Cuban Hamburger Frita Cubana Recipes

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 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.

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 -- CUBAN HAMBURGER

Steps:

• 1. Use a food processor with a chopping blade to grind together the meats, the minced garlic, and the onion. Blend in the ketchup, cumin, and paprika.
• 2. Remove the meat mixture from the food processor and form by hand into round patties. Cook in a large a frying pan.
• 3. When the frita is just about cooked through, (as you like it)reduce heat to medium low, squirt on some sauce, and let the patties cook just a minute longer.
• 4. While the fritas are frying, use a deep fat fryer or frying pan with a couple inches of vegetable oil to fry the shoestring potatoes. Drain on paper towels and lightly salt
• 5. Place bun on a plate, burger, slice of raw onion(optional) and top with shoe string potatoes.
• 6. Directions for the sauce:
• 7. Mix all of the ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Used as the sauce on the Fritas.

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.