Cuban Roasted Pork

1 small (3 to 4 pound) pork shoulder or loin roast
Juice of 2 lemons or 1 cup sour orange juice
4 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons black pepper
3 teaspoons dried oregano
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, sliced

Marinate pork roast in sour orange or lemon juice for 2 to 3 hours.

Remove pork from juice. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. Place in roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake 300 degrees F for 2 1/2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Remove foil and bake 15 minutes to brown meat. Remove from oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 3/4-inch slices. Top with sliced onions for garnish.

Makes 6 servings.

Corn with Okra and Tomatoes

6 ears corn*
2 cups cut-up okra**
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cut corn from cobs (about 4 cups). Cook and stir okra in 1/3 cup butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until tender, about 7 minutes. Add corn and 2 tablespoons butter. Cook uncovered until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook uncovered until  tomatoes are hot, about 3 minutes.

Yields 8 servings.

* 2 (16 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained, can be substituted.

** 1 (10 ounce) package frozen okra can be substituted. Rinse under running cold water to separate; cut crosswise into slices. Cook as directed above.

Conkies

3 cups grated coconut (1 large)
2 cups fresh corn flour
4 ounces raisins (optional)
6 ounces shortening
1/2 cup flour
3/4 pound brown sugar
3/4 pound pumpkin
1/2 pound sweet potato
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon almond essence
1 teaspoon salt

Grate coconut, pumpkin and sweet potato. Mix in sugar, liquids and spices. Add raisins and flour last and combine well.

Melt shortening before adding with milk.

Fold a few tablespoons of the mixture in steamed plantain leaves. Cut into squares about 8 inches wide.

Steam Conkies on a rack over boiling water in a large pot or in a steamer until they are firm and cooked.

NOTE: Wax paper will work instead of banana or plantain leaves.

Chicken and Vegetable Stew (Saucochi di Gallinja)

1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
6 cups water
2 tablespoons instant beef bouillon
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium sweet potatoes or yams, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 ears sweet corn, cut into 3 pieces
1/4 pound winter squash, pared and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 small hot chile pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Chopped chives

Heat chicken, water and bouillon to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Skim off fat. Add remaining ingredients except chives. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Garnish each serving with chives.

Yields 8 or 9 servings.

Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops

1/4 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 1/4 pounds lean pork loin or rib chops
      (6 chops) - about 5/8 inch thick

Place all ingredients except pork in blender. Cover and blend until smooth.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade; cover and refrigerate for basting. Trim excess fat from pork. Place pork in shallow nonmetal dish or heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Pour remaining marinade over pork. Cover dish or seal bag and refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Heat coals or gas grill. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Cover and grill pork 4 to 5 inches from medium heat 8 to 11 minutes, turning frequently and brushing with reserved marinade, for medium doneness (160 degrees F) or until pork is slightly pink when cut near bone. Discard any remaining basting marinade.

Yield: 6 servings.

Per Serving: 183 Calories; 8g Fat (40.8% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 53mg Cholesterol; 312mg Sodium

Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Caribbean Honey-Spiced Chicken with Mango

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, halved and seeded
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a small bowl, combine honey, lemon juice and lemon peel; whisk until well-blended. Remove 1/4 cup of mixture to food processor container; set aside. Add mango to honey lemon mixture in bowl; toss to coat. Store in refrigerator.

Add onion, jalapenos, paprika, oil, garlic salt, cinnamon, pepper and allspice to honey-lemon mixture in food processor container. Process until very finely chopped, scrape down sides when necessary. Spread mixture evenly over both sides of chicken breasts. Spread oil in 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Arrange chicken breasts in pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to serving platter; top with reserved mango.

Yields 4 servings.

Citrus-Marinated Pork Roast (Cuba)

1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup orange juice

Mix 1 cup orange juice and the lime juice; pour over pork roast in non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate, turning pork occasionally, at least 4 hours.

Remove pork from juice, reserving juice. Pat pork dry. Mix garlic, oregano and pepper; rub evenly over pork. Place onion, celery and carrot in shallow roasting pan; sprinkle with salt. Pour reserved juice over vegetables. Place pork on top of vegetables. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in center of thickest part of pork and does not rest in fat. Roast uncovered at 325 degrees F, spooning juices over pork occasionally, until thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 2 1/2 hours.

Remove pork; cover with aluminum foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Place vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup orange juice in blender container. Cover and blend on medium-high speed, stopping blender occasionally to scrape sides, until well blended, about 1 minute. Heat to boiling.

Serve with pork.

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Banana Bread (Pão de Banano — Guatemala)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 large bananas, mashed
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1 tablespoon lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Mix all ingredients; beat 30 seconds. Pour into pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 70 to 80 minutes. Cool slightly. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

To store, wrap and refrigerate no longer than 1 week.

Coconut Corn Bread (Dominican Republic)

1/2 cup diced mixed candied fruit
2 tablespoons dark rum 
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup shredded fresh coconut

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix candied fruit and rum in small bowl; reserve.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl; add eggs, one at a time, beating until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients except candied fruit mixture and coconut; beat until smooth, about 30 strokes by hand. Fold in candied fruit mixture and coconut. Pour into greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Bake until top is golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

Adobo

This sauce is basic to many Puerto Rican recipes. It appears on just about everything, either as a marinade or added as a seasoning. Try a little bit when cooking meat.

5 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup wine vinegar

Peel and mince garlic. Mix garlic, oregano, olive oil and wine vinegar together in a small jar. To use the adobo as a marinade for steak or other meats, allow the meat to marinate in it for 24 hours or so in the refrigerator.