Dad’s Cuban Kitchen

By Eugenio Perez

What a pleasure it is to be able to find all these food and much more here in the United States—in any grocery store or already prepared in any of the abundant Cuban restaurants.

I often wonder why it took so long for Cuban cuisine to be embraced, although I realized that there were obstacles to overcome. Today, Americans have begun to understand that the cooking of Cuba is not as over spicy or greasy as some imagine it to be.

I have researched most of the recipes to find out the history and origin of the dishes and the traditions and customs related to Cuban food.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781728306988

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© 2022 Ada Dunwody. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/26/2023

ISBN: 978-1-7283-0697-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-0698-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019903960

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed

since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do

not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Dad I/we will always miss you, love you and continue talking to you! We'll always love everything you did for us! How hard you worked! How you took us on those crazy family vacations that Mom planned, assuring we learned everything we could about this great country, while maintaining our own Cuban heritage!

I want to thank you for leaving us these wonderful recipes for us to continue to enjoy the flavors of your delicious cooking!

Special gratitude to Nicole and Sabrina for helping with this project!

Most of all I want to thank you Dad for the honor of spending your final days with us, thank you! Love you! and will always Miss you!

BACKGROUND OF CUBAN CUISINE

Cuba is the largest island of the West Indies; it lies south of the Florida peninsula of The United States and east of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. Cuba is geographically located at the entrance ofthe Gulf of Mexico, from where the nickname "The Key of the Gulf’ is derived.

Map showing the geographical location of the Island of

Cuba at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico.

The island of Cuba extends 760 miles, and it has an average width of about 50 miles. The total isle area is about 44,218 square miles. The climate of Cuba is semitropical, the mean annual temperature being about 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Columbus, (in Spanish Colon), discovered Cuba in October 28th, 1492, which at the time it was inhabited mostly by the Arawak (sub-Tainos), the Siboney (Guanahacabibe), and Tainos tribal people. The original natives called the island Cubacan, from where the name CUBA is derived.

The Siboney lived along the coast and survived by fishing, hunting and gathering food. They lived in small semi-nomadic clans, and left no written record of their society, religion or language.

The Arawak. Reached Cuba in two waves, beginning with the sub-Tainos, who arrived about 900 AD, gradually pushing the Siboney to the western third of the island. The Arawak or sub-Tainos, lived in attached houses and were governed by Caciques (tribal chiefs). They survive by fishing and collectively working gardens, where they grew Yuca , (cassava), Maize, (corn), beans, sweet potatoes, and pine apples.

They also grew tobacco, which was used for religious ceremonies and for medical purposes. The second migratory wave, the Tainos swept into the eastern coastal areas of Cuba from the Hispaniola in the 15th century, just before the Spanish conquest.

By the early 1500’s a full scale invasion of Cuba was on the way by the Spanish conquistadors. The Arawak, the Tainos and the Sibony Indians were cruelly exploited and were almost exterminated within a few generations by the Spanish colonist. Rather than becoming Spanish slaves or starve, many of the Cuba’s original inhabitants killed their own children and committed suicide, other contracted European diseases and die.

A Catholic priest, Padre de las Casas, in an act of compassion to help the Cuban natives, traveled to Spain and requested an audience with the King and Queen for the purpose of interfering on behalf of the so called Indians . He implore to the King and Queen to order the colonist to stop slavery, abuse and the killing of the original natives.

As a result of the frier implorations to Fernando è Isabella, the King and Queen of Spain, the Spanish colonist were given free hand to import African slaves to work in the fields and mines, for the purpose to help the original Cuban inhabitants. By 1650 African slaves numbered about 5000 compared to an indigenous population of about 2000,

It was in 1511 when Diego Velasquez, and Spanish colonist, landed ships carrying 300 soldiers in Cuba’s southeastern shore, near Guantanamo. He encounter native resistant led by Hatuey, a tribal chief (Cacique) who had escaped from the Hispaniola and who knew the ways of the Europeans conquerors. It took only three month to defeat, capture and execute Hatuey. This was the only resistant ever made in Cuba by the original inhabitants against the Spanish conquerors.

Hatuey was burned alive at the stake, prior to his execution, Padre de las Casas invited the tribal chief to become a Christian before dying so his soul would go to heaven after his death. Are all these people Christians? He asked; yes they are, responded the friar. Are they going to heaven when they die? Yes they are, said the friar. After a long pause . Hatuey responded, "If these people are going to heaven, I don’t want to become a Christian. I don’t want to see them again.

