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Bistec empanizadoBreaded thin steak

Bistec empanizado is the breaded steak of Cuban family dinners and Little Havana diners, a weeknight plate in Havana and Miami alike. Thin slices of beef are pounded thinner still, marinated briefly in lime, garlic and cumin, then crumbed with crushed crackers and fried until crisp and golden. It contains wheat and egg. The mistake is cutting the steak thick: it toughens before the crumb browns, so pound it to 5 mm. It is done when the crust is deep golden on both sides, which takes only a couple of minutes for meat this thin. Serve with white rice, black beans, maduros and a lime wedge. Chef's tip: marinate the beef for no more than an hour; lime juice left longer turns thin steak grey and mealy.

32 minCubanMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Natilla cubanaLemon cinnamon custard

Natilla is the custard Cuban grandmothers in Havana and Miami's Little Havana make for Sunday lunch, birthdays and any evening that needs something sweet from the fridge. It is softer than flan: milk is infused with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick, thickened gently with egg yolks and a little cornflour, then poured into small bowls and dusted with ground cinnamon. It contains milk and egg. The common mistake is boiling it hard once the yolks go in, which splits the custard into sweet scrambled egg; keep the heat low and stir the bottom constantly. It is ready when it thickly coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clean line. Chef's tip: press cling film right onto the surface while it is hot, or a rubbery skin forms as it cools.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Croquetas de jamónHam croquettes

Croquetas de jamón are the snack of the ventanita, the walk-up coffee window of Havana and Miami cafeterías, eaten with a cafecito at breakfast or tucked into a Cuban sandwich, and piled high at every party. This recipe contains pork: cooked ham is minced and folded into a thick, nutmeg-scented béchamel, chilled firm, rolled into small cylinders, crumbed and fried until golden, so the inside is almost molten. They contain milk, egg and wheat. The mistake is shaping the mixture while it is still warm; it must be cold and stiff or the croquettes split in the oil. They are done when deep golden all over and piping hot in the centre. Chef's tip: cook the flour in the butter for a full two minutes before the milk goes in, so the croquetas taste rich and nutty rather than floury.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Cuba libreRum and cola with lime

The Cuba libre was born in Havana around 1900 and is still the easy highball poured at bars along the Malecón and at backyard parties from Miami to Madrid. It is a drink for adults only: light Cuban-style rum, cold cola and a generous squeeze of fresh lime, with the spent lime wedge dropped in the glass. Without the lime it is just rum and cola; with it the drink turns sharp and refreshing. The usual mistake is warm cola poured over too little ice, which melts fast and leaves it flat and watery, so fill the glass with ice and keep the cola chilled. For an alcohol-free version, leave out the rum and add 30 ml cold sparkling water with a dash of vanilla. Drink responsibly. Chef's tip: squeeze the lime and rub the wedge round the rim before adding ice, so every sip carries the lime oil.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Plátanos maduros fritosFried sweet plantains

No Cuban lunch counter in Havana, Santiago or Miami serves ropa vieja, picadillo or black beans and rice without a few maduros on the side. Plantains are left until the skin is almost completely black, when the flesh turns soft and sugary, then sliced on the diagonal and fried slowly until the edges caramelise and the middle is creamy. The mistake is using yellow plantains: they stay starchy and dry, so wait until the skins are mostly black and the fruit gives when pressed. They are done when deep amber on both sides and a knife slides in with no resistance. Chef's tip: fry over a medium heat, not high; the sugar in ripe plantain burns before the centre softens if the oil is too hot.

17 minCubanSidesVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pollo asado cubanoGarlic citrus roast chicken

Cuban families from Camagüey to Hialeah roast pollo asado for Sunday lunch and Nochebuena, the night before Christmas, when there is too much else on the table for a whole pig. Chicken pieces soak overnight in mojo, a marinade of sour orange, crushed garlic, cumin and oregano, then roast until the skin is crackly and the juices run clear, with onion rings softening underneath. The usual mistake is marinating for days or in a metal bowl; the citrus turns the meat mushy and metallic, so keep it to 12–24 hours in the fridge in glass or a bag. It is done when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C. Serve with moros, yuca and maduros. Chef's tip: no sour oranges? Use two parts orange juice to one part lime juice.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Penne al gorgonzolaPenne with blue cheese sauce

Penne al gorgonzola is the weeknight dinner of Milan and the Piedmontese towns around Novara, where gorgonzola is made: the soft, sweet dolce kind melted with a little butter and milk into a pale, tangy sauce that coats every tube of pasta. It needs only a green salad alongside. Gorgonzola is traditionally made with animal rennet; for a vegetarian dinner choose a soft blue cheese labelled vegetarian. The most common mistake is letting the sauce boil, which splits the cheese into oil and grainy curds. Chef's tip: drain the penne a minute early and let it finish cooking in the sauce, so it drinks up the flavour instead of sitting under it.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pasta cacio e ovaPasta with cheese, egg and pepper

In the hill towns of Abruzzo and around Naples, pasta cacio e ova (cheese and egg) is the meatless cousin of carbonara and a classic late supper when the cupboard is nearly bare: short pasta tossed off the heat with eggs beaten with pecorino, Parmigiano and lots of black pepper until it turns into a glossy, golden coating. Children love it. Pecorino and Parmigiano are traditionally made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese if that matters to you. The common mistake is pouring the egg into a pan that is still on a high flame: it scrambles into rubbery bits instead of turning creamy. Chef's tip: keep a mug of the starchy cooking water by the hob; a splash loosens the sauce the moment it starts to tighten.

