Steal This Recipe® Ropa Vieja

From Chef Mario Garcia, Cuba Restaurant, NY

‘Stolen with permission’ from Chef Mario Garcia of Cuba Restaurant, New York, this delicious recipe is easy to prepare and will satisfy even the most discerning taste buds!

For 10 years, Cuba has been capturing the spirit of Old Havana with live Cuban music, swaying palms, tropical fruits, strong signature mojitos and daiquiris, and authentic cuisine. It’s a singular and charming escape, a Little Havana on Thompson Street. Oversized automobiles and curvaceous dancers moving to a salsa beat are just some of the images of Cuba conjured and captured in the colorful paintings that decorate the exposed brick walls.

At a table in the hammock-draped Terrace Room, you can watch the resident cigar maker hand-rolling Cuban-style cigars, or you can hang out in the subterranean speakeasy-like Hemingway Hideaway, or the intimate Family Room, which is ideal for group dining.

The staff at Cuba restaurant is like a family, which has created an atmosphere of fun, friendliness and all-around Cuban hospitality!

About the chef: Chef Garcia trained under Chef David Martinez of the world famous Hotel Nacional in Cuba, and has been the longstanding chef at Cuba restaurant in New York City. Together with owner Beatriz de Armas, the two have become a dynamic team encompassing the quality, tradition and essence of the Cuban sabor. They have collaborated on a menu that not only expresses Cuba's primary culinary influences from African slaves and Spanish settlers, but also includes other, complementary Latin flavors.  

Ropa Vieja is served for $20 at Cuba Restaurant. This recipe makes one restaurant serving.

Cuba
222 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012
212.420.7878

Ropa Vieja Ingredients:
1 lb skirt steak
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp tomato sauce
1/4 onion, sliced
1/2 green and red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp mojo criollo
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp red wine
Salt

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions:
Place skirt steak in a pot of water and bring to a boil. 
Add some bay leaves and salt for extra flavor. 
Allow to simmer for about 2 hours until the beef is cooked and tender. 
Remove the beef and set aside to cool. 
Shred the skirt steak by hand. 
Place the shredded skirt steak in a sauté pan with a “sofrito sauce” which is a sautéed mixture of onions, green and red bell peppers, garlic and a touch of red wine and salt. 
As the meat is heating up, add oregano, one bay leaf, cumin, cilantro, and black pepper. 
Braise the meat in the mixture and allow to simmer for 60 minutes. 
Serve with rice and black beans and enjoy!