The sun filtered through the windows and bathed the kitchen in warm gleams, while the aroma of garlic and lemon began to invade every corner. It was Saturday, and my friends, those accomplices of a thousand adventures, had arrived with smiles and bottles of mango soda. The mission of the day was clear: to recreate the flavor of Cuba in a simple but soulful dish: huevos con mojo a lo cubano.
While Carlos expertly chopped garlic, Laura squeezed sour oranges and lemons, her infectious laughter mingling with the sizzle of oil in the pan. The
mojo
that sauce that is pure Caribbean essence, took shape: golden garlic joined citrus juice, a pinch of oregano, cumin and a dash of pepper. "It smells like heaven!" exclaimed Juan, as he tasted the mixture and adjusted the seasoning with a wink.
In another pan, the eggs cooked slowly, their edges crispy and the yolks glistening like miniature suns. The crowning moment came when the steaming mojo was poured over them, creating a contrast of textures and flavors that promised wonders. To accompany them, the tostones -squashed and twice-fried green plantains- could not be missing, their crunch was music to the bite, along with a mound of white rice and black beans that Ana, the most detail-oriented, had seasoned with a touch of bay leaf.
As we sat at the table, the bustle gave way to a complicit silence followed by murmurs of approval. "This tastes like Cuban grandma," joked Carlos, dipping a piece of tostón into the creamy yolk. Between stories of imaginary trips and future plans, each bite was a trip to Havana: the perfect balance of tangy, tender and crunchy.
