batter and fry until golden.  Drain on paper towels or newpaper. 

SOCCA

SOCCA

I have tried many recipes trying to make this.  Some have been ok, some have been a total failure.  This one finally worked, although to be completely sure I need a quick trip to Nice.

This recipe comes from a book I just got from the library called Street Food.  Hopefully this will be the first of many that are blogworthy.

Mix with an immersion blender (or in a regular blender) 1 cup chickpea flour, 1 cup cold water, 1 tsp salt.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Blend again.  Heat a large skillet over med high heat.  Add a little oil.  Pour 1/4 cup of mixture into the pain when it's really hot, but not smoking.  Tilt the pan to spread it out (like making crepes).  Cook until edges are crispy and middle is slightly set.  Fold over.  (you only cook it on one side).  Slide onto plate and fold again.  Eat immediately.

For the last couple I added some fresh snipped rosemary.  Next time I will add about 1/4 tsp cumin to the flour.

Sunday night supper club: Tuscany

We were lucky to have Bill and Chris Speake as our special guests this month!

 Mary Beth and Pete's stuffed tomatoes from : http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/stuffed-tomatoes.html

 Jen's crostini with asiago and Italian sausage.

 Tracy's warm chocolate cake.

 Dri's almond cake - still no recipe...

 And her pork

 Welcome Polly to supper club.  Your linguini with clam sauce was tasty.  Please add the recipe.

 Wilson's panzanella

 Chris' Pappardelle with pork:

Cut 1 1/2 pounds of pork (or wild boar if you can find it) into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Put in ceramic bowl.  Add 1 1/2 cups red wine, 1/2 yellow onion, chopped, 1 tbsp juniper berries, 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 rosemary sprig.  Let marinate in a cool place for 12 hours.  Drain off, strain and reserve marinade.  In a shoallow saucepan heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.  Add meat and brown on all sides. Remove.  Add 1 tbsp flour.  Cook for about a minutes.  Add 10 oz plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped.  Return meat to pan and simmer until tender.  Salt to taste.  (Chris I only copied part of the recipe, so correct it if I am wrong..)

The noodles:  1 1/4 cup flour, 1/8 tsp salt, 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp olive oil.  Knead 10 minutes.  Let rest 30 min.  Roll into noodles.

 Yea, the Kimballs made it.

Somehow I have lost some pictures this month. 

Sammy made a tuna and white bean salad:  Mix 1 can cannellini beans, 2 packets albacore tuna, 2 tbsp capers, finely diced red onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar.  Let chill 2 hours.  Serve with arugula and red with vinaigrette and crostini.

Katie and Andy brought some tasty mushrooms, but I don't have a picture or recipe.

I made schiacciate, which might be one of my new favorites.  I followed the recipe from http://foodieinternational.com/recipe-schiacciata-italian-flatbread.html

The bonus is that the rising time is quite short.

Next Month:  Cuba at the Werths