Carne Mechada with Black beans, Rice & Fried Platanos

• 2 lbs beef roast
• 2 peppers – chopped
• 2 onions- chopped
• 3 garlic cloves – pressed
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Pepper to taste
• Boil the beef for 2 hours.  Add salt, peeled carrots and celery, and continue boiling for at least another 2 hours.
• Let cool, and then shred the beef using 2 forks or with your fingers – I prefer the fork method:
• Make a “Sofrito”:  Fry the onions, peppers and garlic for about 15 minutes at medium heat.
• Add the shredded beef to the pan, and then add the broth you boiled the beef in.
• Add the tomato puree and the cumin, and cook until the broth has reduced.
• Taste for salt and pepper.
• Fill your arepas with carne mechada, or eat with rice and black beans.

Black beans

• 1 package black beans
• 3 red peppers – chopped
• 3 onions – chopped
• 4 garlic cloves – pressed
• 3.5 oz (100 gr) bacon.
• 3 laurel leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Soak the beans overnight.
• Prepare a sofrito with the onions, peppers, and the garlic.
• Add all the ingredients to a stew pot, and cook for a few hours, until the beans are tender