MELON:

Melon in season: cantaloupe, Crenshaw, casaba, honeydew or other; sliced or balled

 

PORK MOJO:

Pork shoulder or pork roast, approximately 3 lb.

12 oz. mojo criollo marinade

4 oz. mojo criollo barbecue sauce

 

Place roast in a deep dish, cover with marinade for 4 hours or longer; turn occasionally. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pork can be cooked either on a rack over a pan to catch drippings or placed in a deep casserole type dish with marinade. Basting with marinade, approximately every 30 minutes. Cook roast for 30 minutes per lb. until thermometer registers almost done.

 

For the last 5 minutes, pour barbecue sauce over top of roast, raise heat to broiling and brown top of roast. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

 

PLANTAINS:

3 ripe plantains, sliced diagonally

1 stick butter

 

Melt butter in large skillet or pan on medium heat, add plantains and fry on both sides until tender and slightly brown, approximately 10 minutes. Drain on paper towel.

 

COCONUT RICE:

2 cups long grain rice

34 oz. can grated coconut in heavy syrup

1/2 cup raisins

1 tbsp. sugar

2/3 cup water

 

Place contents of can in pot with water, sugar and raisins; bring to boil, add rice, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If too thick or too dry, add small amounts of water.

 

APRICOT FLAN:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

3/4 cup finely ground walnuts

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. almond extract

Sugar

Salt

8 egg yolks

1 (17 oz.) can apricot halves, drained

1/4 cup apple jelly

 

In a large bowl with mixed at low speed, beat flour, walnuts, butter, cinnamon, 3 tbsp. sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt and 2 egg yolks until well mixed.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat mixture into bottom and side of fluted 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom or into 10-inch spring form pan (pat mixture only 1 inch up side of pan). With fork, prick bottom of crust well. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

 

In 2-quart saucepan, stir milk, cornstarch, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and boils, about 5 minutes; remove pan from heat.

 

In small bowl with wire whisk, beat remaining 6 yolks; stir in small amount of hot milk mixture. Slowly pour yolk mixture into milk mixture; stirring rapidly to prevent lumping.

 

Return saucepan to heat; cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture thickens and coats spoon; do not boil. To check thickness, lift metal spoon from custard and hold up 15 to 20 seconds; spoon should not show through mixture when it is correct consistency.

 

Stir in almond extract; cover the custard surface with waxed paper; refrigerate 30 minutes until mixture is cool but not set. Pour cooled mixture into cooled crust, refrigerate until custard is completely set, about 4 hours.

 

To serve: Remove side from pan, transfer flan to large flat serving dish. Arrange apricot halves on top of custard. In 1quart saucepan, melt apple jelly; brush melted jelly over apricots.