My hubby was fortunate enough to go on a mission to Cuba a few years back. He came back with a great fondness for the Cuban people, and this chicken dish. He said there was a version of it on every Cuban restaurant menu. I tried many times to duplicate it...but it was hard to match "it was chicken with spices and orange". After much experimentation, I found a recipe on Epicurious that I adapted. This is the result. It is tasty, and very different. I would love to hear from any Cuban food experts out there to find out if this is authentic. Excuse the messy presentation, but they guys grabbed their plates so quickly, this was available to photograph. :)
Ingredients:
8 pieces of chicken
1 C marinade (recipe below)
1 large onion, sliced
Cilantro
Accompaniments:
Cilantro leaves, orange and lime wedges for garnish
Cuban Black Beans (recipe follows)
Mahatma yellow rice
Marinade:
Ingredients:
1/4 C garlic, minced
1/2 C onion. chopped
2 C fresh orange juice
1/2 C fresh lime juice
1/2 C olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 TBS cilantro, chopped
Instructions:
Mix garlic, onions, citrus juices in a bowl. Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Carefully slide contents of bowl into pan. Be very careful because liquid might splatter. Simmer until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. When marinade is cool, pour into a blender and pulse three or four times to blend. Put in covered container and refrigerate. Marinade keeps for about two weeks. I make my marinade a day or so in advance to allow the flavors to fully develop. To prepare chicken, pour marinade over the it, and rub some under the skin. Marinate for about 4 hours, or overnight. When ready to cook chicken, spread onion slices over the bottom of a baking dish; lay chicken on top of onions, skin side up. Roast about 1 hour and 15 minutes at 375F, until the chicken is golden brown. Place chicken on serving platter, pour some pan juices over it, and garnish with fresh cilantro, orange and lime wedges. The fresh citrus squeezed on the chicken at the table adds flavor.
Cuban Black Beans
Ingredients:
I had never cooked black beans before, so I found this recipe from Saveur, and modified it.
Ingredients:
1 1/2# dried black beans (1 bag)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh oregano
1 ham hock
1 tsp. cumin
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion, chopped for garnish
Instructions:
Sort and clean beans to remove any small stones or particles; rinse under cold water. Saute' vegetables in a little olive oil, then add beans and all ingredients, and cover with 3-4 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook about 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Add water as needed, but don't make the broth too soupy. Remove bay leaf before serving, and garnish with freshly chopped onion.
