Ropa Vieja Nigiri with Roasted Pepper

Cook and reduce the ropa vieja

1. Put the flank in a pot with the liter of water, 30 g of onion, 1 garlic clove and the bay leaf. The water must cover the beef. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam and cook over low heat, with the pot partially covered, for 80-100 minutes or until the beef separates easily with a fork. Add hot water if needed to keep it covered.
2. Remove the beef and reserve 60 ml of the strained broth. When you can handle it, shred it and cut any strands longer than about 2 cm. Discard the bay leaf and keep the rest of the broth for another use.

   

3. Heat the oil and sauté the remaining 90 g of onion, the other 2 chopped garlic cloves and the green ají for 6-8 minutes. Add the tomato, cumin, salt and pepper; cook for 5 minutes. Add the beef and the 60 ml of broth.
4. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring, for 8-12 minutes, until the beef is juicy but with no free liquid. Spread it in a clean, shallow container so it loses excess heat. If you will not assemble soon, refrigerate it; for the nigiri it should be cold or barely warm.

   

Roast the pepper

5. While the beef cooks, roast the whole red ají in an oven preheated to 220 °C for 25-30 minutes, turning it, until the skin is blistered and browned. Let it rest covered for 10 minutes, peel it and remove the stem and seeds. Drain, pat gently dry and cut 24 short strips. Set aside any leftovers.

   

Prepare the rice

6. Wash the rice in several changes of water until the water runs almost clear and drain it well. Put it in a heavy-bottomed pot with the 300 ml of water and let it rest for 20 minutes.
7. Cover, bring to a gentle boil and lower the heat to the minimum. Cook for 12-14 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 12 minutes. If the manufacturer prescribes a different ratio for absorption cooking, follow that instruction, keeping the same weight of rice.
8. Gently warm the vinegar with the sugar and salt, only until dissolved. Spread the freshly cooked rice in a wide dish and mix in the dressing with cutting motions, without mashing. Fan or gently toss so it becomes barely warm. Cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth during assembly.

   

Shape the nigiri

9. Cut the nori into ribbons about 1 cm wide and 10-12 cm long. Lightly moisten your hands. Divide the rice into 24 similar portions and shape small ovals, pressing just enough for them to hold their shape.
10. Place on each oval a small portion of ropa vieja, about a heaping teaspoon, and a strip of roasted pepper. Do not pile up mounds of beef. Wrap each piece with a ribbon of nori and join the ends underneath with a drop of water.

    

11. Serve the 24 nigiri freshly assembled, with the rice visible and the beef held in place by the ribbon. Keep any leftover beef separate; do not overload the pieces to use up the filling.