Day: February 3, 2013

Pollo Al Mojo & Moros Y Cristianos

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Cuban  Style Mojo Chicken with rice and beans and lettuce /avocado salad in honey & lime vinaigrette
Here is a dish which is very popular in Cuba and because of that, it is popular here in  Miami as well  🙂
It is prepared in many different variations,  since each region, family and restaurant have their very own special recipe for  “Mojo

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Pollo Al Mojo & Moros Y Cristianos

Pollo Al Mojo & Moros Y Cristianos


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Ingredient’s :

2 teaspoons cumin seed
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large serrano chili, stemmed, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons sour orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 chicken legs
kosher salt to taste

Method :

Stir cumin seeds in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until seeds are fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to medium bowl. Add minced garlic, minced chili and salt to seeds; mash mixture with back of fork to form coarse paste. Heat olive oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Pour hot olive oil over garlic mixture; stir to blend. Let stand 15 minutes. Whisk in orange juice and lime juice. Add chicken to marinade; turn to coat. Cover chicken and refrigerate over night.
Put chicken on a baking rack an roast until internal temperature has reached 160 F, all the while basting with the marinade. When done, remove from oven, let rest for 15 minutes. Carry-over heat will take the temperature to a safe 165 F, while leaving the chicken very moist and tender. Serve with avocado and lettuce salad and  “Moros & Cristianos“.
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Bon Provecho !   Life is Good !
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” Schweine Sülze “

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” Pork in Aspic
While most folks have heard of  head cheese  ( Schweinskopf Sulze ), many are put off by the thought of eating pig’s head, although it contains without doubt the best parts of the pig, such as the snout, ears, tongue and, best of all, the cheeks. So here is the “tamer”  version ,  “Schweine Sulze “,  made entirely from the shoulder of the pig with no head or feet in sight. However, while the taste is the same, it lack’s some of the wonderful texture you get by using the head and / or feet. I did not omit the head because I don’t like it, but rather because for some strange reason I was not able to find a pig’s head  in any shop around here for nearly six weeks. Not even pig’s feet,  which make a great substitute for the head. Now they are available again in the neighborhood. Go figure.
Thank you Lord !  (And You, dear pigs  🙂
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Ingredient’s :

Pork shoulder,   excess fat removed, diced
Chicken stock,
Carrots,   finely sliced
Banana peppers,   pickled, sliced
Eggs,   hard boiled, sliced
Scallions,  sliced
Radishes,   finely sliced
Dill pickles,  cubed
Onion,   sliced
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
White wine vinegar,
Garlic paste,
Gelatine,   powdered

Method :

Simmer diced pork and carrots in seasoned chicken stock.  Simmer until very tender, but not falling apart. Add vegetables, bring to a simmer and remove from heat at once. Take a bit of the hot stock to dissolve the gelatin. Return to the stock, add vinegar and adjust seasoning. Keep in mind that once the aspic has cooled and solidified, the seasoning will have nearly disappeared. So make sure that you “over season “a bit , especially with the vinegar, to compensate for this effect. Place meat into serving dish or mold, top with sliced eggs and ladle stock and vegetables to cover. Place into refrigerator and let set. When the top has solidified, add some more stock to completely cover the meat, eggs and vegetables. Let set overnight. Serve with sauce gribiche or a vinaigrette with lots of onions and sautéed potatoes or a rustic bread. Cold milk will not do as accompaniment to this beauty, I recommend a good beer  (or two   🙂

Bon Appetit !   Prost !
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