Today we are highlighting a recipe from our newest cookbook! UPF and UF Press rights assistant Milo Brooks made Jackfruit Ropa Vieja from Ana Quincoces’s Modern Cuban.
Milo’s comments:
I settled in this week to make the Jackfruit Ropa Vieja recipe and it was incredible. The recipe is so easy to follow even if you’re working out of a rinky-dink apartment kitchen. The acid of the tomato is bright, the cook time leaves the vegetables soft but still toothsome, and the addition of soy sauce adds in the full-bodied umami you need after removing the beef. It was torture to leave it to rest for the flavours to marry, but so worth it. I really enjoyed cooking it and I will be using the recipe again in the future.
Jackfruit Ropa Vieja
Ana Quincoces writes: I just adore ropa vieja—I order it almost every time I eat at a Cuban restaurant. I love it with white rice and black beans all mixed together on one plate. The name, which means old clothes, really doesn’t do the dish justice and may intimidate some people from trying it. Therefore, I recommend that you not translate its name for any of your non-Spanish-speaking friends. Just tell them it is one of those Spanish terms that do not translate well. If they don’t buy that, at least wait until after they take a bite to divulge the name of this classic Cuban dish.
Serves 4 to 6
- 1 medium onion
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 5–6 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup canned tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ bay leaf
- 1 (20-ounce) can green jackfruit
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (for gluten-free variation, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce)
- Small handful fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Cut the onion lengthwise in half and remove the peel. Cut each half lengthwise into slices so you get lots of onion strips. Remove the seeds and membranes from the bell pepper and cut into strips. Cut the jalapeño into strips (I leave the seeds/membranes for heat). Mince enough garlic to get 1 tablespoon.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron if you have it) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and tomato sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, the onions should be softened. Allow the tomato sauce to thicken and caramelize for another 5 minutes. During the final few minutes, you will need to stir frequently to prevent the sauce from burning. Stir in the salt, cumin, and the half bay leaf and cook for another minute, until the onions are browned. Stir in the peppers and garlic and reduce the heat to low.
- Drain the jackfruit and shred or chop it finely. Add the jackfruit and vegetable broth to the skillet and stir. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and simmer until the sauce thickens. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the soy sauce and taste for salt.
- This tastes best if made several hours or a day before serving to allow flavors to marry. Top with cilantro at serving time.
The Florida Bookshelf 