Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Ropa Vieja Stew w/Mashed Sweet Potato

Print Friendly and PDF
"Cuisine at Home" is my favorite cooking magazine.  I've tried many others but they just don't measure up.  Cuisine also has some great cookbooks, and I just received "Soups, Stews, and Chilies".  Tonight for dinner I tried my first recipe; as expected, it was awesome!

4 strips thick-sliced bacon
1.5 pounds flank steak (or london broil), cut into 3 pieces and seasoned w/salt, pepper
1 medium-large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano chili, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup masa harina
1 bottle beer
2 cups beef broth
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup sliced green olives w/pimiento
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt to taste

** This is a very slight variation on the original ingredients due to what I had on hand. 
** London Broil is currently half the price of flank steak, so that's what I used

Preheat oven to 375.  Cook bacon in a large ovenproof pot (I use a porcelain enameled cast iron dutch oven) over medium high heat until crisp; transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.  Brown steak in drippings, about 5 minutes per side; remove and set aside.  Add onion, chiles and bell pepper; saute until beginning to brown, 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cook 2 minutes, then stir in masa harina and cook 1 minute.  Deglaze pot with beer; simmer until nearly evaporated, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pot.  Add broth, bring to a boil, then return steak to the pot; cover and braise in the oven until fork-tender, about 1 hour (mine took 1.5 hours).  Remove steak from the pot, shred with 2 forks, then add back to the pot with reserved (chopped) bacon, beans, olives, oregano, and cumin.  Simmer 5 minutes, season with salt.  Serve with mashed sweet potato.

Mashed sweet potato
2 lb. sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 Tbls unsalted butter
1 Tbls brown sugar
4 Tbls half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper to add a bit of spice, if desired

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, 10 - 15 minutes.  Drain and place in bowl of mixer with butter and brown sugar.  Mix until potatoes start to mash.  Add half and half and seasoning.  Continue mixing until creamy.

Update: This is even better the 2nd day!!

~ Enjoy ~

No comments:

Post a Comment