Pabellón Criollo Bowl (Venezuelan Shredded Beef with Rice, Beans and Plantain)

Shredded beef

• 450 g Beef brisket
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 900 ml Water

Rice and beans

• 160 g Long-grain white rice
• 360 ml Water
• 400 g Canned black beans

Plantain and topping

• 1 large Plantain, ripe
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 medium Tomato, ripe
• 1 small Yellow onion

1. Put the brisket in a dutch oven and add the medium onion, peeled and quartered, then pour in the water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for 75 minutes, turning the brisket once, until very tender. Lift the brisket out to a board and keep the cooking liquid in the pot.
2. While the beef cooks, rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Put the rice and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Take off the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3. Drain and rinse the black beans, then warm them in a small saucepan with a splash of water until hot. Taste and add a little more water if you want them looser for spooning. Keep warm on low.
4. Peel the plantain and slice it on a slight diagonal into 1 cm pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then fry the plantain in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden and caramelised. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
5. Dice the tomatoes and finely chop the small onion, then mix together for a simple topping. Shred the brisket with two forks, then return it to the dutch oven with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid and warm through for 2 minutes. Spoon rice into two bowls, add the beans and shredded beef, top with fried plantain and finish with the tomato and onion topping.

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