Pabellón Criollo

Method

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1. Put the beef in a pot with the halved onion, bay and peppercorns, cover with water, and simmer gently 2 hours until it pulls apart easily.

   Mark done

2. Lift it out, cool slightly, and shred it along the grain with two forks. Keep 250 ml of the cooking stock.

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3. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide pan and cook the sliced onion and pepper 8 minutes, then the garlic and cumin for 1 minute.

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4. Add the shredded beef and fry 6 minutes, letting it catch and brown against the base.

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5. Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt and the reserved stock, and simmer 20 minutes until thick and glossy.

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6. For the beans, heat the olive oil and cook the onion 8 minutes, then the garlic and cumin for 1 minute.

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7. Add the beans, water, salt and sugar and simmer 20 minutes, mashing a few against the side to thicken, until saucy rather than soupy.

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8. Heat the frying oil in a pan and fry the plantain slices 2 to 3 minutes a side, until deeply caramelised and soft. Drain on kitchen paper.

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9. Serve on wide plates with the rice, beans, beef and plantain in four separate piles, touching but not mixed.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Black plantains, not yellow. A yellow plantain is starchy and fries to cardboard.
• Fry the shredded beef properly in the sofrito. That browning is where the flavour is.
• Everything except the plantain can be made a day ahead and is better for it.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A fried egg on top, which makes it a caballo
• Cold beer
• Arepas

Storage & Reheating

The beef and beans keep 4 days refrigerated and freeze for 3 months. Fry the plantain to order.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.