"Biftek Encebollado" or Spanish Steak with Tostones

For some reason I have been feeling my Puerto Rican roots much more lately and it reflects in all that I cook. Recently I made my daughter Caitlyn's (the 21 year old) favorite dish that her Abuela would make for her every time she spent the night at her house, and it was called Biftek Encebollado, or as we renamed it for all of our non-Puerto Rican friends, Spanish Steak. It was so delicious! All of the familiar aromas just emanating from the stove. Garlic, onions, oregano, beef, and vinegar, can't you just smell it now? It makes all of our senses go wild! You may have to be Puerto Rican to relate, or not. You just have to love garlic and onions!! Since Caitlyn happened to be over the other day and we decided to make a dish for dinner to honor her Abuela. Every time we all get in the kitchen and try to recreate these recipes of old, it just feels like my mom or their Abuela is still with us. Of course she is with us! How could she not be with all of the wonderful memories, and the out of this world recipes she left us and the familiar aromas that take us back EVERY single time?! So I made the Spanish Steak, rice, and peas, and Caitlyn made all of the tostones. Auutmn just enjoyed the aromas and watching us put this all together. She also reminisced with us some of our favorite Abuela stories. We have so many!!

Now for the tostones, fried green plantains. What can be said about tostones? They are like a chip but thicker and so much more delicious. I have memories of visiting Puerto Rico when I was younger and going to restaurants and instead of a basket of bread on the table they would put a basket of tostones. Some times there would be a garlic sauce to dip it into, or a kind of Thousand Island type thing to dip them in. They were dee-lish all by themselves, but oh so fantstic with beans and soups. In case I had not mentioned before, my husband absolutely loves tostones. I think he was not sure he wanted in to our family and then he tasted the tostones and the plantanos maduros and he was hooked! I will have to say he prefers plantanos maduros (fried ripened plantains) more because he loves the sweetness, but he will NEVER turn down tostones. When he and I went to Cost Rica for our 10 year wedding anniversary we stayed at a nice hotel right on the beach near Jaco and they had this home style kitchen at the end of the hotel with a beautiful beach side convered terrace with tables. We were fortunate that they would make fresh Costa Rican (as well as their idea of American food) food for each meal. It was such a treat. One day we went into town and bought some plantains and Michael, my husband asked at the kitchen if they would show him how to make tostones or patacones (as they called them inCosta Rica. so they indulged him and he thought he was so special. It's so funny how many fond memories are surrounded by food.
In order to make this incredible dish you need sirloin steak, good quality olive oil, Spanish (yellow) onions, lots of garlic (1 head), oregano, and red wine vinegar. Don't forget the sal y pimiento (salt and pepper). Read below for the recipe but I can assure you, you will love the flavors. You then take this yummy steak, and serve it over rice, with steamed peas and as with many Puerto Rican dishes, you serve tostones on the side. It is a complete taste sensation for your palette and your tummy! Gracias mami por otra receta exquista! (Thank you mom for another exquisite recipe!)

Biftek Encebollado ~ Spanish Steak

1 ½ lb.’s Sirloin Steaks ¼ Cup Olive Oil
2 Onions 1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 head Garlic
Adobo (fresh garlic, salt, pepper, oregano)

Cut steaks into large strips. Make sure to trim off all of the fat. Tenderize the meat on both sides. Rub adobo onto both sides of the meat. Place the meat into a deep dish to marinate. Sprinkle the meat with red wine vinegar. Slice onions and place into the marinade with the meat. Pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan. Heat the oil on medium heat. Before placing the meat into the pan squeeze all of the liquid out back into the marinade dish. Brown the meat on both sides and then take it out of the pan and place on another dish. Begin to cook the onion slightly browning. Pour the remainder marinade liquid onto the onions and continue to cook on medium heat. When the onion is translucent, place the meat back into the pan. Turn the meat several times in the pan to make sure the meat is well saturated on both sides. Allow it to boil for a few minutes. Do not over cook as it will make the meat tough. Serve the steak over rice and a side dish of peas.

Tostones

2 green plantains
6 oz oil
salt to taste

- Peel plantains and cut them in cubes about one inch long. Dip them in salted water for a while.
- Drain and fry them in 6 oz of oil at moderate heat until light brown. Remove from oil and pound them with a tostonera.
- Dip them again in salted water. Drain and fry again at low heat until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.