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Asparagi alla BismarckAsparagus with fried egg and Parmesan

Asparagi alla Bismarck is how trattorias from the Veneto to Emilia serve the first asparagus of April and May as a light evening meal: just-tender spears laid on a plate, topped with eggs fried in butter, the butter poured over and a snowfall of Parmigiano. Dip the asparagus tips into the yolk and wipe the plate with bread. Parmigiano is always made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese for a vegetarian plate. The mistake to avoid is overcooking the asparagus until it droops; it should still stand up straight when you lift a spear by its base. Chef's tip: let the butter foam until it turns hazelnut brown and smells nutty before you spoon it over, which makes the whole dish taste richer.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pan con bistecSteak sandwich with potato sticks

Pan con bistec is the sandwich of Havana cafeterías and Miami's Cuban lunch counters, eaten at any hour but especially as a fast dinner: a paper-thin beef steak quickly soaked in garlic-lime mojo, seared with onions and stuffed into soft Cuban bread with crunchy potato sticks. The common mistake is using a thick steak, which takes too long and turns chewy; ask for palomilla, or bash a thin steak flatter. Chef's tip: deglaze the hot pan with the leftover mojo and pour those juices onto the bread so it soaks up every drop.

13 minCubanMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

GrießbreiSemolina porridge

Grießbrei is the soft, sweet semolina pudding that German and Austrian families from Bavaria to Vienna eat warm as a light supper on cold evenings, especially when children are tired or someone is under the weather. Semolina is rained into hot milk and stirred until thick and velvety, then topped with cinnamon sugar, a knob of butter or stewed fruit. The classic mistake is tipping the semolina in all at once, which makes lumps that never smooth out. Chef's tip: take it off the heat while it still looks a little runny, because it keeps thickening on the plate.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

FettuntaGarlic bread with olive oil

In Tuscany fettunta (from 'fetta unta', oiled slice) is the ritual of November, when the olive mills press the new season's oil and families in Florence and the Chianti hills grill thick slices of bread, rub them with garlic and pour the green, peppery oil over. With a bowl of beans or a few leaves of cavolo nero, it is supper. The common mistake is rubbing garlic onto cold or barely toasted bread; it needs a rough, charred, hot surface or the garlic just slides around. Chef's tip: be generous with the oil, so it soaks into the crumb, and salt only at the very end so the flakes stay crunchy.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Panagyurski eggsPoached eggs on garlic yogurt

Yaytsa po panagyurski come from Panagyurishte, a mountain town in central Bulgaria, and are eaten for breakfast or as a quick, light supper: poached eggs set on a bed of thick garlicky yogurt mixed with crumbled sirene, Bulgaria's white brined cheese, then drizzled with butter turned red with paprika. Sirene and feta are often made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian feta-style cheese if needed. The common mistake is warming the yogurt in a pan, which makes it split; let it sit at room temperature while you poach the eggs instead. Chef's tip: stir the paprika into the butter off the heat, because it scorches and turns bitter in seconds.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Stracciatella alla romanaEgg and Parmesan broth

In Roman homes stracciatella is the soup of Easter week and of any cold evening when someone needs looking after: a pot of good chicken broth with eggs, Parmigiano and a scrape of nutmeg beaten in so they set into soft, ragged threads. It is light but filling, and takes ten minutes if the broth is already made. The common mistake is pouring the egg into broth at a rolling boil, which turns it into rubbery lumps; a gentle simmer gives fine, silky rags. Chef's tip: beat a spoonful of semolina into the eggs, as many Roman cooks do, so the threads hold together and the soup has a little body.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Uova al pomodoroEggs in tomato sauce

Uova al pomodoro, called uova in purgatorio around Naples, is the supper that kitchens from Rome down to Calabria fall back on at the end of the month or on a meatless Friday: a tin of tomatoes, a little garlic and basil, and eggs cooked gently in the sauce until set. The whites turn tender, the sauce goes sweet and thick, and a hunk of bread does the rest. The usual mistake is adding the eggs to a thin, watery sauce; they spread out, poach in pink liquid and the dish turns soupy. Chef's tip: crack each egg into a cup first, then slide it into a well in the sauce so the yolk stays whole and sits exactly where you want it.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pan con tortillaBread with onion omelette

