A La Cubana!

festival

Cuban food is a blend of multiple and diverse cuisines, including Spanish, French, African, Chinese, Portuguese, and Arabic. Did you know, that the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 had a major influence on Cuban cooking? That’s true! Columbus claimed the country on behalf of Spain, and the newly arrived Spanish inhabitants brought their recipes with them. Later, the Spanish brought slaves from Africa for manual labour, hence merging African and Spanish cooking. Also, some Native American and Caribbean influences along with the cooking techniques of neighbouring countries - Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico - make the Cuban cuisine exotic. A small but noteworthy Chinese influence can also be accounted for, mainly in the Havana area.

As Cuba is an island, seafood is a major part of the Cuban cuisine with simple ingredients that are full of flavour. Cuban food is also known as the ‘peasant cuisine’ mainly because the dishes don’t require adding ingredients in a specific order or in a specific amount. Thick and thin bean soups, stews and casseroles play a dominant role in Cuban cookery.

Wondering why we are talking about the scrumptious Cuban food? Well, that is because we recently got the chance to indulge into the yummy delicacies of Cuba at the Cuban Food Festival at Marriot Hotel, Karachi. Thanks to our hospitality industry, now we don’t have to travel far and wide to taste different cuisines. Recently, the management of the hotel celebrated the 2-day Cuban festival  in collaboration with the Embassy of Cuba, which was sponsored by the Turkish Airlines.

The festival was a first of its kind which proved to be a memorable experience for all the food enthusiasts out there. It was certainly a delight to indulge in yummy food that too in a relaxed environment with rhythms of Havana playing and a troupe performing on the tunes. What an enthralling experience it was! Moreover, guests got the opportunity to learn about the world famous Cuban cigar, which was being rolled right in front of them.

For the festival, Guest Chef Gioelkis Sosa Hernandez especially flew in from Cuba. Chef Hernandez along with the hotel’s Executive Chef Antonio crafted a special menu for the festival. Only the finest and freshest ingredients were used to prepare special dishes like Chicken Fricassee, Breaded Shrimp, Crevettes, Enchilada Lobster, Steak in Casserole and much much more.

If you want to try an authentic Cuban dish, you are in luck as this week You! shares a special recipe of ‘Cuban Chicken Fricassee’, which is a kind of stew. Try it out and indulge in the mouth watering delight.

I N G R E D I E N T S:

• Fresh lime juice      1/4 cup
• Fresh orange juice  1/4 cup
• Garlic, crushed       3 cloves
• Water         11/2 cups
• Chicken, quartered 1
• Olive oil      1/3 cup
• Green bell pepper, large    1
• Onion, thinly sliced 1
• Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces 3
• Pimento-stuffed olives      1/3 cup
• Capers        2 tbsp
• Raisins        1/4 cup
• Peas 1 cup
• Tomato sauce       1 (8-oz.) can
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper         to taste

M E T H O D:

• Toss lime and orange juices, garlic, chicken, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.
• In a pan, heat oil in over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; pat dry using paper towels and reserve marinade.
• Working in batches, cook chicken, flipping once, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
• Add bell pepper and onion to pan; cook until soft, 6-8 minutes.
• Add 1 cup water, scraping up browned bits from bottom of the pan, until reduced by half, 5-7 minutes.
• Return chicken to the pan and add reserved marinade, potatoes, olives, capers, raisins, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup boiled water.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until chicken and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in peas before serving. Enjoy!