CUBAN DISHES
1.Cerdo Asado
Pork is roasted in an open oven or on a spit, and is served whole on skewers or sliced. Cerdo Asado is usually served with rice and black beans accompanied by fried plantain.
Cerdo Asado (succulent roast pork)
2.Moros y Cristianos
The base of comida criolla (traditional Cuban fare), this dish comprises white rice cooked with black beans and is served as an accompaniment to meat and seafood meals. It is known as congrí when cooked with red beans and congrí oriental when the red and black beans are mixed.
Moros y Cristianos
3.Bistec Uruguayo
“Uruguayan beef,” a staple found on many restaurant menus, is a steak stuffed with ham and cheese. It is usually accompanied by a side salad of boiled vegetables, mashed potatoes or rice, and beans. Fish and chicken are often used instead of beef.
4.Corvina al Ajillo
This simple and delicious dish of seabass with a garlic sauce is typically combined with slices of lime and regular vegetables such as carrots. Usually either mashed potatoes or moros y cristianos are served on the side.
5.Pollo con Quimbombó
A traditional country recipe, this dish is a chicken casserole simmered with chopped okra, onions, garlic, green pepper, and tomato, plus plantain and seasoned with black pepper, coriander, and lime juice. It is served with a bowl of steamed or boiled malanga (a starchy root vegetable), yams, and potatoes, along with white rice.
6.Potaje
Black beans are slow-cooked with garlic, onions, pepper, oregano, and other herbs to produce this delicious, thick soup. Sometimes pieces of pork or chicken are added. A bowl of plain white rice is usually the sole accompaniment.
7.Ajiaco
This minestrone-style vegetable stew is made with malanga, turnips, corn, and yucca, plus a variety of meats, including pork and chicken. It is seasoned with herbs.
Ajiaco, a popular Cuban stew
8.Flan
Cuba’s most popular dessert, apart from ice cream, this is found on most menus. It closely resembles crème caramel. A sweet custard made from eggs and milk is baked over a caramelized sugar base, which, when the dish is turned out, provides a delicious sauce.
Classic Cuban flan
9.Ropa Vieja
The “old rope” is a combination of boiled rice, black beans, fried plantain, and shredded beef marinated in red wine or rum, seasoned with onions, peppers, oregano, and cumin.
Ropa Vieja
10.Enchilado de Langosta
Lobster is typically boiled, then cooked in a sauce of tomatoes and spiced with peppers and other seasonings. Shrimp is often used as a substitute for lobster. It is usually served with rice and a salad of lettuce and boiled vegetables.
TOP 10 DRINKS
1.Mojito
This world-famous Cuban drink is made of white rum with mint leaves, sugar, and a dash of soda water.
Ice-cold mojitos
2.Cuba Libre
Dark rum with cola and natural lime juice served with plenty of ice in a tall glass, garnished with a lime.
3.Cristal
A light, lager-style beer, usually served chilled. It has a milder taste than the more full-bodied Bucanero beer.
4.Rum
Younger “white” rums are used for most cocktails, while aged rums – añejos – are typically drunk straight.
5.Daiquirí
White rum blended with sugar, lime juice, and crushed ice, and served in a broad glass decorated with a maraschino cherry.
6.Fruit Juices
Many tropical fruits are packaged as fresh juices, including guayaba (guava), grapefruit, and orange.
7.Batidos
Water or milk is blended with ice and fresh fruit, such as mango and papaya, to make a refreshing shake.
8.Refrescos
An infinite variety of tropical fruit- flavored, water-based, sweetened drinks, often carbonated.
9.Pru
Made from various herbs and roots, this medicinal drink is served in the eastern provinces of Cuba.
10.Chorote
Strongly flavored chocolate drink of Baracoa, thickened with cornstarch and sweetened with sugar.
