Black beans and rice with chicken.

Black Beans and Rice

1 1/2 cups black beans
several slices of bacon or a hunk of fat
1 clove crushed garlic
1 chopped onion
chili powder, salt, and pepper
broth or meat stock
2 cups of cooked rice

Wash your beans, cover with 5 cups of water and leave overnight.  You may also bring them to a boil for 2 minutes and let soak for an hour.  Boil in salty water until tender.  Drain off the excess water.  Add bacon (or fat), garlic, and onion.  Season to taste with chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Add broth and simmer until beans fall apart and the sauce has become thick.  Serve over rice.

Moros y Cristianos

Similar to above.  Rather than serve beans and rice separately, mix them together in even proportions and serve

Tostones - also called plátanos verdes a puñetazo.   Twice fried plantain

1-2 green plantains.
oil
a brown paper bag
salt

Cut the plantains into 1 1/2 - 2 inch slices.  Heat 1 1/2 cups of oil in a skillet.  Add the plantain slices when the oil is hot.  Fry for a few minutes until brown on all sides.  Remove the slices from the skillet and put them on one end of a large brown paper bag.  Fold the other end of the bag over and press down firmly to flatten the plantains to half their original thickness.  Return them to the skillet and fry them an additional 1-2 minutes.  Drain the oil on paper towels, salt, and serve immediately.

Moros y cristianos, tostones, and fried malanga chips.

Mariquitas de Plátano - plantain chips

1-2 firm green plantains
oil
salt

Prepare the plantains by peeling them and cutting them into thin slices (1/8 inch).  Heat 1 1/2 cups oil in the skillet.  Deep fry the chips until browned (approx. 5 minutes).   Turn them once or twice.  Stir to prevent them from sticking together.  Drain on paper towels and salt.  Serve immediately.

Arroz con Pollo  - chicken and rice

1 whole chicken
1 pound of rice
1 onion
1 clove of garlic - chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup cooking wine
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 green pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup olives

Clean and cut the chicken into several pieces and cook it in a pot on low flame for 3 minutes.  Cut the pepper and onion and add it to th echicken with the wine, garlic, bay  leaves, olives and salt.  After 3 minutes add the rice and cover all the ingredients in the pot with water.  Let cook at least 35 minutes then add the oil.  Make sure the stir frequently to keep the rice from clumping.

Flan - custard

5 eggs, beaten
1 can of sweeten condensed milk (14 oz.)
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla (or more to taste)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

Caramelize the sugar.  Do this in a small saucepan by heating the sugar and water over low heat.  Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts and turns a light caramel color.  Pour this immediately into a 1 quart mold.  It will be easier to remove the flan later if you oil the mold first.  You may use a soufflé mold or an enameled mold.  Blend all the remaining ingredients  Pour this mixture into the mold that contains the sugar mixture.Cover tightly with aluminum foil.   Place in a water bath and then bake in an preheated oven at 350° F.  Bake for an hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Let set overnight by chilling leaving the cover on.  Invert the mold onto a plate and serve.