Pabellón Criollo a Caballo with Seared, Braised Flank

Method

1. Cut the flank across the grain into 3 pieces, pat dry with kitchen paper and season with part of the salt. Heat the oil in a heavy 22 cm pot on medium-high heat and sear the beef for 7 min, browning every side deeply. Leave each side alone until it releases; that browning is where the flavour comes from.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for searing) 1 tbspBeef flank steak 400 gSalt ½ tsp

   medium-high heat

2. Add the water, bay leaves and halved onion and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to low heat, cover and braise for 1 h 20 min, until the meat separates easily into fibres with a fork.

   Add in this stepWater 1,000 mlBay leaves 2Onion (for braising) ½

   high heat→low heat

3. Rice: rinse and drain the rice. Heat the oil in a 16 cm pot, fry the chopped garlic just until fragrant, add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the water and salt and bring to the boil on high heat; when the water has dropped to the level of the rice, cover, lower to low heat and cook for 15 min, then turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 min.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for the rice) 1 tspGarlic clove (for the rice) 1Long-grain rice 150 gWater for the rice 280 mlSalt (for the rice) ½ tsp

   high heat→low heat

4. Beans: heat the oil in a 16 cm pot on medium heat and cook the chopped onion, garlic and part of the cumin for 4 min, then add the beans with their liquid, the sugar and part of the salt and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 min. Mash about a quarter of the beans with a ladle for a creamy texture.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for the beans) 1 tbspOnion (for the beans) ½Garlic cloves (for the beans) 1Ground cumin ¼ tspCooked black beans, with their liquid 400 gBrown sugar (or papelón) 1½ tspSalt ¼ tsp

   medium heat→medium-low heat

5. Lift out the beef and shred it finely along the grain. Strain the broth back into the pot and boil it on high heat for 8 min until reduced by more than half. This concentrated broth is what makes the mechada taste rich.

   high heat

6. Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan on medium heat and cook the sliced onion, bell pepper and chopped garlic for 7 min until sweet. Add the chopped tomato, the rest of the cumin and the Worcestershire sauce and cook 1 minute, then add the shredded beef, the reduced broth and the remaining salt and simmer on medium-low heat for 12 min, until juicy and glossy.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for the sofrito) 1½ tbspOnion (for the sofrito) 1Red bell pepper ½Garlic cloves (for the sofrito) 3Ripe tomato 1Ground cumin ½ tspWorcestershire sauce 1½ tspSalt ¾ tsp

   medium heat→medium-low heat

7. Cut the plantain on a long diagonal into 1 cm slices. Pour most of the frying oil 1.5 cm deep into a 20 cm pan, heat it on medium heat to 170 °C and fry the plantain for 2 min 30 sec per side until deep golden, then drain. Its sugar burns fast, so keep watch, and lay the slices in away from you to avoid splashes.

   Add in this stepRipe plantain 1Vegetable oil for frying 198 ml

   medium heat

8. Heat the rest of the frying oil in a 20 cm pan on medium-high heat, crack in the eggs and fry for 2 min 30 sec, spooning the hot oil over the whites so the edges crisp and the yolks stay soft. Plate the rice, beans and mechada, set an egg on the meat, grate the cheese over the beans and add the plantain.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil for frying 22 mlEggs 2Salty white cheese (queso duro or feta) 40 g

   medium-high heat