CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRí
The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it's all cooked.
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories main course
Time 2h30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)
- Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it's hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.
- Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.
- Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 253, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 46 grams, Fat 4 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 203 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram
PURPLE HULL PEAS AND MUSTARD GREENS IN SMOKY POTLIKKER
Southern field peas come in seemingly endless varieties, the most well known of which are black-eyed peas. For this dish, it's worth seeking out their sister, the pink-eyed purple hull pea that April McGreger, who makes Farmer's Daughter brand pickles and preserves Hillsborough, N.C., knew growing up. They are sold fresh in late spring through the early fall in the South, but can be found frozen. Black-eyed peas will do just fine, though. This is a bold and brothy soup with plenty of what Southerners call potlikker, flavored with ham hocks for traditionalists or smoked turkey parts for a lighter version. It is essential to serve this dish with sturdy cornbread to soak up the potlikker. Ms. McGreger likes thin and crispy cornbread.
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories main course, side dish
Time 3h
Yield 6 to 8 servings, about 12 cups
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Over medium heat, warm the oil in a large Dutch oven or other soup pot. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Don't let the vegetables brown. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the chile, bay leaves, thyme and allspice.
- If using ham hocks, add them along with 10 cups of water, bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Partly cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 2 hours. If using smoked turkey wings or legs, add 9 cups of water, bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Partly cover with lid and simmer for one hour.
- Stir in the peas, partly cover the pot with the lid and simmer until the peas are tender. This will take about 20 minutes for fresh or frozen peas or as long as 1 1/2 hours for peas that were dried and soaked.
- While the beans cook, wash the mustard greens in several changes of water. Taste a leaf to be certain they are not gritty. Tear the greens into bite-size pieces and discard the tough middle stem. Alternately, pre-cut, bagged mustard greens can be used.
- Remove the hocks or wings to a platter and cool. Take the meat off the bone, chop and add to the pot. Discard any skin and connective tissue.
- Add the shredded mustard greens and tomatoes to the pot and simmer just until the greens are wilted, or about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper and green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm, shallow bowls and scatter a few celery leaves on top. Serve with cornbread and pass pepper vinegar or hot sauce at the table.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 134, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fat 4 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 6 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 367 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams
QUICK GLAZED SNOW PEAS
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories easy, quick, weekday, side dish
Time 10m
Yield Serves 4 children or 2 adults
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Place everything but snow peas in a shallow, wide sauté pan over medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Add snow peas, toss to coat and stir occasionally just until peas are cooked, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 40, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 6 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 156 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
BRYANT TERRY'S MILLET CAKES WITH SMOKY-SPICY GREEN SAUCE
Bryant Terry is the chef in residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, where he creates events that celebrate the African-American intersection of food and culture. With millet, lentils and potatoes, these vegan cakes are a nod to '70s-style macrobiotic dishes - but upgraded with a smoky, garlicky sauce built from roasted green peppers. They are also good on their own if you don't have time to make the sauce, and are delicious topped with an egg as a non-vegan alternative.
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories dinner, grains and rice, vegetables, main course
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Put the date in a small saucepan, add water to cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. When date is completely softened, drain off water.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine oil, ginger, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring, until the garlic starts to smell fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Add the roasted peppers, cilantro, bourbon, and the softened date and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Make the cakes: Combine flax powder and 6 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Mix well with a fork. Cover and refrigerate to let thicken.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. With a fork, pierce the potato all over then wrap in foil. Bake until tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside to cool. When the potato is cool enough to handle, peel it, transfer to a bowl, and mash until smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of the mashed potato for this dish and use the rest for something else.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, toast the millet, gently shaking the pan to ensure even cooking, until the millet smells fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and raise the heat to high until the water boils. Immediately turn down the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has evaporated, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine lentils with 1 1/2 cups water over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, skim off any foam, and simmer, covered, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. The lentils should be soft but not falling apart. Remove the lid, drain off any excess liquid, and stir in a generous pinch of salt. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil over medium-high heat and until the surface shimmers. Add onions and sauté, stirring often, until soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until it starts to smell fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add berbere spice blend and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until combined about 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to a medium bowl. Mix in the 1/2 cup of reserved potato, millet and lentils, plus millet flour and the reserved flax seed mixture until thoroughly combined. Season with salt to taste.
- Using your hands, form the mixture into 12 cakes, using about 1/4 cup of mixture per cake and placing the finished cakes on parchment paper. Transfer to a container with a lid, using parchment paper to separate the layers. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to firm up.
- When ready to cook, heat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and gently reheat the sauce. Spread the toasted panko in a shallow dish and combine with 1 teaspoon salt. Gently dredge each cake in the salted panko, coating both sides and shaking off any excess crumbs. After coating, transfer each cake to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
- In a large cast-iron skillet or heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add enough cakes to fit in the pan without overcrowding. Cook until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then to the lined baking sheet. Place the cakes in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with remaining cakes.
- To serve, spread a generous 1/4 cup of warm sauce on the bottom of 4 serving plates. Place 3 cakes on each plate. Garnish with a handful of lettuce and roasted red peppers.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 758, UnsaturatedFat 46 grams, Carbohydrate 62 grams, Fat 53 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 13 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 754 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams
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