V for Venezuela



This hearty national dish of Venezuela is as delicious as it looks and not too difficult to make. The closest translation of Pabellon Criollo is “Creole Flag” in which the colours in the dish represent. yellow (Plantain), red (beef and tomatoes), Blue (black beans) and white (Rice). I recomment you try this as we were not disappointed and it goes down nicely with a few cold bottles of beer on a Sunday afternoon.

Pabellon Criollo

Pabellon Criollo

Serves 4

Pabellon Criollo is made of 4 main components Shredded beef,  rice, black beans and fried plantain. This is also commonly served with a fried egg.

Shredded Beef and tomatoes
Ingredients:-
1lb of Flank or braising steak
3 beef stock cubes
1 tbsp of butter
1 ½ diced onions
2 diced tomatoes
A bunch of chopped fresh coriander

Beef

Method:-
Add the beef and stock to a pan
Fill the pan up with boiling water until beef is covered
Simmer and cover for an hour and a half
Take off heat and leave for at least and hour for the steak to cool
Remove the steak from pan and break and shred up into a dish and set aside
Keep the juices in pan to be used with beef and black beans later
Cook the rice and beans
Melt the butter in a pan
Add the onions and fry for 5 mins
Add the tomatoes
Add ½ a cup of beef juices
Stir and fry for 2 mins
Stir in the fresh coriander
Done

Pabellon Criollo

Rice
Ingredients:-
1 tsp of vegetable oil
3 Garlic cloves grated
1 Scotch Bonnet
240g of rice

Scotch Bonnet

Method:-
Heat oil in the pan
Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute
Add 2 cups of water and the scotch bonnet
Bring to simmer and then add the rice
Once the water is evaporated it is ready
Remove scotch bonnet (This can be added to beef if you like the spice).

Pabellon Criollo

Beans
Ingredients:-
1 tsp of vegetable oil
3 Garlic cloves grated
1 Large onion diced
1 can or carton of drained black beans
½ a cup of the beef stock left from beef stewing juices
1 ½ tsp of ground cumin

Method:-
Heat the oil in a pan
Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute
Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes
Add the black beans, beef juice and cumin
Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 10 mins until a thick sauce

Plantain
Ingredients:-
1 Large plantain sliced into discs
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Salt

Method:-
Heat oil in the pan on a medium heat
Fry plantain until golden brown on each side turn regular as can burn quickly
Put onto a plate and salt them up to taste

Pabellon Criollo