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Monday, April 5, 2010

"The Cook" Ropa Vieja



In the spirit of the upcoming TAPS play, The Cook, we made a Ratty version of a Cuban dish, Ropa Vieja, which according to Epicurious means "old clothes," describing the shreds of meat, peppers, and onions resembly a mess of colorful rags.

Here's a blurb about the play:
It is 1958 and Fidel Castro is coming to power in Havana. Gladys's employers flee the country, but Gladys promises her mistress that she will protect the house and keep it for their return. Over the course of the next four decades in one kitchen in Cuba, Gladys proves her loyalty and discovers its high cost.

It opens on Thursday April 8 and continues next weekend. Tickets can be bought here: brown.edu/tickets. Go see it!

"The Cook" Ropa Vieja
rice
diced red and green bell peppers
braised beef tips, shredded
1 sliced pepperoncini
olives, diced
stewed tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato sauce (for pasta)
1 banana, sliced
dash of cinnamon
2 tsp olive oil
a few small lettuce leaves
lemon wedge (lime is traditional)

1. Combine rice with bell peppers.
2. Combine bell peppers, pepperoncini, beef, olives, tomatoes, and tomato sauce and microwave to blend the flavors.
3. Combine banana, cinnamon, and olive oil and microwave (this is a desperate attempt at fried plantains)
4. Plate the rice, beef, and bananas garnished with lemon wedge and lettuce leaves on the side.