Pan con tortilla is a staple of Havana cafeterías and Miami ventanitas alike: a thin, soft omelette with sweet onion folded into buttered Cuban bread and pressed until warm and crisp. It is breakfast on the way to work and a quick supper when nobody wants to cook, usually with a cafecito or a fruit shake. The common mistake is frying the onion too hard; it should be soft and sweet, not brown and bitter. Chef's tip: press the sandwich with a heavy pan so the bread goes crunchy outside while the omelette stays tender.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Cavallo di San MartinoShortbread horse and rider

On 11 November in Venice, children go from shop to shop banging pots and singing for San Martino, and every pastry window fills with big shortbread horses carrying the saint on horseback, cut out, iced and studded with sweets and chocolates. The biscuit is a plain, buttery pasta frolla that holds its shape well, and the fun is all in the decoration, so it's a perfect baking afternoon with children. Chef's tip: chill the cut shapes for 15 minutes before baking so the horse's legs and sword keep sharp edges.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

KalanehWild leek stuffed flatbread

In Kurdistan and Kermanshah, Newroz arrives with the first spring greens on the hillsides, and families gather wild leeks to fold into kalaneh, thin griddle breads cooked over a fire or a hot pan and soaked in melted butter. The dough is plain and soft, rolled very thin around a pile of chopped leek or chives with a little salt and pepper, so the greens steam inside as the bread blisters. Eat it hot, torn into strips, with yogurt and tea at a Newroz picnic. The common mistake is wet greens, which turn the dough soggy and make it tear; dry them well after washing. Chef's tip: brush the butter on the moment the bread leaves the pan so it soaks right in.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Minne di Sant'AgataDomed ricotta cakes

Catania's patron saint, Agatha, was martyred by having her breasts cut off, and for her feast on 5 February the city's pastry shops make minne (also minnuzzi): small domed cakes of sponge filled with sweet ricotta, chocolate chips and candied fruit, covered in white icing and topped with a candied cherry. They are eaten during the three days of processions. Many bakers brush the sponge with a liqueur syrup; this one uses an orange syrup and is alcohol-free. Choose a vegetarian ricotta if needed. Chef's tip: drain the ricotta overnight and sieve it with the sugar for a silky filling.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

CiaramicolaRed Easter ring cake

Ciaramicola is Perugia's Easter cake, a ring tinted red under a cloud of white meringue and coloured sprinkles, the red and white of the city's flag. It was traditionally baked by girls on Holy Saturday for their sweethearts, and it is eaten at Easter breakfast. The red colour usually comes from alchermes, a spiced liqueur; this version uses beetroot juice and a pinch of cinnamon and clove, so it is alcohol-free. The meringue is baked until set. Chef's tip: spread the meringue right down to the base all round, so it seals in the cake and stays glossy.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Chipa so'oCheese bread with spiced beef

In Paraguay, families bake chipa in the clay tatakua ovens on Holy Wednesday so there is food for Thursday and Good Friday, when cooking stops. Chipa so'o ('chipa with meat') is a cassava-starch and cheese bread wrapped around a little filling of minced beef cooked with onion and egg, then baked until crisp outside and chewy within. It is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: knead the dough until it no longer cracks at the edges when pressed; dry dough splits around the filling.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

AllerheiligenstriezelBraided sweet loaf

In Bavaria and Austria, godparents give their godchildren an Allerheiligenstriezel on All Saints' Day, 1 November: a large braided loaf of sweet yeast dough, brushed with egg and scattered with almonds or pearl sugar. The braid is said to recall the old custom of cutting a plait of hair in mourning, and the size of the loaf once showed how generous the godparent was. It is lightly sweet, with lemon and vanilla, and is eaten sliced with butter or jam. Some recipes add rum-soaked raisins; these are soaked in warm water instead. Chef's tip: braid four strands for an impressive, high loaf.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

KerbelsuppeChervil soup

In Germany, Maundy Thursday is called Gründonnerstag, 'green Thursday', and many families eat something green that day for health in the coming year: spinach with eggs, herb soup or this creamy chervil soup. Chervil is one of the first herbs of spring, with a delicate taste of aniseed and parsley, and the soup is simply potato, shallot and vegetable stock blended with a big bunch of fresh chervil and finished with cream. It is ready in half an hour and gluten free. Chef's tip: add the chervil only at the very end and blend straight away, because heat quickly dulls its colour and flavour.

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pizza chienaEgg, ricotta and cured pork pie

Pizza chiena ('full pie', also pizza rustica or pizza piena) is baked across Campania on Good Friday and eaten after the Lenten fast ends on Easter Sunday or at the Pasquetta picnic. It is a tall pie of short pastry packed with a filling of eggs, ricotta and grated cheeses, layered with cubes of cured pork: salami, prosciutto, soppressata and sometimes fresh sausage. It is rich, so slices are thin. Chef's tip: bake it the day before and chill it overnight, as it cuts cleanly only once fully set.

120 minItalianMeat
by KrazyBadal 0 views

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