I’m going to spend a week with my sister Amy and her family in Colorado Springs next month. She has the luxury of an extra freezer so we’re going to do some major make ahead cooking followed by some major freezing. One of the dishes I'm planning is Ropa Vieja – a Cuban pulled beef stew that tastes better than it looks. They call it old clothes for a reason, it took a while to find a somewhat appetizing photo.
I love it regardless of how it looks. It couldn’t be easier to make, especially if you have a slow cooker. And it has some great flavors that are probably common in other households but not so much at the White house. It’s always nice to have a change of pace.
But most importantly from a cooking ahead perspective, it’s one of those two for one dishes. The recipe makes enough for at least two meals - you can serve it with rice (or pasta) for dinner one night and then use it as the filling for enchiladas later in the week. Note that I do not claim that the enchiladas are even close to authentic, but they are tasty.
I’m looking forward to my visit with Amy, I hope she’s got a lot of freezer containers.
Recipe for Ropa Vieja in the comments.
2 comments:
2 lbs beef flank steak
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz can tomato paste
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 large red bell peppers
1 large sweet onion
2 medium yellow onions
1 TBS Adobo seasoning
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1. Mix vinegar, garlic, seasonings and tomato paste in a small bowl
2. Place beef in a 4 quart slow cooker and cover with tomato paste mixture. Add enough water to reach the top of the beef. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours
3. In the interim, core and slice the peppers into ½ inch wide strips. Peel and cut the onions in half. Cut each half into ½ inch slices.
4. At the 8 hour point, remove beef to a bowl and shred, discarding any large bits of fat. Add the pepper and onion slices to the bottom of the slow cooker. Return the shredded meat on top and cook for an additional 2 hours.
I've been stocking up on freezer containers each time I grocery shop. :) We'll be ready!
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