Cuban Ropa Vieja

500g whole chuck steak 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, sliced 2 red peppers, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp ground cumin 1 pinch ground allspice 1 pinch ground clove 375ml chicken stock or broth 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp sweet paprika ½ tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp dried oreganum 250ml pitted green olives 2 tbsp chopped capers 1 bay leaf 1 big handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C.

2.Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper, and sear it in the olive oil at medium-high heat, in an ovenproof pot.

3.When the meat is dark brown all over, remove it from the pot and add the onions and peppers to cook until they’re caramelised.

4.Add the garlic, cumin, allspice and cloves, and cook for another minute.

5.Add the stock and bring to the boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape the sediment off the bottom of the pot.

6.Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, olives, capers and the bay leaf, and return the meat to the pot. Pop the lid on and put it in the oven for 4 hours.

7.Remove the pot from the oven. Remove the meat and shred it before adding it back to the sauce.

8.Place the sauce back on the heat and reduce it gently, until it gets thick and stewy.

9.Just before serving, check the seasoning for salt and pepper, and stir through the parsley.