Cuban Braised Beef

CUBAN BRAISED BEEF

Ingredients for 6 portions:

• 1 flank steak (about 900 gr to 1 kg)
• 2 teaspoons  sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• cayenne to taste
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, or can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 or 3 bell peppers, sliced 
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 cup pimento stuffed green olives, sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions:

1. Cut the steak in half and season with salt, pepper and cayenne on both sides
2. Heat the olive oil in a big deep pan and brown the steak pieces on both sides on high heat 1 by 1
3. When well browned, remove from the pot and set aside.
4. Add the onion, garlic cloves and salt to the same pot and fry for a few minutes to soften them
5. Add ground cumin, paprika, oregano, some cayenne, ground cloves and all spice and stir fry for 1 minute
6. Pour in the white wine, chopped tomatoes and chicken stock and stir to mix it up
7. Add the beef back, add more salt, bay leafs and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hrs
8. Remove from heat and let it cool, refrigerate the entire pot overnight
9. Next day take pot out of fridge and remove beef from the pot and keep aside
10. Turn heat to medium high and get the sauce to simmer
11. Tear the beef into strips of about 1 cm wide
12. Add the sliced bell peppers and some more paprika to the pot
13. Add the capers, olives and shredded beef
14. Mix it up and simmer
15. Add the sugar and turn heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 minutes
16. Turn off heat and add chopped cilantro or parsley
17. Serve