Pabellón Criollo

Ingredients

• 800g beef flank or skirt, in one piece
• 2 litres water
• 1 onion, halved, for the broth
• 3 bay leaves
• 300g dried black beans
• 300g long-grain white rice
• 3 ripe plantains, very black-skinned
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 200g white cheese such as queso llanero or feta, crumbled (optional)

Before you cook

• Soak the black beans in cold water overnight, then drain.
• Chop the onions, peppers and garlic and divide them into two piles, one for the beans and one for the beef.
• Peel the ripe plantains and slice them lengthways into long strips about 1cm thick.
• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.

Steps

1. Put the beef in a large pot with the water, halved onion, bay leaves and 1 tsp salt.
2. Bring the pot to the boil, then simmer gently for 90 minutes until the meat pulls apart easily.
3. Lift the beef out and reserve 400ml of the cooking broth.
4. Let the beef cool for 15 minutes, then shred it along the grain into long thin strands with two forks.
5. Put the drained black beans in a second pot with 1.2 litres of fresh water and simmer for 75 minutes until tender.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook one pile of onion, pepper and garlic for 8 minutes.
7. Stir that sofrito into the beans with 1 tsp salt and simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid is thick and glossy.
8. Cook the rice with 550ml water and a pinch of salt, covered, for 18 minutes, then leave it to stand.
9. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide pan and cook the second pile of onion, pepper and garlic for 8 minutes.
10. Add the shredded beef and fry for 5 minutes so the strands take on colour.
11. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, cumin, black pepper and the reserved broth.
12. Simmer the beef uncovered for 25 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat rather than pooling around it.
13. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a clean frying pan over a medium heat.
14. Fry the plantain strips for 3 minutes a side until deep brown and caramelised.
15. Spoon rice onto each plate and set the beef, beans and plantain around it in their own separate areas.
16. Scatter over the crumbled white cheese if you are using it and serve.