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Ajiaco Criollo - Makes 8-10 servings

Cuban & African Ingredients:
This dish is usually made with a pepper called ‘aji-aji’ where it gets its name. The meats are varied too-according to meat eaters, poultry & fish eaters or vegetarians. The stew is mostly diverse root vegetables and a union of fresh meats cut up in small pieces. My variation of this stew is to use either lamb stew or skinless chicken breasts and thighs.

2 pounds lamb stew or 4 cut up chicken breasts and thighs, use free range chicken.
3 ½ quarts water, add chicken broth or vegetable broth to the water
1 bay leaf
1 medium size green bell pepper finely chopped
1 medium sized malanga yellow, resembles that of the white potato and it is used similar, peel and quarter
1 medium- size yucca, peeled and cut into 2-inch rounds
1 large green plantain, peeled and cut into 2–inch rounds
1 large white sweet potato (boniato), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (do not substitute sweet potato or yam).
1 tropical yam (Name), peeled and quartered (do not use American sweet potato or yam).
1 large very ripe plantain peeled and cut into 6 rounds.
1 cup peeled and seeded 2-inch chunks calabaza or butternut or Hubbard squash
2 large ears of corn husked and cut into 2–inch rounds.

In a large stockpot over medium to high heat, add the poultry or meat and water/broth, bay leaf, and bell pepper, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, 45 minutes, skim off any oil or scum.

Over low heat, add 1 jar 16oz Tonita’s Cuban Sauce Hot or Mild, to the pot, I prefer Hot in this stew, stir, and add the vegetables in 5 minute intervals in the order listed.  Simmer, covered, another 45 minutes, then add the corn, and cook 10 to 15 minutes more.  Serve hot.

(Original Recipe)

2 cups chicken, boil the breast with chicken broth until chicken is cooked. Shred each by hand.
12 tortillas (flour-taco size or corn)
16 oz Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce, heat sauce in pot
1 1/2 cups of 3 Cheese Blend shredded (Mozzarella, Cheddar, & Monterrey Jack)

Take one tortilla, use tongs to dip the tortilla into medium-hot sauce for 5seconds. Remove the tortilla and lay it in the pan layered with sauce. Add chicken, some cheese and a spoonful of the Cuban Sauce to one side of the tortilla. Make sure to get some of the fresh ingredients and chunks of vine tomatoes into the filling. Roll the tortilla and continue the steps above.

Ladle additional Cuban Sauce over enchiladas and top with cheese and green or black olives if you desire. Bake enchiladas in the oven (350 degrees) for 20 to 25 minutes–or until heated.

Try these recipes with Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce

Now Available in Hot or Mild!

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YELLOW RICE
Arroz Amarillo – Makes 6 servings

Prepare 2 cups raw long grain white rice

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon saffron, or turmeric or bijol whatever is available

In a large-size saucepan over low heat pour in 8 ounces of Tonita’s Cuban Sauce (MILD). Add 1/4 chopped pimientos (optional). Raise the heat to high; add the rice, water, salt, and saffron, and cook, uncovered, over high heat 15 minutes, until it comes to a boil.

Lower heat and cover and let the rice simmer. When the water has been absorbed and small lumps appear on top, about 10-15 minutes cook until the rice is dry and fluffy.

Try these other Awesome dishes with Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce

ORIGINAL RECIPE: Tonita’s Cuban Enchiladas

Vegetarian Black Beans

Cuban Creole Stew

Creole Okra-Jambalaya Style with Rice

Cangrejos Enchilados

Eggs Havana Style

Dipping Sauce using Tonita’s Cuban Sauce Fresh from the Jar…… Use my Cuban Sauce to dip with or squirt on some of the following foods. It will have you politely licking your fingers.

Fried Fish Fillets, snapper, catfish etc. and shoestring fries, squirt on top instead of hot sauce or ketchup

Cream Cheese or Guacamole Boat Dip with tortilla chips around the platter. Place Cuban Sauce in the center of soft cream cheese or guacamole and go for it….yummy.

