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Chicharritas from Cuba

abril 30th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in SOMETHING DIFFERENT - (0 Comments)

Ingredients

- 2 or 3 large plantains – as green as possible.

- Lots of olive oil for frying.

- Salt to taste, for seasoning once the chicharritas are cooked.

Preparation

Peel the plantains and slice them very finely (approximately 2mm thick). Fry the slices in enough (very hot) oil that they float. When the plantain slices are submerged they will fry very quickly, so you should remove them from the oil as soon as they turn golden, to avoid them burning. Make sure the slices are crunchy. As you remove them from the oil, place them in a bowl. Season with salt to taste, and you have a delicious and unique appetizer.

Tips

Slicing the plantains can be laborious, so if you have a mandoline the recipe will take less time to prepare.

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HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT GIN & TONIC

abril 26th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in SOMETHING DIFFERENT - (0 Comments)

 

There are many ways to make a Gin & Tonic, and there are many things to bear in mind. But you don’t have to be an expert to learn how to prepare a homemade Gin & Tonic and feel like a true star.

 

The first thing you need is a GLASS. A short, wide glass is best but a snifter will also do.  Basically, gin requires a wide-mouth glass to allow it to breathe and release its full range of aromas.

 

Another essential ingredient is lime. Don’t add lime juice because it causes the tonic to go flat and takes away some of the gin’s elegance. What you need is the essence and spirit of the lime – the zest. Peel the lime and squeeze the zest over the glass, rub it around the rim, then place it inside. You can also add a slice of lime before doing this.

 

What else? Ice of course, lots of ice. Enough to entirely fill the glass. If possible, use ice made from low mineral content water, which is better than tap water.

 

Now for the gin. There are a number of varieties so just choose your favorite and pour it into the glass. For the perfect amount, count out three seconds while you pour it or, similarly, say 1001, 1002, 1003 out loud. Pour it at a distance from the mouth of the glass so that it can mix with the oxygen in the air.

 

Lastly, fill the glass to the top with tonic and stir with the handle of a spoon to liven up the bubbles – not too much though or it well end up going flat.

 

And if you’re already a Gin & Tonic expert, tell us how you make yours.  Any suggestions?

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Mangú (Dominican mashed plantains)

abril 18th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (0 Comments)

 

Ingredients

- 5 plantains, preferably soft,

- 1 tablespoon of butter,

- 1/4 cup of milk,

- Salt to taste,

Preparation

Peel the plantains, boil them in hot water for 15 minutes, adding salt when they are soft.  Take them out and place them in a dish. Add a splash of milk.  Soak them well and add the butter, or some olive oil.

To accompany the Mangú:

You can choose between scrambled eggs, fried chicken or beef,  Salami or any other kind of sausage that you prefer.

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Guacamayas

marzo 27th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (0 Comments)

Ingredients

- 4 bolillo rolls

- 2 avocados

- 1/4 Kg. pork rinds

For the sauce:

- 2 tomatoes

- 1/2 onion

- 1 clove of garlic

- Juice of half a lemon

- Salt

- Dried chile de arbol, to taste

Preparation

Rehydrate the chile de arbol in a pan of boiling water

for 5 mins. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion

and tomatoes. When the chile de arbol is

ready, remove and blend with the garlic, a little tomato

and onion, and the water from the pan. Pour this mixture

in with the rest of the sauce and add salt and lemon juice.

Break the bolillo rolls in half and put the avocado on top.

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Play it again Sam…

marzo 14th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (0 Comments)

 

 

THE CASABLANCA CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

 

Here is the perfect recipe for a scintillating soirée.  We suggest a champagne or cava cocktail in the purest style of Rick’s Café in Casablanca, along with some small details to transform your evening into an immensely glamorous experience.

Ingredients

Champagne or Cava

1 shot of Brandy or Cognac

3 drops of Angostura bitters

1 sugar lump

And also…

Strawberries

A piano

Candles

Preparation

Preparing the champagne cocktail is quite simple. Place a sugar lump in the bottom of a champagne glass and add three drops of Angostura bitters. Add the shot of brandy and then fill the rest of the glass with champagne or cava, always cold.

It is important to use a sugar lump, as you will see a beautiful array of effervescent bubbles as it dissolves. For this reason, serve it immediately so that it can shine in all its glory.

