Are there any Cuban recipes for vegetarians ?, Need recipe Options

[Grassa77]

I am looking to hold a Cuban theme dinner party for some friends and one of them is a vegetarian. I would like to offer him something other than a bit of salad and some rice !

Any ideas out there for a vegetarian Cuban main course ?

Thanks


Andrew

[foodiesleuth]

Hola, plantains would be good to use as a main entree. I have several recipes that are appropriate and will share in the next few posts

Also, my mom would bake a whole stuffed 'calabazita' and I will try to recreate it for you

[foodiesleuth]

Fufú de Plátano Pintón (Mashed semi-ripe plantains) (*)

Fufú can be served as is or used in a number of interesting dishes
including Bolas de Plátano Pintón (semi-ripe plantain balls - recipe
follows in next post)

3 semi-ripe (yellow) plantains
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Cook and peel the plantains (**)
Mash them with a potato masher, adding vegetable oil as you do, until
they have the consistency of lumpy mashed potatoes.

Serve fufú as a hot side dish or use it in other dishes.

YIELD: 6-9 servings
SOURCE: A Taste of Old Cuba Cookbook by María Josefa Lluria de O'Higgins
ISBN- 0-06-016964-8

(*) The word fufú seems to have come about when the British were
bringing Aficans to the New World. The Brits would serve them the
mashed platains and tell them "food, food".....and the Africans called
mashed plantains fufú ever since and the name stuck.
Or so the story goes..........

The best way to cook semi-ripe plantains is in a pressure cooker or a
microwave; less water is required than the conventional boiling and
there is therefore less wate of the plantains' sweetness. Semi-ripe
plantains must be cooked in their skins; otherwise they lose flavor.

Pressure cooker method:
Take 3 large semi-ripe plantains. Do not peel. Cut into 2-3 inch
chunks. Place in pressure cooker and add 1 inch of water. Lock
lidinto place and put the pressure regulator on the vent pipe. Heat
on high heat until the regulators starts to whistle and dance,
indicating that high pressure has been reached.
Reduce het to medium, maintaining high pressure and cook for 3
minutes. Remove from heat and let steam spend itself. After about 10
minutes, with your hand protected by an oven mitt, carefully remove
the regulator. If no steam emerges from vent pipe, remove cover. (if
its still steaming, wait until it stops before opening)

Drain plantain chuks in colander. When they are cool enough to
handle, slash skins lengthwise with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors
and peel the plantain.

Microwave method:
Cut the unpeeled plantains into 2-3 inch chunks. Place in single
layer in a glass baking dish. Add 1/2 inch water and cover dish
tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes per
plantain. Remove dish from microwave and remove plastic wrap to allow
the steam to scape. When the steam has dissipated, test the plantains
with a fork; if not tender, re-cover and microwave on HIGH for 1
minute at a time until done.

Drain in a colander. When cool enough to handle, slash skins with a
sharp knife or kitchen scissors and peel the plantains.

SOURCE: A Taste of Old Cuba Cookbook by María Josefa Lluria de O'Higgins

[foodiesleuth]

Bolas de Plátano Pintón (semi-ripe plantain balls)

These dumpling type balls are typically served in quimbombó (okra stew or an okra gumbo) but they are good in other stews as well (*). They are extremely delicate, and should be added to the stew just before serving to heat them through. They disintegrate so easily that they are not good leftovers, so encourage everyone at the table to eat them up at one sitting. Urge your guests, as my brother Pancho would say "Sacrificate" ("Sacrifice yourself")/ But believe me, eating these tasty morsels is no sacrifice. - Comments made by the cookbook author- see below

3 semi-ripe (yellow) plantains
2 Tablespoons liquid reserved from cooking plantains
Oil or butter

Cook and peel the plantains as directed (**), reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.

Mash the plantains with a potato masher or in a food processor, gradually adding just enough of the cooking liquid to achieve a thick, doughlike consistency

Grease your hands and take 1 heaping tablespoon of the plantain mixture at a time and form each into a ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Set the balls aside until time to add to the stew.

YIELD: 24 balls
SOURCE: A Taste of Old Cuba Cookbook by María Josefa Lluria de O'Higgins
ISBN- 0-06-016964-8

(*) Sonia's Note: I like to add them to Ajiaco. Recipe in the Taste of Cuba files
Make sure to add them at the last minute just before serving.

(**) Check the previous recipe for instructions

[foodiesleuth]

THICK GRILLED EGG PLANT SLICES

(from Red, White & Greens, The Italian Way with Vegetables by Faith Willinger)


2 lbs eggplants, unpeeled- 3/4 " slices
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a bit more for garnish
2 minced garlic cloves
2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, basil or arugula
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a cast-iron grill or pan over high heat. Brush the eggplant slices with the oil, or pour the oil in a shallow dish and dip the egplant slices, scraping off excess.

Grill slices over high heat, turning once until well browned.

Transfer the grilled slices to a platter, sprinkle with garlic, herbs and seasonings. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Serve warm or room temp.

VARIATION:

Sometimes I will just marinate eggplant slices in a commercial Italian Style
salad dressing and grill on our gas griller. I like using the long Japanese eggplant, sliced
lenghtwise. Sometimes I serve these grilled slices on a bed of mesclum and
top with herbed chevre (creamy goat cheese).
SM

[foodiesleuth]

Calabazita Rellena (Stuffed Pumpkin)

In Cuba you could find these cute little pumpkin-like squash that were smallish, round, green skinned with colored flecks. The closest I can find here are Kabocha squash

My mom would take a calabazita and cut the top off about 1 inch or 2 down, as you would to make a lid.

Scoop out the seeds and threads and discard or clean and roast the seeds with a touch of salt or your favorite seasonings. The seeds can be eaten as you peanuts.

Make a filling with cubed day old bread that has been soaked in cinnamom milk (scald some milk with a cinnamon stick in it) and a little bit of sugar. Not much, as the pumkin itself willl be naturally slighly sweet.

Add some raisins and almond slivers. Mix in a touch of butter or margarine, salt and pepper to taste. You want this mixture to be like a paste that will hold together. Not too 'liquidy'.

Fill the cavity of the little calabazita with this mixture. Place the lid on top and bake at 350o F, in a glass baking dish to which you've added no more than about 1/4 inch of water, until you can insert a knife through and it goes in and out easily.

The time depends on size of the calabazita.

Serve by slicing through it in wedges as you would a cake or pie