Shredded Flank Steak with Tomato Sauce

A friend of my husband passed and we need comfort food today;-(

2 pound flank steak
1 16oz can tomato sauce
2 green pepper cut into half moon pieces
2 onions cut into half moon pieces
1 large jar sliced pimientos, about 1/2 cup
4 chopped garlic cloves
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon páprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt

In a deep pot boil water with salt, add steak, lower temperature to low and cover. Cook for 2 hour. Reserve one cup of water, drain meat and let it cool. Meanwhile in a deep pot over medium high heat olive oil, add green pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. add tomato paste and sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the rest of ingredients including reserved water and cook for 5 minutes. With a fork shred meat into long and thin strips and add into sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with white rice, beans and plantains. Serves 8

This dish is called Ropa Vieja in spanish and is very popular in Caribbean Cuisine. Coqui!

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Balsamic Steak

6 filet steak pieces
1 cup balsamic vinegar
6 crushed gariic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil- sliced
1/2 cup fresh italian parsley- sliced
salt and pepper

Marinate steak for 30 minute with all ingredients but salt. Season with salt and cook in any hot grill or pan for 3 minutes per each inch thick, per side for medium rare. Let it sit for 5 minutes and serve.

*If you love balsamic vinegar on you steak!

Italian Style Meatballs

Today I continue to use what I can find at home so I can start a fresh refrigerator and pantry for the new school year. This is what I came up with and it turned out YUMMY!

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
3 minced garlic cloves
2 eggs
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup good quality parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

For Sauce;
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 small onion cut into small pieces
1 28oz can italian crushed tomatoes or plain crushed tomatoes adding a tablespoon of italian spices
salt and pepper

In a bowl mix meatballs ingredients very well. In a deep pan heat olive oil over medium and cook onions until translucent. Add garlic, cook for 3 minutes stirring accordingly. Pour tomato puree and stir. Make meatballs using an ice-cream spoon. Throw them in the tomato broth, cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Serve with pasta

Pork Chops with Pear/Blueberry Sauce – Recipe

8- pork chops
4- pears cut into thin pieces
15- blueberries
4- tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2- tablespoon olive oil
4- tablespoon lime juice. I use fresh limes
1- teaspoon cinnamon
1-teaspoon mustard seeds
1- cup apple cider vinegar
1- whole clove
3- tablespoon honey
1/4- cup gold raisins
1- teaspoon red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl mix the pears, blueberries and lime juice. In a pan over medium, mix the vinegar, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, clove, raisins and salt to taste. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the pears and berries and cook 15 minutes. Set aside. Season the chops with salt and pepper and cook in a skillet with olive oil over medium high until brown. About 3-4 minutes each side. Serve with sauce on top. Serves 8
Tip: if you do not want the pears to change color just add the blueberries after the sauce is done.

*Fruits and pork always a good match!

Great with white rice on the side. COQUI!

Lite Traditional Shepherd's Pie

For the mashed potatoes
4 pounds cooked potatoes
4 tablespoon lite butter
1/4 cup fat free heavy cream (supermarkets usually have it with the milk)
1 cup 2% white cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

For the filling
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 yellow onions cut into small pieces
2 carrot cut into small pieces
2 celery stalk cut into small pieces
4 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tablespoon worcestershire
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper

Preheat oven 400 degrees. In a pan heat olive oil over medium, saute onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt and pepper for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add turkey, beef, tomato sauce and paste and cook for 4 minutes. Add stock, worcestershire and cumin and simmer for 8 minutes. Mix peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour into rectangular baking dish.
Mash boiled potatoes with all ingredients and pour on top of mixture. Bake for 15 minutes then change to broil and cook until crispy, around 5 more minutes

*This recipe is an inspiration from my irish friend in Palos Verdes!

