Frita Cubana Cuban Hamburger Food

THE CUBAN FRITA BURGER: FRITA CUBANA

Steps:

• To make the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan: ketchup (1 cup), water (1/4 cup), vinegar (1 tablespoon), sweet paprika (1 1/2 teaspoons), cumin (1 teaspoon), salt (1 teaspoon), oregano (1/2 teaspoon) and sriracha (1/2 teaspoon). Cook at a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 5 minutes. Sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
• Peel the potatoes and shred them on a box grater or in your food processor with the coarse shredding blade. Swish them in a bowl of cold water, pour out cloudy water, and repeat until the water is clear. Just before frying, drain them in a colander and dry them well by squeezing them between several clean absorbent dish towels. The dryer the better for getting them crisp and brown. Pour oil into a heavy, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and fry the potatoes, in small batches, until they're golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
• Make the meat mixture in a large bowl or in a food processor. Combine ground meats with 1 cup of the onions and the garlic (2 tablespoons). Mix by hand or pulse a few times in the food processor, to combine. Add ketchup ( 3 tablespoons), cumin (1 teaspoon), paprika (2 teaspoons), smoked paprika (2 teaspoons) and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Mix by hand or pulse just until combine. Form the meat into 8 thin patties.
• Cook patties in batches, on a preheated flat griddle or in a frying pan coated with a little vegetable oil, over medium heat, for 2-4 minutes per side or until they're cooked to your liking. (I suggest medium rare to medium). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To assemble the fritas, spread some special sauce over the bottom half of a bun. Place a patty on top, add more sauce, some finely chopped raw onion and a big pile of shoestring fried potatoes. Spread a little sauce on the inside of the top bun and place it on top. Repeat with remaining burgers. Serve immediately.

FRITA CUBANO

Steps:

• For the quick mojo aioli: Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, cumin, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Cover and refrigerate until ready to dress the burgers.
• For the burgers: Mix the ground beef, chorizo, cumin, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper in a large bowl, folding it over itself until thoroughly mixed. Let the meat rest 15 minutes at room temperature or for up to 4 hours refrigerated. Shape the meat into 12 balls all the same size, then lightly press them into chubby round patties.
• Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and sweat until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the patties on top of the onions and press the patties onto the onions using a spatula. Let cook, 3 to 4 minutes; the onions will continue to cook and caramelize in the patty juices, adding flavor to the patties. Flip the patties and cook until firm, 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and top with the Swiss cheese.
• Spread 1 tablespoon mojo aioli on the bottoms of each Hawaiian roll, then top with a patty and a generous handful of the Mini French Fries. Serve.
• Peel the potatoes, then shred them on the largest holes of a box grater. Soak in cold water to remove starch and prevent browning, 5 minutes. Strain in a colander and dry on paper towels.
• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees F.
• Fry the potatoes in batches, moving the potatoes gently with a spider to keep them separated, until brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove to a bowl, season with salt and toss to ensure all the fries are thoroughly seasoned.

FRITA CUBANA

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients and form into patties. Cook on the grill or in a frying pan. Serve on a traditional American hamburger bun.
• Makes four quarter pounders or six to eight standard patties.

MINI CUBAN BURGERS (FRITAS)

Steps:

• Place the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Cover with milk and soak for 2 minutes. Add the onion, the beaten egg, ground beef, lime juice, ketchup, garlic powder, salt, and paprika and work the ingredients together with your hands or a wooden spoon just until combined. Form the mixture into 12 small 1-inch thick patties and refrigerate them for at least 45 minutes or up to 8 hours.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 of the burgers and brown them on each side, flipping with spatula, 5 to 7 minutes. Set the fritas on the rolls and cook the remaining burgers. Serve with generous amounts of ketchup.

ABUELO'S FRITAS (A.K.A CUBAN HAMBURGERS)

Steps:

• 1. Using a food processor, mix the red pepper. On a flat surface, using your hands, combine your red pepper mixture well into the ground beef. Using the food processor, mix the remaining onion, garlic, and green pepper. On a flat surface, using your hands, combine your onion, garlic, and green pepper mixture well into the ground beef. Add paprika until you achieve a reddish golden color. The color may be more golden. Add about a cup of flour to the ground beef, combining well. Open a hole within the ground beef mixture and fill with corn oil. Continue alternating between gradual addition of flour and corn oil until the ground beef mixture forms a solid dough, that when mixed does not stick to your hands.
• 2. Now, take your mixture and form round balls. You may make them to your desired size. Take your balls and flatten them into patties. You can make them as thick or thin as you like. Be sure not to make them too thin.
• 3. Spray a frying pan evenly all over with cooking spray. Turn on your stove to a moderate/high setting (about 7 or 8 on electric stove). Now you are ready to fry your fritas. You should make sure to turn them more or less constantly. Keep them cooking until they get a brownish color and a grilled well look.
• 4. Place each frita in a hamburger bun. If desired, the buns may be toasted first. Any toppings may be used for the fritas. Some suggestions are potato sticks, chopped onions, lettuce, tomato, or anything else you would normally put on a hamburger. Refrigerate unused portions storing on wax paper in a closed container. Separate each layer of fritas with a sheet of wax paper to prevent from sticking.

FRITA CUBANA-(CUBAN HAMBURGERS)-NUWAVE/FLAVORWAVE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients and form into patties. Cook on the 1 inch rack on HI for 5 -8 minuted depending on how cooked you like it.
• Serve on a traditional American hamburger bun.
• Makes four quarter pounders or six to eight standard patties.