Beef

Ropa vieja (shredded beef with vegetables)

Name: Ropa vieja (shredded beef with vegetables) recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 800g beef flank steak; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 onion; 3 garlic cloves, bruised; Steamed white rice, to serve; 60ml olive oil; 1 onion, thinly sliced; 1 red capsicum, seeds removed, sliced; 1 green capsicum, seeds removed, sliced; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 dried bay leaves; 3 vine-ripened tomatoes; 60g tomato paste; 80ml white wine; Juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges to serve

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by Danielle Alvarez

Jun 01, 2021

“This is Cuban cooking at its best. A cheap cut of beef, turned into something fabulous with the addition of a flavourful sofrito made of onion, garlic, capsicum, tomato and spices. If you master this one, you can cook Cuban food.”- Danielle Alvarez.

800g beef flank steak
1 bay leaf
1/2 onion
3 garlic cloves, bruised
Steamed white rice, to serve

Sofrito

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, seeds removed, sliced
1 green capsicum, seeds removed, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 dried bay leaves
3 vine-ripened tomatoes
60g tomato paste
1/3 cup (80ml) dry white wine
Juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges to serve

Method

1.

Cut flank steak into 3 pieces and season with salt flakes and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes. Place beef in a large saucepan with a lid with the bay leaf, onion and bruised garlic cloves. Cover the beef with a few centimetres of water, place over high heat, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, or until the meat can be easily pulled apart. Remove beef from the cooking liquid, reserving the stock, and use tongs to finely shred the beef. Set aside.
2.

For the sofrito, heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, capsicum and garlic with a pinch of salt flakes. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add the cumin, oregano and bay leaves, and stir to combine.
3.

Cut the tomatoes in half and coarsely grate. Add the tomato pulp, discarding the skins, to the capsicum mixture along with the tomato paste. Stir to combine and cook for a further 5-7 minutes until the mixture is thick and concentrated. Add the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes before adding the beef and 200ml of the reserved beef cooking liquid. Simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the mixture is slightly thickened.
4.

Stir in the juice of 1 lime and check for seasoning. Adjust with salt flakes and black pepper. Serve with steamed white rice and extra lime wedges.