Today we’re off to Cuba—an island where Spanish, African, and Caribbean traditions intertwine into a vibrant, hearty cuisine. We’re cooking two iconic dishes that Cubans eat daily and serve at every family celebration.
🥩 Ropa Vieja
Cuba’s legendary shredded beef dish, simmered until the meat literally falls apart into fibers ("old clothes"—that’s what the name means). Tender meat strands in a spiced tomato sauce with bell peppers and onions—a calling card of Cuban cuisine.
Ingredients:
• Beef brisket or chuck roast — 800 g
• Yellow onion — 2 medium
• Bell pepper (red and yellow) — 1 each
• Garlic — 5 cloves
• Crushed tomatoes — 400 g (1 can)
• Tomato paste — 2 tbsp
• Dry white wine — 150 ml
• Beef broth — 300 ml
• Bay leaf — 2
• Ground cumin — 1 tsp
• Dried oregano — 1 tsp
• Smoked paprika — 1 tsp
• Olive oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt, black pepper — to taste
• Fresh cilantro or parsley — small bunch
Instructions:
1. Cut the beef into large chunks (about 7×7 cm), rinse under cold water. In a large pot, bring 2 liters of water to a boil, add 1 tsp salt, bay leaves, and the beef. Simmer over medium heat for 1.5–2 hours, skimming foam regularly. The meat is done when it pierces easily with a fork and starts to fall apart into fibers. Remove the meat, let it cool for 10 minutes, then shred it by hand or with two forks along the grain. Strain the broth and reserve 300 ml for the sauce.
2. Slice the onion into thin half-rings (2–3 mm thick). Seed the bell peppers and cut into long strips, 5–7 mm wide. Mince the garlic into a paste.
3. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft and slightly golden at the edges. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Add the bell pepper strips, stir, and cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Pour in the white wine, increase heat to high, and let the wine reduce by half (2–3 minutes)—the alcohol should nearly evaporate, leaving just a tang.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes (mash them with a fork first), tomato paste, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Pour in the 300 ml of strained broth. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. The sauce should thicken and turn a rich red-orange.
6. Add the shredded beef to the sauce, stirring thoroughly so every strand is coated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer, covered, over low heat for another 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meat should absorb the sauce completely and become exceptionally tender, the sauce—thick and velvety.
7. Remove from heat, let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve with white rice, fried plantains (or slightly underripe bananas, pan-fried in oil), and black beans. In Cuba, this dish is eaten with your hands, wrapped in a thin tortilla.
💡 Fact: Ropa Vieja came to Cuba thanks to Spanish colonists from the Canary Islands. Legend has it a poor man tore up and boiled his old clothes to feed his family—and the gods turned the rags into tender meat. Today, it’s Cuba’s national dish, cooked for every celebration.
🍗 Arroz con Pollo
Cuba’s classic take on "rice with chicken"—a fragrant one-pot meal where rice cooks alongside chicken in a saffron-tomato sauce with vegetables. Bright yellow-orange, packed with flavor, and juicy meat in every bite.
Ingredients:
• Chicken thighs and drumsticks — 6 pieces (about 900 g)
• Long-grain rice — 400 g
• Yellow onion — 1 large
• Bell pepper (green and red) — 1 each
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Crushed tomatoes — 200 g
• Tomato paste — 1 tbsp
• Chicken broth — 750 ml
• Dry white wine — 100 ml
• Green peas (fresh or frozen) — 150 g
• Pitted olives — 100 g
• Saffron or turmeric — pinch (0.5 tsp)
• Ground cumin — 1 tsp
• Dried oregano — 1 tsp
• Bay leaf — 2
• Vegetable oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt, black pepper — to taste
• Fresh cilantro — small bunch
• Lemon — 1 (for serving)
Instructions:
1. Rinse the chicken pieces, pat dry with paper towels, and rub with salt, black pepper, and half the cumin on all sides. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to evenly distribute the spices.
2. In a wide, deep skillet or braising pan (at least 28 cm in diameter) with a thick bottom, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Place the chicken pieces skin-side down and sear for 4–5 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Don’t move the chicken while searing—it should stick slightly. Flip with tongs and sear the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.
3. Dice the onion into small cubes (5×5 mm). Seed the bell peppers and cut into the same-sized cubes. Mince the garlic or press it. In the same skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion for 5 minutes until translucent, then add the peppers and garlic. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly. The vegetables should soften and release their sweetness.
4. Add the tomato paste, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine, let it bubble and reduce by half (2 minutes). Add the crushed tomatoes (mash them first), remaining cumin, oregano, saffron (or turmeric), and bay leaves. Stir and simmer for 3 minutes. The sauce should turn a rich orange-yellow and thicken.
5. Rinse the rice under cold running water in a sieve until the water runs clear (3–4 changes). This removes excess starch and prevents clumping. Add the rinsed rice to the skillet with the sauce, stirring so every grain is coated. Pour in the chicken broth, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat.
6. Once boiling, return the chicken to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the rice (skin-side up). Add the green peas and olives, distributing them evenly across the surface. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 25–30 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring. The rice will absorb all the liquid, becoming fluffy, and a light golden crust (socarrat) will form on the bottom.
7. Check for doneness: the rice should be tender but not mushy, all liquid absorbed, and the chicken should fall off the bone easily. Remove from heat, let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, serve straight from the skillet, and drizzle each portion with lemon juice. In Cuba, this dish is traditionally served with fried plantains and avocado salad.
💡 Fact: Arroz con Pollo is the result of blending Spanish paella with African culinary traditions brought to Cuba by enslaved people. Every Cuban household passes down its own version of the recipe—some add capers, others raisins—but the foundation always stays the same.