Recipe: Casseroled Steak (Bistec en Cazuela)

This is a Cuban & Puerto Rican recipe. It is excellent over white rica & with tostones or ripe plantains.

Casseroled Steak (Bistec en Cazuela)

6 (6 to 8 ounce each) beef steaks, palomilla (a thin cut of round, available at Hispanic markets), round, or rump, pounded with a mallet to 1/2-inch thickness
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour (Seville) orange juice or 1/4 cup sweet orange juice mixed with 1/8 cup each fresh lime and lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup drained and chopped canned whole tomatoes or prepared tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup Beef Stock or canned beef broth
6 medium-size all-purpose potatoes, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Season the steaks liberally with salt and pepper, place in a nonreactive bowl, pour the orange juice over them, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry, reserving the marinade.

In a large, heavy-bottomed casserole, heat the oil over medium heat until fragrant, and brown the steaks for 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the steaks from the casserole and set aside.

In the same casserole, over low heat, adding more oil if necessary, cook the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, stirring, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the reserved marinade, bay leaf, tomatoes, sherry, stock, steaks, and potatoes, and simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes or until the steaks and potatoes are fork tender.

Transfer the steak, vegetables, and sauce to individual shallow bowls, and sprinkle with the parsley.

Servings: 6