icon Bistec Cubano (Cuban Steak)
from Liborio's Restaurant, New Orleans

Cuban steaks are cooked very thin, pan-fried, after having been marinated in oil, lime juice and herbs.

Ingredients:

  • 2 10-12 oz boneless flank, round or sirloin steaks, cut very thin (1/2-inch maximum)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp Ceyenne seasoning
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup of sweet onion, diced
  • 1/3 cup sweet onion, finely minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon or lime
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • Salt, to taste

Preparation:

  1. Rub the cleaned and trimmed, very thin steaks with the garlic, liberally, on both sides. Place into a tight plastic bag, along with the wine, tomato paste, garlic, cayenne pepepr, salt, oil and half of the lime juice. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, turning and kneading frequently.
  2. Heat a heavy skillet on medium-high heat and add the olive oil until oil begins to foam. Remove the steaks from the bag, discarding the marinade. Sear the steaks until barely crusty brown on both sides (it will not take long as they are thin).
  3. 2 minutes before serving, sprinkle the remaining lime juice onto meat, and add the diced onion to the pan. Cook until onion is translucent.
  4. Serve one steak per plate. Garnish with some of the minced onion and a sprinkle of parsley.
  5. Serve with black beans and rice or fried plantains

 

icon Fried Plantains

People will fry anything. Plantains and bananas are no exception. Fried plantains originated in West Africa, where people call them "aloco" in Côte d'Ivoire, "dodo" in Nigeria, "kelewele" in Ghana. Fried plantains are also eaten in the Caribbean whereever African influence is present. In SE Asia, Pisang Goreng ("fried bananas" in Malay and Indonesian) is a snack found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and Kluay Tod ("fried bananas" in Thai) are eaten in Thailand.
Everyday plantains or bananas are transformed into a heavenly delight - crispy on the outside, warm and melting on the inside. Best of all, this dish is easy and fun to make, whether you're cooking alone or with some friends.
Fried plantains may be served as a snack, a starter, or as a side dish to a main course, such as Cuban Steak. Fried plantains are made in 2 different ways: salted or non salted. Salted can be eaten like potato chips/crisps. Unsalted fried plantains have a slightly sweet flavor, that goes well with the caramelized onions on the Cuban Steak.

Ingredients:

  • 2 plantains
  • 1/4 stick of butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

  1. Peel plantains and cut in half length-wise.
  2. Melt butter in a frying pan and add the oil.
  3. Saute the plantains on both sides over medium heat, making sure they not burn, until golden-brown
  4. Remove, pat dry, and serve eiether as snack or as a side dish.

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      Last updated: October 30, 2009