Main Dish

Arroz Campesino Cuban-Style

1 whole chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick

6 garlic cloves, smashed

1 green or red bell pepper, sliced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Salt to taste

1 envelope sazon seasoning with saffron (such as Goya brand)

4 bay leaves

1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce

4 cups chicken broth or water

2 cups raw converted rice

2 small Spanish chorizo sausages, sliced, or 8 strips bacon

2 (15-ounce) cans corn or 2 ears fresh corn, sliced 1 inch thick

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1 4-ounce jar pimientos, sliced in strips

Cut chicken into serving pieces (cut breast halves in half). In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium high. Brown the chicken on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.

Sauté the onion, garlic and peppers in the same pot over medium-high heat, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, salt, sazon, bay leaves, tomato sauce and broth. Bring to a boil, stir in rice, adjust heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken on top of rice in Dutch oven. Add chorizo and corn. Cover pot tightly and bake 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Remove lid to allow chorizo to crisp and bake 15 minutes longer, adding water if needed. Just before serving, scatter peas and pimientos on top. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 600 calories (42 percent from fat), 27.8 g fat (8.4 g saturated, 10.8 g monounsaturated), 115 mg cholesterol, 8.2 g protein, 61 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 170 mg sodium.

Dessert

Taylor’s Frozen Key Lime Pie

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup premium vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice

1 deep-dish graham cracker pie shell

Fresh whipped cream for serving

Beat the sweetened condensed milk with the ice cream and Key lime juice. Pour into the prepared crust. Freeze for several hours before serving. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 388 calories (30 percent from fat), 13 g fat (6.6 g saturated, 5.1 g monounsaturated), 38 mg cholesterol, 8.2 g protein, 62 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 170 mg sodium.

Sandwich

Ca Va Brasserie Media Noche Sliders

For the marinade:

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic

1 pork tenderloin

For the garlic mayonnaise:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard (optional)

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 strips smoked bacon, cooked crisp and minced

To finish:

Salt

Cumin, toasted and ground

12 slider-size rolls

4 ounces smoked ham, sliced thin

1 Kosher dill pickle, sliced into 1/4-inch disks

2 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, sliced thin

1/2 cup finely shredded Romaine lettuce

Measure marinade ingredients into a self-sealing food bag. Add pork and refrigerate at least 12 hours, turning from time to time.

Mix garlic mayonnaise ingredients and refrigerate, covered. (Can be made up to five days ahead; you will have extra.)

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Remove pork from marinade, and pat dry. Season with salt and cumin. Set on a rimmed, foiled-lined baking sheet and roast 15 to 18 minutes. (This will produce pork with a slightly rosy center; let it roast longer if you prefer.)

Set cooked pork aside. When cool enough to handle, cut into 12 slices (about 1/2-inch thick).

Split rolls in half and place on a clean baking pan, cut sides up. Liberally spread with garlic mayonnaise.

Place a pork slice on each roll base. Tear the ham into roll-sized pieces and place on top of pork. Add pickles, and top with a slice of cheese. Put sandwiches in 300-degree oven for about 3 minutes, until cheese melts.

Remove from the oven, add lettuce to each sandwich and cover with roll tops. Insert toothpicks to keep sliders intact. Serve immediately. Makes 12.

Per slider: 232 calories (50 percent from fat), 13 g fat (2.8 g saturated, 3.8 g monounsaturated), 36 mg cholesterol, 14.4 g protein, 14.8 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 533 mg sodium.

Sleuth’s Corner

Q. I have been searching for a pastry recipe from La Glace bakery, which was in South Miami when I was in high school. They had what I believe were called Fancy Cakes that looked like small tartlets. They had a cookie dough-like crust, some kind of almond paste crumb filling and a hard shell sugar frosting. I am 69 years old, so this goes back a while.

Janet T. Andrews