A few days ago, I got an email from the chef at Mount Saint Joseph Academy — an all-girls Pennsylvania high school — asking for suggestions on sandwiches, entrees, soups or desserts indigenous to Miami that he could serve his students as part of a “foods of series.”
My immediate thought was a Cuban sandwich, but I figured I’d put the question out there for more ideas.
So, what Miami dishes should the chef feature come fall? Leave your comments.
(Note: If you have suggestions for other cities, those are welcome too)
[tags] miami foods, school lunches [/tags]
Cuban Sandwich may be too big. Medianoche?
Gallopinto
Empanadas, argentinian or colombian. Argentinians have a spinach filling one.
Arepas
Sancocho or caldosa (basically a vegetable stew), also indio viejo, the nicaraguan beef stew.
Arroz con pollo
Fried dolphin fingers
Key lime pie
Miami food may be too unhealthy. Chicharrones, fried rice? Flans, tres leches?
Given the fact that I am probably the biggest rice eater I know…I would suggest Rice with Beans….very Miami…or Latin…
Super easy to make:
Beans:
Ingredients:
Can beans from Goya
Olive Oil
Azafran seasoning from Goya
Get the can beans from Goya, open the can pour into a sauce pan, put a little bit of olive oil and then get some Azafran seasoning and stir it in. The stove setting should be medium. Let it simmer for a few minutes and you are done.
Rice:
Miami or Latin rice has its own taste. So make sure that when it is made you put a little bit of oil and garlic salt in it if you make it in a rice cooker.
I for one like to make it from scratch everyday. So here is the recipe.
Ingredients:
Oil
Garlic Salt
Regular Salt
Water
Rice
1 cup of rice=1 ½ water
Pour a little bit of oil, garlic salt and regular salt into a regular pot. Set the stove on medium high. Let it heat up for like 2 minutes or so. Then pour the water and the rice, and add more garlic salt and regular salt until the water feels a little bit salty. When you see most of the water has evaporated, lower the temperature to low. Put a lid on the pot and let it cook. Voila!!!
hiya!
I would go with the tropcial fruits and try for something healthy – mango salsa (or perhaps just mango wedges w/ a squeeze of lime and a dusting of cayenne pepper), avocado salad w/ lime and culantro, or maybe grilled maduros. Also, maybe some virgin mojitos?
Thanks for all the ideas. Keep ‘em coming!
The salsa is a great idea and you can mix a variety of ingredients. I actually made one this weekend with cucumber and mango, which I’ll be posting tonight. It’s so easy to make too!
The empanadas and arepas are also a good idea. Arepas aren’t that unhealthy and the baked empanadas are pretty good too.
I’d definitely go with arroz con pollo. It’s something that’s easy to make cafeteria style for a big group. Same thing with ropa vieja, arroz con picadillo, feijoada etc (if he’s really ambitious we can send him a caja china and he can roast a pig outside) Soups I’d definitely make some kind of sancocho. For dessert, add key lime or dulce de leche to whatever they normally serve (e.g. pudding).
Gosh…this kids are going to be eating so good…
Arepitas with natilla would be great! They can be found in Miami at Brasero’s or Hereford Grill or several other places.
Oh, how about cantaloupe wrapped with proscuitto or serrano, or maybe a fine cut of ham? Healthy, latin, and a great starter.
And what about guava shells and cheese for dessert?
And anything with plantains?
Mango is good. I recently made a mango sauce that is excellent on top of cake or ice cream!
And maybe passion fruit mousse?
Oh and for starch besides rice, you could have boniato, malanga, or yuca. Yuca is probably the more latin choice out of the three. Have it with cilantro and garlic sauce (not the one found in pollo tropical – there’s many better out there!)
Earlier today, I had what may be the best tequeno I’ve had in a long while in Miami at European Corner in South Miami, FL (close by Sunset Mall). I think that’s also a tasty alternative for teenagers – I cannot imagine anyone NOT liking it at all.
Mmm, I’d suggest a good ceviche. Easy to prepare, healthy, fresh and low on calories!
Local fruit shakes made with lo-fat milk (healthy and yummy)!
Send those teenagers some mojitos :0
Naah, we wouldn’t want Paula and Chef Denis arrested…
My memories of Miami food:
Vaca frita
Ceviche
Ropa vieja
Plantains (both the fried and non-fried, they both tasted good to me)!
This Raspberry Key Lime Pie recipe from Food-tastic may be a good option. Sounds yummy too!
Wow!! all these ideas are great I definately have some great ideas. Thanks for all your help with this, I’ll keep you posted next fall when i begin the series. I’m still looking for suggestions from other cities across the country and around the globe.
thanks again Paula and everyone for your help