The arrival of African slaves resulted in one of the most notable characteristics of Cuba’s heritage; a racially mixed population during the first two centuries of Spanish settlement, few Spanish or European women settle in Cuba, Spanish men married or had relationships with indigenous and African women. (It is said that the Spaniards invented the mulatto). Cuba classes and races blended, producing a mixture of religions, music, language and especially a Cuban cultural kind of food. Today 51 % of the population are Mulatos, 37 % are Whites, 1 1 % are blacks and one percent are Orientals.

The wealth of the land was shared by the Spaniards and the white Creoles or Criollos (Spaniards bom in Cuba). Some of the Spanish polices hampered the Creole people hopes of economical and political advancement and this resulted in demonstrations, revolutions and wars, being the last, The War of Independence.

The explosion of the Maine war ship in Havana harbor gave The United States a political reason to intervene in the Cuban war for impendence. In 1898 Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Raiders helped the Cuban patriots to drive the Spaniards out of Cuba.

Although initially, a very welcome liberator, The United States soon became another foreign ruler. Cuba was officially declared independent in May 20,1902. By the year 1909 most of the US troops had left.

After a democratically elected president and the dictatorship of Geraldo Machado, Batista became dictator for the first time in 1933, and then after many democratic presidents, Batista became a military dictator one more time. Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro in 1959.

Later in history we get to the Kennedy era and the Bay of Pigs evens, which is where most American Schools pick-up Cuban history.

AND NOW YOU MAY ASK WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO

WITH FOOD? I just thought you should know a little bit more about the origin of the dishes included in Eugene’s Recipes, it also explains the Spanish, Moors, African and original Cuban inhabitants influences in the traditional Cuban cuisine, not to mention my mother, grandmother, aunts, friends and relatives.

I like to make food that I love to eat, pretty much the same as my mother and grandmother, they both loved to bring their culinary experience and sensibility to others.

Most of the food cooked by my grandmother was sautéed or fried in pork lard. In those days nobody was concern with cholesterol in the bacon fat or pork lard. (If my grandmother knew what cholesterol was, she would probably have fried it too).

Never the least, we recognized the great cuisines of the world, by general consent the major styles of modern cookery are the Chinese, the Italian and the French. Of these the oldest, purest and perhaps the most sophisticated is the Chinese, which is build on concepts defined by Confucius.

In the western hemisphere, The New World, cookery has evolved largely according to the ethnic background ofthe settlers, as modified by their immediate requirements and available produce in the region.

In Cuba, native cookery has been influenced, in varying degrees by the cuisine of Spain, Africa and in part by the Moors while occupying a part of southern Spain. (More detail background and origin of individual dishes are included with the individual recipes).

On the farm where I grew-up in Cuba, the cooking was, and probable still is, done on top of wood burning stoves.

Wood burning stoves in Cuban farms are made different; they are fabricated using heavy wood boards, the stoves are build to resemble a table with high side boards forming a box on the top.

The purpose of this box is to hold sand and cinder ashes. On top of the sand bed, two parallel rows of bricks are installed in the center of the narrow side for the whole length of the stove. Flat irons are placed on top and across the rows of brick to provide support to the pots and pans.

A wood fire is started between the two brick rows under the irons. The air for combustion of the wood logs is admitted at the open ends of the brick rows. The heat is controlled by moving flaming wood logs under the pot and pans. For high heat, flaming wood logs; for medium heat high, flaming charcoals and for low heat, hot kindles were used.

The wood burning stove, pantry and the dining area are housed in an open rustic structure with a hatched roof made using the royal palm fans. Only around the pantry area walls were installed. This structure is typically built in the backside of the main house.

Cuban cuisine and the old myths about the food being fiery-hot and very grease are not true. Cuban food is flavorful, this comes mostly from the subtle blend of herbs and spices, rather than a heavy handled used of hot peppers.

Cuban cuisine is made up of ingredients that most ofus know and like and that are easy to find in The United States. It is the different combinations of those familiar ingredients what truly reflects the Cuban flavor.

Olive oil is the usual choice for frying, sautéing and salad dressings, but there is no oil more fragrant. Some dishes are sauté in bacon fat drippings or together with salt pork. Pork lard is also abundantly used for cooking.

