Another Cuban influence in the Canaries, this tasty dish is inadequately named Ropa Vieja which translated means old clothes. Very popular in Canarian households its a good way of using up leftovers from a dish called Puchero which is another type of stew. I suppose its the same idea in the way we would make Bubble and Squeak from the leftovers of a roast. It has become so popular that most people now do make it as a dish and not wait until they have leftovers. There are 2 main ingredients usually shredded beef and chicken and sometimes pork or maybe all 3 meats. Added to the meat you will normally find garbanzo beans, tomato sauce and boiled potatoes.
What you will need
- 1 large can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (you could also soak dried beans the night prior, but I find it easier to buy good quality canned beans)
- About one pound (half a kilo) of beef
- About one pound (half a kilo) of chicken
- 2 links of chorizo (optional)
- About two pounds (one kilo) of potatoes
- 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Smoked Spanish paprika (about 2 teaspoons)
- Black pepper
- Cloves (about 3)
- Bay leaf
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Cover the chicken and beef with water and bring to a boil
- Simmer until cooked through, remove and let cool
- Shred the meat and add to a large frying pan filled with a splash of hot olive oil
- Add the garbanzos to the pan and fry the shredded meat and garbanzo beans
- Once crispy, remove from pan and set aside
- In the same oil (you may need to add a bit more) add the chopped onion, pepper, tomato, and garlic
- Once the sofrito (fried vegetables) is cooked down, add 3 cloves and some black pepper
- Add two teaspoons of paprika, the white wine, broth, and bay leaf
- When simmering, add back in the meat and garbanzos and bring to a simmer
- Add the diced potatoes and cover for 15 minutes while simmering (a more traditional way is to fry the potatoes separately, but this is a bit more healthy)
- Uncover after 15 minutes and allow to simmer until the potatoes are cooked through