“This is a delicious showstopper. When Cubans make this, it is likely they would use rock lobster which is more readily available and cheaper in that part of the world. I have adapted it for Australians as prawns and scallops are a little less of a splurge here. Serve this with congri, a little sliced avocado and lots of the parsley sauce.” - Danielle Alvarez. You will need kitchen string for this recipe.

“This is a classic, simple, authentic recipe and, in my opinion, it cannot be improved. Cuban bread, roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, mustard and lots of butter... that’s it. This sandwich is one of the country’s greatest culinary contributions to the world for good reason. I hope you give this a try.” - Danielle Alvarez. Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

“This is Cuban cooking at its best. A cheap cut of beef, turned into something fabulous with the addition of a flavourful sofrito made of onion, garlic, capsicum, tomato and spices. If you master this one, you can cook Cuban food.”- Danielle Alvarez.

“Congri is one of my ‘death row’ dishes. Beans cooked together with rice, sofrito and a little bacon are so utterly delicious I find it hard to have just one serve. You do need to cook your own beans from dry, though, so don’t try to swap with canned beans – the texture just won’t be right.” - Danielle Alvarez Begin this recipe at least 6 hours ahead.

“Pastellitos are a typical treat for Cuban kids and adults alike. I love the caramelised sugar-coated puff pastry. They are served with queso crema (cream cheese) and guava paste, but here I have used pineapple which is more readily available. However, if you ever do find guava paste, I recommend trying it in these pastries.” You will need a piping bag for this recipe. - Danielle Alvarez.

“This classic mojito recipe has the sugar dialled down as I don’t like very sweet cocktails. But there’s just enough sweetness to balance the flavours.” - Danielle Alvarez.