The Kitchen Bundle

Ingredients

• 4 green plantains
• 4 garlic cloves
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup chicharrón (optional)
• ½ cup chicken broth, warm
• Salt

Steps

1. Peel & cut plantains into 1½-in rounds. Fry in oil until golden and soft.
2. Pound garlic + salt into a paste in a pilón or bowl.
3. Add plantains + chicharrón; pound while drizzling olive oil.
4. Add warm broth to loosen. Mold into balls or unmold from a bowl.
5. Drizzle with mojo de ajo. Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 sofrito cube
• 2 tsp sazón
• 2 cups medium-grain rice
• 3 cups hot chicken broth
• ½ cup alcaparrado
• 2 tbsp olive oil • salt & pepper

Steps

1. Season chicken with sazón, salt, pepper. Brown 4–5 min per side. Set aside.
2. Cook the sofrito cube 2 min until fragrant.
3. Add rice; stir to coat. Add alcaparrado.
4. Return chicken, pour in hot broth, bring to a boil.
5. Cover, low heat, 20 min without lifting.
6. Rest 5 min, fluff, serve.

Ingredients

• 3 cups medium-grain rice
• 1 can gandules, liquid reserved
• 1 sofrito cube
• 2 tsp sazón
• 2 tbsp alcaparrado
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Gandules liquid + water to 4½ cups

Steps

1. Rinse & drain the rice.
2. Cook the sofrito cube in oil 2 min until fragrant.
3. Add rice, sazón, alcaparrado; stir 3 min.
4. Add gandules + liquid to 4½ cups total; salt.
5. Boil, cover, simmer low 20 min without lifting.
6. Rest 10 min, fluff, serve.

Ingredients

• 2 cans pink beans (or 1 lb dried, pre-cooked)
• 1 sofrito cube
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 tsp sazón
• ½ cup calabaza, cubed
• 2 tbsp alcaparrado
• 3 cups water or broth • 3 tbsp oil

Steps

1. Cook the sofrito cube in oil 2 min.
2. Add tomato sauce, sazón, alcaparrado; cook 3 min.
3. Add beans, calabaza and liquid; simmer 20 min uncovered.
4. Simmer longer for a thicker sauce; season.
5. Serve over arroz blanco.

Ingredients

• 2 green plantains
• 1½ cups canola oil
• Flaky salt
• Mojo de ajo to serve

Steps

1. Peel plantains, cut into 1-in rounds.
2. Fry at 350°F 3–4 min until pale gold. Drain.
3. Smash each round to ½ in with a tostonera or plate bottom.
4. Fry again 2–3 min until golden and crisp.
5. Salt while hot. Serve with mojo.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe plantains, black-spotted
• ½ cup canola oil
• Pinch of salt

Steps

1. Peel plantains, slice diagonally into ¾-in pieces.
2. Fry over medium 3–4 min per side until deep golden.
3. Drain, sprinkle with salt.
4. Serve with rice & beans or a fried egg on top.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 lb) pork shoulder, skin scored
• 12 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp adobo
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup distilled vinegar

Steps

1. Pound garlic, adobo, oregano + oil into a paste; add vinegar.
2. Rub deep into scored skin and all over.
3. Marinate overnight in the fridge (12–24 hrs).
4. Roast at 300°F uncovered until fork-tender, 5–6 hrs.
5. Raise to 450°F for the last 15–20 min to crisp the skin.
6. Rest 30 min, pull, serve with arroz con gandules.

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can cream of coconut
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla • 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1½ cups white rum (optional)

Steps

1. Blend the four milks with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg.
2. Stir in rum to taste.
3. Chill at least 2 hrs.
4. Pour, dust with cinnamon, toast the family.