Pabellón Criollo is a traditional Venezuelan dish consisting of shredded beef sautéed with onions and peppers and served with white rice, black beans, and fried plantains. There are a few other variations; some top off the dish with an over-easy egg and others sprinkle  queso fresco on the black beans. The flavors bind together amazingly and I’m sure you’ll enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Ingredients:

1 1/5 lb. flank steak

water

2 tpsp salt

1 large red bell pepper

1 large green bell pepper

1/2 large onion

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup beef broth reserved from when cooking the flank steak

1 tsp. fresh oregano

salt, pepper, to taste

2 ripe plantains , peeled and sliced

cooking oil

Serve with:

Cooked, white rice

Cooked, black beans

In a large pot, add the flank steak, enough water to cover it, and 2 tbsp. of salt. Cover and cook for 2-3 hours or until the steak is tender. Check on it every hour or so and add more water if needed. Once the steak is tender, remove from heat and set it aside to cool down. Preserve the broth for later use. Once steak has cooled, using your hands, shred it into fine strands. Set aside.

In a large pan, add about one tbsp. of cooking oil. Heat.

Add chopped bell peppers, chopped onions, and minced garlic. Stir and cook until vegetables are soft. Add 1 cup of the beef broth you reserved, tomato paste, and the steak. Stir until well incorporated and bring to a high simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Note: the broth had salt so use caution.  Add fresh oregano. Stir and turn heat off.

Plantains should be sliced thin. In a medium pan, add cooking oil and fry plantains until both sides are golden brown. Remove from heat and place plantains on paper towels to remove excess oil.

You can add a dash of cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the black beans for more flavor but this is optional.

Serve and enjoy!