Sancocho with Homemade Sofrito
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1½ pounds stew meat, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces (Javier uses beef, but this dish could be made with chicken or pork.)
- 1 large onion, diced in large pieces
- ½ pound red potato, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced in large pieces
- 1 cup summer squash or carrots, diced in large pieces
- 1/3 pound plantain, sliced
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 quarts water
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ¼ bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoon adobo (see note above)
- ¼ cup sofrito (see recipe below)
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon marjoram
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups corn kernels
- 1/3 pound yuca, peeled and diced
- 1 cup peas
Sofrito
- 1 medium white or yellow onion
- 1 large sweet pepper (red or green)
- 1 clove garlic (or more to taste—some recipes call for a whole head of garlic!)
- ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed
- 1 medium tomato
- Ground cumin and salt to taste
Instructions
- Note: Adobo, yuca and plantains can be found at Latin American groceries and many larger supermarkets. Pre-made sofrito is also sometimes available. Prepare the Sofrito Purée in a food processor or blender until almost smooth. Adjust seasonings as desired. Tip: Freeze any sofrito that you don’t use in small bags or jars and use later in soups and stews or with eggs, beans or meats—any time you want a burst of summer!
- Make the Sancocho Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the meat over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, celery, squash or carrots and plantains and sauté for 5–7 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook for 3–5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the water, garlic, cilantro, herbs and spices and simmer until the meat is tender. When the meat is ready to eat, add the corn, yuca and peas and cook until all vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings as desired and serve with rice.
This recipe comes from Javier Mendez of Javier’s Bistro in South Bend, Indiana.
