Today, we're going to prepare Ropa Vieja (old clothes in Spanish), the national dish of Cuba.

 

This dish dates back to the Middle Ages of Spanish Sephardim, a loose adaptation of a dish that remains popular in southern and central Spain. Traditionally, it was a way to stretch the leftovers of stews such as puchero or cocida, both of which are garbanzo-based dishes as is the original Spanish version of Ropa Vieja. This dish was later taken to Cuba where the Cubans made it their own.

 

Best served with a side of rice and black beans.

 

Ingredients:

- 1.5 pounds / 0.68 kg chuck ask your butcher to cut it taller than wider so you get long strands of beef along the grain.

- 0.75 large yellow onion thinly sliced

- 0.75 of each large green red and yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

- 3 cloves garlic minced

- 1.5 tsp / 4.14 g dried oregano

- 1.5 tsp / 4.21 g ground cumin

- 1.5 tsp / 4.73 g teaspoons sweet paprika

- 0.75 tsp / 2.11 g smoked paprika

- 0.09 tsp / 0.25 g ground allspice

- 0.09 tsp / 0.25 g ground cloves

- 1.5 tsp / 8.88 g kosher salt

- 0.38 tsp / 0.64 g freshly ground black pepper

- 0.38 cup / 90 mL dry white wine

- 0.75 cup / 177.44 mL chicken broth

- 12.75 oz / 361.45 g can crushed tomatoes

- 5.25 oz / 148.84 can tomato paste

- 1.5 bay leaves

- 0.75 large carrot cut in half

- 0.75 large stalk celery cut in half

- 0.75 cup / 101.25 g green olives, rinsed and drained (you can slice them if you prefer)

- 0.38 cup / 52.5 g roasted red peppers drained

- 0.19 cup / 36 g pimientos drained

- 1.5 tbsp / 14 g capers rinsed and drained

- 0.25 cup / 15.5 g chopped fresh parsley

 

Steps:

1. Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Heat a little oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Once very hot add the beef and brown generously on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate. (Do not discard the drippings and blackened bits in the pot, they are key to the flavor.)

3. Add the sliced vegetables to the pot and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute. Add the white wine and bring it to a rapid boil, deglazing the bottom of the pan (scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan).

4. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Return the roast to the pot along with the pieces of carrots and celery. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fork tender and falls apart easily. Discard the celery, carrots and bay leaves or keep them in if preferred.

6. Transfer the beef to a plate and shred it. Return the shredded beef to the pot.

7. Stir in the olives, roasted red peppers, capers and pimientos. Simmer uncovered to thicken the sauce for 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.