Shepherd's Pie with a twist

1 tbsp Extra Virgin olive Oil
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cup diced carrot
6 oz med size cremini mushrooms chopped into 6ths
1 tsp Penzey minced garlic (rehydrate) or 1 1/2 clove minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp flour
2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. ground lamb
1/2 cup good red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped italian flat leaf parsley
2 cups frozen peas

Optional – 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls, unrolled and cut into 8 pieces.
Mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In large sauté pan add extra virgin olive oil and butter and bring heat to speed. Add onion, carrot and mushrooms and sautee until onion translucent and veggies cooked, about 8 minutes.

Add garlic and rosemary salt and pepper and continue to sauté another minute.

Add flour and tomato paste, stir and cook another minute until well incorporated.

Add wine and simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. This develops a rich flavor in the meat.

Add beef stock, worcestershire sauce and parsley and continue to cook another 3 or 4 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Add peas and continue to simmer another 8 minutes stirring gently to keep peas in shape. Taste and add a sprinkling of more salt and pepper if needed.

Transfer meat mixture into a casserole dish and put into oven for 12 minutes if using crescent rolls. Pull dish from oven and add the pastry pieces to the top and cooking another 18 minutes or so or until pastry is golden brown.

If using mashed potatoes, spread potatoes onto the meat mixture and bake in 400 degree oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Arroz Vago

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup cooking ham cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup gold raisins
1/2 yellow onion cut in half moon pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon capers
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 green pepper cut into small pieces
1 small spanish chorizo cut into thin round pieces
1 10oz can corn
1 15oz can french onion soup
1 15oz can chicken stock
1 15oz can mix vegetable (peas, carrots, green beans and etc….)

Cook the ham over medium high stirring until crispy. Add olive oil, capers, green pepper, onions, garlic, plenty salt and pepper, cook until onion start to turn color. Stir ground meat, raisins and tomato paste, cook for 5 more minutes and take out of the heat. In a 13 x 9 baking dish spray the bottom with PAM. Then start to lay the ingredients one layer at a time.
1. rice
2. meat
3. vegetables without liquid
4- can of onion and chicken soups
5- chorizos
Cover with foil paper and place it in the oven for one hour over 350. Lower the oven to 325 and continue to cook for 30 more minutes or until rice is done. Serves 8

*This is my favorite rice growing up. COQUI!

Picadillo

School started this week, it’s hard to start a new routine. I was in the mood for comfort food! Picadillo is perfect

1 1/2 pounds organic lean ground beef
1 onion cut into small pieces
1/2 green pepper cut into small pieces
5 minced garlic cloves
3 olives cut in circles
1 teaspoon capers
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup your favorite vegetable (for me carrots or corn)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and fresh black pepper
1 boil egg cut into pieces

In a pan heat olive oil over medium high. Cook onion, green pepper and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir tomato paste, add meat, season with salt, pepper and cumin, cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add wine, olives, capers, raisins, vegetable, stir, cover, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Top with egg and serve over white rice.

Steak with Onions

4 steak fillets
2 yellow onions cut into half moon pieces
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon worcestershire
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
1/2 cup meat broth

In a small sauce pan over medium cook the broth, tomato sauce, vinegar, worcestershire, mustard and black pepper. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. In another pan or grill cook the steaks for about 6 minutes each side and set aside. In the same pan pour the oil and cook the onions until golden brown. Pour sauce over onions and cook for few more minutes. Pour on top of steaks and serve. Serves 4

*pair it with any kind of potatoes or rice. COQUI!

*This is a very traditional dish in Puerto Rico!

Pink Beans, Smoked Ribs Stew

2 cans drained pink beans
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 big yellow onion cut into pieces
1 jalapeno peppers cut into small pieces(seeds removed)
1 green pepper cut into pieces
6 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 oregano leaves cut into pieces
1 pound smoked but not fully cooked ribs
3 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper

In a deep pot heat oil over medium high and saute onions, peppers, garlic salt and black pepper for 5 minutes, stirring as needed. Add tomato paste and stir. Add tomato sauce, stir and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add oregano, ribs and chicken broth. Bring to boil, stir and cover. Lower to medium low and cook for 20 minutes. Add beans and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes. Serve with rice or corn bread on the side. Serves 6-8

*The flavor of smoked ribs is delicious and powerful!