This version of the classic Cuban recipe Ropa Vieja will knock you out sucka. Get it? Ropa Dope Vieja is a bit different from what you may be used to if you are used to Ropa Vieja. I don’t include tomato sauce, which seems to be standard. Instead the gravy is mainly from boiling the meat, a bunch of seasoning and with a couple of squeezes of lime juice to add the acidic tone. It will not have that reddish color that most Cuabn versions do. Also, I replaced the green bell peppers with roasted poblanos and added a jalapeno. Of course I did! How did two Mexican chile peppers make it all the way to Cuba. Fusion baby.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 lbs flank steak
• 4 small bay leaves (don’t freak)
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, halved lengthwise
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 roasted red pimentos, cut into strips
• 2 larger poblano peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 cup Spanish olive oil
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups beef broth reserved from boiling flank steak
• 2 tablespoons Goya Adobo seasoning
• 1/2 lime
• 2 table spoons parsley
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• salt
• fresh ground pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Place flank steak In a large pot. Add 1 half of the jalapeno, 1 half of the onion, 1 of the poblanos, 2 bay leaves (broken in two) and the 2 smashed garlic cloves. Then fill with water to cover contents. Boil for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat easily pulls apart. You may have to add water now and then through this process.

2. When done, remove the meat and set aside to cool. Pour out the liquid through a fine strainer and retain 2 cups of the broth. When the meat is cool, pull apart with the grain to shred.

3. While the meat is cooling you can roast the other poblano over a grill, stove top (if you have a gas stove), or in the oven. The point is to get the skin charred and bubbly but not burnt and totally black. When done allow the pepper to cool, then remove the skin under running water and cut into strips. Go ahead and thinly slice the other half of the onion, and mince the other half of the jalapeno.

4. In the pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the wine, minced garlic, sliced onions, pimentos strips, roasted poblano strips, the other 2 bay leaves (don’t break these), the remaining jalapeno, adobo and the juice of 1/2 lime and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water to dissolve. Add this mixture to the pot and stir to thicken the gravy a bit. It will still be mainly loose, this is not a thick gravy. Taste and add salt and pepper or more adobo to taste. Add the beef to the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes while you cook your rice.

Serves 8

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