Although the style of eaten is always evolving, and the food is getting lighter, it still maintains a connection with the culinary tradition of Cuba before the days of communism. The recipes, gastronomical traditions are well blend with the new trends, and that is what makes the best Cuban cuisine.

Cuban ingenuity has combined and blended the Spanish, Moors, African and Caribbean traditions and ingredients into a unique and characteristic cuisine.

Chicken, pork, lobster, shrimp, fish, and to a lesser degree, beef, lamb and goat are common meat staples; black beans, rice, yuca (cassava), malanga (sweet potatoes), boniato (yam), and platanos (plantains) are the leading legumes and starches.

The most common sauces are Salsa Criolla , made with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, salt and olive oil. The other sauce is Mojo Criollo ; this sauce is also used as a marinade and is made using garlic, olive oil, lime juice and peppers.

The most commonly used herbs are; perejil(parsley), tomillo (thyme), comino (cumin), cebolletas (chives), hojas de Laurel (bay leaves), apio (celery), others are black peppers and hot peppers.

Annatto tree flower seeds are commonly used to make annatto oil for the purpose of coloring and flavoring food and are also used as a base to prepared sauces. Annatto, like saffron, lends a delicate flavor and color to food. In Cuba the annatto is called Achote.

The Europeans found another spice, one they have never seen before, growing wild on many Caribbean’s Islands. They determined that it tasted like a combinations of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, and so it got its name all spice.

Cuba’s menu names are very playful and picturesque linguistically, for example Moros con Cristianos , literally translated it means Moors and Christians", a combination of black beans and white rice,

Ropa Vieja literally translated it means old clothes. This dish consist of shredded beef cooked with herbs and spices, it is also called Aporreado de Res ", translated it means bashed steer.

There are so many other colorful names given to Cuban dishes.

You will find dish name comments in the individual recipes as you go through the book.

Sandwiches are also part ofthe Cuban cuisine traditions; the majority of sandwiches in Cuba are made using the traditional Cuban Bread, long loaf made with lard in lieu of oil.

The Cuban Sandwich is a popular import to the United States, especially in Florida. It is a simple pressed sandwich, traditionally made with slices of roasted pork (Pernil), Serrano ham, Swiss cheese, sweet pickle and butter.

The Media Noche meaning Midnight, is made pretty much the way, but smaller than the Cuban sandwich and is made using sweetbread rolls instead.

Other Cuban sandwiches are: Pan con Lechon (Bread with roast Pork), Pan con Bistec, (Bread and Steak), Pan con Timba, (Bread with Guava paste and white cheese), Pan con Chorizo, Bread with Spanish sausage), Fritas, (A Cuban version of Hambergers) and many others.

In Cuba there are some areas where the cooking has the region ways and idiosyncrasies, as an example in Baracoa, small village in the northeastern tip of Cuba, closer to Haiti than to Havana, in this region they make tamales with matched plantains stuffed with spicy pork meat, wrapped in bananas leaves and cooked over coals, not using corn and corn husk wrapping.

In the same area, food is cooked in coconut oil and Lechita (coconut milk). The whole village becomes musty when the evening cooking begins.

In Santiago de Cuba, on the southeastern end of the island, the style of cooking is more Caribbean than Afro-Cuban. And in the western of Cuba the black beans are baked, not made into soups.

What a pleasure to be able to find all these food and much more here in The United States in any grocery store or already prepared in any of the abundant Cuban restaurants.

I often wonder why it took so long for Cuban cuisine to be embraced, although I realized that there were obstacles to overcome. Today, Americans have begun to understand that the cooking of Cuba is not over spicy or greasy as some imagine it to be.

I have researched most of the recipes to find out the history, origin of the dish, and traditions and customs related to Cuban food.

Please take notice that there is a Key depicted at the entrance of the Golf of Mexico between two land peninsulas signifying the Nickname of "The Key of the Golf’ (La Llave del Golfo).

I’m not claiming that any of these recipes to be my own creation(s), I was always interested, and enjoy eating Cuban food the way it was prepared at home and over relatives and friends homes, therefore I started to pay attention to details, helping around the kitchen and learning. I have made variations to some of the recipes, for the purpose of improved them or to adapt them to ingredients readily available in the United States.

