My Famous Cuban Vaca Frita

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Vaca Frita…

In case you didn't know, February is Heart Health Month. I suffer from elevated cholesterol and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to create a lighter version of one of my favorite Cuban recipes Vaca Frita. Reduce saturated fats and cholesterol in your meals easily with simple swaps, such as substituting butter with Mazola® Corn Oil. A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com.

I decided to sub Lard with Mazola Corn Oil for when I finish the meat in the pan. Mazola Corn Oil has all of the flavor I need while being healthier. You can reduce saturated fats and cholesterol in your meals easily with simple swaps, such as substituting butter with Mazola Corn Oil. Replacing butter with Mazola Corn Oil is a lighter recipe due to the saturated fat content. Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose, cholesterol-free cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy* choice for your family. *See Mazola.com. for more information on the relationship between corn oil and heart health. It has a variety of uses including baking, grilling, sautéing, stir-frying or mixing up a marinade or dressing. Next, I subbed sirloin for flank steak. The sirloin is a leaner cut of meat yet keeps all the flavor you want in your vaca frita. Lastly, I substituted butter with Mazola Corn Oil when sautéing my onions and garlic. A match made in foodie heaven!

I go heavy on the onions and garlic

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of sirloin steak

• 2 onions

• lime juice (1 lime)

• 1 cup of clear beef broth or water

• 4 garlic cloves

• 3 spoons of Mazola Corn Oil

• 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

• A pinch of oregano

• A pinch of cumin

• Salt and pepper as desired

Here’s what you do:

1. Slice the onions and set them aside.

A Sharp Knife equals the perfect chop

2. Cook the flank steak in a pressure cooker for 20 to 25 minutes until tender. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the flank steak in a pot at medium-high heat for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Add oregano, cumin, the bay leaf, a pinch of salt and one chopped garlic clove.

3. When the meat is tender, take it off of the heat, drain it, and let it cool to room temperature.

4. Once the meat has cooled shred it into thin pieces.

5. Heat the Mazola Corn Oil in a pan at medium heat. Add the rest of the chopped garlic cloves and the already-cut black pepper and onion. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add the meat.

6. Sauté until the meat gets a golden color and a crunchy texture. Then, add the lime juice and the black pepper. After a minute add the chopped parsley

Perfect crunch and ready to serve.

7. Take the meat off of the heat and serve it hot with your favorite Cuban moros and fried plantains.

Salivating

Check out  Mazola  for more delicious recipe ideas.