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Default Cuban cooking: "boliche"

Richard Periut wrote:
>
> AM wrote:
> > J Krugman wrote:
> >
> >>In >
(PENMART01) writes:
> >>
> >>
> >>>There are many meat cuts that can be used, chuck, round...
> >>
> >>>You need to learn how to search: <boliche recipe>... many hits.
> >>
> >>I did, but the results were confusing and contrary to my experience
> >>of the dish...
> >>
> >>I'm beginning to suspect that the problem has to do with the
> >>information I got from my friend. She called the *cut of meat*
> >>"boliche", but I think that what she meant (or should have meant)
> >>was "the cut used in [a different dish called] boliche".
> >>
> >>So I was searching for "boliche, the cut" not "boliche, the dish".
> >>
> >>In all the boliche recipes I've found, including the one you posted,
> >>the meat is stuffed with chorizo and/or ham, which is decidedly
> >>*not* the case with the recipe I am trying to make. (I'm trying
> >>to make *Cuban* carne asada, though searching for "carne asada"
> >>gives me a million recipes for *Mexican* carne asada, and none for
> >>the Cuban version.)
> >>
> >>Another thing that threw me off is that I thought the eye of round
> >>cut was a large boxlike cut, something with the dimensions of a
> >>1/2 gallon carton, and which is different from what I recall of my
> >>friend's recipe, namely a slenderer, *log-like* cut of meat, closer
> >>in dimension to a wine bottle without the neck. Adding to this
> >>confusion, there was one search result in which the explicit
> >>distinction was made between the "eye of round" cut and "the eye
> >>of the round". I interpreted this to mean that Cuban butchers cut
> >>out a *part* of what we call "eye of round", and this part is the
> >>eye of the round proper.
> >>
> >>So you see, I did search, but I just got *very* confused!
> >>
> >>Jill

> >
> >
> > OK, again from Nitza Villapol:
> >
> > Carne asada con naranja
> >
> > 1 boliche (about 3 pounds)
> > 1 tsp meat tenderizer
> > 1 large onion
> > 1 green pepper
> > 2 cloves of garlic
> > 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
> > 1 sour orange (or juice of three or four limes)
> > 6 prunes, no seeds
> > 1/4 pound sweet ham, sliced
> >
> > -------------
> >
> > 2 slices of bacon
> > 1 clove of garlic
> > 1 tsp salt
> > 1/2 cup dry sherry
> > 3 or 4 oranges (sweet, not sour)
> >
> > Clean the boliche, prick with a fork and sprinkle with the meat tenderizer.
> > Perforate the meat with a sharp knife, making six holes. Place the prunes
> > wrapped in the ham slices.
> >
> > Prepare a marinade with the mashed garlic, black pepper, sour orange juice.
> > Pour over the meat adding the sliced onion and sliced green pepper. Marinate
> > for at least 3 hours. It can be done the day before.
> >
> > Heat a pot and fry the bacon slices until the fat is rendered. Drain the
> > boliche and brown in the fat until it is browned. Add the wine and the juice
> > of two oranges. Cook well covered at a low heat until it is tender. Add orange
> > juice as needed to make sure it does not scorch.
> >
> > Slice across, half to three quarter inches thick slices. Pour the gravy on
> > top.
> >
> > 8 portions.
> >
> > This is the second time I post a recipe quoting from Nitza Villapol's book.
> > She was a Cuban chef who published her recipes in a book called "Cocina al
> > Minuto". This book has been translated into English and you can probably find
> > it by doing a search in Google or in one of the bookstores. The book may be
> > under another author's name since her helper translated the book and published
> > it under her (the helper's) own name. Can you kids spell plagiarism?
> >
> > If you have ever tasted black bean soup you should really try her recipe.
> > After you try it you may never like anyone else's version.

>
> Yes, she certainly was the Julia Childs of Cuba. She died a couple of
> years ago in Cuba. And yes, the book was published with out her (eh hem,
> Castro's) permission ; )
>
> The black beans are the best variation I've ever had. Ths sugar and
> vinegar I think is what makes the dish better. However, I don't go
> through the initial process of softening the beans; I take the first two
> step, and incorporate them in one by using the pressure cooker. Comes
> out just as good.
>
> Saludos,
>
> Richard
>


You have to remember that the recipe was written with the expectation of
"difficult to soften" beans. Black beans available in the US get softened
easily and don't require the presoak she recommends. I don't like to use the
pressure cooker. I prefer to just cook them in a pot until soft.

I do modify the recipe by adding two ingredients. One leaf of "culantro" and
one or two cachucha peppers. I haven't yet figured out what the name of
culantro is in English. It is not cilantro. It is a longish leaf, about 4 or
so inches with a serrated edge and a pungent taste. In Puerto Rico it is
called "recao". The cachucha pepper looks a bit like habaneros but it is
totally sweet.

I love her recipe for potato salad where she subtitutes part of the mayo with
cream cheese.

Saludos

Bert