What a pleasure to be able to find all these food and much more here, in the United States in any grocery store, or already prepared in any of the abundant Cuban restaurants. Eugene Perez

CONTENTS

Background Of Cuban Cuisine

Appetizers

Aguacate Relleno Con Camarones (Shrimp Stuffed Avocados)

Almejas A La Murciana (Murcian Style Clams)

Cangrejitos (Filled Crescent Pastries)

Carne Fria (Rolled Meat)

Croquetas (Croquettes)

Empanadillas (Fried Meat Filled Dough)

Frituras De Bacalao (Cod Fish Fritters)

Frituras De Maiz (Cornmeal Fritters)

Pasta De Higado De Pollo (Chicken Liver Spread)

Pasta De Jamon Para Bocaditos (Ham Spread For Snacks)

Pastelitos De Carne (Little Meat Pies)

Rollitos De Chorizo (Phyllo Pastry Stuffed With Chorizo)

Rollitos De Repollo Relleno (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Setas Champiñones Rellenos (Stuffed Mushrooms)

Beef

Higado De Pollo, Dos Recetas (Liver Italian Style)

Lengua De Vaca Estofada (Stewed Cow’s Tongue)

Picadillo (Minced Beef)

PULPETA (Cuban Meatloaf)

Rabo Encendido (Oxtail Stew)

Ropa Vieja (Seasoned Beef Strips)

Seso Con Aji Y Jerez (Sweetbreads With Peppers And Sherry)

Ternera Empanizada (Breaded Veal Cutlets)

Vaca Frita (Fried Cow)

Breads

Casabe (Cassava Root Bread)

Emparedado Ala Plancha Cubano (Cuban Sandwich)

Medianoche (Another Type Of Cuban Sandwich)

Pan Cubano (Cuban Bread)

Pan Al Horno Cubano (Oven Baked Bread)

Pan De Agua Cubano (Cuban Water Bread)

Pan Suave (Cuban Soft Bread)

Desserts

Buñuelos

Brazo Gitano

Capuchinos

Cascos Guayaba (Guava Shells)

Dulce De Coco (Coconut Candy)

Cascos De Naranja En Almibar (Orange Shells In Syrup)

Dulce De Leche (Milk Candy)

Flan

Majarete (Com Pudding)

Natilla Al Ron (Rum Cream Custard)

Panetela Borracha (Drunken Cake)

Pudin Diplomatico ( Diplomatic Bread Pudding)

Pudin De Pan Con Salsa De Ron ( Bread Pudding With Rum Sauce)

Turrones (Nougats)

Drinks

Aliñado

Cuba Libre

Crema De Vie

Daiquiri

España En Llamas

Mojito

Sangria

Pork

Carne De Cerdo Frita (Fried Hog Meat)

Chicharrònes (Pork Cracklings)

Cocido De Garbanzos Con Patas De Puerco (Chickpeas With Pigs Feet)

Fricase De Puerco (Pork Fricassee)

Gandinga

Lechon Asado (Roasted Pig)

Lomillo De Cerdo A La Parrilla

Lomo De Cerdo Asado (Roast Pork Loin)

Lomo De Cerdo Con Aquacate Y Mangom Salsa (Pork With Papaya Sauce)

Montuno De Puerco

Pernil Asado (Roast Leg Of Pork Two Different Ways)

Poultry

Arroz Con Pollo Imperial (Rice And Chicken, Cheese And Mayonnaise Casserolie)

Arroz Con Pollo (Rice With Chicken)

Pollo Asado Con Mojo (Roast Chicken With Mojo Marinade Sauce)

Pollo Asado En Cazuela (Pot Roast Chicken)

Cuban Lemon-Garlic Roast Chicken (Polio Asado con Limon y Ajo)

Fricase De Pollo (Chicken Fricassee)

Higado De Pollo, Dos Recetas (Chicken Liver, Two Recipes)

Molleja De Pollo (Chicken Gizzard)

Pollo Al Chilindrón

Pastel De Pollo Cubano (Cuban Chicken Pie)

Pollo Con Quinbombó Y Plátanos (Chicken With Okra And Plantains)

Pollo Con Salsa De Piña Y Ron (Chicken With Pineapples And Rum)

Pollo Estofado Con Pasas Y Aceitunas (Chicken Stew With Raisins And Olives)

