Ensalada de Aguacate (Avocado Salad)

Serves 8

From "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen" by Mary Urrutia Randelman and Joan Schwartz (Macmillan, 334 pages, $16.95).

Watercress or lettuce leaves for lining the platter, optional

2 large ripe avocados, or 4 smaller avocados, peeled, pitted, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 small onion, cut in half and halves thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ c. olive oil or to taste

3 tbsp. white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

On a large platter lined with the greens, arrange the avocado slices, place the onions on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk together the oil and vinegar and drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories250

Carbohydrates7 g

Protein2 g

Fat25 g

including sat. fat4 g

Cholesterol0 mg

Sodium8 mg

Calcium11 mg

Dietary fiber5 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable exch., and 5 fat exch.

Arroz con Pollo de Rosalia (Rosalie's Chicken and Yellow Rice

Serves 4.

From "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen."

1½ c. short grain rice

2 to 3 saffron threads or ½ tsp. powdered saffron

1 (3 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skin removed

2 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lime

¼ c. olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. canned, crushed tomatoes or prepared tomato sauce

¼ c. finely chopped pimentos

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 bay leaf

½ c. dry white wine

3 c. chicken stock

¼ tsp. powdered saffron or 3 to 4 saffron threads, crushed, optional

1 c. drained canned early sweet peas, divided

2 pimentos, chopped for garnish

Soak rice with saffron for 1 hour in cold water to cover; drain.

Wash the chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and lime juice.

In a large, heavy burner-and oven-safe casserole over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over low heat until it is fragrant, then brown the chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and set it aside. Add the remaining oil and cook the onion, bell pepper and garlic, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, pimentos, cumin and bay leaf and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add the chicken, mix well, add the wine and cook 5 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasonings, it should be somewhat salty, because the rice will absorb salt later on.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the drained rice and, if it is not yet bright yellow, add the additional saffron. Bring it to a boil over high heat and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until most of the water has been absorbed and small craters form on top of the rice, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add ¾ cup of the peas, cover, and place in the oven until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. You can do this step on top of the stove over medium heat, but the rice cooks better and becomes more tender in the even heat of the oven. This is especially true if you double or triple the recipe to serve a large group.

Transfer the chicken and rice to a large platter, garnish with the remaining peas and the chopped pimentos, and serve hot.

Mojito

Serves 1.

The classic drink in Cuba. From the Web site: Raul's Cuban Food Recipes (see online resources on Tx).

1 tsp. sugar

Juice of ½ lime

Fresh mint leaves

1/8 c. white rum

Ice cubes

Soda water

Put sugar and lime juice in a glass. Crush a few fresh mint leaves into the lglass. Add rum and ice cubes. Fill with soda water and serve with sprig of mint.

Picadillo (Cuban Beef Hash)

Serves 4 to 6.

From "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen."

¼ c. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lb. ground beef

¼ c. dry Sherry

½ c. canned crushed tomatoes, or prepared tomato sauce

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, optional

½ tsp. Tabasco sauce, optional

¼ c. vegetable or peanut oil

1 small potato, peeled and cut into ¼-in. cubes

¼ c. dark raisins

½ c. pimento-stuffed green olives, may be cut in half, drained

Garnish:

½ c. drained canned early sweet peas

1 pimento, chopped

In a casserole, heat the oil over low heat until fragrant, then add the onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring 10 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring until brown, 10 to 15 minutes, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the Sherry, tomatoes, salt, Worcestershire and Tabasco, stir, and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, then fry the chopped potato until golden, 10 minutes. If you prefer not to fry the potato, boil it over medium-high heat, unpeeled and halved, in salted water to cover until tender, 20 minutes, and omit the vegetable oil; chop the cooked potato.

Add the potato, raisins and olives to the meat, correct the seasonings, and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the picadillo to a large bowl or platter, outline the border with peas, and sprinkle the entire dish with the pimento.

Nutrition information per 1/6 serving:

Calories410

Carbohydrates15 g

Protein17 g

Fat31 g

including sat. fat7 g

Cholesterol78 mg

Sodium1570 mg

Calcium38 mg

Dietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/ starch exch., 2 med-fat meat exch. and 4 fat exch.

Cuban Black Beans

Serves 8 to 10.

Translated from "Cocina al Minuto" by Nitza Villapol (1958), a cookbook that was the standard in the '60s, when the translator's mother brought the book to the United States. These black beans cook for almost 3 hours, after soaking overnight in water.

1 lb. uncooked black beans

10 c. water

2 large green peppers, chopped, divided

1/3 c. olive oil

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. oregano

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp. vinegar

2 tbsp. dry wine

Wash beans and leave them soaking in the 10 cups water overnight with one chopped pepper.

Simmer the beans, uncovered, in the water in which they soaked until they soften, from 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Saute the onion and garlic. Add the remaining green pepper and about 1 cup of the softened beans (without liquid) and mash them up with the onion and garlic. Add that mixture to the rest of the cooked beans.

Add salt, pepper, oregano and bay leaf. Let them simmer at least 1 hour. Add the vinegar and the wine. Cook on low heat for an additional 30 minutes or more. Some liquid should remain, to serve as a sauce. If there is too much liquid, cook longer. Serve with white rice.