Cuba

Cuba was the country we learned about and cooked dishes from this week in International Foods.

As the first and last Spanish colony in the Caribbean, Cuban food still has strong Spanish influences. With a tropical climate and rolling hills and rugged mountains, Cuban food relies a great on roots and tubers, such as malanga, potatoes, bonitos, and yucca. Other starchy foods include plantains, bananas, and rice.

Baked Eggs
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 eggs
• 3 tablespoon butter, melted

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic, onion, and green pepper for 2 to 3 minutes, or until onion is soft but not brown. Add tomato and cook 15 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Light oil six ramekins. Divide sauce evenly among ramekins. Break 1 egg into each dish, being careful not to break the yolk. Drizzle a bit of melted butter over each egg.
4. Place dishes in oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the whites of the eggs are completely opaque and white, and the yolks are still a bit runny. Remove from oven, season with additional salt and pepper if desired, and serve immediately.

My Thoughts

I'm not a big egg person, so this wasn't my favorite dish. We overcooked our eggs so the yolk was firm and that kind of ruined the dish for me. I also thought there was a little too much tomato. But I did think this was a pretty unique dish and something worth trying.