Salads

Aquacate Con Piña (Avocado And Pineapple)

Ensalada Peras, Aquacate Y Cebollas (Avocado And Onions Salad)

Ensalada Naranja Y Aceitunas (Avocado, Orange And Olives Salad)

Ensalada Lechuga Y Aquacate (Lettuce And Avocado Salad)

Ensalada Pollo Y Manzanas (Chicken And Apples Salad)

Sauces

Alcaparrado

Annatto Oil

Mojo Criollo (Cuban Marinade)

Sofrito (Spanish Cooking Sauce)

Seafood

Arroz Con Calamares En Su Tinta (Rice With Squid In There Own Ink)

Arroz Con Camarones (Rice With Shrimps)

Arroz Con Camarones, Vieras Y Alcachofas

(Rice With Shrimps, Scallops And Artichokes)

Arroz Con Pescado En Zarten

Bacalao A La Vizcaina (Salted Cod Fish Basque Style)

Camarones Al Ajillo Con Ron (Garlic Shrimp With Rum)

Enchilado De Camarones

Enchilado De Camarones Y Vieiras (Shrimp & Scallops)

Escabeche De Pescado (Pickle Fish)

Eugene’s Paella

Filete De Pescado Con Salsa De Coco (Fish Filet With Coconut Sauce)

Langosta Criolla (Lobster Creole Cuban Style)

Pescado Al Horno (Oven Bake Fish)

Pescado Con Salsa De Aquacate (Fish With Avocado Sauce)

Pescado Con Salsa De Limon (Fish In Lemon Sauce)

Pescado En Salsa De Perijil (Fish In Parsley Sauce)

Ruedas De Pescado Tomates (Fish Steaks In Tomato Sauce)

Zarzuela De Mariscos A La Catalana (Sea Food Casserole)

Soups and Stews

Ajiaco Cubano (Revised)

Caldo Gallego (Galician Style Lima Bean Soup)

Fabada Asturiana (A Bean Stew From Austurias)

Habichuelas Coloradas Con Carne De Puerco

(Red Kidney Beans With Pork Meat)

Pata Y Panza Con Garbanzos (Pig’s, Feet, Tripe And Garbanzos Stew)

Sopa De Arroz Con Carne De Res (Fish Steaks In Tomato Sauce)

Sopa De Fideos (Vermicelli Soup)

Sopa De Frijoles Negros (Black Bean Soup)

Sopa De Mariscos (Shell Fish Soup)

Sopa De Pescado (Fish Soup)

Sopa De Platano (Plantain Soup)

Potage De Habichuelas Blancas (White Beans With Chorizo And Greens Soup)

Potage De Habichuelas Coloradas (Kidney Bean Soup)

Potaje De Lentejas (Lentil Soup)

Vegetables and Roots

Ajìes Rellenos (Stuffed Peppers)

Arroz Amarillo (Yellow Rice)

Arroz Con Salchichas (Rice With With Vienna Sausages)

Berenjenas Rellanas (Stuffed Eggplants)

Frijoles Negros Dormidos (Sleeping Beans)

Frijoles Negros Guizados (Baked Black Beans)

Fufu De Platanos (Mashed Plantains With Bacon)

Harina De Maiz (Cuban Polenta Like Com Porridge)

Moros Con Cristianos (Black Beans And Rice)

Munyeta (Mashed Navy Beans)

Papas Rellenas (Stuffed Potatoes)

Platanos Maduros Al Horno (Bake Ripe Plantains)

Platanios Maduro Fritos (Fried Ripe Plantains)

Pure De Boniatos Y Platanos Maduros

(Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Ripe Plantains)

Tamal Cubano (Cuban Tamale)

Tamal En Cazuela (Tamale Casserole)

Tostones (Twice Fried Green Plantains)

Tortilla De Papas (Spanish Potatoes Omelet)

Yuca (Cassava)

Yuca Salteada Con Bacalao

APPETIZERS

AGUACATE RELLENO CON CAMARONES

Aguacate Relleno con Camarones, Shrimp Stuffed Avocado in English, this dish was originated in Ecuador, where avocados are plentiful throughout the country. Ecuador is also one of the major exporters of shrimp in the world. This dish brings together these two delicacies in an appetizer that is found in many restaurants across the country. I learn this recipe from Ecuadorian friends in New York City, and made my own.

