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Mika Leon

Ropa Vieja
S40E5 Cuban · 2025
Where to find them
● @mikabites

Mika Leon is a third-generation Cuban-American who runs Caja Caliente in Coral Gables, the casual Cuban-American spot named after the Spanish word for an oven you make on a beach. She is in her late twenties. Her grandmother, Berta, taught her to make ropa vieja before she could read.

Bobby Flay against a Cuban grandmother's ropa vieja is not a fair fight. Ropa vieja translates as "old clothes" — the visual is shredded flank steak that looks like a pile of fabric — and it is the dish that, in any Cuban-American household, exposes whether the cook learned at home or in a restaurant. Restaurant ropa vieja is fine. Home ropa vieja, simmered for four hours with green olives, capers, white wine, and the kind of patience that only your grandmother had time for, is the dish itself.

Mika brought her grandmother's version. Bobby brought a restaurant version. The judges chose Berta.

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Ropa Vieja

25 min Prep
90 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs flank steak, trimmed of excess fat
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced into thick strips
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thick strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thick strips
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (Cuban tradition uses cooking sherry — fine here)
  • 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed manzanilla olives, halved
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
  1. Season the flank steak generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the flank steak 4-5 minutes per side until deeply browned, then remove and set aside on a cutting board.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pot. Add sliced onions and peppers, cooking 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and caramelize slightly. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, allowing it to caramelize slightly. Add cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Toast the spices 1 minute while stirring constantly to bloom their flavors.
  4. Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom. Add red wine vinegar. Return the flank steak to the pot, nestling it into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Stir in the white wine and let it reduce by half (about 2 minutes). Add the olives, capers, and bay leaves with the tomato base.
  5. Simmer for 75-85 minutes until the flank steak is fork-tender and easily shreds. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes. Using two forks, shred the meat into thin, bite-sized pieces, pulling against the grain.
  6. Return the shredded meat to the pot and stir to combine with the sauce. Simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and additional vinegar if needed for brightness.
  7. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with white rice, black beans, or warm flour tortillas to soak up the rich, flavorful sauce.
Inspired by Mika Leon’s winning ropa vieja. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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