Cuban "Carne con Papas" is so similar to the beef stew I grew up eating at home in Argentina that I was very reluctant to make it. But I found a recipe at allrecipes.com that included a few more ingredients, so I decided to give it a try. And boy, am I glad I did! This beef stew is phenomenal; it really only differs from mine by the addition of a red bell pepper and vinegar, as well as olives and raisins (ingredients I usually put in empanada filling, but not stew), but those ingredients really rise this stew to a different level.

The original recipe for this stew asks for sirloin tips, and that's what I used because they were on sale. But I think you could use other cuts as well.

Carne con Papas Ingredients 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 lbs. sirloin tips, cubed 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 bay leaves 1/2 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. oregano 1/2 cup sherry 1 8oz can tomato sauce 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/4 cup pimento stuffed green olives 1/4 cup raisins water 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed salt and pepper to taste Instructions Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large cooking pot. Add onion and garlic and saute until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add meat and brown on all sides. Add red bell pepper, bay leaf, cumin and oregano. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the sherry, tomato sauce, vinegar, olives and raisins. Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered until the meat is fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water as needed. Add potatoes to the stew and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender. Uncover and finish cooking.

Adapted from S. Shames' recipe at allrecipes.com