While is true that in Cuba avocados and shrimps are also very abundant, to the best of my knowledge, I can’t say that I remember ever eaten shrimp stuffed avocados in Cuba or even ever hear talking about it, but as I said before, I made this recipe my very own. I didn’t exactly remember the details and ingredients used by my Ecuadorian friends in New York, but by try and error and experimentation I came with the other recipe.

This recipe is very easy to prepare in only a few minutes, this dish can be serve as an appetizer or with lettuce and tomatoes as a salad. The filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerate, but the avocados should be prepared right before serving to prevent the avocados from darkening. Buying already cooked shrimps will save preparation time, or you may cook and peel fresh shrimps.

Today shrimp stuffed avocados recipes versions are found all over of the world, some add crab meat, and others add cream cheese, salad shrimps, in many of these recipes hot chili peppers are added to make it spicier. In some of these variations the avocados are serve in its Shell, meaning with the skin still on. I prefer to remove the bone, seed or pit and the skin when preparing this dish, it is easier to eat and make a better presentation.

SHRIMP STUFFED AVOCADO INGREDIENTS:

• 2 firm and ripe avocados, the Fuerte variety

• 1/2 pound medium size cooked shrimps

• 1/4 cup mince red onion

• 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper

• 1/4 cup finely diced celery

• 1 hard boiled egg, chopped

• 3 tablespoons regular mayonnaise

• The juice of 1/2 lime

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic powder to taste

1. Cut the shrimps in halves. In a large bowl combine the shrimps, onions, red bell pepper, celery, egg, half of the lime juice, and mayonnaise. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, mix it thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to use it.

2. Slice the avocados in half by running the knife all around into the avocado meat to the depth of the pit starting at the fruit stem side, separate halves, the pit should stay in one of the halves, removed it by inserting the edge of the knife into the pit and twisting. Now carefully remove the skin leaving the avocado halves intact.

3. Drizzle the remaining lime juice over the avocados; this will help keeping the avocados from darkening too quickly. Brush the olive oil in the inside of the avocado shells and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now spoon the shrimp filling into the avocado halves.

To serve it, set the stuffed avocado halves over a bed of lettuce and serve it preceding dinner. Optionally you may add any garnishing before serving.

Foot Notes:

✓ You may choose to serve hot sauce on the side for those who prefer spicy hot food.

✓ The Fuerte avocado variety is an established favorite, harvested late fall through spring, is the original high quality avocado in California. Other known avocado varieties in California are: Bacon, Gwen, Hass, Lamb Hass, Pinkerton, Reed, and Zutano.

✓ The fuerte avocado has smooth thin • green skin and a creamy, pale green flesh, the skin remains green when ripe and peels easily. The size varies from 5 to 14 ounces.

✓ Other variety of avocados may be substituted.

✓ This recipe yield four servings, the ingredients quantities may be adjusted to change the number of servings.

ALMEJAS A LA MURCIANA

Almejas a la Murciana in English is Murcian Style Clams . Essentially this dish consist of clams prepared in a wonderful sauce made of white wine, sweet paprika, garlic, onions, with slight bite from red pepper flakes. This recipe was originated in the Spanish region of Murcia in the Iberian Peninsula, and brought to Cuba by Spanish immigrants.

The region of Murcia serves authentic Mediterranean food; the region of Murcia is located in the southeast of Spain, between Andalusia and Alicante on the Mediterranean coast.

Shrimps, crabs, spiny lobsters, oysters, all kind of fish and clams abound along Cuba’s coast line. Actually, hard clams are caught wild from the Gulf of St. Laurence to Florida, Texas, Cuba, and Mexico.

If you can buy fresh clams at the fish store or the supermarket, this is a simple recipe for Almejas a la Murciana. These clams are served as Tapas (Appetizers); they may also be served as a main course. Fresh crusty Cuban bread is a most to mop up the sauce.

Clams have been enjoyed as a food source since prehistorically times. There are over 2,000 varieties of clams. There are many ways to cook and prepare clams, in fact, on occasion they are even eaten raw.

ALMEJAS A LA MURCIANA INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound littleneck clams

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1 yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon Spanish sweet paprika

• 1 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay (preferable from Rioja)

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Salt to taste

1. Scrub the clam shells to remove barnacles, remove any broken shells and those that do not