cover image The Cuban Kitchen

The Cuban Kitchen

Raquel Rabade Roque. Knopf, $19.95 (448p) ISBN 978-0-375-71196-1

Roque is the owner of one of Miami's largest bookstores, the Downtown Book Center. Her primary culinary credential is that she was raised in a "proud Cuban household," but that is wisdom enough for this collection of easy, flavorful dishes. The book's 26 chapters are packed with 500 short recipes covering everything from cocktails and batidos to Cuban baby food, ice cream treats, and candies. There are plenty of options focusing on chicken, beef, or pork. The chapter on sandwiches covers not only the classic cubano, but also a pressed ham and pineapple sandwich, and prepared cracker fulana, which is a mini ham and cheese served on saltines. There are more than 20 offerings in the chapter of egg recipes, including eggs malaga style, a souffle with ham, shrimp, peas, and asparagus. Roque also provides several "secrets of a Cuban cook," such as how to clean pig's feet, the easy way to peel a beet, and what to look for when choosing lobster. For adventurous gadget lovers, there is a section of recipes that employ a pressure cooker, while owners of ice cream machines and espresso coffee makers will also find recipes to exploit. (Aug.)