Croquetas de Jamon - Ham Croquettes

Ham Croquettes    
  "Try these delicious snacks made from scratch.  They are very popular Cuban snacks, and can be found in any authentic Cuban restaurant, bakeries, or walk up counters all over Miami!"  

Serving size: 18

Ingredients:

(Croquettes)

1 lb of grounded smoked ham

1 cup bread crumbs (dried) w/ 1/4 cup flour - mix

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup onion (minced)

1 tsp parsley (chopped)

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup vegetable oil

(Batter)

2 whole eggs (beaten)

1 tbsp water

1 cup bread crumbs (dried) w/ 1/4 cup flour - mix

1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

(Preparations)

In a large bowl, stir 1/4 cup flour with 1 cup of bread crumbs and milk.  Make sure it is well mixed.  Add the salt, pepper, parsley and mix.  

Now in a large frying pan, melt the butter and saute the onions until translucent.  Stir in the first bowl mixture and continue to cook until it thickens.  Pour in the grounded ham and continue to mix.  Then cover, and let simmer on low heat for about 7 minutes or so.  After, place in bowl, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

In a separate bowl, mix the whisked egg with water.  On a separate large plate, put the bread crums and flour and add salt and pepper and mix it with your fingers.  Take the ham mixture from the refrigerator, and on a pan, shape pieces of ham into logs of about 3 inches long, by 1 inch thickness.  After you're done making all your logs from the ham mixture, dip each ham log into the bowl egg mixture and then roll it across plate with the bread crumbs and flour.  You may use a fork and fingers to dip the croquettes, and roll them.  You may need to dip and roll on bread crumbs/flour mixture a couple of times to get them covered nicely.

When you're done with all the ham logs (dipping and covering them with the mixtures), put them in a large plate covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours at least.  

(Cooking)

After this, they will be ready to be cooked.  In vegetable oil, heat to 350 degrees and cook the ham croquettes a few at a time (about 3 to 4 depending on your pan size).  You should continually roll them so one side doesn't get burned.  They only need to be cooked about 4 minutes per batch.  Once golden brown, take them out and soak them on paper towels to remove excess oil.  Garnish with a few pieces of parsley.  You may also wish to create a nice dipping sauce for your tasty snacks.  Stay tuned to Best Cuban Recipes for a great croquette dipping sauce! 

Purchase your ham croquettes pre-made, frozen and delivered to your home here:

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Garbanzos (Chickpeas)

Chickpeas    
  "Improvise freely with this recipe, adding whatever your pantry holds. For variation, substitute red or white beans for the garbanzos."  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried garbanzo beans Olive oil
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 yellow malanga, peeled and cut into pieces, optional
1 Spanish-style chorizo, thickly sliced
1⁄2 lb. lean salt pork, diced
3 small yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1⁄4 cup tomato purée
1 tsp. sweet paprika
salt

Directions:

Put garbanzos in a large pot, cover with cold water, and set aside to soak overnight. Drain, then add cold water to cover garbanzos by 2" and 1 tbsp. oil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add potatoes, malanga (if using), chorizo, and salt pork. Cook until garbanzos and other vegetables are soft, about 1 hour more.

Meanwhile, heat 1⁄4 cup olive oil in a large skillet, add onions, garlic, peppers, and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato purée and paprika. Add to beans and cook 15 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and serve with white rice, if you like.

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Filete Marinado Al Estilo Cubano (Cuban-Style Marinated Steak)

Cuban-Style Marinated Steak    
  "A delicious Cuban-Style Marinated Steak good for your family meals!"  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grill mates McCormick's Montreal Brand steak seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 lbs sirloin steaks, trimmed

Directions:

Mix all ingredients, except steak, in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish.

Add steak, turn to coat well.

Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.

Remove steak from marinade, reserving remaining marinade.

Grill over medium-high heat 6-8 minutes per side or until desired doneness, brushing with reserved marinade halfway through cooking.

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Picante Salsa De Frijol Negro (Spicy Black Bean Salsa)

Spicy Black Bean Salsa    
  "A wonderful salsa recipe that is easy to make and very flavorful. It has been a hit with tortilla chips every time I've made it for an occasion."  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes (Mexican Festival if available)
1/2-3/4 jar picante sauce
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine the first ten ingredients into a large bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours to let all the flavors meld together.

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Picadillo (Hash)

Picadillo    
  "Enjoy this Picadillo recipe."  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup stuffed pimento olives, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Rice and beans, or tortillas, for serving

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, and pepper in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef and olives and continue stirring to break up and brown the meat. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. When beef has browned, add tomato sauce gradually while stirring. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer to incorporate sauce.
Serve with rice and beans or tortillas.k
Cook's Note: For a slightly healthier alternative, use ground turkey or ground soy burgers instead of beef.

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Ensalada De Cangrejo (Crab Salad)

Crab Salad    
  "This is a special crab recipe that you will surely love."  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb crabmeat, fresh (can use other suggested seafood)
1 tablespoon Italian dressing (to marinate the crab)
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (to taste, if prefer spicy go up to 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (important to use Dukes or Hellman's)
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 small spring onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard (Dijon can be subbed)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash Tabasco sauce (add more for additional spicy taste)

Directions:

Carefully comb through crab meat for any extra shells.
Making sure not to break up crab, marinate crab pieces with Italian dressing for about 1 hour. But if you don't get a chance, ten minutes works well too.
Mix all other ingredients in a medium bowl thoroughly.
Add crab meat mixture to mayonnaise mixture and mix with spatula, again not to break up pieces.
You can either cool in fridge for an hour or two, or you can eat directly.

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Cerdo Asado Cubano (Cuban Roast Pork)

Cuban Roast Pork    
  "This is one of my absolute favorite pork recipes. It is so flavorful and tender. Try it!"  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

5 -6 lbs pork roast, shoulder, sirloin
3 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon oregano, ground
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt, to taste
1 large onion, sliced

Directions:

Trim fat from roast, if any.
With a sharp knife, cut tiny holes in roast and insert slivers of garlic. In large plastic bag, place remaining ingredients.
Shake to mix well.
Place pork roast in bag.
Place in refrigerator, at least overnight.
Remove roast from marinade and discard the marinade.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Place in covered baking pan and cook for 5-6 hours.
Turn once during baking.

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Ensalada de Garbanzos (Garbanzo Bean Salad)

Garbanzo Bean Salad    
  "A great tasting salad with garbanzo beans and fresh lime."  

Serving size: 6

Ingredients:

1 green pepper diced and blanched
1 red bell pepper diced and blanched
1 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Core and seed the green and red pepper. 
Place the peppers in a small bowl with a little water, cover with plastic wrap and blanch in a microwave on high for approximately 90 seconds. 

Let the peppers cool. Dice the peppers when they are cool enough to handle.

Combine the peppers, onion, and garbanzo beans in a non-metallic bowl. Use a blender to combine the lime juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic. 

Pour the dressing over the garbanzo bean mixture, cover and refrigerate for one hour or more to let the flavors absorb into the beans. 

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