Sloppy Cubanos Cuban Cousin To Joe Food

ROPA VIEJA JOSES (CUBAN SLOPPY JOES), SLICED TOMATOES, PLANTAIN CHIPS AND MOJO SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the mojo sauce: put the garlic and onion in a food processor with cumin, lemon zest and juice. Turn processor on and stream in about 1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and 1/4 cup of water. Turn off processor and reserve.
• Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown. Add half of the mojo and crumble the meat as it cooks, about 3 minutes. Add olives and pimientos, paprika, Worcestershire, hot pepper sauce, tomato sauce and grill seasoning. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook over low heat 10 minutes.
• Split Cuban rolls and pile the bottoms with hefty spoonfuls of Sloppy Ropa Vieja Jose mix. Cover meat with sliced dill pickles and bun tops. Serve the plantain chips and sliced tomatoes along side to finish your plates and drizzle tiny spoonfuls of raw mojo sauce over the chips when passing out the plates. Season the tomato slices with a pinch of salt as well.

CUBAN STYLE SALT CURED BEEF WITH CRISPY PLANTAIN CHIPS

Steps:

• Cut the dried cured beef into 2-inch cubes and soak in water overnight.
• Change the water and boil the cubes in a large stockpot until tender approximately 45 minutes, making sure that the water is not too salty (change water if necessary). Strain and cool down. Shred the meat and set aside.
• In a large frying pan, heat the oil and saute the onions, peppers, and garlic until translucent. Add the tomato sauce, white wine, beef stock, vinegar, and the spices. Add the shredded meat. Cook at low heat for approximately 30 minutes, keeping covered most of the time.
• Preheat 3 cups blended oil. Slice the plantains lengthwise into several slender full length strips, preferably using a mandoline, and fry until crispy.

CUBAN FRITAS WITH MATCHSTICK POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine the ground beef and chorizo in a bowl and sprinkle with the smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, combine the evaporated milk, panko and egg, and then add to the meat mixture. Combine well with your hands and form into 4 patties. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, orange juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the guava paste with 3 tablespoons water. Cook down over low heat until reduced slightly. Add the cider vinegar; cook 2 minutes more.
• In a medium saute pan over medium-low heat, cook the onions in the butter, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 45 minutes. Add the onions and ketchup to the guava mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until crispy on both sides but soft in the middle, turning once, 4 minutes per side. Grill the cut sides of the buns until grill-marked, about 1 minute.
• Grate the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk. Heat 1 inch of olive oil in a deep skillet and fry the grated potatoes until crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss with smoked paprika and salt.
• Spread the bottom halves of the buns with a little of the "mojo mayonnaise," top with the patties and then cover with the bun tops. Add the crispy fries on the side and top with the guava ketchup.

SLOPPY VEG-HEAD JOE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. To the hot oil, add the jalapenos, bell peppers, onions, and garlic and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Fold in the black beans, cumin, and coriander and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, brown sugar, and Worcestershire or vinegar and simmer the mixture for a few minutes to combine the flavors. Squeeze the lime juice into the pan and stir. Serve the joe mixture on buns with chopped pickles and cilantro to top and a couple of chips or a green salad alongside.

SLOPPY CUBANOS - RACHAEL RAY

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, 2 minutes. Add pork and cook, crumbling it with a spoon, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic, paprika, coriander, and allspice; season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lime zest, and lime juice, and mix well. Stir in chicken broth and tomato sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes.
• Lightly toast the rolls. Pile the meat mixture onto the roll bottoms. Cover with swiss cheese and broil until melted, about 30 seconds. Scatter the pickles on the sandwiches, cover with roll tops, and serve.

ROPA VIEJA JOSéS (CUBAN SLOPPY JOES) WITH SMASHED YUCCA, SLICED TOMATOES, PLANTAIN CHIPS, AND MOJO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the peeled yucca in a small pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. The yucca will not become as soft as a potato, just tender to the fork tines.
• While the yucca cooks, make the mojo sauce. Place the garlic and onions in a food processor with the cumin, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Turn the processor on and stream in the EVOO and 1/4 cup water.
• Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the mojo. Heat for 15 seconds, then add the beef and begin to break it up. Brown and crumble the meat with the mojo for 3 minutes. Add the olives with pimientos, the paprika, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and grill seasoning. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Split the rolls and pile the bottoms with hefty spoonfuls of the meat mixture. Cover the meat with sliced dill pickles and the tops of the rolls.
• Drain the yucca and return it to the warm pot. Add half of the remaining mojo and mash. The yucca will break down a bit and become creamy and sticky but not smooth-like mashed potatoes with some soul. Season up the cooked yucca with salt and divide it among the dinner plates alongside the Sloppy Josés. Serve the plantain chips and sliced tomatoes alongside to finish your plates. Season the tomato slices with a pinch of salt and drizzle tiny spoonfuls of raw mojo sauce over the chips when passing out the plates.
• Yucca (you-kah) is yum-a! Cooked up, it tastes like a creamy, starchy cross between a turnip and a potato. You'll find it in the produce department near the root vegetables or in any Latin market. If your market does not carry yucca, cook up some peeled sweet potatoes and follow the method detailed above.

SLOPPY JOE DI MAGGIOS - SERVES A WHOLE TEAM OF 9 LITTLE LEAGUERS!

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat and crumble as it browns. Add chopped hot dogs after 3 to 4 minutes then cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the onions to the pan and cook to soften, 5 to 6 minutes more. In a bowl mix the spices, sugar, Worcestershire and tomato sauce. Pour sauce over the meat and simmer a few minutes to combine flavors. Slop onto buns and serve.