FEELING CUBAN - COOKING "ROPA VIEJA"

Skillet & Slow Cooker – "Ropa Vieja" (Cuban-Style flank steak)

"Ropa Vieja, which literally translated, means "old clothes," is a very traditional Cuban plate and pretty easy to make.  I use this same kind of meat to make brisket (flank steak) as well.  This is one way to make "Ropa Vieja." There are many different ways, depending on your taste.

I would love to hear new ways to make this dish. If you have a delicious "Ropa Vieja" recipe, please email it to: MommyWarriorLady@gmail.com and I will choose the best one and feature it on the Mommy Warrior recipe page!

ROPA VIEJA - CUBAN-STYLE

Ingredients  

Original recipe makes 6 servings 

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds beef flank steak
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    
  
  
  Directions:  (via Skillet & Slow Cooker)
  
  
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the  flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
  2. 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 rice and beans if you like.
     

     
     

     
     

     Remember to always cook with: LOVE, so it turns out delicious!

     
     

     

     
     

     
      

ON THE MENU - TUESDAY: CUBAN ROPA VIEJA

If you like eating flank steak, here's a nice twist for dinner, while still using the same kind of meat, "Ropa Vieja" (Cuban-style)  

 Ropa vieja is a Cuban stew-like dish consisting of shredded beef in a tomato-based sauce. Literally translated, it means "old clothes" and refers to the way the beef breaks apart after being cooked (twice.)

<  This is what the meat looks like at the super-market.

The most important thing when making "ropa vieja" is time! NOTE: The beef may be marinated in cooking wine overnight beforehand, which will help tenderize it.

  

Ingredients  

Original recipe makes 6 servings  

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 pounds beef flank steak
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    
  
  
  Directions:  (via Skillet & Slow Cooker)
  
  
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
  2. 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 rice and beans if you like.
     
   

ON THE MENU: CAMARONES ENCHILADOS (Cuban-Style)

I remember growing up, that delicious smell on a Saturday afternoon when my mom & dad would cook  Cuban-style creole shrimp (camarones enchilados, if you are Cuban!) And yes, my parents cooked together, although the enchilado part was kind of my dad's specialty!  I remember how he use to put me to work by peeling the shrimp that we purchased from a guy on a truck selling seafood.  When I think about that today, I would never buy seafood from a guy in a truck, but back in the day, growing up in Hialeah, we knew the guy and we knew he was a fisherman and all his seafood was fresh.

I figured this would be a great recipe to make my kids since they love shrimp. Now, all I have to do is convince my husband to get involved and he will give it the "creole" part since he loves cooking with spice.

I found a Shrimp Creole recipe that comes slightly close to my dad's recipe!

Camarones enchilados recipe
1 1/2 lb shrimp (21-25 per pound size), peeled, de-veined, peels reserved
1/2 tsp salt
1 T plus 1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 8-oz can low sodium tomato sauce
1 cup jarred red pimentos, and their liquid
1 T white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup fresh peas
1/4 cup fresh parsely, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste.

1. In a small saucepan, saute the the shrimp peels in heated olive oil over medium high heat for about (5) minutes. Add 3/4 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain the broth into a bowl and discard the shells. Set broth aside.
2. In a caldero or 4-inch deep large saute pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, green bell peppers, oregano, cumin and bay leaf. Saute, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not caramelized.

3. Stir in wine and let reduce for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and the shrimp shell stock, the peppers and their liquid, vinegar, and Tabasco sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Add the peeled shrimp and fresh peas, cover and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until shrimp turns pink and curls slightly. (Be careful not to overcook them; they can turn rubbery if overdone.)

5. Stir in the parsley and let cook for another minute or 2. 

Serve over a bed of white or brown rice. I of course, prefer white rice!  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Camarones a la Criollo is a tasty mix of shrimp and sweet tomato sofrito sauce served over rice. It is a quick and fail safe recipe. One of the things I like about typical Cuban foods like this recipe is that you don’t have to use a lot of seasonings or spices, because every thing is simple and made with ingredients that grow naturally.

Read more at http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/shrimp-creole-3#yoDerewhs0cgYiUA.99