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Ropa vieja canaria
Ropa vieja canaria: Canarian fry-up of chickpeas, shredded beef and chicken, potatoes and peppers
The 'old clothes' of the name are the leftover meats from Sunday's puchero, shredded and fried the next day with chickpeas, potatoes, peppers and tomato; it is a different dish from the Cuban ropa vieja, and on the islands it is Monday lunch and a fixture of bar menus in Las Palmas. Some versions include pork; this one uses beef and chicken, poached from scratch if you have no leftovers. A splash of white wine is common; it is optional and the dish is complete without it. Chef's tip: fry the chickpeas until a few catch and crisp, because those browned bits make the dish.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the meat
For the fry-up
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put the 14 oz beef brisket or chuck in a pot with the 6 ¼ cups water, 1 bay leaf and 2 tsp salt, bring to the boil, skim and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes. Add the 10 ½ oz boneless chicken thighs and simmer for 20 minutes more until the chicken reaches 165°F and the beef is tender enough to shred.
70 minStep 2: Lift out the meats, cool slightly and shred with two forks. Keep 200 ml of the broth.
10 minStep 3: Heat half the 3 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the 14 oz potatoes for 12–15 minutes until golden and tender. Lift out.
15 minStep 4: Add the rest of the 3 tbsp olive oil and cook the 1 onion and 1 red pepper for 8 minutes until soft. Add the 4 cloves garlic, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp dried thyme and 1 pinch saffron threads and cook for 5 minutes until saucy, adding the ¼ cup dry white wine now if using and letting it bubble off.
14 minStep 5: Add the 1 ⅛ lb cooked chickpeas, shredded meat and 100 ml of the reserved broth. Fry over a medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, turning only now and then, until the chickpeas start to crisp. A common mistake is stirring constantly; leave it alone so a light crust forms.
10 minStep 6: Fold in the potatoes, add a splash more broth if it looks dry, heat through until piping hot, and scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ropa vieja canaria take?
- About 100 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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