Ropa Vieja
This story was created by our partners at the Heavy Table, a weekly culinary newsletter dedicated to covering the best food and drink of the Upper Midwest. Back them on Patreon to receive four distinct email newsletters focused on dining, the restaurant business, spirits, and home cooking: http://www.patreon.com/heavytable
OLD CLOTHES
This Cuban favorite is savory, sustaining, and freezes like a charm.
By James Norton
James Norton / The Cookbook Test
Ropa Vieja, a dish that famously translates as “old clothes,” tastes a lot better than it sounds. It’s soothing and complex, with meaty umami supported by herbal depth and the brightness of tomatoes, red peppers, and white wine. Like carnitas or puerco al pastor, it’s deceptively deep - what looks like a pile of meat is absolutely woven through with interesting depth, and while it’s great with beans or rice or tucked into a tortilla plus fixings situation, you can eat it straight up with no regrets.
I’ve found that it freezes well, too - give it a few days to thaw out in the fridge, rewarm it in a saute pan, and you’re off to the races. It’s delicious with plain rice, but if you’ve got time and energy, you can kick it up into a complete, satisfying main meal with a rice and beans dish like Moros y Cristianos.
This recipe is adapted from The Cuban Table, by Ana Sofía Peláez.
James Norton / The Cookbook Test
ROPA VIEJA
For Braised Beef
2 pounds flank steak or brisket cut into 4 pieces
1 large yellow onion, quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 small red cabbage, quartered
1/2 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed 1 inch above stems, tender leaves reserved for garnish
2 sprigs fresh spearmint
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp whole allspice berries
1/2 tsp whole cloves
Place all ingredients for braised beef in heavy 4-5 quart pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, covered, until beef is tender - 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Remove pot from heat, and cool beef in broth. Drain and set aside 1/2 cup of the broth and reserve remaining broth for future use. Remove beef when cool enough to handle and shred by hand. Set shredded beef aside.
For Ropa Vieja
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 large pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup reserved broth from Braised Beef (from above)
1 1/2 cups canned tomato puree
1/4 cup dry white wine
Reserved Braised Beef (from above)
1 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
Fresh flat leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, chopped
Mash garlic with salt, black pepper, allspice, and cloves to form a paste; use a mortar and pestle or cut finely and smash with a knife.
Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic paste to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 2 more minutes.
Add reserved broth, tomato puree, and wine, and return to a simmer. Stir in shredded beef, reduce heat to low, and cook covered for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the roasted red peppers and adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and serve over white rice.