Dining In: Brighter colors of fall

For October, we’ve created a Cuban-inspired menu that is equally appropriate for a crowd or a casual family dinner. This is a fun fall meal that is comfort food Cuban style. It is also easy to prepare in advance and to serve before heading out to trick-or-treat.

We start off this meal with our take on a Caipirinha. It’s a cocktail made with light rum, lime and sugar and served over ice. In other words, it’s a mojito without the mint. The traditional Brazilian version uses the sugar cane-based cachaa, which can be found at local shops like Bin Q Liquor. Tracey’s husband David has given it his own spin by omitting the sugar and serving it with ginger ale. The bite of the ginger ale gives this drink a bold flavor—it is still a refreshing drink but is a little more full-bodied for the fall weather.

Picadillo is a savory Spanish dish made of ground meat, tomatoes and spices like cumin, paprika and red pepper. What make this dish differ from, say, chili is the addition of green olives and raisins. The salty, briny flavor of the olives along with the sweetness from the raisins lifts this dish to the next level. Picadillo is usually served over rice, but it is versatile enough to make a great filling for empanadas. We included an easy empanadas recipe that uses flaky biscuit dough right out of the refrigerator.

In addition to the Picadillo, we have a recipe for a traditional and bright Cuban Salad, which combines fresh pineapple, avocados, red onions and peppery arugula. The pineapples are marinated in a lime and cumin dressing that adds a unique blend of savory and sweet flavors to the fruit.

To finish off the Cuban-inspired menu, we suggest a Pumpkin Flan topped with a Pepita Praline. It sounds fancy and is sure to wow your family and friends, but it’s really simple. This cross between pumpkin pie and flan is a delicious way to end this fall meal.