Ropa Vieja

Name: Ropa Vieja
Yield: makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil; 2 to 3 pounds flank steaks, split in half lengthwise (with the knife held parallel to the cutting board); Salt and black pepper to taste; 2 bay leaves; 1 yellow onion, halved (unpeeled), each half stuck with a clove; 5 garlic cloves; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 large yellow or white onions, thinly sliced; 1 or 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch strips; 4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, or one 8-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped; 3 tablespoons capers, soaked if salted, drained if in vinegar; Lime wedges for serving; Tabasco or other hot sauce for serving

December 14, 2011

“Old clothes” may not sound that appetizing, but it’s one of those overcooked, funky, juicy, tender dishes you can’t stop eating (at least I can’t). And the only thing even remotely difficult about it is shredding the steaks into the ropy strands that give Ropa Vieja its fanciful name. Still, it’s not you-can-do-it-wrong difficult; it’s just a bit of an upper-body workout. You could cut the recipe in half and cook one steak, but with a dish that takes this long and keeps as well as it does (you can refrigerate it for a few days or even freeze it), I think this is a sensible amount. As a bonus, when you braise this much meat you end up with at least a quart of rich, dark beef stock, redolent of bay and cloves—perfect for cooking Arroz a la Mexicana (page 517)—which, not coincidentally, is a perfect side dish for Ropa Vieja. A couple of preparation notes: green bell peppers are a bit more traditional here, but I prefer to make Ropa Vieja with the sweeter red bell peppers. You choose. Cutting the steaks in half to make two thin steaks (hold the knife parallel to the cutting board) is a bit of a challenge, but if you freeze the steaks for about 30 minutes first, the firmer flesh will make it easier. Take your time, but don’t worry about doing too good a job—you’re going to shred the meat anyway.

Recipe notes