Recipes: Ensalada de Aguacate, Arroz con Pollo de Rosalia, Mojito, Picadillo (Cuban Beef Hash), Cuban Black Beans

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

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

Protein2 g

Fat25 g

including sat. fat4 g

Cholesterol0 mg

Sodium8 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."

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

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 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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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:

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.

Nutrition information per 1/6 serving:

Calories410

Carbohydrates15 g

Protein17 g

Fat31 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.

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 large onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. oregano

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.