Mimis Vaca Frita Recipes

VACA FRITA (PAN-FRIED BEEF)

Steps:

• Cut 1 onion in half and thinly slice the remaining onion. Set aside.
• Combine flank steak, halved onion, bell pepper, and bay leaf in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until meat is easily shredded with 2 forks, about 20 minutes. Transfer flank steak to a work surface and let cool, about 10 minutes. Strain beef broth and save for another use. Shred cooled meat using 2 forks and place into a separate bowl.
• Mix garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl. Apply paste onto the meat, along with lime juice, olive oil, and sliced onion. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. Working in small batches, spread shredded beef in a thin layer into the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once or twice, until sizzling and crispy, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and serve with lime wedges.

MIMI'S VACA FRITA

Steps:

• 1) De-fat the brisket as much as possible. 2) Cut the brisket into 3" x 3" pieces. 3) Add the brisket to the pressure cooker and add water to cover by 1/2". 4) Add the whole 1/4 onion and a couple pinches of salt. 5) Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. (You may need more time depending on your cooker) 6) Allow to sit for an additional 15 minutes before releasing pressure. 7) Using the meat mallet pound the brisket to separate the fibers then shred. 8) Add the minced garlic to the shredded meat. 9) Add mojo and salt to taste. 10) Allow the meat to marinade for 1 hour. 11) Fry the sliced onions and the beef in 1-2 Tbsp of oil on medium-high until the beef is well browned and slightly crispy.

VACA FRITA WITH A TROPICAL TUBER HASH CAKE AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• For the Marinade:
• Season the meat with cumin and black pepper. Sear it in high heat until nicely browned on all sides in a hot skillet with a touch of canola oil. Reserve.
• Heat the meat broth in a saucepan over low heat.
• Heat a large soup pot on medium heat with the bacon in it. Stir. When the bacon is almost cooked, add the butter. Allow the buttter to melt. Now add the garlic, red onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. Turn up the heat to fairly high. Cook about 10 minutes or until the point where some caramelization has occurred. Now add the broth and the skirt steak. Bring to a boil. Skim off any impurities and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• Strain off the broth through a fine strainer and reserve the meat in a bowl to cool slightly. Discard the vegetables.
• Reduce the cooking broth to a fairly intense consistency and reserve.
• Place each piece of meat on a cutting board and cover it with plastic wrap. Pound the meat with a hammer to cause the meat to separate into strands. Pull the meat apart and put it in a bowl.
• Mix the marinade ingredients together well and add them to the shredded meat. Allow the marinade to season the meat overnight in the refrigerator. The next day: Discard the marinade and allow the meat to warm up a little before cooking it for the second time.
• Heat a large skillet. Add a little light cooking oil and fry the meat in it, stirring well, until crispy and brown. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve the meat in a bowl. "Dress" the shredded cooked strands of meat in a ratio of 17 ounces of meat to 5 ounces of the reduced broth. (Reserve the extra broth to spoon around the hash cake.) Reserve.
• Form the hash cake in the bottom of each serving dish. Top with the Caramelized Onions and the cooked meat. Serve with more of the broth.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Peel, dice, and blanch the sweet potato, bonito, and yucca. Toss with the butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Oven roast until all are easily pierced with a small knife. Place them in a bowl.
• Saute the bacon until it starts to crisp. Add the butter and vegetables and saute. Remove from the heat while still al dente.
• Mix together the roasted garlic, vinegar, parsley, and cilantro. Toss with the roasted potatoes and the sauteed vegetables. Reheat in the oven to order.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When it begins to foam, add the onions and stir well once to coat. Now let it caramelize nicely, stirring and pushing the onions around only a little bit from time to time. When the onions are nicely colored, about 8 to 10 minutes, turn the heat down to medium and cook another 10 minutes.
• Now sprinkle the sugar over them. Stir gently again and let cook for 1 minute. Now add the vinegar and stir 1 last time. Let reduce until almost no liquid remains, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season the onions and remove them to a bowl until needed. Keep warm.

VACA FRITA (SHREDDED BEEF)

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add the bay leaf and meat, reduce heat, cover and simmer 2 hours.
• Drain the meat and let it cool to room temperature on a plate lined with paper towels. Use your hands to shred it along the grain into strips.
• Season the meat with salt and pepper and place it in a shallow, nonreactive dish. Pour on the citrus juices and let it marinate at least 30 minutes. Drain the meat and set it aside.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat until it is almost smoking. Add half the meat and half the garlic; sauté, stirring often, 7 to 10 minutes. Add half the onions and sauté about 5 minutes, until the edges of the beef become crispy.
• Transfer the mixture to a large plate. Repeat sautéing with the remaining ingredients. Serve with rice and lime wedges.