Ropa Vieja is the most distinctive dish of Cuban cuisine. It is called like that because the meat is broken into strands and looks like old clothes.
However, the origin of this dish is not in Cuba; it was originated in Spain as a way to use leftovers. More specifically, it comes from the Canary Islands, where it still bears the same name.
The dish is made with meat that has been used to prepare cocido. The cut of meat used is beef flank, which is ideal because it has well-defined fibers and easily pulls apart into strands.
Ingredients:
- 600 grams beef flank.
- 1 tablespoon of salt.
- 1 cup tomato sauce.
- 1 cup red wine.
- 4 cloves of garlic.
- 2 onion.
- One piece of leek for the broth.
- One piece of onion for the broth.
- 1 clove of garlic for the broth.
- 1 bone for the clove.
- Rice as a side dish.
- 2 bay leaves.
- 1 tablespoon paprika.
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
- 1teaspoon oregano.
- 1/2 red pepper.
- 1/2 green pepper.
- 1 avocado.
- 1 plantain.
Method:
1- First, we cook the meat and make the broth. We put the meat into a pressure cooker along with a piece of onion, a garlic clove, a piece of leek, a bone, two bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and a tablespoon of salt.
We set the pressure cooker to high heat, and once steam starts to go out, we lower it to minimum heat and cook for 1 hour.
2- Once cooked, we take out the meat and set the broth aside to make a soup at another time.
Using two forks, we shred the meat.
3- We slice the garlic, chop the onion into small pieces, and cut the peppers into thin strips (julienne).
4- In a pan with oil, we sauté the onion, garlic, and peppers until the onion becomes translucent and the peppers are slightly soft.
5- This is when we add the meat and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
6- We add a cup of tomato sauce, a cup of wine, and a cup of broth. We also season with salt and pepper to taste and add a tablespoon of paprika. Cook for about 5 more minutes.
7- The meat is ready, it is served with diced avocado, sliced and fried plantains, and rice. To prepare the plantains, I used an air fryer, the same way I make French fries, and they turned out quite crispy.
8- We prepare the rice as usual, sautéing a garlic clove and half an onion until they are translucent. Then we add a cup of rice and two cups of water, season with salt, and let it cook for 15 minutes. After that, we let the rice rest, covered with a cloth, for 5 more minutes.
You can also watch the recipe at my Youtube Channel:
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Bandera: Por Miguel Teurbe Tolón and Narciso López - Geometry and dimensions from Ley no 42 "de los Símbolos Nacionales".Its shape is rectangular, twice length than width, composed by five horizontal stripes having all the same width, three deep blue and two white, placed alternating. A red equilateral triangle, in one of its vertical extremes occupy all the height of the flag constituting its fixed edge. Such triangle bears in its center a five-pointed white star, within an imaginary circumference, whose diameter is a third of the flag´s height, having one of its points towards the free upper edge of the flag.— English translation of Law 42 from Symbols of the Cuban Nation, Dominio público, Enlace
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