Miami Spice: The New Florida Cuisine

Excerpts:
Ropa Vieja

This and the Vaca Frita on page 235 are mainstays of the Cuban-American diet. Both are made with skirt steak, a stingy cut of meat with the poetic name of fajita (girdle) in Spanish. Skirt steak can be found at Hispanic markets, Jewish butcher shops, and at an increasing number of supermarkets. Flank steak makes an acceptable substitute. Both recipes call for the meat to be boiled with aromatic vegetables. The resulting broth makes a fabulous soup--simply add cooked noodles or rice. Ropa vieja--literally means "old clothes," and is an apt description of the shredded appearance of the meant. It is traditionally served with white rice and fried plantains.

SERVES 4

1 1/2 pounds skirt-steak

1 small onion, quartered

1 tomato, quartered

1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, peeled

TO FINISH THE DISH:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste

1/3 cup tomato puree

3 tablespoons dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Combine the beef, quartered onion, tomato, carrot, and garlic cloves with 6 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer the beef, uncovered, skimming often, until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Strain the meat, reserving the broth for soup. Let the meat cool. Tear it, along the grain, into pencil-thick strips.

3. Heat the oil in a large nonreactive frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, slicedonion, and bell peppers and cook until soft but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the meat, cumin, tomato puree, wine, and salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is well coated with the sauce and the sauce is reduced and flavorful, about 5 minutes. Correct the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Boniato Gratin

The name boniato ( a Cuban sweet potato) comes from the Spanish word for "good" or "harmless." The early explorers of the Caribbean encountered a bewildering array of new plants--many of them poisonous. In a world of strange and sometimes toxic foods, the nourishing boniato must have made a welcome addition to the settlers' diet. The coffee liqueur brings out the sweetness of the boniato.

SERVES 6

2 pounds boniatos, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Salt

1/2 cup heavy (or whipping) cream

1/2 cup Chicken Stock (see page 329) or canned broth

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of grated nutmeg

1/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter

1. Boil the boniato in salted water to cover (at least 2 quarts) until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the boniato and return to the pan.

2. Mash the boniato to a coarse puree with a potato masher or fork. Work in the cream, stock, coffee liqueur, salt, pepper, an nutmeg. The mixture should be highly seasoned and moist. If necessary, add a little more stock.

3. Spoon the boniato mixture into a lightly buttered 8-inch gratin dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and dot with the butter. (The recipe can be prepared several hours ahead to this stage.)

4. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

5. Just before serving, bake the gratin until crusty and golden brown, 15 to20 minutes.

Nontraditional Key Lime Pie

Whipped cream or meringue? The question is hotly debated whenever the subject of key lime pie comes up. For example, I prefer meringue, while my wife, Barbara, favors whipped cream. So, this recipe offers both possibilities. Traditional key lime pie recipes call for the filling ingredients to be beaten but not cooked. Nowadays for safety's sake, we're better off cooking eggs rather than serving them raw.

SERVES 8 TO 10

CRUST:

1 1/4 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) melted and unsalted butter

FILLING:

3 egg yolks

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh key lime juice, or 5 tablespoons each regular lime juice and fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lime zest, preferably from key limes

MERINGUE TOPPING:

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:

1 cup heavy (or whipping) cream

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest, preferably from key limes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Prepare the crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter in a mixing bowl and mix to form a crumbly dough. Press the mixture into an 8-inch pie pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, but leave the oven on.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Combine the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the lime juice and zest.

4. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake the pie for 6 to 8 minutes, or until thefilling is set and an inserted skewer comes out clean and hot to the touch. Remove the pie from the oven. If choosing the meringue topping, increase the temperature to 400 F and proceed with Step 5. If choosing the whipped cream topping, turn off the oven, set the pie on a rack to cool room temperature, and skip to Step 6.

5. Prepare the meringue: Beat the egg whites to soft peaks with a mixer, starting on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, and adding the cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Beat in the sugar in a thin stream and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm, but not dry. Spread or pipe the meringue on top of the pie. Bake the pie until the meringue is nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours before serving.

6. Prepare the whipped cream topping: Place the cream in a chilled bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and lime zest and beat the cream until stiff. Spread or pipe the whipped cream on top of the pie. Refrigerate, uncovered, until serving. For the best results, serve within 1 hour of adding the whipped cream.

. . . is how Bon Appetit describes Steven Raichlen, an award-winning food writer who presents the very best of the new Florida cuisine. In over 200 recipes, he captures the bursting tropical flavors and exuberant combinations that arise when Latin and Caribbean cooking meet Florida's native cornucopia-the stone crab, mameys, snapper, blood oranges, and other exotic ingredients. In Miami Spice, there are Conch Fritters and Plantain "Spiders," a Macadamia-Crusted Pompano and Jamaican Jerk Rack of Lamb, Chocolate-Banana Sin Cake and Cuban Coffee Brulee. It's hot! hot! hot!

A NEW FOOD VOCABULARY

BONIATO: This turnip-shaped or elongated tuber has the dry sweetness of chestnuts. Try it in Boniato Gratin, page 254.