Such a glamorous cocktail deserves a suitable ambiance. Use candles and soft lighting to create an intimate atmosphere and make the champagne bubbles shine with all their splendor. If you accompany the drink with strawberries, you will achieve the necessary exotic and romantic touch. As for the soundtrack to the perfect evening, if you have a piano and know how to play it, this is your moment. If this is not the case, you can always put on some music by, say, Petrucciani. Or indeed the theme music to Casablanca, “As time goes by”, which will transport you to a world of stars…

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A game of polo and a cup of tea in Jamaica

enero 18th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in DESTINATIONS - (0 Comments)

Polo was brought to Jamaica by the British army in 1882. During the early years it received an unenthusiastic reception, but by 1898, and following a series of Royal visits, polo had become an authentic institution in Jamaica, with clubs and tournaments springing up everywhere. By the turn of the 20th century, polo was attracting many English and North-American visitors, and 1901 saw the first edition of the ‘Parish Cup’, a silver cup that teams competed for each year and that was first presented by Sir John Dewar, whose family owned the famous ‘Dewar’ distilleries in Scotland. English teams have been regular visitors to the island ever since. Over the last 25 years, one of the most familiar sights on the circuit has been the team managed by John Tinsley, former President of the Hurlingham Polo Association. Over the years, Jamaica’s polo teams have played matches against teams from all over the world, even from countries as far off as New Zealand and Nigeria and as close to home as Barbados and Costa Rica.

The Jamaican polo season is long, running from January to early August, when the hurricane season is at its height.
Each year, a large number of teams from various countries travel to the island. The highlights of Jamaica’s polo season are the famous Scotia Capital Markets Open, played in Kingston in March, and the Senior Cup which takes place in St. Ann in May.
The clubs offer superb facilities for visiting players, regardless of whether they are beginners or seasoned professionals, including pony hire, lessons, mallet and ball hire, etc. If you’re interested in trying your hand at this amazing sport, anything you may need, regardless of your level of skill, is at your disposal at these clubs.

According to Shane Chin, who has played this sport all his life and is Captain of the Jamaica Polo Association and a member of the St. Ann Polo Club, “When you’ve played polo once, you’re hooked for life. It’s like a disease that spreads through your veins. The only way of getting out of this sport is either by going bankrupt or dying!”

Yet polo was not the only custom the British passed on to the Jamaicans. Part of the polo ritual is stopping for tea. Jamaica produces an organic tea harvested from the Jamaica sorrel bush, a hibiscus from the Malvaceae family. This unusual plant can grow to heights of between 3 and 5 metres. Its flowers are red, although as it grows they generally fade in colour. The calyx is red and full, with a soft velvety texture that gives you the impression that you are looking at a bobble of perfumed cotton.

This tea is extremely good for you: it is diuretic, anti-oxidising, speeds up cell metabolism, reduces LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol and increases the synthesis of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol.

So are you ‘game’ for watching a polo match whilst you sip a cup of fragrant Jamaica sorrel tea?

“IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts’ hotels in Jamaica offer you the chance to experience all the irresistible thrills of this island. The prime locations of the IBEROSTAR hotels on Jamaica are the perfect opportunity to explore this island and discover its countless treasures.”

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Chicken fajitas

diciembre 17th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (0 Comments)

Ingredients

- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and a little extra for sprinkling

- 3 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey

- 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

- 2 crushed garlic cloves

- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano

- 1-2 teaspoons of red chilli flakes

- Salt and pepper

- 4 skinned and boned chicken breasts

- 2 red peppers without seeds, cut into 2.5 cm strips

- 8 warm wheat flour tortillas (350 g flour, plus a little extra for sprinkling; 1 teaspoon of salt; ½ teaspoon of baking powder; 75 g animal or vegetable fat, chopped into cubes; approx. 125 ml of hot water).

 

Preparation

Mix the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Cut the chicken against the grain into 2.5 cm thick slices. Cover the slices completely with the marinade and leave in the fridge for between 2 to 3 hours, turning them over from time to time.  Heat the grill, remove the chicken slices from the marinade using a skimmer and grill them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side on a medium heat until they are cooked. Place them in a serving dish and keep them warm. Place the strips of pepper on the grill with the skin facing downwards and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Place them in the dish with the chicken.