Fried Ripe Plantains are my favorite to dip with.

2 1/2 lbs Lump Crabmeat or Fresh Whole Crab Cleaned and dismembered
1 Jr of Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce

Add 2 ½ pounds of fresh lump crabmeat or fresh whole crab cleaned, dismembered, and swiftly plunged, into 1 jar of the simmering Cuban Sauce Hot or Mild, add sherry or white wine, 1 juice of lime.  Cook 10 minutes.

Transfer to a platter, garnish with parsley, and serve immediately, accompanied with rice, salad, and sourdough bread spread with garlic butter.

Variations:  Shrimp or Lobster in Tonita’s Cuban Sauce substitute 1 ½ pounds large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined.  Cook in sauce over low heat 4 to 6 minutes, until heated through.

½ pound fresh okra, washed, trimmed, and cut into ½ inch slices or you may use frozen cut okra
10 oz of frozen or fresh corn husked
4 quartered red vine tomatoes, you may use a specialty canned chopped tomato
Juice of 1 lemon
1 pound large prawns, shelled and deveined
1 pound small cooked shrimp
4-5 medium-sized fish fillets, snapper, halibut, or perch
1 package of turkey sausage sliced in rounds, some may use pork, but I don’t.
Chunks of cut skinless chicken any part is delicious if you desire
1 bay leaf
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

If using fresh okra, soak about 30 minutes in cold water with the lemon juice to remove any gumminess or stir fry in 3 -4 tablespoons of olive oil and drain.

In a large saucepan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil until fragrant, then cook, stirring the sausage, chicken, and bell pepper over low heat until the chicken is brown and pepper tender.

Remove the chicken and sausage; add the drained okra, stirring well.  After about 5-8 minutes, add the corn, stirring continuously.  Pour in 1 jar of 16oz Tonita’s Cuban Sauce (Hot or Mild), I prefer Hot.  Add tomatoes, sausage, chicken and on low heat let simmer for 10 minutes.  Now you can start adding the seafood, fish, prawns, and shrimp, all in 3 minute intervals stirring in between.  Let simmer again on medium-low heat about 10 minutes.  If you need to add some liquid put ½ cup of water or broth. Cook yellow or white rice and serve Okra dish on top of rice.

Frijoles Negros – Makes 8 servings

1lb Black Beans (rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight)
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Bay Leaf
1 Medium Green Peper
16 oz Jar of Tonita’s Cuban Sauce

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed in cold water, picked over, and soaked overnight in cold water.  The quick method that my family uses is after cleaning, cover with cold water and bring beans to a boil over high heat for 10-15 minutes, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for a hour.  Add a ½ cup chopped onion, 1 bay leaf, and 1 medium-size green bell pepper seeded and diced. Continue to add water and stir while beans are simmering to keep beans covered with water.   Next bring the beans to a boil again, reduce heat and cook uncovered until tender and they have almost cracked open, about 1 ½ hours.

Add 1 jar of 16oz Tonita’s Cuban Sauce, to the beans, Hot or Mild depending on how spicy you want the beans, mix well and cook over low heat, covered, until the beans crack open, 30 minutes. Season to taste and serve.

Eggs (as many as you want)
1 Jar of Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce

Pour the Cuban Sauce in a skillet over medium-high heat, until it is sizzling hot.  Break an egg on top of the sauce mixture (Cuban Sauce), repeat depending on the number of eggs that can fit into the skillet.  Lower the heat and cover, simmer until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 8-12 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt, scoop up sauce and egg, and place over rice immediately.

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Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce is the Sofrito used as the basis for many Creole dishes.  I use this fragrant sauce in all my favorite dishes.

Fresh & Healthy Products

Latin Fusion Sauces

Cooked with Rhythm!

Tonita’s Sweet Vine Cuban Sauce Now Available in Hot or Mild!