Lisa Eberhahn, Challenge 4
Today I prepared Ropa Vieja with Cauliflower Tortillas and Baked Plantains with Savory Cashew Sauce.
Beef chuck can be a tough cut of meat, so I chose to braise it. This cooking method ensures the meat stays moist and yields melt in your mouth tenderness. I wanted a cozy Sunday dinner but not a typical pot roast. This Cuban dish was just that. It is packed with flavor and is even better as a leftover.
Cauliflower is a trendy vegetable right now and is fun to experiment with. I, like a lot of people these days, make pizza crust with it. I thought, why not a tortilla. While it was tempting to add garlic, spices, or cheese, I wanted a nice mild tortilla to go with the bold flavors of the Ropa Vieja.
I was surprisingly pleased with the cashew butter in my sauce. I worked on a few different variations and found that the buttery jalapenos complimented it perfectly. I made a savory version of bananas foster. The cashew butter was a fun ingredient to cook with.
Cooking with beer … I have nothing else to say other than delicious!
Everyone in my family loved this dish. We filled our bellies and spent the rest of the day watching football.