Arroz a la cubana, a Spanish recipe born in the Canary Islands
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Total: 3 h 20 min Diners: 4
In my house, arroz a la cubana has always featured fried plantains, tomato sauce, sausage and, of course, rice. But the truth is that this changes a lot depending on the house. Because the plantain can appear or not, it can be common plantain or plantain macho, and it can be fried or grilled.
Rice a la cubana is one of my father’s favorite dishes, if not the most favorite, and I remember perfectly how in my house the eggs were fried and with their puntillita, not grilled, and how it was tremendously important the homemade tomato sauce, lightly spiced, as well as the point of rice so it does not become mushy.
As a child, I would start eating this dish in parts: a bit of white rice, a bit of tomato sauce, then a little piece of sausage, then a bit of the egg white… and, after this peck, I would mix it all together making a red whole that surprised me in every bite because I would get the sweetness of the banana, the smokiness of the sausage and then the creaminess of the yolk or the texture of the egg white.
We are talking, of course, about a popular dish in Spain for everyone, one of those that children will always like, and that always admits many variations depending on what each one of us likes. I have seen those who add tape lomo instead of sausage too, or who prefer this rice with the long variety; although I vote for the round one on this occasion.
And no, indeed, arroz a la cubana has nothing to do with Cuba, but rather with the Canary Islands. If we went to Cuba we would be presented as a popular and festive dish Arroz Congrí, but the Cuban would not know how to tell us anything. We could rescue something of the “arroz a la criolla” in which in the Caribbean cuisine rice was combined with fried plantain and egg and, if we were lucky, with some meat. What is certainly very Caribbean is that mixture of fruit within the savory recipe, something very much from the other side of the pond.
How to make arroz a la cubana
How to make arroz a la cubana
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Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
. Crushed tomato, 1 kg Extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons Bay leaf, 1 leaf Garlic cloves, 2 pc Shallot, 1 pc Oregano, 1 teaspoon Dried tomatoes, 4 pc Sugar, 2 teaspoons Salt, tsp/round rice, 1 cup Garlic cloves, 2 pc Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons Water, 2 cups Salt, 2 teaspoons Eggs, 4 pc Canary Island plantain, 4 pc Olive oil for frying, abundant
Step 1
The first thing to do is to make the tomato sauce because for it to be powerful it will have to be cooking for a long time over very low heat. To do this we will be able to the crushed tomato in a large pot and add there the garlic cloves, spices, bay leaf and onion with a little sugar and salt and also extra virgin olive oil. I leave the tomato about three hours cooking over very low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, but very carefully because the tomato tends to explode, and burn.
Step 2
When enough time has passed we will have a concentrated tomato that will have changed color. We will have to add salt and sugar and, if we want, we could grind it all but I like it as it is. Keep warm to serve when everything else is ready.
Step 3
In a pan heat the oil and lightly fry the garlic cloves until they begin to brown. Then add the rice and stir it a couple of times and cover it with the hot water adding salt. Cook the rice over high heat for 10 minutes, after this time lower the heat to the minimum and cook for 5 more minutes. Cover and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry the Canary Island plantain, not overripe because it will fall apart, over a high heat so that it browns on all sides.
Step 5
Heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in another frying pan and, when it is very hot, add the egg. Fry the egg untouched for 45 seconds and remove.
Step 6
Serve the white rice on the plate, add the fried tomato and finish with the fried plantain and fried egg on the side. If we want, we can also add a fried or grilled sausage.
Serve the white rice on the plate.
