Hi, everyone, happy November! Here in Wisconsin the trees are bare, but it’s mild and pretty. Kids are into the swing of school (but still complaining) and Thanksgiving is around the corner. Here in Blazeland, however, we are not stressing over turkey and cranky relatives, but enjoying a hot tango beat while we dine with our equally hot Latin lover.

Last month we started with mojitos and mango pomegranate guacamole. We’ll keep this on the casual side with a one-dish meal from Cuba, ropa vieja. I had this in a restaurant in a quite different but equally delicious form from the one that follows, so I’m not sure if it’s typical, but this recipe from Cuisine at Home magazine introduced me to the fabulous combination of flavors and I am hooked. The dish manages to be complex and pure comfort food at the same time. Perfect for fall.

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients and steps. I’ve made the ropa vieja a day ahead up to after you stir in the masa harina and simmer 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate, then the day you’re serving, mix with bacon and vegetables (keep them separate so the bacon doesn’t sog), reheat and top with the biscuit dough. Give it a try! You can serve it as is (all food groups represented!) or add a simple green salad on the side. Best of all, leftovers still taste great the next day.

Enjoy!

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Ropa Vieja Pot Pies

4 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced
2 cups onions, diced
2 cups red bell peppers, diced
1 cup poblano chiles, seeded, diced
1 cup anaheim chiles, seeded, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs flank steaks, trimmed (seasoned with salt and pepper)
1 bottle beer (12 oz)
2 cups beef broth
1 T chili powder
1 T dried oregano leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup masa harina
2 cups roma tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup pimento stuffed olive, halved
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Line a baking sheet with foil.

Saute bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Saute onion, bell peppers, chiles and garlic in bacon drippings until beginning to brown, 8 minutes; transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Cut flank steak into thirds and sear until browned, about 5 minutes per side.

Stir in beer, such as lager, broth, and seasonings; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered 45 minutes.

Remove steak from pan, shred with 2 forks, and set aside.

Whisk masa into broth, bring to a boil and simmer to thicken slightly, 10 minutes.

Stir in reserved beef, vegetables, & bacon with remaining ingredients.

Divide filling among six 2-cup ovenproof dishes or ramekins (I put it in one shallow baking dish), transfer to prepared baking sheet and top with biscuit topping.

Biscuits

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup masa harina
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 T unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Whisk flour, masa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl until combined.

Cut in butter until pea-sized using a pastry blender or food processor, then stir in cheese and scallions (don’t use food processor for that).

Blend milk and sour cream in a small bowl, then stir into flour mixture just until combined. Top each pot pie with 3 golf ball-sized scoops of biscuit topping, or spoon mixture in small gobs onto baking dish.

Bake until biscuits are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving to set up.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Isabel Sharpe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.