Easy Ceviche!

What you will need:

1/2 lb of prawns & scallops (both raw)
1 avocado
1/2 tsp of kosher or sea salt
1/4 chile de arbol or ancho chile ground, paste or in dried powder form
1 lime-squeezed
1 lemon-squeezed
1/2 tangerine-squeezed
1/2 white or red onion chopped
A handful of green onion
1 bunch of small red or marbled radishes (organic are more tender)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Some sort of hot sauce (I used a habanero based called Melinda's) to taste (I used a lot!)

Start by chopping white or red onion and putting in a bowl with all freshly squeezed citrus (all), salt, pepper and ancho chile or chile de arbol.

Next you want to boil a pot of water and once it almost comes a rolling boil, add the shrimp and scallops. Let them cook till opaque and/or pink but do not over cook. You want them tender.

Put them in a bowl of cool water for a few mins, drain and then chop into 1/2 to 1/4 inch pieces. Put with onion/citrus/seasoning mixture in fridge to chill for 1-3 hours.

Then start chopping your veggies: radishes, green onion, avocado, cilantro (I didn't use cilantro today because the person that I'm sharing this with doesn't care for it but I HIGHLY suggest it!)

Add your fresh veggies last, meaning right before you serve so that they'll add crunch to your ceviche! Especially avocado so it doesn't get mushy. Lastly, add hot sauce to taste!

Cuban Style Black Beans

Cuban Style black beans are so easy!
They are so hearty and you can freeze them for later.

1) 1 pound of black beans, rinsed.
2) Soak those bad boys overnight! I've tried the Quick Soak method and it's just not as good.
3) Rinse again and put in big ol' pot.
4) Add about 2 inches of water above the bean line.
5) Mince 6 cloves, or more, of garlic, 1-2 teaspoons of oregano, 1-2 teaspoons of cumin, 2 teaspoons of sea salt and one entire white onion (chopped) and throw it in!
6) Bring to a boil then simmer for about 1-2 hours (just keep trying the beans to determine when they're ready)

Viola! BEANS!

The beginnings of my abuela's Cuban chicken.

Saute one thinly sliced yellow onion, 2 bay leaves in about a cup of lime juice (fresh is best), 3/4 cup orange juice, and 1 cup of chicken stalk. Saute until the juices thicken up but don't let the onion become too transparent; about 15 mins or so.

Season three skin on, bone in chicken breasts with kosher or sea salt and then pepper. My abuela would rub in on top of the skin and under the skin of the breasts.

Brown chicken in Dutch oven with a drizzle of olive oil (though she never used olive oil, ha!). Brown on all sides till golden brown. I love it when my chicken gets glossy with pepper!

Transfer all juices to Dutch oven with chicken and cook on medium-low for about two hours or so. The thing with cooking, at least for me, I always go back to check on how things are going so that I don't over cook the meat. I rarely measure either so from time-to-time, the juices may evaporate and that's not good for the meat!

I serve this chicken with a saffron rice though my abuela would serve it with white rice and black beans (what Cuban wouldn't?).

Enjoy!