Ropa Vieja

Ingredients:

• 3 lb beef brisket
• 3 TB olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 28-oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups water
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 2 TB dried oregano
• 2 TB cumin powder
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup olives, sliced (Kalamata, Manzanilla or your favorite)
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Place a large roasting pan over a stove top burner on high heat and warm the pan. Add the olive oil. When you see smoke rising from the pan, add the brisket and sear on both sides. Allow the brisket time on each side to become well browned.
Remove brisket from the pan onto a plate. Turn the flame to medium. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. (Add additional olive oil if needed to sauté.)
Add the onions, celery and carrots, and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the peppers and turn the heat back to high. Sauté for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaves, oregano and cumin. Stir all the ingredients together and bring to a boil.
Add the brisket back into the pan (include any drippings that have accumulated on the plate). Bring back to a boil and cover. Place in the preheated oven and allow the Ropa to simmer (not boil) for approximately 2 hours (or until fork tender), turning the meat every 1/2 hour. When the meat is fork tender, remove to a plate to cool.
Add the raisins, olives and peas to the sauce and stir.
After the meat has cooled enough to touch, shred it with your hands and put it back in the pan with all the sauce.
To serve, bring the Ropa back to a boil and serve hot.
 

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