Pata Estofado

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kilos pata leg
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Cooking oil for pan frying
4 pieces saba, cut in half
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups vinegar
1 piece garlic, cloves peeled
4 small pieces red onions, quartered
3 cups water

Procedure:

1. Marinate the pata leg with soy sauce and ground pepper for about an hour. Set aside.
2. Heat a deep pan with cooking oil over medium-high heat. Fry the saba slices on both sides. Remove from the cooking oil and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
3. In the same deep pan with cooking oil, fry the pata leg to sear all sides (do not include the marinade and set this aside for later). Remove from oil and place on a spider or a plate lined with paper towels.
4. In a deep pot, place the sugar and water. Bring the heat to medium to medium-high and let the sugar caramelize. Swirl the pot to avoid burning.
5. Once the sugar turns amber, pour in the vinegar. Mix to combine.
6. Add the marinade from the pata leg, garlic, red onions, and 3 cups water. Drop in the pata and cover the pot. Simmer for 2 hours until pata is cooked and soft.
7. Serve the estofado with fried plantains.