Thursday, April 7, 2011

Recipe: Ropa Vieja (aka Old Clothes)





Wow - blogging is hard work! After a brief hiatus, its time to get back on topic - MORE CUBAN FOOD!! As previously noted, Cuban dishes are deep rooted in traditional recipes that leave little room for innovation. This may be a likely reason why Cubans have taken so much creative liberty in the naming of their dishes. In keeping with the theme around Cuban dishes with names intended to confuse and deter, today I present you with Old Clothes. Yup - that is what it is called - Ropa Vieja. Hands down, without a doubt, the holy grail of all Cuban dishes. If I was stuck on a desert island - two things I tell you - two things - Ropa Vieja and Croquetas. This is my dear suegra's recipe. She is one of the best Cuban cooks (Cubans cook - they don't "chef") I know, and just by nature of attempting to transcribe her recipe I have likely angered some Santeria high priests and San Lazaro Himself - Cuban women don't cook from recipes, they cook from the heart. Well worth the wrath of the gods to share this magic with you! Enjoy!
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds of flank steak (aka falda)
  • ½ cup Vino Seco (can be found at Compare Foods)
  • 4 garlic cloves – finely diced
  • 2 small yellow onions – cut into thin long slices
  • 1 green pepper – cut into thin long slices
  • Sazon Completa seasoning (another Cuban pantry staple - also found at Compare) – you will need 1/3 cup and 3 tbsps
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsps olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Wash the steak, place in pressure cooker and cover with 6 cups of water (meat should be submerged)
  2. Add 1/3 cup Sazon Completa and salt
  3. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 30 minutes once the pressure cooker starts to scream at you.
  4. Sofrito time Рsaut̩ garlic in olive oil, add onion and pepper, stirring constantly, cook for 3-5 minutes over medium high heat, until tender and slightly browning.
  5. Add two cans of tomato sauce, vino seco and 3 tbsps of Sazon Completa (I told you it was a staple), continue to stir over medium high heat. Once ingredients have gotten to know each other well, turn heat down and let simmer.
  6. Run cold water over the top of the pressure cooker until no steam is being released, remove top, first ducking for cover.
  7. Remove meat and use two forks to shred. Add meat to sauce and reserve 1 ½ cups of meat broth. Add broth to sauce as well.
  8. Mix well, cover, cook for 5 minutes on medium high heat.
  9. Serve over rice with plantains and some fresh avocado with onion, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper.


Buen provecho!

~Elena

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