Spanish Beef Stew
Instructions:
- Unlike most stews, this one starts with a whole piece of meat, which is shredded after cooking. A vibrant mix of bell peppers, chiles, and cinnamon gives it a distinctive flavor. Serve over rice, if you like.
- 1 beef flank steak (13â„4 pounds)
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 cups water
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 red pepper, cut into 1â„2-inch strips
- 1 yellow pepper, cut into 1â„2-inch strips
- 1 green pepper, cut into 1â„2-inch strips
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
- 3 serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
- 1â„4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 can (141â„2 to 16 ounces) tomatoes capers for garnish
- Cut flank steak into thirds. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat steak, chopped onion, carrot, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 21â„2 to 3 hours, until meat is very tender. Remove Dutch oven from heat and let steak stand, uncovered, 30 minutes. (Or, cover and refrigerate overnight.)
- In 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil overmedium-high heat.Add sliced onion, peppers, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic, chiles, and cinnamon and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes with their juice; cook 5 minutes.
- Remove beef to bowl; strain broth. Reserve 2 cups broth. (Reserve remaining broth for use another day.)With 2 forks, shred beef into fine strips.
- Stir reserved 2 cups broth and shredded meat into pepper mixture and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Sprinkle with capers to serve.
- P R E P 45 minutes
- C O O K 3 hours 30 minutes
- MA K E S 6 main-dish servings