The best food in Cuba can be found in paladares, small private restaurants generally run out of family homes. From Old Havana to Santiago de Cuba, these tiny, hard-to-find places are acclaimed for the bold flavors and fresh ingredients found in a wide range of tempting dishes, from the homey sopa de tamal to the exotic green mango-chayote escabeche.
The dishes from Cuba’s paladores have been collected in Cuba Cooks: Recipes and Secrets from the Cuban Paladares and Their Chefs, co-authored by Guillermo Pernot, an award-winning restaurateur and chef-partner at Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar. Discover the island’s delicious cuisine at a lunch specially prepared and presented by Chef Pernot, featuring dishes served at his hot Penn Quarter restaurant.
Cuba Cooks (Rizzoli International Publications) is available for sale and signing.
FEATURED LUNCH MENU
Canapés
Tapa de Salmón
Mojito-cured salmon, piquillo allioli
Buñuelo de Espinaca
Spinach fritters, goat cheese ranch dressing
Ropa Vieja de Pato
Braised pulled duck with sweet peppers, grilled onions, and Hawaiian tostón
Entrada
Papa Rellena
Potato croquettes filled with goat picadillo, served with sweet guajillo pepper sauce, crispy onions, and Manchego crema
Principal
Pez en Salsa de Coco
Pan-roasted corvina in a fresh coconut milk–cilantro sauce
Para la Mesa
Ensalada de Calabaza
Steamed West Indian calabaza squash, Spanish olive oil
Puré de Boniato
Double-whipped white sweet potato, ginger, and peppers
Postre
Flan de Queso
Cheese flan, candied guava
