Cuban Black Beans and Rice (plus Mojo Criollo)

I have to admit a guilty pleasure - we love to watch the breezy spy-do'gooder series "Burn Notice" on the Interweb. I have learned that there is a remarkable:

1. number of exploding things you can make with the help of a hardware store or cell phone (not your mother's MacGyver)
2. amount of yogurt being eaten by spies on surveillance duty (perhaps all that Fiona does eat)
3. love affair with Miami out there, especially to Cuban cuisine (though the main characters never are seeing actually eating those Cuban sandwiches).

So today, a 20 F cold day with a west wind that just wouldn't quit, we hung a 10 ft gate and latch. We were shivering on the way in. I suggested we use up the rice by making bean burritoes - Carol countered with enchiladas (no cheese!) - I volleyed with Cuban Black Beans - and Carol said "Mojo sauce!"

Mojo (according to WikiP) "In Cuban cooking mojo applies to any sauce that is made with garlic, olive oil and a citrus juice, traditionally sour orange juice." Sadly, we don't have any sour orange available, so we mod below according to the "3 Guys from Miami" website, to whom we defer on all questions about Cuban cooking.

Mojo goes great here, but use it as a marinade too, if you dare. Garlic is the point, not an addition, keep that in mind. The oil is left out here, but if you were using it for a marinade of meat, then follow the version here (3 Guys) with oil.

This is related to our own "Vampire Marinade" (which if you follow the WikiP link on Mojo above lists the cilantro-heavy variant of Mojo as a typical Puerto Rican choice).

Ingredients

Black Beans and Rice

• 1 onion, chopped (not too finely, it is fun as texture)
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 14 oz cans of black beans (Goya makes a nice organic)
• 1/2 cup of mojo criollo
• 1 tbsp of cumin

Mojo Criollo

• 1.5 cups of orange juice (use a good one, no green orange flavor Need Apply)
• 1/2 cup of lime juice
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of sea salt
• 2 tsp of oregano
• 1 head of garlic, minced (we use a strong garlic we grow called "Music")

Steps

1. Start with the mojo - add the juices, salt, oregano and garlic to a jar. Shake the bejeesus out of it and then let it sit at least 1 hour. Refrigerate any extra up to 7 days (time to plan more cuban dishes this week).
2. Saute the onion and green pepper in olive oil until they are nearly clear.
3. Add the beans, cumin, and mojo criollo. Heat it up and let some of the juices boil off.
4. Serve hot with rice.

Makes about 6 servings (4 if you love mojo).

Our Spaghetti and Meatballs

So, for us, spaghetti has never been a big deal - Carol is not a big fan of just spag-and-sauce. I used it as an excuse to deploy the "focaccia-of-doom". But there were always leftovers...

Until I found this meatball recipe from Simply Recipes. I don't use the sauce - we use our own (this year's blight knocked our tomato sauce production down to zero, so I sub in Newman's Sockarooni Sauce (with red and green peppers!).

We throw these on top of linguine (best) or spaghetti, top with the meatball(s) and then drizzle sauce over top. Yummie! And if you can stand the extra garlic, try adding in the "focaccia of doom" and dip those bread slices into olive oil studded with minced garlic. Vampires beware!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (I use 90% lean, plenty of fat from the cheese and pork)1
• 1 lb fresh sweet Italian pork sausage (I like the local Geno's)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 1/2 Tbsp dried basil)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1/2 Tbsp of dried parsley)
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Mix together meats and herbs in a medium bowl (I use the KitchenAid!).
3. When well combined add the eggs, bread crumbs and parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix for 1 minute till really well combined.
4. Roll the mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs (should make about 20).
5. Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet (I line mine with aluminum foil to keep them from sticking) and cook them at 400 F for 20-25 minutes.