Yailé Alonso, a Cuban chef originally from Camagüey, won first place in a tapas competition in Galicia, Spain.
'Patacón de Abadía' is the name of their gastronomic proposal, a delicious interpretation of the recipe for stuffed plantains with shredded beef.
The Cuban woman works at "La Cervecería de Chantada" in the province of Lugo. This bar was one of the participants in the Chantapas contest.
The event was organized by the association of entrepreneurs and the Open Commercial Center (CCA) of Chantada, which celebrated the return of the competition after several years of absence.
The public is in charge of voting for their favorite tapa and was delighted with Yailé's proposal, who has been living in Galicia for twelve years.
"I got off the plane and came here. I love this town," she commented in an interview with El Progreso. She confessed that she did not think she would win, so the victory made her very happy.
"Many people came to congratulate me on the dish, and there were even people of Latin origin who were moved because the dish reminded them of their homeland," he commented.
The tostón, made from green plantains, is also known as tachino, chatino, and patacón. It is popular in other Caribbean countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. In this case, it is prepared in a concave shape in order to include the filling of ropa vieja, a typical dish in Cuban cuisine.
"Ropa vieja is shredded and stewed beef flank, to which a good sofrito is then added. This time, I made the sauce with the Abadía beer that we sell here," explained Yailé.
The final step to complete the dish is to fry ripe plantains, sliced thickly and cooked slowly, creating a perfect base for the tasty meat.
"We entered a tapas dish into the competition just to participate, because there were very diverse options in all the bars and of a high standard, we did not expect to win," commented Antonio García Olivero, owner of the establishment.
"Every day we sell out of the lid. On the first day, we made 77 and they were gone in an hour and a half," Olivero recalled.
The second place in the competition was awarded to "Juicy from land and sea" from A Viñoteca, and the third place was won by "Focaccia San Xoán" from Café Cantón. Hundreds of people attended the eight participating venues, stamping their passports to vote for their favorite bites.
The Chantapas has not only been a celebration of local gastronomy but also a demonstration of how cuisine can be a bridge between cultures, bringing a piece of Cuba to the hearts and palates of Galicians.
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