Cuban cuisine is a fusion of Spanish and African influences. The cuisine is similar to that of Puerto Rico. I was looking for something different to try and fell in love with Picadillo. This dish reminds me of sloppy joes, and I think any teen will fall for this recipe. There are many versions of this dish. It is like a beef hash with a tomato base and some unusual ingredients like olives, capers, and raisins. I am not a caper lover, so you won’t find that in my recipe. I also decreased the amount of olives and raisins. Maybe I just wanted to make my sloppy joe recipe!
Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion
1 cup green bell pepper (medium dice)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
Crushed red pepper (to taste)
1½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1½ lb. ground beef (lean)
4 oz. tomatoes (diced)
8 oz. tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup raisins
⅓ cup pimento olives (large dice)
Flour tortillas (4 to 6)
2 cups leaf lettuce (sliced in ½” strips)
Directions:
Prepare all of the ingredients as directed. In a medium saucepan, add the oil and heat on medium. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add red pepper, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground beef to the same pan. Sauté the meat until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes and sauce to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the raisins and olives and heat through. Serve with flour tortillas and lettuce.
Remmi Notes: Some recipes add potatoes to this dish as a base. The dish is often served with rice and beans, the national mainstay dish. I was interested in something different, so I tried making it with flour tortillas and loved it. Serve this dish with a healthy version of “Fried Plantains” using coconut oil for a complete meal.
Haiti
On our next journey we hop across the Windward Passage just south of Cuba to Haiti, which is part of the island of Hispaniola. Haiti is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean; its primary export crop is coffee. The Haitian currency is called “gourdes” from the name of the gourd vegetable. Hayti is the Indian name for the country; it translates to “land of the mountains.” Haiti’s mountain peaks exceed 8,000 feet in height! The only public university in Haiti is the University of Haiti in Port-au-Prince, founded in 1944.
Unsurprisingly, given the region, the national dish is rice served with beans. The cuisine is a fusion between Creole and French cooking styles. The story behind Soup Joumou is so interesting and important to the Haitian culture, I picked this great dish to make. Haiti was under French rule from 1625 until January 1st,1804. Under French rule, Haitian slaves and the lower classes were forbidden to drink this soup. On January 1st,1804 and every January 1st since, all Haitians, no matter where they are in the world, eat this dish in remembrance of their independence.
Prep time: 20 minutes • Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 cup onion (small dice)
6 cup water
1 cup butternut squash (peeled and cut into 1” cubes)
1 sweet potato (peeled 1” cubes)
2 carrots (2” cut)
1 celery (1” cut)
1½ cup cabbage (1” slice)
1–14 oz. can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1–14 oz. can red beans (rinsed and drained)
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. spaghetti (broken into 2” pieces)
2 Tbsp. Parsley (sliced)
3 Tbsp. scallions (sliced thin)
Directions:
Prepare all of the ingredients as directed. In a medium stock pot, heat the oil, add the onion, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the water and the squash to the pan, bring to a boil, and then reduce to medium heat for 10 minutes. Purée the squash mixture in a food processor and then return to the pan. Add all remaining ingredients except the spaghetti, parsley, and scallions. Bring the pot to a medium boil and then reduce the heat to low. During this process, you may need to add water. Cook for 10–15 minutes until the potatoes are crisp and tender. Add the spaghetti and cook for another 5-7 minutes until the pasta is al dente in texture. Serve in warm bowls and garnish with parsley and scallions.
Remmi Notes: This pot of golden goodness is nothing but great comfort food. Need I say more? Add some crusty bread and you have a heavenly combination.
jamaica
Just southwest of Haiti and across the Jamaica Channel is the third largest island in the Caribbean, where the average temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Jamaica is known for its snowy white sand beaches with more than 700 caves to explore. The island has a variety of culinary influences—African, French, Spanish, Chinese, British, and Indian food have all contributed to Jamaican cuisine. Reggae dance and music comes from Jamaica, as did the late Bob Marley, who was internationally known for his reggae music.
There is a style of cooking meats in Jamaica called “jerk.” It can be either dry or wet, but either way has very spicy seasoning, which usually includes allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers. Ackee and Saltfish is one of the main dishes served in Jamaica. Ackee is a tree fruit which has been described as having a texture like butter. If this fruit is not handled properly in the ripening and cooking processes, it has toxins that can literally kill you. Ackee is banned by the US FDA…so there’s no Ackee and Saltfish on this menu. I do have a popular Jamaican seafood dish, Curry Shrimp and Rice, for you.
Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice (or else long grain—prepare as directed)
1½ lb. large shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails intact)
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1 medium size onion (medium dice)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ cup celery (medium dice)
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