Are you in search of a delectable Cuban dish that boasts a unique blend of flavors? Look no further than the traditional Cuban Mojo, an aromatic marinade that serves as the cornerstone of many classic Cuban recipes. With its citrusy and garlicky profile, Mojo adds a burst of tang and savory depth to meats, poultry, and vegetables alike. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook seeking to explore the vibrant flavors of Cuban cuisine, this article will guide you through the art of preparing the perfect Cuban Mojo, ensuring a culinary experience that will leave your taste buds tantalized and wanting more.
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CUBAN MOJO CRIOLLO (MOJO MARINADE RECIPE)
Steps:
- In a mortar and pestle, add the garlic cloves and salt. Mash both until you get a smooth paste.
- In a large mason jar, add the garlic paste, minced onion, black pepper, oregano, cumin, sour orange juice, and olive oil. Close the jar tightly with the lid and shake it until well combined. Be sure to shake well before every use.
- Feel free to taste and adjust seasoning. If you're not a fan of garlic, you can add less (maybe 5 or 6 cloves). This marinade should taste garlicky, fresh, tangy, citrusy, bright, and slightly sour. Never sweet nor spicy.
- This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of mojo marinade which will last approximately up to 3 weeks in an airtight container/mason jar. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 tablespoon, Calories 27 kcal, Carbohydrate 1.8 g, Fat 2.2 g, Sodium 99 mg, Sugar 1 g
CUBAN MOJO MARINADE
This Cuban Mojo Marinade will add a Latin flair to your grilled and baked meats. Citrusy and garlicky, this exotic and refreshing marinade whips up in 10 minutes or less.
Provided by GypsyPlate
Categories Seasonings
Time 10m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Juice citrus.
- Chop onions and mince garlic.
- Mix all ingredients.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 67 calories, Carbohydrate 7 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 0 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 5 grams fat, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 1 grams protein, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 393 grams sodium, Sugar 3 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams unsaturated fat
MOJO CUBAN SANDWICH
Steps:
- For the mojo marinade: Trim the pork shoulder, removing any excess fat, and tie. Make the mojo marinade by combining the citrus juices and zest, oregano, cilantro, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the garlic and the cumin in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Place the tied roast into a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature. Once marinated, remove from the bag and wipe away any excess liquid. Reserve the marinade.
- For the pork roast: Preheat a 6-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil to the pressure cooker pot and turn to high heat. Sear the roast on all sides. Then add the chicken stock, bay leaves, onions and the reserved marinade. Replace the lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the roast is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Remove the roast, transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice thinly.
- For the Cuban sandwiches: Using a serrated knife, halve the Cuban loaves. Begin building the sandwiches. First, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto the bread. Add 5 pickle slices, about 3 ounces of ham and a few slices of roasted pork. Top with 2 slices of the cheese. Finish with the top half of the Cuban loaf. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
- To serve: Heat a flat-top griddle pan to medium heat with the olive oil. Place the sandwiches on to the griddle pan and place a weighted cast-iron pan on top to press. Press the sandwiches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and cut in half. Secure with bamboo skewers and serve immediately.
MOJO SAUCE MARINADE
Steps:
- Start by taking apart the garlic head into cloves and remove the papery skin. Next, place the garlic cloves and white onion into a food processor or blender and blend into a finely chopped mixture.
- Then, pour the garlic and white onion mixture into a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix everything well with a whisk or spoon and let the marinade sit for 45 minutes before using or storing inside the refrigerator.
CUBAN-STYLE MOJO SHRIMP
Shrimp is one of my favorite weeknight meals, because it is so quick to prepare! The Cuban-style marinade is full of citrus flavors with a few surprises. Normally, "mojo" means a flavor based on Seville oranges, and these sour oranges can be hard to find. A bit of extra lime, some grapefruit juice, and vinegar stand in for the brightness of the missing Seville oranges in this recipe. The red pepper flakes add just a little zing, so if you like spicy foods, feel free to add more, to your taste. We like this with simple white rice and some black beans, or a side of grilled mixed veggies.
Provided by Bibi
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Caribbean
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Pour lime, orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices into a blender or food processor. Add vinegar, oil, garlic, Mexican oregano, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Pulse several times, then blend until the garlic pieces disappear, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and pulse one more time.
- Pour marinade into a 1-gallon resealable bag and add shrimp. Squeeze most of the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, with the shrimp inside the bag in a single layer. Drain and reserve marinade.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook shrimp in a single layer, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Shrimp are done when they are opaque, pink and white, and curled into a "C" shape. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
- Pour reserved marinade into the same skillet and bring to a boil. Boil until marinade is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into a small serving pitcher or sauce boat.
