8 Cuban Recipes Straight From Abuelita’s Cookbook

Updated on 2/12/2019 at 12:35 PM

Recently in my small NYC apartment, I've started feeling very nostalgic for the sun-filled, lively Miami days I had growing up. My family is crazy, hilarious, functional in the most dysfunctional of ways, and, most of all, loving – which is all to say, we are Cuban-American. Led by grandparents who fled Cuba in the early '60s, I grew up surrounded by the music of Celia Cruz, the flavor of Sazon Goya Con Azafran, and the scent of Vivaporu (Vick's Vapor Rub). The sense memories of my childhood are seldom to be found in the city I call home now, but I know when I go home for the holidays, I'll be welcomed with homemade croquetas and the richest hot chocolate known to man.

When I called both of my abuelas in South Florida and asked for their recipes, I was twice met with small chuckles. I realized they didn't have what I was asking for — recipes with measurements and cooking times — but stories passed down to them from generations that came before. This food represents my family's ancestry, love, and legacy. Nevertheless, I needed the numbers. So, I observed (shout out to FaceTime and the most average camerawoman of all time, my mother); I watched them make these my entire life, but for the first time, I paid attention. After painstakingly counting every grain of rice thoughtlessly poured into the palm of their hands like a measuring cup, I offer you a small glimpse of my culture and my family through the best medium of all: food.

Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef Stew)

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds beef chunks
Water (1/2 cup reserved)
Salt, to taste
2 limes
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 green peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce
1/3 cup dry white wine

Directions

In the morning, cover beef chunks with water in pressure cooker. Salt water liberally. Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower to medium-high and place regulator on top.
When the whistle of the pressure cooker begins blowing, cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove the beef from pressure cooker and shred. Reserve 1/2 of water.
Add lime juice, garlic, and reserved water to the shredded beef. Mix, and marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.
Saute onions and peppers in olive oil until soft and translucent in a medium pot, about 7-10 minutes.
Add can of tomato sauce and dry white wine. Bring to a boil.
Add beef, lower heat to medium, and cook covered for 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Arroz Con Salchichas (Rice With Vienna Sausages)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, 2 minced and 2 crushed
2 cups jasmine rice, dry
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 packet Sazon Goya Con Azafran
1 can Vienna sausages
4-ounce tomato sauce
Salt, to taste
Peas (optional)
Pimentos in oil (optional)

Directions

Make sofrito by heating oil over medium, and adding onions and peppers. Saute until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, and sauté another 30 seconds.
Add tomato sauce, Sazon Goya, and vienna sausages. Salt to taste.
Rinse rice until juices run clear. Add rice and water to sofrito, raise temperature to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, lower temperature to medium and let simmer until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, about 15-20 minutes.
Lower the heat to low, cover the pot, and let cook for 10-15 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Fluff rice, and add salt if necessary.

Picadillo (Ground Beef Stew)

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 cachucha pepper, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 packet Sazon Goya con Culantro y Achiote
8 plum tomatoes, diced
4 ounces tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
Capers, to taste
Olives, pitted, to taste
Sliced pimentos, to taste

Directions

Brown the ground beef over medium heat to render out fat.
Once browned, add onion, red and green peppers, garlic, and Sazon Goya. Stir constantly for 3 minutes.
Add diced plum tomatoes, tomato paste, and white and red wines along with the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with capers, olives, and pimentos. Serve with rice.

Tostones (Smashed Plantains)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 green plantains
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt, to taste
4 cups cold water

Directions

Cut plantains into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks.
Fry in 1 inch of oil on both sides until lightly golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Flatten with a plate until a disk forms.
Place smashed plantains into cold water, then immediately place back into hot oil and fry 1 minute per side or until golden brown and crunchy.
Salt liberally and enjoy!

Croquetas de Pollo (Chicken Croquettes)

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup oil of your choice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk
Breadcrumbs or crushed crackers
1 egg, beaten
Oil, for frying

Directions

In a pot, sauté chicken, onion, pepper, garlic, and parsley in oil until chicken is cooked through.
In a bowl, add milk gradually to flour until it reaches a thick batter. Strain to get rid of any lumps.
Slowly stir into meat mixture. Add oil if mixture is too sticky (should pull away from sides).
Remove chicken mixture from heat when dough-like texture is reached, then place in large bowl to cool for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
Take 2 tablespoons of mixture and form into an oval shape. Roll in bread or cracker crumbs, dip in beaten egg, and roll in bread or cracker crumbs again.
Heat oil to 350-365 degrees.
Place carefully in oil until golden brown on one side, and flip (45 seconds to 1 minute per side). Remove onto a paper towel lined plate and let cool. Serve warm.

Platanos Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 yellow plantains
Oil, for frying

Directions

Cut plantains into 2 inch chunks on the diagonal.
Fry in 1 inch of oil, 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Tres Leches de Coco (Coconut Tres Leches Cake)

Makes 10-12 Servings

Ingredients
For cake:
1 box Super Moist Yellow Cake mix, prepared according to box
1 cup water, for cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil, for cake mix
3 eggs, for cake mix
1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
1 14-ounce can of condensed milk
1 12-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk
1 cup of coconut flakes, toasted

For whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pan.
Bake as directed on box for 13 x 9 inch pan. Once fully cooked, let cool for 5 minutes.
With the end of a wooden spoon, poke the top of the hot cake every 1/2 inch.
In a medium bowl, mix evaporated, condensed, and coconut milk together until fully combined.
Carefully pour mixture over the warm cake. Cover with foil paper and refrigerate 3 hours or until chilled.
While chilling, make whipped cream by whipping heavy cream to medium-soft peaks, gradually adding sugar halfway through.
Once chilled, spread whipped cream over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Cut into squares and serve.

Chocolate Caliente (Hot Chocolate)

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk
4 cans of evaporated milk
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
2 bars of Chocolat Menier or sweet melting chocolate, chopped
Cuban crackers (optional)
Butter, for spreading on crackers (optional)

Directions

Pour the whole milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk into a large pot. Bring to a low simmer, stirring constantly.
When simmering, add the chopped chocolate and stir until completely melted. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Once boiling, lower the stove to medium and let cool to warm, and stir occasionally (about 7-10 minutes).
Raise stove to medium-high/high and bring to a second boil, stirring constantly. Hot chocolate should be thicker now.
Turn the heat off after the second boil, and serve. Traditionally served with Cuban crackers and butter on the side. This is optional, but so delicious!