Old Clothes

Directions

1. 1
   Pound the chuck roast or flank steaks with a heavy meat mallet until about 1/2 inch thick.
2. 2
   Season both sides of the beef generously with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
3. 3
   Heat the canola oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over high heat until rippling.
4. 4
   Add the beef and cook it until well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 350F.
6. 6
   Drain or spoon off most of the fat from the pan.
7. 7
   Stir in the sofrito, 2 teaspoons salt, and the cumin, and bring to a boil.
8. 8
   Depending on how much oil was left in the pan, you may have to add a little olive oil to give the mix a creamy texture.
9. 9
   Stir in the tomato sauce, water, alcaparrado, and bay leaves.
10. 10
    Bring to a boil, cover the dish, put it in the oven, and bake until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, about 2 1/2 hours.
11. 11
    Let stand in the sauce until cool enough to handle.
12. 12
    Shred the meat coarsely by hand or use two forks.
13. 13
    Return it to the sauce and add the celery and carrots.
14. 14
    Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
15. 15
    Stir in the peas and cook a few minutes more.
16. 16
    Watch the liquid as it cooks and add more broth or water as needed.