A Taste of Cuba

Cynthia Carris Alonso is an acclaimed photographer, a writer, and the author of Passage to Cuba. Since 1992 she has regularly traveled to Cuba, documenting its news, musicians, and culture for music recording companies and publications such as Newsweek, Vanity Fair, BusinessWeek, and People en Español. Alonso has appeared as a Cuba consultant on national television, in print, and on radio. Her images have exhibited throughout the United States and in Canada and Brazil. She lives in New York City. José Luis Alonso is a teacher, writer, and award-winning children’s book author of Secretos con mi Almohada, published in Cuba in 1980. Alonso was born in Cuba and met Cynthia Carris Alonso, now his wife, in Havana. Together, the couple has collaborated on numerous lectures and exhibits to celebrate Cuban culture. Prior to working in academia, Alonso was a chef and restaurant manager. He lives in New York City. Valerie Feigen is a self-taught chef who previously worked as a lawyer, stock analyst, and co-owner of Edit, a women’s fashion specialty store. At age seventeen, Feigen professionally baked and sold her buttercrunch candy to food stores in New York City and Philadelphia. Feigen writes the blog recipistsdiary.com and each entry includes a memory and one or more of her original recipes. Feigen and Cynthia Carris Alonso met when they were five years old and have been friends ever since. Feigen was the inspiration for Marisa Tomei’s character in The Big Short. She lives in New York City.

PREFACE


CHAPTER ONE: OLD HAVANA


Ivan Chefs Justo




Fish Croquettes with Plantains
Fish Filet Over Chickpeas
Fish Ceviche


Al Carbon




Grilled Al Carbon Chicken
Chicken with Rice
Yuca with Garlic Sauce
Meringue Cookies
Four-Milk Cake
Dulce de Leche


Los Mercaderes




Lobster with Pineapple


Hotel Saratoga




Olga's Butter Cookies


CHAPTER TWO: CENTRAL HAVANA


La Guarida




Puree of Vegetable Soup
Eggplant Caviar in Tomato Coulis
Fish Tacos with Fried Yam Taco Shells
Boniato and Plaintain Chips
Grilled Fish
Ravioli
Three-Milk Dark Chocolate Cake


San Cristóbal




Grilled Chicken with White Rice, Black Beans, and Sweet Plantains
Grandmother's Garden Salad
Fillet of Fish Florida with Orange Sauce
Havana Temptation: Steak Strips with Grandmother's Demi-Glace Sauce
Green Papaya in Simple Syrup with Cheese


CHAPTER THREE: VEDADO


Café Laurent




Café Laurent-Style Fried Plantains
Caramel Cake


California Café




Cuban Sandwich
Chard and Egg Stir-Fry
Tropical Shrimp


El Atelier




Salmon Roll with Eggplant
Tomato Terrine with Prosciutto
Almond Pesto Sauce
Smoked Salmon with Pesto Cream Cheese
Duck à l'Orange
Ratatouille
Leg of Lamb
Octopus Salad
Malanga Fritters
Surf and Turf


El Litoral




Serrano Ham Croquettes with Four-Cheese Sauce
Four-Cheese Sauce
Fried Beef
Sweet Guava Shells with Cream Cheese and Guava Syrup
Lime Meringue Pie


El Cocinero




Japanese Salad
Mini Cheeseburgers


CHAPTER FOUR: MIRAMAR


La Cocina de Lilliam




Homemade Bread
Tuna Bruschetta
Seafood Paella
Fish Stock


Élite




Mixed Green Salad
Bruschetta
Fisherman's Pasta


CHAPTER FIVE: JAIMINITAS ("FUSTERLANDIA")




Fusterlandia Cake


CHAPTER SIX: VIÑALES PINAR DEL RÍO


Finca Agroecologica el Paraiso




Anti-Stress Drink
Flan


CHAPTER SEVEN: CIENFUEGOS


Villa Lagarto




Green Plantain Chips
Vegetable Soup
Shredded Beef
Roasted Pork with Rice Mixed with Beans


CHAPTER EIGHT: TRINIDAD


Sol Ananda




Shredded or Pulled Pork
Glazed Fruits


Davimart




Mixed Seafood Grill
Grilled Fish
Chocolate Covered Bananas


CHAPTER NINE: COJIMAR


Ajiaco Café




Vegetable Empanadas
Ajiaco Stew
Fresh Fruit Cocktail
Frozen Mojito
Rice Pudding with Mojito Granita


CHAPTER TEN: CUBAN BEVERAGES




Classic Daiquiri
Hemingway Daiquiri
Classic Mojito
Simple Syrup
DuPont Special
Cuba Libre
Cubanito Cocktail
Vigía Cocktail with Sugarcane Juice
La Guarida Coffee


RECIPE INDEX