After spending just four days in south Florida, I have returned a fan of Cuban cuisine, which must be the last, best-kept secret in North America. The flavors are deep and well-defined without being overwhelming. Garlic, bay leaf, cumin, oregano and a hint of citrus are the trademark ingredients.

Since returning to Kansas, I’ve spent some time on the Internet, trying to learn more. Although I found a reasonable amount of material in English, I was frustrated by the recipes, which were sketchy and had a sense of randomness about them. Then I read on a University of Miami site that most Cuban cuisine developed within the peasant culture and traditionally has not followed recipes, as a matter of both necessity and creative esthetic.

Moreover, Cuban cooking merges the influence of Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese and Portuguese cuisine, which accounts for the eclectic range of ingredients. The meals I ate and the dishes I saw on menus tended to be stews or combinations of ingredients that were sauteed, then served over rice. Slow-cooking and simmering enrich the flavors.

Maduros, which are fried plantains, black beans and rice, are frequent side dishes. Some of the vegetable ingredients would be difficult to find here. For example, Cuban cuisine uses a number of tropical root vegetables, such as yucca, malanga and boniato.

A concoction called sofrito, a saute of garlic, oregano, onion and bell pepper, provides the foundation for stews and the flavoring for black beans. A marinade called mojo, which contains citrus lemon juice, sliced raw onions, cumin and garlic often is used to prepare vegetables.

One of the easiest dishes to make with ingredients available here, and one that I encountered twice in my brief Florida trip, is called ropa vieja. It’s a shredded beef entree whose name translates to “old clothes.” The beef is flavorful without being overly spicy, and the leftovers can be used in sandwiches or wrapped up in a tortilla. Ropa vieja also answers that nagging question of what to do with the leathery-looking slabs of flank steak that show up on sale at the supermarket.

The following recipe roughly follows one from www.ochef.com.

Ropa vieja

2 and a half pounds flank steak

1 carrot, cut into half-inch pieces

2 onions, chopped into half-inch pieces

1 celery stalk, cut into half-inch pieces

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green pepper, seeded and diced,

2 seeded and chopped green chilis

4 seeded and chopped tomatoes (or 2 cups canned tomatoes)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

cayenne pepper

Place the flank steak, carrot, 1 of the chopped onions, celery and bay leaf in a heavy pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook, covered, for an hour and a half or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove the meat from the pot and shred it with your hands or a couple of forks. Reserve the broth from the pot.

In a large, deep frying pan, heat the olive oil and saute the remaining onion, minced garlic and green pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the chilis, tomatoes and tomato paste. Now add the beef and a cup or two of the broth. The consistency should be thicker than soup. Add a dash of cayenne pepper and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.