Cuban

Before we start talking about food, we want you to check out this link and consider getting some tickets for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.  We had a great time attending the play in Toronto on Friday night- if you are looking for some smart, lively entertainment- this is it!  What is it about??..go and find out! As Christopher Holte states in his review of the production, " If you have seen Brecht before, but not this play, you will be bowled over by the energy the cast brings to the work and by the unfaded relevance that scene after scene so presciently evokes. "

NOW, onto the food........

We are always looking for inspiration for recipes that we can adapt for preparing on our barbecue or smoker. We were delighted to be presented with a new idea last week, when out for dinner in Toronto to celebrate Luke’s birthday.  Just around the corner from his apartment on Dovercourt is a Cuban restaurant, Julie’s Cuban Restaurant.
 The thoughtful menu is short, but packed with intriguing dishes that are rich in traditional flavours, through the use of slow cooking with onions, garlic and lime juice---including chicken, pork and beef. This is just the kind of challenge that we are looking for when trying to adapt recipes for the smoker.  Meats that can cooked  low and slow are just the kind of dishes that we are interested in. The moist atmosphere created by filling the diffuser pan in the smoker, set at 200°-250°C is great for creating tender, juicy dishes.  The other benefit is that the meat can be cooked on the smoker the day ahead, then finished off the next day, freeing up a lot of time on the day of your gathering!!

Our first attempt was Vaca Frita – slow-cooked beef, pulled and then seared  with onions, garlic and lime juice quickly before serving.  We decided that for best results, we should start with a nice fat and rich cut of beef for the smoker, so we tried both blade steak and blade roast.  Here is what we came up with.

VACA FRITA on the Broil King KEG 

 3 pounds blade steak/roast

2 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp black pepper, freshly ground

 1 tsp salt

4 tbsp olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, julienned

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup lime juice
Salt and pepper 

Setting up the Smoker: 

1  Pour a 4-6” deep layer of  lump hardwood charcoal on the bottom of the smoker.

2     Use 2 True’Cue match-light charcoal starters or a chimney starter to ignite the charcoal. Within 8-10 minutes, you will have glowing red coals.   Open the top and bottom vents to the widest position (#5).   Let the coals burn for 10 minutes until the smoker reaches 225°F.    Dial down the top and bottom vents to the #2 position. The fill the diffuser pan with water and keep it full throughout the cooking time. 

   Prepare the beef for smoking:
) Lay beef out on 2 layers of heavy foil wrap, which have been cut large enough to allow for fully enclose the beef when wrapped into a packet. Rub beef with olive oil, then rub cumin, oregano, black pepper and salt into the meat. Place bay leaves on top, add 1/4 cup water,  then fold foil around beef, and crimp edges tightly.

Place the packet on the grids, close the lid and cook for up to 7 hours. The internal temperature of the beef should be 145 °F. Remove from the smoker, keeping it wrapped in the foil, and let it rest for at least an hour before unwrapping it. Do not skip this step, as it is the final step in allowing the connective tissue to completely break down, resulting in tender, moist beef!   Shred the meat. This can all be done a day in advance.

 

The final step in preparing the vaca frita is to fry the meat. First add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large saute pan and cook the onions over low heat until caramelized, approximately 20-30 minutes. Add the rest of the olive oil, increase the heat to high,  then add the meat, cilantro, and lime juice, making sure to spread it out evenly. Flip it over and cook until both sides become crispy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with brown rice, black beans, grilled plantain and sauteed peppers.

Grilled Plantains

Plantains are the ultimate cuban side dish, usually fried. We found this great grilling recipe on Epicurious - it will become one of your go-to recipes when preparing latin cuisine -simple and delicious!!

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 4 very ripe (black) plantains

Prepare the butter glaze
Place the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved in it. Add the vinegar and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

Prepare, grill, and serve the plantains
Heat your grill to HIGH and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to MEDIUM-HIGH. Oil the grates with a vegetable oil-soaked paper towel held with a long pair of tongs.

Slice the unpeeled plantains in half lengthwise and place them cut side down on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the plantains over and baste the cut sides of the plantains with the butter glaze. Close the lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Brush a bit more glaze on the plantains before removing them from the grill.

Serve the plantains in their skins while hot from the grill.

Cooking notes

Advance preparation
You can prepare the butter glaze a few hours in advance. It will thicken when cool and will need to be reheated.

From Latin Grilling by Lourdes Castro, © 2011 Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Ripe-Plantains-em-Platanos-Maduros-a-la-Parrilla-em-364830#ixzz2mF6ggBbi