Hello hungry adventurers!! Croatia was a treat to the eyes, the senses and the palate. Our next destination is Cuba, pronounced Koo-Bah’ like the sounds of wind and sea resonating from the mouth.
Sailing out of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas, we follow the currents towards the Caribbean Sea and the largest island there. Guarding the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico between Florida and the Yucatan Peninsula is the island of Cuba, land of revolutions and stalwart tropical champion of Communism. There has been more than 500 years of history filled with conquistadores, disease, cash crops, battles, pirates and revolutions. It would take a hearty tome to record all of it and we only have a brief stop. So we will get a small feel for the bigger story and leave it to the history books to tell the rest.
Cuba was first settled by Arawaks, Siboneys and Tainos who had migrated to the island from other parts of the Americas. In October of 1492 Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spain. In 1511 Diego Velasquez de Cuellar founded Baracoa as the first settlement followed shortly thereafter by Habana (Havana) in 1515. Spanish dominion over the island resulted in the death by disease of nearly all the native inhabitants. This happened in many of the European settlements throughout the Americas. Native resistance to European illnesses did not exist to combat the germs of the Europeans, in much the same way that Europeans and Americans have not developed tolerance to tropical illnesses such as Malaria and Dengue Fever.
400 years of Spanish colonialism followed early settlement. In this time, the Spanish took advantage of agricultural circumstances and produced Tobacco, Bananas, Sugar and various other high demand cash crops for export to America and Europe.
At the beginning of the 1800’s Spain began to deal with increased defection by former colonies seeking their independence and autonomy. At first Cuba remained loyal to the Spanish crown. However with time, several resistance movements evolved and eventually Jose Marti’ launched his campaign to reclaim the island from the Spanish. Upon his death in the Battle of Dos Rios in 1895 Marti’ was immortalized as the hero of the nation. In the next decade, Cuba was the proverbial birdy batted back and forth between Spain and America in a global game of Badminton.
After the 1898 Spanish American War and the sinking of the USS Maine in Cubas waters, America settled a treaty with Spain turning over the island of Cuba and buying the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and The Philippines. In 1902 American President Theodore Roosevelt who sided with the freedom fighters in Cuba granted the island autonomy with a clause allowing US intervention in policy. An ammendment to this this treaty also leased the US Naval Base at Guantanamo to America. It still operates to this day.
Most Americans are at least partially aware of the events of the middle 1900’s in Cuba. After the second world war, Cuba enjoyed a period of popularity and became a center for wealthy Americans including many Hollywood Stars to vacation and gamble in Havanas famed casinos and nightclubs such as the Copacabana.
By 1956 communist interests had culminated with the arrival of Fidel Castro and his 82 armed revolutionaries. In a multi-year guerilla campaign from the mountains of the interior, Castro encouraged local men to join the cause and eventually, in 1958 Castro’s ragtag bunch fought their way into Havana and then sitting President Batista was ousted and fled to Portugal. This set up a 50 year ongoing struggle between the US and Cuba.
The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963 brought the Western hemisphere to the brink of war. Now, 50 years later there is talk of ending the crippling embargo of Cuba. This would allow goods and people to travel to and from the island reuniting some families after nearly five decades.
The food of Cuba is similar to what you would expect from this area, with Spanish influences as well as influences of African descendants and native peoples. The national dish of Cuba is Ropa Vieja. Translated this means “old clothes” and is a stewed shredded beef cooked in a tomato and herb gravy and plated over rice.
I give this dish a 3 for difficulty. If you have to prepare the Sofrito ( I love this site) sauce that goes into the gravy, it will take a bit longer. Sofrito is a condiment that is regularly used in Cuban cuisine. I was able to find a premade jar of the condiment for speed, but fresh is best as they say. Goya produces a huge variety of spices and condiments that are used in Latin American cuisine. Check any Latino grocery for Goya products.
The true test of a great recipe is the aroma. You can smell it when it is good. The best way to do this is after it has been cooking for awhile, step outside for about 3 minutes to clear your palate. Then step back inside while taking a large deep breath through your nose. You should be able to pick out almost every ingredient. And you should salivate too!
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Rating:
Appearance: 3 out of 5
Aroma: 5 out of 5
Flavor: 4 out of 5
Total: 12 out of 15
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut in strips
5 tablespoons oil
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic or 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
6 ounces sofrito sauce
Preparation:
Heat 3 tbsp. of oil in skillet on medium, brown the meat on all sides.
Remove from skillet, add remaining oil to skillet, stir in garlic, onion and green pepper and cook until translucent.
Stir in black pepper, browned meat, tomato sauce, water and sofrito.
Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 1-1.5 hours.
Serve on top of rice.
Serves 6
http://www.tasteofcuba.com/ropavieja.html
Eric Ackerson is a food writer, blogger and seafood marketing professional. His work takes him to many ports of call around the world. Currently Eric is cooking the national dish of every country on Earth at his blog My Hungry Tum. Eric enjoys travel and says his favorite food cities are Singapore and Vancouver. He lives in Charlotte NC with his wife and two daughters who he says are quickly becoming “foodies” themselves…
