Sancocho Puerto Rico
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Sancocho means blistering hot or stewed, and in a culinary context, can be anything from a simple chicken soup to a full "Bollito Misto".
However, the preparation and cooking is specific to Puerto Rica in the Caribbean whilst being a member of the world-wide family of stews.
Sancocho recipes like this are also ascribed to Puerto Rico, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela, so possibly generically to the area from Mexico to Brazil.
The recipe that follows is a simple wholesome meal and ascribed to Puerto Rico.
The meat quantity gives approximately 6 portions.
This recipe contains the following types of ingredient: meat and poultry; plants and fungi.
Ingredients
Method
Preparation
Skin and crush the garlic.
De-skin, top and tail the onions and chop smallish.
De-pith the peppers and cut up into long strips.
Wash the celery and cut up into 3 cm chunks.
Peel the bananas and plantain and cut into chunks.
Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks.
Top, tail and peel the carrots and cut into chunks.
Cooking
Heat a little oil in a large heavy pan and fry the beef cubes with the onions and crushed garlic until the meat is browned all over. keep it moving to reduce sticking.
Fold in the the capsicum, celery, ginger, chili, coriander, cumin, ground pepper, red wine, tomatoes and 1 litre of beef stock.
Bring to the boil and skim off any scum.
Reduce to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
Add a further litre of beef stock and bring to the boil.
Add the vegetables and simmer for a further 25 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Check that the vegetables are cooked, and simmer a little longer if necessary.
To serve
Serve with hunks of good brown bread to soak up the gray juices.
Variation
In the Caribbean a number of vegetables are locally available including sweet potato, butternut squash and chaote. If you can find these, include them in the stew.