 

Serve immediately with the warm tortillas to wrap the chicken and peppers.

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Margarita Recipe

noviembre 2nd, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (0 Comments)

Ingredients

1 shot of lemon juice

1 shot of white tequila

1 shot of Triple Sec (Cointreau)

 

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a cocktail shaker or jug with ice. Wet the rims of the glasses with lemon and coat in salt. Serve.

 

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Recipe:Dominican Sancocho

julio 16th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in SOMETHING DIFFERENT - (0 Comments)


Sancocho is undoubtedly one of the Dominican Republic’s culinary treasures. It is generally served on special occasions only, as it takes quite a while to make and includes lots of ingredients. Yet the preparation time is probably one of the best things about this dish, as it’s the perfect opportunity to spend time with friends over a cold beer or glass of rum.

Sancocho is traditionally prepared with beef.

Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken, chopped into pieces

• 6 pork chops

• 1 lb of minced beef

• 1 lb of manioc cut into large pieces

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces.

• 3 or 4 bananas cut into medium-sized pieces

• 1 yam, peeled and cut into pieces

• 1 yautia (tannier) cut into pieces

• 1/4 squash, peeled and cut into pieces

• 2 corncobs cut into pieces

Seasoning:

• 1 large finely chopped green chilli

• 1/2 sprig of parsley

• 2 small finely chopped red onions

• 2 cloves of crushed garlic

• 2 or 3 large coriander leaves

• 2 chicken stock cubes

• 1 beef stock cubes

• 2 tablespoons of vinegar

• 1 tablespoon of gravy mix

 

Preparation:

Pour 2 ½ tablespoons of oil and a little sugar (half a teaspoon) into a large pot and place on a high heat. Add all the meat at once to tender and brown. Cover and allow to cook (approx. 20-30 minutes), stirring from time to time until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the meat and put to one side. If the chicken is becoming overcooked, remove and leave until the end. And it does not matter if the meat is whole; in fact it is even better.  Add water to the meat stock (fill the pan to half full) and bring to the boil; add the remaining ingredients and place the vegetables on top to season, cover and allow to boil (for approx. 40 minutes) or until the ingredients are cooked. Then add the meat and the spoonful of gravy mix. Ten minutes before the sancocho is finished, add the vinegar (around 2 spoonfuls). Test for salt and season if necessary. If you wish to include the typically Dominican banana dumplings (see below), place on top and allow to boil until the sancocho is finished.  Banana dumplings: peel the raw bananas and chop finely. Add slightly salted water and roll into balls measuring approximately an inch across. Corn flour dumplings: mix the flour with a little milk and salt and a teaspoon of butter. Roll into balls just like the banana dumplings.

 

Handy tips
This dish should be served with white rice and avocado.

 

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Recipe: Majarete

junio 26th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Mystery Guest - (0 Comments)


Majarete is a typical dessert in the Dominican Republic, although it’s also popular in other Latin American countries.  The principal ingredient is ‘corn’ and the original, rustic version consists of grated corncobs mixed with cow’s milk, grated or shredded dried coconut milk  and sweet spices such as cinnamon, allspice, sweet cloves or nutmeg, although these latter two are stronger and can give the majarete a bitter taste if too much is added.

Ingredients:

• 1 Coconut

• 1 cup of cornflower

• 1 cup of milk

• 1 tin of condensed milk

• 2 cups of warm water

• 250g of sugar

• 1 whole cinnamon stick

• Cinnamon powder and salt to taste

Preparation:

1. – Peel the coconut, removing the black rind until you obtain the white coconut flesh

2. – Cut the coconut flesh into pieces and blend it with a cup of warm water before straining to remove the milk.

3. – Remove what’s left in the colander and blend and strain again with the other cup of warm water to obtain two cups of milk.

4. – Dissolve the cornflower in the last cup of milk obtained from the coconut flesh, liquidise the flour and dissolve it in two cups of cow’s milk.

5. – Place on a low heat and add the cinnamon stick and salt.

6. – When it comes to the boil add the sugar, salt to taste and the first coconut milk.

7. – Leave it on the heat for approximately 15 minutes until it looks like a creamy atole drink.

8. – Pour into shallow moulds and allow to set.

When cold, sprinkle finely with cinnamon powder.

 

Photo |Carol Dandelion234

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