Chicago Sun Times
Books for cooks

February 16, 2005



Even with a day here and there of unseasonably warm weather, there's
no denying it's winter in Chicago.

It's cold. Some days we never, ever see even a glimpse of the sun. On
even worse days, it snows, not enough to really enjoy, just enough to
mess with our commute.

Now's the perfect time to delve into a cookbook like Three Guys From
Miami Cook Cuban (Gibbs Smith, $29.95). I swear I could almost feel
the Miami sunshine beaming down on me as I read through the book.

The "Three Guys" are Glenn Lindgren, Raul Musibay and Jorge Castillo.
The three are all brothers-in-law who run the popular Web site
www.iCuban.com: The Internet Cuban, a site dedicated to Cuban culture.

This is more than just a cookbook, although it is a very appealing
collection of mouthwatering recipes. It's just as much a guide to
Cuban culture.

Every recipe comes with a "chat" between the three authors. Sometimes
it's a bit of information, other times a humorous little interchange
between them.

The more than 100 recipes include some longtime Cuban favorites as
well as dishes that were created by the Three Guys. Some of the
classics have been retooled to make use of the great ingredients
available in Miami.

None of the recipes is particularly difficult, although there are a
handful that require multiple steps. The photography is beautiful and
inviting, making one ready to hop on a plane to Miami.

For most of us that's not possible, so this cookbook is the next best
thing.



BISTEC EMPANIZADO (CUBAN BREADED STEAK)




MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sour orange juice (see Note)
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup finely chopped onion
1-1/2 pounds sirloin steak
1 cup cracker meal (finely ground crackers)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites, beaten
Olive oil for sautéing
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Freshly ground pepper

Mix olive oil, sour orange juice, vinegar and chopped onion to make a
marinade. Add un-pounded beef steaks, cover, and marinate for 20
minutes. Remove steaks from marinade and place them, one at a time,
between two pieces of waxed paper. Using a meat mallet, pound steak to
1/4 thickness. Return steaks to marinade.

If you are in a hurry, proceed with the remaining steps. Otherwise,
refrigerate and continue marinating for 1 to 4 hours. Remove beef,
save marinade.

In a medium bowl, combine cracker meal, garlic powder and salt. Dip
wet beef in egg whites, then dip in cracker mixture, coating well on
both sides. Sauté to desired doneness in olive oil. (We like ours
rare!)

Remove from pan and place on plate. Use some of the reserved marinade
(with the onions) to deglaze the frying pan; cook at high heat,
stirring constantly until onions are cooked and the sauce reduces
somewhat. Pour sauce over steaks and sprinkle with chopped cilantro
and freshly ground black pepper.

Note: Sour orange juice, naranja agria, is a popular in Cuban cooking.

You can find it by the can in some Latin supermarkets. Or make your
own substitution by using 2 parts orange juice, 1 part lemon juice and
one part lime juice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 496 calories, 21 g fat, 4 g saturated
fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 42 g protein, 436 mg
sodium, 2 g fiber