Cuban Menu for Christmas Eve or Nochebuena

Reading CNN online recently, I ran across a timely article by Ms. Katia Hetter, a writer and producer for CNN Digital. She tells us about her grandparents leaving Cuba after the takeover of Fidel Castro in 1959 and how she visits her Cuban relatives in Miami whenever she can.

One day, Ms. Hetter hopes to purchase an airplane ticket for Cuba and see for herself the place of her ancestral origins. As it is in Miami, she absorbs what she can until she can travel the additional 100 miles.

The US has had an embargo against Cuba for about all of my life, so I have never visited there. I have seen a video of Jack Paar interviewing Fidel Castro back in time somewhere after the 1959 revolution, but I never saw the clip of Ed Sullivan interviewing the Cuban leader, until I found it on YouTube (see below).

What I know of Cuba comes from films, the works of Ernest Hemingway, and my trips to Canada, where Cuban cigars and other products from that island nation are freely available for purchase.

One other avenue of experience comes from a good Cuban restaurant not far from my city, a place friends of mine like to go. I have been there a few times myself and always enjoy the food and the atmosphere.

Ms. Hetter writes that in Miami, she enjoys Cuban coffee and at her cousin's house there, she has enjoyed the Nochebuena menu consisting of roast pork, flan, platanos maduros, yucca, and a salad. Since I did not know what all these things are, I asked around until I learned that information. I hope you enjoy the recipes.

Serves many.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Whole Suckling Pig about 12 pounds or 1 Bone-In unprocessed whole Ham (ask your butcher or meat department). Or, use a 6- or 8-pound Pork Shoulder Roast.

Ingredients to use with a 6-pound roast.

• 3 Heads of Garlic
• 3 tsp. Coarse Salt
• 1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1.5 Cups of Orange Juice
• 1/2 Cup Lime Juice
• 1 Cup fine-chopped White Onion
• 1 tsp. Oregano
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1 tsp. Cilanto
• 1.5 Cups Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

You can marinade this meat overnight, but you do need to do so.

• Using a small, sharp knife, cut many small cuts into the meat so that the marinade will soak down into the pig or roast. Place the meat into a deep dish or oven pan.
• In a heavy ceramic bowl, mash peeled garlic cloves with salt and pepper. Mash and mix well.
• Add juices, oregano, cumin, cilantro, and onion, and mix well.
• In a pot over medium-high heat on the stove, heat the olive oil until barely begins to steam.
• Carefully pour the heated oil into the heavy bowl and mix, a little at a time.
• Carefully pour the marinade over the roast, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours, up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Make sure the fattest side of the roast is facing upward and spoon marinade up and over all of that side. Place the pan into the oven and baste every 20 minutes. Use a foil cover if the meat browns too quickly.
• Cook until the internal meat temperature by a meat thermometer reds 195 degrees F.
• Remove roast from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before pulling pork for a meal or sandwiches.

• Select as many plantains as your guests will eat and peel them. Discard the peels. Slice the plantains about 1/4" thick or a little thicker.
• Heat a light vegetable oil in a frying pan and pan fry the slices until golden brown. Drain and serve.
• Some cooks dust the fried slices with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Peel two pounds of cassava, then slice it lengthwise into six pieces. Cover in a pan of water and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender - about 15 minutes. Drain and arrange on a serving plate.

Sauce: On the stove top, heat together 1/4 cup olive oil, 4 cloves minced garlic; 1/2 medium white onion, diced; 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Heat 5 minutes; pour sauce over the yucca for a side dish.