Cuban Liberation Day Dinner

In case you didn't know, New Years Day (January 1) is also Cuban Liberation Day (Castro took over in 1959). So last Thursday evening, I hosted a small, Cuban-themed dinner party for a few (non-Communist) friends.

I apologize for the lack of exciting photos, between the cake baking and preparing for dinner I didn't think to take a lot of photos. But I will be giving you the recipes here, which if you follow, should have pretty delicious results.

The dinner menu involved Stuffed Peppers (both green and yellow, as noted above), black bean cakes, fried plantains, and a rum cake (which, I will admit I did not make- Amalea, our newly engaged (!) neighbor brought it back from her recent travels for us).

Black Bean Cakes

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1/2 cup grated carrot

LOTS of spices (cumin, chili, whatever you have, I used a Spanish-style mix)

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

Olive oil

1 cup corn meal

1/2 cup soy milk

Oil for frying

Rinse and drain the beans, place in a bowl and mash until smooth with a potato masher. Add the grated carrot and spices, mix well.

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Once the onions are soft and cooked, add to the mix.

Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Once the mix is chilled, form into little cakes about an inch or so around, dip in soy milk then into the corn meal and fry.

I want to say the recipe made about 30 or so little cakes. Serve with lots of ketchup (very Cuban).

Stuffed Peppers

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top off the peppers and clean out the white parts/seeds inside.

2 cups of water

Salt

1 bay leaf

LOTS of spices (again, chili, cumin, etc I used this mix that turned out really well)

1 cup of short grain white rice

2 links of soy chorizo/spicy faux meat

2 cloves garlic minced,

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 big can of diced tomatoes, juice drained and reserved

In a pot, bring the water, salt, bay leaf to a boil. Add the rice and spices and cook for about 15 or so minutes until the water is absorbed. In a separate pan, brown the chorizo with the onions and garlic. Add to the rice mixture along with the can of diced tomatoes. Mix well.

Spoon the mixture into the peppers (which you've arranged in a shallow baking dish). Pour the tomato juice reserved from the can of diced tomatoes into the bottom of the pan to keep the peppers moist.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

I also fried up some ripe plantains that Andy brought, but nothing exciting enough to jot down a recipe for. We also "stretched a bottle of wine" via a recipe from - Glamour magazine - (don't judge!) It involved dumping the bottle of Yellow Tail Shiraz we had into a pitcher with some club soda, a chopped up Fuji apple and a blood orange, and a bit of sugar. It was delicious and a great way to get drinks for 5 people.

I'm sure more delicious things will be cooking soon - I will also be trying out a new biker bar/brunch place (I know, right?) this weekend and I am planning to host a Cookie Party (!!!) at the end of the month/beginning of February. So stay tuned, lots of mmmm is forthcoming - it's 2009! : )

Happy Eating!

-Robin-