We love entertaining for our friends and family with hearty flavorful foods this time of year. But who has time to spend all day in the kitchen? Surprisingly simple do-ahead dishes leave plenty of time to get everything ready well before guests arrive and allow time to enjoy a stress-free evening with our nearest and dearest.
The Cuban-style comfort foods menu we came up with for March checks off all these boxes. It is a delicious meal that is sure to delight everyone. They’ll never know how easy it was to prepare, and you can relax and be present in the conversation. Another plus: The main dish in this menu can be used as leftovers for a killer Cuban sandwich.
MOJO PORK This is one of our favorite ways to serve pork roast. It combines a blend of citrus juices, garlic, herbs and spices that help bring out the natural flavors in the meat. It is, at once, a comfort food, a versatile dish for entertaining and—if you follow this recipe—foolproof. Though traditional Cuban Mojo pork is made using a pork shoulder, which is a great, tender cut of pork, it is a little fattier and takes a lot longer to cook than the pork loin we use in this version. Loin tends to get dry, but roasting it at a higher temperature for a shorter time keeps it nice and tender.
Servings: 6
3-3½ pound pork loin, trimmed
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced thin
6 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cups fresh orange juice
¾ cups fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim a little of the excess fat off the pork loin. Season well with salt and pepper. 2. In a heavy oven-safe Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat on the stove. Sear the pork loin on both sides until brown. 3. Set aside the pork loin. Add the shallots and garlic to the Dutch oven. Sauté until they are soft. 4. Pour in the orange and lime juice. Scrape away any bits from the bottom of the pan. 5. Add the remaining spices and herbs, and place the pork back into the Dutch oven. Cover and place it into the heated oven. 6. Roast the pork for 2½ hours. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or shredding. Place the pork on a serving platter, pour the remaining sauce over it and serve.
CUBAN-STYLE BLACK BEANS Black beans and rice are a staple in Cuban cuisine. They are served alongside so many dishes and also can be a standalone dish. We came up with our own quick version by using canned beans instead of dried. We doctor them up by adding fresh onion, peppers, spices and fresh lime juice. It doesn’t take long to cook, and in less than an hour you can have a delicious bowl of authentic-tasting Cuban-style black beans.
Servings: 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped red or yellow sweet bell pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Pinch red pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans 1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice
1. In a heavy 4-quart pot, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion, garlic, bell pepper, salt and pepper for 3-4 minutes. 2. Add the cumin, paprika, cilantro and red pepper. Continue to cook another minute. 3. Pour in the black beans and lime juice. Bring everything to a simmer. 4. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes so the flavors can come together. Serve the black beans over cooked white rice along with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.
CUBAN SANDWICH One of our favorite types of sandwiches is a Cuban sandwich. It has so many wonderful flavors all pressed together between two tender yet crispy slices of bread. We have been on a quest to find our favorite version in many places we travel, so we decided to try making our own. We like to use the leftover Mojo Pork. We also recommend using thin slices of smoked ham and thin slices of Swiss cheese. Some recipes use dill pickles, while others use a sweet pickle or bread and butter pickle. This all depends on your own taste. We do recommend using a good Cuban egg bread if you can find one. We’ve also had great success making these Cuban sandwiches when using Louisiana-style French bread. The key is for the bread to be light and easy to press. A traditional French baguette tends to be a little too hard on the outside and the inside is a bit too dense. Enjoy playing around with this recipe and find what suits your own taste.
Servings: 6
6 Cuban bread rolls
½ cup yellow mustard
12 thin slices of swiss cheese
1 cup bread and butter pickle slices
12 thin slices of smoked ham
1 pound leftover Mojo Pork
4 tablespoons melted butter
1. Slice the rolls in half and spread a little mustard on each side. 2. Begin building the sandwiches with a slice of cheese then a couple slices of the pickles. Top with 2 thin slices of ham followed by some of the Mojo pork. Top the pork with a second piece of cheese and the top of the roll. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to assemble the rest of the sandwiches. 3. Heat a griddle over medium heat. Brush with some of the melted butter. Place a couple of sandwiches on the griddle and brush the tops with more of the melted butter. 4. Cook the sandwiches 4 to 5 minutes per side, pressing down lightly with the spatula as they cook. The Cuban sandwiches are done when they are golden and crispy on both sides and the cheese is melted. Serve warm along with black beans and rice and crunchy plantain chips.
ARROZ CON LECHE We like to finish off a comforting meal with a little something sweet. This Latin-style rice pudding is the ultimate in comfort food. It is full of rich flavors from cinnamon, lemon zest, condensed milk and vanilla. It is delicious served warm or chilled—and adult guests will enjoy it as well as your kids!
Servings: 6
2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup rice (medium or short grain)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12- ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1. In a medium sauce pot with a tight-fitting lid, bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the butter, salt and rice. Stir until the butter is melted. 2. Add the lemon zest and cinnamon and reduce the heat to medium low. 3. Cover the pot and allow the rice to cook until the water is absorbed, about 6 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered for another 5 minutes so the rice can steam. 4. Turn the heat back on low and stir in the evaporated milk and condensed milk, stirring well to combine. 5. Add the vanilla and keep cooking another 7-10 minutes, or until the pudding is thick. Serve the Arroz con Leche warm or chilled. This can be made a day ahead of time.
This article was originally published in the March 2020 issue of 225 Magazine.
