Cubanisimo!!!

We just got back from a Rossi-Lanni-Gallo family reunion in sunny (read: steamy, humid, buggy) Panther, Pennsylvania. On the way home from PA, we spent the night in NYC. While Joe said that this was because the trip to Panther was equidistance from landing in Newark, NJ or NYC, i know the real reason that we traveled through NYC.
In a word; Victor's.

Yes, we made our travel plans so as to be able to go to a Cuban restaurant, so great is my honey's love for the Cuban cuisine.

We had a great meal with Joe trying everyone's (mine was the bestest!). He and Christian found (again) that they love Ropa Vieja so, upon our return to NM, i had to make it.

See, two years ago for Christmas, Alessandra gave me a cookbook. Not just any cookbook but "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen: More than 200 Classic Recipes". Every tiime that i've made something from this book, it's been a success. Flan. Roasted Steak. Cuban Bread. Beef and Plantain Stew. Fried Plantains. So, i had to think that the Ropa would be yummy too.

I always make recipes exactly as their written the first time and then "improve" them the following times, per the guidance of the diners. Below is the original recipe with my additions in (parenthesis).

ROPA VIEJA
2 1/2# flank steak, cut in half
2-3 bay leaves.
1/4C Spanish olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
1 large green pepper, sliced thinly
1T chopped garlic
14oz canned tomatoes
1/2C cooking sherry (or not...)
salt/pepper to taste
(1/2C green olives, chopped)
(1/2C liquid from green olives)

1/2C chopped, drained pimientos for garnish (or not)
1/2C drained canned early sweet peas (definitely not!)

place beef and bayleaf in large pot with water to cover, bring to boil and simmer for 60-90 minutes, remove meat from stock (reserve stock for soup later in the week?), allow meat to cool and shred with two forks
saute oil, onion, green bell pepper and garlic in large pot, 6-8 minutes, to tender, add tomatoes, sherry and beef, cook uncovered for 15 minutes
serve with white rice


(i boiled the beef, shredded and dumped all in the crock pot on HIGH for one hour then LOW for 6-8 hours--house smelled great!, served with rice the first night and in a sandwich on hollowed out french bread with roasted red bell pepper-- yummy!!)

I also made sauteed plantains although you could use bananas instead. Just make sure to use the absolutely greenest, firmest bananas possible, saute in butter and salt. They cook to a sweet creaminess that is a good contrast to the sharp earthiness of the shredded beef.

Give it a try and let me know? Always open to changing/improving a recipe!
xoxo-- the Cuban Ropa Vieja cooking vegetarian!