Frita Cubano Recipes

THE CUBAN FRITA BURGER.

Steps:

• To make the secret sauce, combine the tomato paste, water, orange juice, Spanish paprika, cumin, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and sriracha in a small sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
• To make the fries, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350 degrees F.
• Carefully cut the potatoes into shoestrings (or matchsticks) using a mandolin fitted with the narrowest julienne blade (about 1/8-inch wide) or just use your knife (this is what I did). Rinse the cut potatoes thoroughly in a bowl of cold water to remove the surface starch. Keep the potatoes in water until you're ready to fry. (I like to begin frying mine while the burgers are cooking)
• To form the burger patties, combine the beef, chorizo, ketchup, Spanish paprika, cumin and a pinch salt and pepper in a bowl and mix until just combined. Form the meat into six patties.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook the burger until your desired doneness, but traditionally Fritas should be cooked to medium. During the last minute of cooking, add a slice of cheddar cheese.
• Meanwhile, fry the potatoes, transfer the potatoes to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and pat them dry, as dry as you can get them.
• Fry the potatoes in batches until the potatoes are crisp and turn a nice golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. As each batch of fries comes out, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with salt to taste. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
• Serve the burgers on warmed Cuban buns that have been slathered with a little special sauce. On to the bottom bun, place the burger, fries, more special sauce and top with a fried egg. Place the top bun over the egg, grab the burger with two hands and EAT!

THE CUBAN BURGER 'FRITA'

Steps:

• Mix the ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, milk, egg, onion, ketchup, salt, Pimenton de la Vera, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper together in a large bowl until well combined; divide the mixture into 12 equal ball shapes. Place in refrigerator for 3 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in the skillet, flattening them with the back of a spatula as they cook, about 7 minutes per side for well done. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).

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.

24 TRADITIONAL CUBAN FOODS (+ RECIPE COLLECTION)

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a Cuban dish in 30 minutes or less!

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.

FRITAS CUBANAS (CUBAN HAMBURGERS)

Steps:

• Place yellow onions, chorizo, green bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until minced.
• Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Add ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, eggs, ketchup, cumin, salt, and black pepper; mix with your hands until well-blended.
• Form mixture into 12 patties.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in batches until browned and medium well done, about 5 minutes per side.
• Serve cooked patties on hamburger buns topped with shoestring potatoes.

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.

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.