Zarela Martinezs Ropa Vieja Recipes

ZARELA MARTINEZ'S ROPA VIEJA

Steps:

• Cut the flank steak in half horizontally so it will fit into a large Dutch oven. Place it in the pot and cover it with the water. Add the six whole cloves of garlic, along with the peppercorns and salt as desired. Place over low heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the Dutch oven and continue cooking over low heat, turning the meat occasionally, until it is tender and well done, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• While the meat is stewing, heat the broiler. Rinse and dry the peppers. Arrange them in a broiler pan about four inches from the flame. Roast them, turning frequently, until they are evenly blistered and charred on all sides. Transfer to a paper bag, seal it and let the peppers sit until cool enough to handle.
• Remove the cooled peppers from the bag and slice off the top of each. Scrape out the seeds and slip off the skins with your fingers (wear rubber gloves if your hands are sensitive). Slice each pepper lengthwise into strips an eighth of an inch wide. Set aside.
• When the meat is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let the meat cool in its own broth. When it cools enough to handle, remove it from the broth and place it on a cutting board. Slice the meat across the grain into strips about two inches across. Using your fingers, pull the meat into fine shreds. Return it to the cooking broth.
• Heat the lard or other fat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until it is rippling. Crush the sliced garlic cloves and add to the hot fat. Saute for one minute, stirring frequently. Add the sliced onion and saute, stirring frequently, until it is somewhat soft, about three minutes. Add the reserved pepper strips to the pan and continue sauteing and stirring for about two minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers, onion and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook the meat mixture, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the flavors are blended, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the meat hot, rolled up in heated flour tortillas.

SHREDDED FLANK STEAK AND ANAHEIM CHILE STEW (ROPA VIEJA)

Steps:

• Place the flank steak in a large deep saucepan or Dutch oven with 6 unpeeled garlic cloves, the unpeeled white onion, peppercorns, and season with salt. Add cold water to barely cover and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook covered, until the meat is tender, about 1½ hours.
• Remove from the heat and let the meat cool in its own broth. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat into long strings with your fingers or with two forks. Strain the broth, return the shredded meat and strained broth to the saucepan.
• Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until rippling. Crush the remaining garlic cloves with the flat of a knife blade, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sliced white onion and cook, stirring often, until somewhat softened and transparent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chiles, and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
• Add the onion-chile mixture to the shredded meat along with the cumin and Maggi sauce and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-low heat until the meat is heated through and the flavors are blended.

CUBAN ROPA VIEJA

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.

ROPA VIEJA (CUBAN BEEF)

Steps:

• Cut flank steak in half across the grain. Mix salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Season both sides generously with the salt mixture.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over high heat. Add steaks and cook until outsides are well browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove steaks to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add red onion, garlic, and more of the salt seasoning. Cook and stir until starting to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cloves, and allspice. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Pour in white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth.
• Return beef and accumulated juices to the pot. Season with salt and add bay leaves. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beef is almost fork-tender, not falling apart, about 2 hours.
• Remove pot from heat and let stew cool to room temperature, at least 45 minutes. Refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight, for best results.
• Remove beef to a plate and set stew over medium heat. Tear beef along the grain into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-wide shreds; place back in the stew. Add bell peppers, poblanos, smoked paprika, capers, olives, and sugar. Stir together and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until peppers are soft and meat is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat, remove bay leaves, and stir in cilantro.

MARGARITA'S CUBAN ROPA VIEJA

Steps:

• Brown the flank steak and then transfer to crock pot or deep roast pan.
• Sautee' green peppers and when softened, add onion, and garlic and seaxonings.
• Once softened, add tomatoes. Stir together and pour over flank steak.
• Add red wine to mixture and stir inches Flank steak should now be fully submerged in the sauce.
• Cover and heat to boiling. Reduce afterwards to simmer and cook for an hour, occasionally stirring the Ropa Vieja.
• After an hour, remove the meat from the liquid and let sit for ten minutes.
• Taking two forks, create super stringy strips out of the flank steak by scraping and moving the forks through the meat. The meat will naturally separate into stringy pieces.
• Return the stringy flank steak back to the liquid,.
• Add raisins, green olives and sugar. Simmer covered another twenty minutes.
• Serve on a bed of rice. http://www.cubancuisine.co.uk.