A Cuban Meal

5c2187170c83651bacd3424b69089407.1000x1000x1.jpg

Music and food kind of go hand in hand in our house. Growing up, my parents could not have a backyard summer barbecue without the sounds of  classic Motown hits playing in the background. It was always Good Music, Good Food, Good People ……all in one place. that was the rule in our house and it still is.

And that is how I am feeling about  this song”Havana” right now.

If you haven’t heard the song Havana by now….then you have been living under a rock….literally.

Camila is the eponymous debut studio album by Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello, formerly of the singing group  Fifth Harmony. It was released on January 12, 2018, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200. While the album is  primarily  contemporary pop, it incorporates elements of Latin music and R&B. Featuring the hit  “Havana“,  which has  topped charts in territories such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

And for me, the sultry sounds of “Havana” evokes memories of Cuba, 1950s cars, old dramatic buildings and of course the food, with its blend of Indigenous, African and European cultures that make it authentically ‘Cuban”.

The perfect marriage of music and food with a Cuban themed dinner party.

Make sure you have “Havana” as well as hits by Celicia Cruz and the Buena Vista Social Club playing in the background to set the mood for your  party.

 

 

Set the table with colorful eclectic dishes with a mix of modern and old world charm.

 Photo Credit: Williams Sonoma, 2017

Color-blocked linens inspired by the city’s famous cement tiles recall the colorful streets of Havana and add a festive touch to the table.

Start off with the meal with a chicken soup made with plantain dumplings, followed by an easy one-pot braised chicken fricassee that is paired with rice and black beans (traditionally known as Cristanos y Marranos)—a Cuban staple—and crispy fried plantains for a dinner menu that evokes a Caribbean getaway.

002

Cuban-Style Chicken Fricassee
Rice and Black Beans
Ropa Vieja

                      Photo Credit: Williams Sonoma, 2017

 

img7l.jpg

                      Photo Credit: Williams Sonoma, 2017

 

 

You should enjoy the meal with a mojito as your choice of drink.

img1l (2).jpg

And last but not least, a caramel flan, as popular in Cuba as it is in Spain, makes a sweet ending to the meal.

img1l (1).jpg

 Photo Credit: Williams Sonoma, 2017

 

 

All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!

Protected by Copyscape

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Corned Beef with Cabbage and Colcannon

Simple comfort food….The brisket simmered in Guinness with cloves and finished in the oven with a mustard, honey brown sugar glaze. Probably will make hash in the morning with the left overs for breakfast, and Reuben Sandwiches on Russian Rye for lunch.

29258188_1611799632202515_2847245003197455855_n.jpg

All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!

Protected by Copyscape

Pappardelle with Butternut Squash, Radicchio and Fennel

28685405_1603614773021001_5719516811857281624_n

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients:
9 ounces of  Pappardelle pasta (home made or commercially prepared)
2 cups butternut squash, diced
2 cups fresh radicchio, shredded
1/2 cup fresh fennel, shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese  (optional)

 
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring occasionally. Add the squash and sauté for 5-6 minutes on high heat until the squash is golden and crispy.  Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the radicchio and vinegar, lower the heat and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the Pappardelle according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the Pappardelle to the pan adding a little of the pasta cooking water to loosen if needed, then add the remaining oil and toss to combine.

Add the fennel. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Divide among plates, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or grated Pecorino cheese if desired.

All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!

Protected by Copyscape