Ropa Vieja con Arroz Amarillo (Old Clothes with Cuban Rice)

There is a Cuban restaurant in New Orleans that Michael and I used to love called Liborio.  It is a small little place with wonderful food and very, very strong coffee.  We haven't been there in about 8 years, but the food apparently made a lasting impression.  Ropa Vieja (or, Old Clothes) was what we both loved.  It came with rice and these amazing fried plantains.  I have not attempted to fry up my own plantains, but as for the rest...

We have now had it two nights in a row, and I think there is enough for one more night.  Although Emilia may not be very happy to see it grace the table again for awhile.  However, she was more than delighted with the Natilla de Chocolate that followed — that would be homemade chocolate pudding, which happens to be heaven.  I will not include the recipe for Natilla de Chocolate here because the editor for my cookbook ought to be shot on sight (or is that site?  I don't really know my sayings).  Anyway, the ingredient list is completely out of whack — supposedly it serves 6 and calls for a gallon of milk.  As I still consider you polite company, I will not tell you how many profane words I muttered as I stood in the kitchen trying to salvage said dessert — which I managed with finesse, if I do say so myself.

Also, a word of warning.  I had assumed that Cuban cooking would be a rather inexpensive endeavor.  I was wrong.  Flank steak from Whole Foods (yes, it is organic, but not grass fed) currently costs $14 a pound.  On the bright side, this recipe will feed your little family for a few nights — if you are anything like my little family.  In fact, if you throw in a dessert in at the end, you may just want to start off the evening in a pair of comfy sweats — as my jeans must have shrunk a size or two while sitting at the table.

And a note on the Cuban rice:  Following the heels of the pudding disaster, I was very suspicious of the rice recipe.  I've completely changed the measurements from those in the cookbook.  Alex Garcia says it serves 4, and you are supposed to use 4 cups of rice with 6 cups of water.  I used 2 cups rice to 3 ½ cups water, which works fantastically well, and still serves more than 4.
     

Ropa Vieja
Serves 4-6

One 2 ½ lb flank steak, cut in half lengthwise
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, sliced
2 white onions, cut into strips
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced fine
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced fine
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup dry sherry
2 cups canned whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large pot, combine the steak, bay leaves, carrot, one of the onions, and the oregano.  Cover with water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for an hour to an hour and a half.  Remove the meat from the pot and let it cool a bit.  Then cut the meat into 2-inch pieces, and, using your hands, shred it.

In a large skillet, pour in your olive oil and then cook the remaining onion, bell peppers, garlic.  After they begin to soften, add the sherry to deglaze the pan.  Then add the tomatoes and cumin and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the shredded meat and simmer for another 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with Cuban Rice (recipe follows).

Arroz Amarillo (Cuban Rice)
Serves 4

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 Spanish Onion, diced
2 cups white long-grain rice
3 ½ cups water
salt, to taste
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon bijol (turmeric)

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saucepan.  Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften.  While this is cooking, rinse your rice thoroughly — unless your package of rice advises you not to do so.  Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat.

Add the water to the pan and bring it to a boil.  Season well with salt, add bay leaves, and bijol.  Simmer for about 20 minutes on very low heat with the lid on.  Once most of the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat and let it sit a few before putting into your serving dish.  (Recipes from: In a Cuban Kitchen by Alex Garcia.  Running Press, 2004.)