RITZ Ropa Vieja Bites

Name: RITZ Ropa Vieja Bites
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 220 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: ¼ cup oil, divided; 1 beef flank steak (2 lb.); 2 white onions, cut lengthwise into thin slices, then crosswise into 1-inch-long strips; 2 EACH green and red peppers, cut lengthwise into thin slices, then crosswise into 1-inch-long strips; 5 large garlic cloves, minced; 1 Tbsp. paprika; 2 tsp. dried oregano leaves; 1½ tsp. ground cumin; ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; ¼ tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne); 1 bay leaf; 2 cups tomato puree; ½ cup beef broth; 12 RITZ Crackers; ⅓ cup long-grain white rice; 2 Tbsp. black beans; 12 fresh cilantro leaves

Ropa vieja is one of the traditional dishes of Cuba, and with these RITZ Ropa Vieja Bites you can enjoy the flavors of this dish in an appetizer.

Well-being ChoiceLow Sodium

Nutrition Bonus

This traditional dish becomes a flavorful topping for crisp crackers in these tasty appetizers that can help you eat right.

Prep time:

0 min

Total time:

0 h 0 min

Servings:

Makes 4 servings, 3 topped crackers each.

Ingredient list

¼ cup oil, divided
1 beef flank steak (2 lb.)
2 white onions, cut lengthwise into thin slices, then crosswise into 1-inch-long strips
2 EACH green and red peppers, cut lengthwise into thin slices, then crosswise into 1-inch-long strips
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. EACH salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 bay leaf
2 cups tomato puree
½ cup beef broth
12 RITZ Crackers
⅓ cup cooked long-grain white rice
2 Tbsp. rinsed canned black beans
12 fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Heat oven to 250°F. Place oven rack in lower third of oven.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in ovenproof heavy Dutch oven or large cast-iron saucepan on medium-high heat. Add steak; cook 5 min. on each side or until evenly browned on both sides. Remove steak from pan; cover to keep warm.

Add onions and peppers to Dutch oven along with the remaining oil; cook 10 to 12 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon half of the cooked vegetables into bowl; cool, then refrigerate for later use in recipe. Add garlic to vegetables remaining in pan; cook and stir 3 min. Stir in dry seasonings; cook 1 min., stirring constantly. Add tomato puree and beef broth; stir. Bring to boil.

Return steak to pan; spoon vegetables over steak to completely cover steak. Add bay leaf; cover. Place pan in oven.

Bake 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until steak is very tender. Remove pan from oven. Let steak and vegetables stand 15 min. Use tongs to transfer steak to cutting board, leaving vegetables and sauce in pan. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use.

Cut steak lengthwise in half, then use 2 forks to pull steak into shreds. Cut shreds into 1-inch lengths.

Remove and discard bay leaf from ingredients in pan. Use spoon to skim and discard fat from surface of sauce. Return meat to sauce in pan. Add reserved cooked vegetables; stir.

Spoon 1/2 cup meat mixture into saucepan; cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Cool remaining meat mixture, then refrigerate until ready to use as desired.

Cook rice and beans in separate pans until heated through.

Top crackers with rice, meat mixture, beans and cilantro just before serving.

Recipe Tips

Variation
Substitute a boneless beef chuck roast for the flank steak and/or substitute chopped avocados for the beans.
How to Store and Use the Unused Cooked Meat Mixture
The remaining meat mixture can be refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat when ready to use. Serve over hot cooked rice along with black beans and maduros (fried sweet plantains).
Use Your Slow Cooker
After browning the steak and vegetables, you can instead spoon them into a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray; cover. Cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours (or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours). Or, you can cook the steak and vegetables in a pressure cooker for 30 min.