Recipes and photography by Lena Diaz.
“Frijoles negro” (black beans)
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups dried black beans
1 med onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
salt to taste
splash of olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover the beans. Place washed beans in 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
Meanwhile, in a pan sauté onion and garlic in a little oil. After a few minutes add oregano and salt.
When beans have softened, add the onion and garlic mixture and keep cooking on low heat for another 20 minutes or until beans reach a stew-like consistency. When ready to serve add a little olive oil. Serve over white rice (arroz).
TIP: To cut cooking time in half use a pressure cooker, an essential utensil in the Cuban kitchen.
I love to watch my abuela sort patiently through the rice—a task that seems to occupy hours a day.
“Pescado sobre uso” (fish in tomato sauce)
INGREDIENTS:
4 white fish fillets (cod, sole)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon
salt to taste
For sauce:
1 med onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
splash of cooking oil
salt & hot sauce to taste
Mix juice of 1 lemon with minced garlic, salt and marinate fish for 30 minutes (up to a full day).
To make sauce, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaf and hot sauce. Cook on low-medium heat. In the meantime, fry the fish fillets in hot cooking oil for a few minutes on each side. When golden, add to the tomato sauce and cook on low heat until sauce thickens. Season to taste.
A side of “tostones” (fried plantains)
Peel and cut green plantains into 1 inch slices. Fry them in hot vegetable oil for a couple of minutes. Take them out and with a side of a knife lightly squish them to 1/2 inch. Drop the slices in the hot oil again and fry for another few minutes until golden. Season to taste.
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