Recipes

Preheat broiler to high; coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss chiles, tomatoes, and peppers in oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange on prepared baking sheet; broil 15 minutes, or until chiles and peppers blister. Steam them 15 minutes, then peel and chop; peel and chop tomatoes. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare Beer Braised Brisket. Trim the surface fat by sliding a sharp knife underneath the silverskin, making a “tab.” Hold the tab and slice off the fat and silverskin. Crisp bacon in a large (16 qt.) Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove bacon, leaving drippings in pot; increase heat to medium.-high. Brown both sides of seasoned beef in drippings about 5 minutes per side; remove. Medium-high heat is the key to good browning. Deglaze pot with onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme, bay, and peppercorns; return beef to pot. Add broth and beer; bring to a boil. Cover pot, place in the oven, and braise 1 1/2 hours. Turn beef over and braise an additional 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Remove meat from broth and keep warm. Strain broth into a saucepan, discarding solids, and bring to a boil. Shred beef. Saute onion in oil in the braising pot for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Stir in strained broth and vinegar; bring to a boil. Mash butter and flour for the beurre manie together with a fork until combined. Whisk beurre manié into broth by teaspoons; boil until thickened. Add half the chiles, peppers, and shredded beef; simmer 5 minutes. Combine remaining chiles, peppers, onion, parsley, lime juice, oil, capers, and honey for the salsa. Serve Ropa Viejo with warm tortillas, Poblano Salsa, and limes. For the Vegetables— Toss in 2 T. Olive Oil; Broil: 4 poblano chiles, halved, seeded 3 Roma tomatoes, cut length-wise into thirds, seeded 2 red bell peppers, halved, seeded Salt and pepper to taste For Beer Braised Brisket— Crisp; Remove: 4 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1 Brown; Remove: 1 beef brisket (2 1/2 lb.), trimmed, seasoned with pepper Deglaze with: 3 cups onion, chopped 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced 1 cup celery, chopped 2 T. minced garlic Stir in: 12 sprigs parsley 4 sprigs thyme 2 bay leaves 1/4 t. black peppercorns Add: 1 can (14 oz.) low-sodium beef broth 1 bottle (12 oz.) stout beer For the Ropa Viejo— Shred: Beer Braised Brisket, above Saute in 1 T. Olive Oil; Add: 1 cup onion, chopped Broiled tomatoes 1 T. garlic, minced Strained braising broth 2 T. red wine vinegar Whisk in; Add: Beurre manié, below Half the broiled chiles and peppers For Beurre Manié— Combine; Whisk in: 1 T. all-purpose flour 1 T. unsalted butter, softened For the Poblano Salsa— Combine: Remaining chiles and peppers 1/2 cup red onion, diced 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 3 T. fresh lime juice 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil 2 T. capers, drained, chopped 1 t. honey Serve with: Warm flour tortillas Poblano Salsa Lime wedges