“Old cloths” is the literal translation of ropa vieja. The Cuban dish is made with leftover meat or flank steak that has been simmered several hours until it falls apart into strings. Any shredded meat boiled or fried can be used for this dish. As long as it is cooked with a traditional sauce of onions, garlic, green peppers and tomatoes, it’s a ropa vieja.
For this quick version, I cut the steak into paper thin slices and sauteed it first. Then I added it to the sauce for a few minutes for the steak to absorb the sauce flavor. The result is a dish that takes a fraction of the time to prepare, but still has the feeling and flavor of the traditional long cooked dish.
Helpful Hints:
— Any type of quick cooking rice can be used in the recipe.
— Diced fresh onions and green bell pepper can be found in the produce section of the supermarket.
Countdown:
— Make rice.
— While rice cooks, prepare and cook meat dish.
Shopping List:
To buy:1/2 pound beef tenderloin steak, 1 large can whole tomatoes*, 1 bottle dried oregano, 1 bottle or can sliced pimentos, 1 package microwaveable brown rice, 1 container fresh diced onion, 1 container fresh diced green bell pepper, 1 small bunch carrots
Staples: olive oil spray, minced garlic, salt, black peppercorns.
* Look for low-salt canned whole tomatoes.
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PAN-FRIED ROPA VIEJA (FLANK STEAK IN TOMATO SAUCE)
1/2 pound beef tenderloin steak
Olive oil spray
1 cup fresh diced onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 teaspoon minced garlic crushed
1 cup fresh diced green bell pepper
1 3/4 cups canned low-salt whole tomatoes with juice*
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup drained, sliced pimentos
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cut meat into paper thin slices with the grain. Heat a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Saute meat about 2 minutes, turning meat to make sure all sides are browned. Remove to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. In same pan, saute onion and carrots 3 minutes. Add garlic and green pepper and continue to saute for a further 5 minutes, stirring as they cook. Add whole tomatoes and oregano. Break up whole tomatoes with a spoon as they cook. Simmer 5 minutes.
Return meat to the pan. Mix well. Add pimentos and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 1 minute. Serve over rice.
Yield 2 servings
Nutritional analysis per serving: 301 calories, 81 calories from fat, 9 g total fat, 3.1 g saturated fat, 3.6 g monounsaturated fat, 72 mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium, 28.5 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g dietary fiber, 14.1 g sugars, 29.5 g protein
Exchanges: 5 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat
BROWN RICE
1 package microwaveable brown rice (to measure 1 1/2-cups cooked)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Microwave rice according to package instructions and measure 1 1/2-cups cooked rice. Reserve remaining rice for another meal. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Ropa Vieja.
Yield 2 servings
Nutritional analysis per serving: 180 calories, 23 calories from fat, 2.6 g total fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 0.8 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 11 mg sodium, 29.3 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugars, 3.8 g protein
Exchanges: 2 starch
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(From “Mix ‘n’ Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes” by Linda Gassenheimer, published by the American Diabetes Association. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. Gassenheimer’s latest book is “Delicious One-Pot Dishes,” published by the American Diabetes Association. To order either book call 1-800-232-6733 or order online at www.shopdiabetes.org)
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