CARAMBOLA: This Asian import combines the crispness of a cucumber with the succulence of a grape. A refreshing Carambola Sorbet is on page 324.

CHAYOTE: It can be mashed like potatoes, batter-fried like zucchini, or stuffed like an eggplant, page 248.

BLACK SAPOTE: A round green fruit with pulp resembling chocolate pudding and tasting like dates or persimmons. Bake it up in a Black Sapote Pie, page 307.

THIRST QUENCHERS

Great drinks to beat the heat. Cool off with Mango Nectar, Rum Runners, and South Beach Sangria. Learn how to drink coffee like a Cuban.

STARTERS, SNACKS, AND FRITTERS

From Yuca Fingers to Gator Bites, Miami snacks make for festive feasting. Tamales and Empanadas reflect Florida's Hispanic heritage, while Conch fritters and Cod Puffs say "try me" in any language.

SUNSHINE SOUPS

Cooling soups for summer-time sipping include Smoked Gazpacho, Mangospacho, and Alligator Pear Soup. Soups like Bahamian Conch Chowder and Cedar Key Crab Bisque are great all year long.

SALAD DAYS

Spice up your salad repertory with Black Bean Salad with Mango and Shrimp; Spinach, Blood Orange, and Macadamia Nut Salad; and Watermelon Salad with Kumquat Vinaigrette. Tips include an easy way to cut up a mango and how to peel fresh hearts of palm.

BREADS, SPREADS, AND SANDWICHES

A baker's dozen of tropical breads, from Bonaito Rolls to Pecan Corn Bread. Start your day with Floridian French Toast and Tangerine Butter, and end it with a Media Noche (Cuban "midnight" sandwich).

MOJOS, SAUCES, AND SALSAS

Sunshine Aioli, Banana-Molasses Ketchup, and Mango Mint Salsa are just a few of the tropical ways to spice up your meal. Here's a lively collection of Hispanic condiments, including Chimichurri and Mojo.

A FISHERMAN'S PARADISE

Tangerine Tuna, Shark en Escabeche, and Macadamia-Crusted Pompano make a great catch from Florida's waters. A gazetter of tropical fish, from amberjack to wahoo.

FROM CONCH TO STONE CRABS

Conch, stone crabs, and spiny lobster are a briny triumverate that delight seafood buffs from Key West to Tallahassee. Shrimp and smokies, Curry Fried Frog Lets

BIRDS OF PARADISE

Feast on Florida fowl: Miami Wings, Bajan Roast Game Hens, Florida Quail with Shiitake Gravy, and Cuban Thanksgiving Turkey. Along the way, tour Little Haiti, meet a great Cuban cook, and master the art of peeling lychees.

THE MEAT OF THE MATTER

Grill fever grips the Sunshine State, where Rum-Soaked Veal Chops with Pineapple Salsa, Nicaraguan Churrasco, and Jamaican Jerk Rack of Lamb vie for attention at backyard barbecues. Ropa Vieja ("old clothes") and Vaca Frita ("Fried Cow") are but two of the colorfully named meat dishes that make Florida a meat-lover's haven.

ON THE SIDE: AN EXOTIC ARRAY

Round out an exotic Floridian main course with Haitian Pickled Slaw, Grilled Corn and Roasted Garlic Flans, Stuffed Chayote, Boniato Bratin, Gallo Pinto, Moros y Cristianos, Plantain Mash, and Coconut Rice. Read up on bean cuisine and take a tour down Miami's Calle Ocho.

HAPPY ENDINGS

Key Lime Pie, Guava Cheesecake, Coconut Souffle, and Chocolate Banana Sin Cake are but a few of the Sunshine State Sweets that bring a tropical meal to a close. Tips on how to peel a pineapple, open a coconut, and tell a monstera deliciosa from a mamey.

BASIC RECIPES

Simmering chicken and fish stocks, Coconut Milk, Orange Syrup-everything you need to know to cook Florida-style. Also, how to peel and seed a tomato and extract Annatto Oil. Plus a glossary of Floridian menu terms.

INDEX

Review Citations:

• Booklist 12/01/1993 pg. 667 (EAN 9781563053467, Paperback)
• Library Journal 11/15/1993 (EAN 9781563053467, Paperback)
• Booklist 12/01/1993 pg. 667 (EAN 9781563055195, Hardcover)
• Publishers Weekly 11/01/1993 (EAN 9781563055195, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:Raichlen, Steven
Steven Raichlen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Barbecue! Bible(R) cookbook series, which includes the new Brisket Chronicles, Project Fire, Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades; Project Smoke; The Barbecue Bible; and How to Grill. Winners of 5 James Beard awards and 3 IACP awards, his books have been translated into 17 languages. His TV shows include the public television series Steven Raichlen's Project Fire, Project Smoke; Primal Grill; and Barbecue University; the French language series Le Maitre du Grill, and the Italian series Steven Raichlen Grills Italy. Raichlen has written for the New York Times, Esquire, and all the food magazines; and is the founder and dean of Barbecue University. In 2015, he was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame. His website is www.barbecuebible.com.