Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja is a classic Cuban dish that MDS and I often enjoy at Cuban restaurants, especially at Cafecito. Recently, while enjoying a delicious Ropa Vieja sandwich, it occurred to me that this dish could be easy to make at home. The name of the dish translates to old clothes because the meat is shredded and looks like fibers, but don't let the name dissuade you from giving it a try.

When I made this recipe, I used chuck roast, but other cuts of beef could be used, such as flank steak. Ropa Vieja is often served with rice and black beans. But it also makes a great sandwich, just be sure to use a bread that can soak up all the juices.

Ropa Vieja 

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2 onions, thinly sliced 
• 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced 
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. dried oregano 
• 2 tsp. ground cumin 
• 2 tsp. paprika 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 
• 1 cup beef broth 
• 16 ounces crushed tomatoes 
• optional: about 8 manzanilla Spanish olives

Heat olive oil in a pot over high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Then transfer to a plate. Add the onion and peppers to the pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, and paprika. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Mix in the beef broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Return the beef to the pot. Simmer while covered for two hours or until the beef is fork-tender. Transfer the beef to a plate and shred. Return shredded beef to the pot. Stir in the olives. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Bohemian Cheese Noodles

This time of year, Mom's garden has all sorts of produce available, including the fresh parsley that I used for this recipe. Mom's parsley is quite flavorful, so this dish was delicious. I recall this recipe from when I was a kid, but I don't remember the parsley, possibly because Mom used dried parsley rather than fresh parsley. But what I remember most from this recipe is the cottage cheese. When I was young, I did not like cottage cheese, but now I like it. So I really enjoyed this recipe. And it is such an easy side dish, so you should give it a try, especially if you have fresh parsley on hand. But even dried parsley would work just fine.

Bohemian Cheese Noodles 

• 8 oz. egg noodles
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 pound cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1Tbsp. chopped parsley

Cook the noodles as directed on the package. Drain. In the sauce pan, melt the butter and add salt and pepper. Return noodles to saucepan. Blend cottage cheese and milk; add to noodles. Mix lightly and simmer in a covered saucepan for 3-4 minutes. Turn out into a serving dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Hoisin Mint Sauce

In late summer and early fall, Mom's garden produces so much mint. Because I love mint, I am always looking to find new ways to use the fresh mint. Recently, Mom found a bunch of mint recipes in Chicago Tribune, so she saved the page for me. This sauce was one of the recipes. I used this sauce primarily as a salad dressing, but it could be used as a marinade and sauce for meat or vegetables. I did use the sauce to marinate and glaze roasted Brussel sprouts. The sauce is easy to make and lasts about a week in the refrigerator.

Hoisin Mint Sauce 

• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. ginger paste
• 6 Tbsp. finely chopped mint

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least an hour before use. Serve on you favorite salad, meat or vegetable. Enjoy!