I'm very excited about this new monthly cooking challenge I have joined called Eat the World.
My friend, Evelyne of
Culture Eatz, had posted a recipe in a year long challenge to which she belonged. I contacted her and expressed interest in joining in the fun. Evelyne told me that, unfortunately, that was the last month of the challenge that she had joined.
Then, the next thing I knew, Evelyne invited me to join this group that she started. Each month we will be assigned a different country and on the 10th of each month we will prepare a recipe from the chosen country. You can learn all about it in Evelyne's
information post.
This month we were assigned Cuba. I don't think I have ever made a "Cuba" specific recipe before. I make a lot of Caribbean and Tropical dishes though. The closest I have posted to something Cuban is probably this
Black Beans and Rice recipe, that we eat all the time.
Probably, the most common Cuban food is the Cuban Sandwich that I have enjoyed when visiting Southern Florida. This is a sandwich made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles served on Cuban bread. I was tempted to make it but further investigation told me that this sandwich was actually developed here in cafes where Cuban workers would go to have lunch.
A recipe search for Authentic Cuban Recipes brought me to
this site which led me to
this recipe. I didn't make this recipe LOL but it was the inspiration for the recipe I am sharing with you today.
This recipe is adapted from
this one found at Food&Wine. I used round steak instead of flank steak because it was what I had on hand. I omitted the olives because my husband is not an olive lover. I served this over steamed white rice when I first made it but the leftovers were also delicious used as a stuffing for baked potatoes that I shared on Thursday for our Improv Cooking Challenge.
It doesn't get much easier than prepping everything, putting it into a slow cooker and walking away to live your life for the next 6-8 hrs.
When you are ready for dinner, take a couple of forks or a pair of tongs and shred the meat. It will be falling apart tender so this is a very easy process. I didn't even remove the meat but shredded it right in the crockpot. Then stir in your capers and cilantro and you are ready to serve.
This is a delicious and healthy stew. It takes an inexpensive cut of meat and makes it tender and flavorful. Served over some steamed white rice it makes a perfect and complete one dish meal.
I want to thank Evelyne, once again for starting this fun challenge. I can't wait to see what country we are visiting next month. I am anxious to see the other Cuban recipes that you will find links to at the bottom of this post.
Ropa Vieja in the Slow Cooker
adapted from Food&Wine
2 lb. round steak, trimmed and cut into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1/2 c. red wine
2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced (I used 1 red and 1 yellow)
1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 t. Mexican oregano
1/2 t. cumin
1 bay leaf
2 T. capers
1 T. cilantro paste or 2 T. fresh cilantro
Season the steak with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes (with juices), wine, peppers, onion, oregano, cumin and bay leaf in a slow cooker. Stir to combine. Place the seasoned steak on top, cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hrs.
When ready to serve, shred the meat, using two forks or tongs and stir in the capers and cilantro.
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More Cuban Cuisine
