Crockpot Cuban Beef

I don't really use my crock pot much in the summer but sometimes when you know you're not going to have time close to the dinner hour for food prep, the crock pot can be quite handy. A friend also gave me some zucchini so I thought I'd use one of my favorite kitchen tools,  the julienne peeler, and make zucchini ribbons.


 Crock Pot Cuban Beef
1 can no salt added diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 onion sliced
3 cloves garlic (minced)
fresh ground black pepper (to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 lemon (juiced)
16 ounces flank steak

Sauté the flank steak in a skillet on each side to give it some color. Remove and put in crock pot. In same skillet, sauté the onions. Once they have begun to brown a bit,  add 1/4 cup of water and stir around and then pour the onions and water on the flank steak. In a medium bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and stir--pour over steak. Cook on low 8 hours. When ready to serve pull meat apart--it will be very tender and stringy. This would be good over noodles, rice, etc. It was great over the zucchini ribbons.


Zucchini Ribbons
Julienne two medium size zucchini, and sauté in olive oil until tender, toss with Parmesan.