- Serve shrimp with sauce on the side as a dipping sauce, or toss shrimp in the sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 372.4 calories, Carbohydrate 18.6 g, Cholesterol 156.6 mg, Fat 25 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 19.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 345.4 mg, Sugar 2.3 g
TRADITIONAL CUBAN RECIPE: CUBAN MOJO (CUBAN MARINADE)
There are many variations of mojo. It is the signature marinade of Cuba and it finds its way into many varied dishes. After searching through many recipes and cookbooks; I found this in on www.icuban.com and in "Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban" by: three brothers-in-law, Glenn Lindgren, Raul Musibay and Jorge Castillo. Many mojos do not include oil; with or without oil the key element is "sour" orange, an almost bitter orange that grows throughout Cuba and now it flourishes in most Miami backyards. In a pinch use: 2 parts orange juice to 1 part lemon juice and 1 part lime juice. The key to a good mojo is in the proportions; garlic, salt, whole black peppercorns and sour orange juice are it's main ingredients.Update: 04/14/08 add a teaspoon of cumin (if you so desire) there are many recipes that call for it but we don't use it here! I have been using this mojo since I left my mother's house, as we always used it in Cuba and Haiti.:)
Provided by Manami
Categories Lemon
Time 50m
Yield 50-60 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Mash garlic, salt and peppercorns, using a mortar and pestle or use food processor.
- Stir in juice.
- Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.
- *If making it without the oil - stop at this point and this makes a perfect marinade for seasoning, chicken, fish, pork &/or beef.
- Continue with preparing the mojo with oil - after you have stirred in juice add onion & oregano.
- Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.
- In a saucepan heat olive oil to medium hot & then remove from heat.
- Whisk oil in garlic-juice mixture, until well blended.
- Stores for at least a week in the refrigerator.
CUBAN MOJO
Use chef Roberto Guerra's Cuban Mojo, a signature sauce in Cuban cuisine, to make his Cuban-Style Roast Pig recipe.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Cuisine-Inspired Recipes
Yield Makes enough for one 45- to 50-pound dressed pig
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place garlic, peppercorns, and salt in a large mortar and grind with a pestle to form a paste. Stir in sour orange and pineapple juice. Add oregano, cumin, and bay leaves; stir to combine. Let stand at least 1 hour before using.
CUBAN MOJO MARINATED PORK
A traditional Cuban roasted pork recipe that is very simple, yet packed with tons of flavor! There is nothing to this pork except an amazing marinade, but it is honestly some of the best meat I've ever put in my mouth. I found this recipe on Pinterest with a link to a blog by "The Food Charlaton". I am posting the recipe exactly as found. This was so delicious and I can't wait to make it again!
Provided by landlocked 2
Categories Very Low Carbs
Time 2h10m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- If you have a food processor: Add the orange juice, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and smashed (not minced) garlic cloves, and pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add this mixture to a ziplock bag, along with the rest of the oil, zest, lime juice, oregano, and cumin.
- If you don't have a food processor: In a large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Shake it around a bit to mix it up, then add the pork shoulder.
- Place the zipped up bag in a baking dish, and put it in the fridge overnight, or several hours at least.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack (I used a cooking rack) over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the pork on the rack and discard the marinade. Salt and pepper the pork well.
- Roast the pork for 30 minutes. It should be lightly browned.
- Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Roast for another 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160.
- Transfer to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest at least 20 minutes.
- Carve against the grain and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 705, Fat 60.6, SaturatedFat 16.7, Cholesterol 141, Sodium 429.4, Carbohydrate 5.6, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 2.3, Protein 33.8
Tips:
- Use a variety of citrus fruits for your mojo. Oranges, limes, and lemons are all traditional choices, but you can also experiment with grapefruit, tangerines, or even kumquats.
- Be generous with the garlic. Garlic is a key ingredient in mojo, so don't be afraid to use a lot of it. At least 6 cloves is a good starting point.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices. Oregano, cumin, and bay leaves are all traditional Cuban spices that can be used in mojo. However, you can also add your own personal touch by using other herbs and spices that you like.
- Let the mojo marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes, but preferably longer. The longer the meat marinates, the more flavorful it will be.
- Mojo can be used to marinate chicken, pork, beef, or seafood. It can also be used as a dipping sauce or a salad dressing.
Conclusion:
Mojo is a versatile and flavorful sauce that is a staple of Cuban cuisine. It is easy to make and can be used to marinate a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables. If you are looking for a new and exciting way to add flavor to your meals, give mojo a try.
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