Cuban Ajiaco: The Vegetable Stew
Of all the stews that you will read about on this blog, none is more laborious – and exquisite – than the Cuban vegetable stew known by the Spanish name of . One can imagine the originator of this dish frantically pacing around the kitchen one fine day wondering what to put on the dinner table for her family. After all, that is how most dishes are invented: an act of desperation by a cook, who has run out of ideas to feed the family. Going on with this fictitious account of the origin of the , the cook in this story decides to throw in the pot whatever vegetable is at hand, some meat for nutrition, a few condiments characteristic of Cuban cuisine, and voila, a new wonderful dish is born. Your job, should you decide to accept it, is to duplicate the feat of the cook, and give your family something to cheer about at dinner time.
Ingredients:
Serving 6.
½ pound tasajo (jerked beef) cut in 2 inch chunks (or ½ pound brisket, in 2 inch chunks)
If jerked beef is not available you may substitute brisket.
1 pound lean pork meat cut in 2 inch chunks
1 pound country-style pork ribs or spare ribs cut in 2 or 3 inch pieces
1½ pounds malanga
1 pound yams
1½ pounds yuca
1 pound ñame
1 pound calabaza
3 ears of corn, husked and cut in 2-inch chunks
2 green plantains
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
2 semi-ripe plantains (still yellow)
2 ripe plantains (almost black)
¼ cup of vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chunk style tomato sauce
1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon freshly ground
Salt to taste (if using tasajo you may not need salt)
Directions
• If you are using tasajo you must first de-salt it. Cover with cold water and allow to soak for 8 hours, drain once during this time and change the water. After 8 hours, drain again and rinse under cold running water.
• Place all the meats in a very large heavy pot, with the 5 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1½ hours.
• Peel the malanga, yuca, yams, ñame and calabaza and cut in large chunks. Cut the corn and the plantains in 1½ inch chunks. Cut a slit down the sides of the green plantains and pull off the skins. Sprinkle with the lime or lemon juice. Cut a slit down the sides of the ripe and semi-ripe plantains but do not peel.
• Skim the broth and add the yuca, ñame, yams and malanga. Allow to cook for 15 minutes and add the plantains, both green and medium ripe, and the calabaza. Cook for 15 minutes more.
• Add the corn and ripe plantain and cook for 15 minutes more.
• While the stew is simmering, prepare the sofrito; heat the oil in a skillet over slow heat and sauté the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the green pepper and cook for about 5 minutes not allowing anything to brown. Add the tomatoes, pepper and parsley and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add this to the soup and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Test each vegetable to make certain that all are well cooked. Mash a little of the calabaza and return to the pot to thicken the broth.
• Serve the broth in a tureen and the meats and the vegetables in separate platters.
JuanPerezCuisine/Ajiaco/YouTube/InternetPhotos/TheCubanHistory.com
The Cuban History, Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona, Editor
AJIACO CRIOLLO
Porciones 6
Ingredientes:
1 cebolla grande picada
3 ó más dientes de ajo
1 ají grande
¼ lata de salsa de tomate de 6 onzas
2 cucharadas de jugo de limón
2 mazorcas de maíz cortado en trozos
1 libra de malanga
2 plátanos verdes
2 plátanos pintones no muy maduros
2 papas picadas en cuartos
1 trozo de calabaza
1 libra de yuca
1 libra de boniato
½ libra de ñame (puede encontrarlo en Mercados Latinos)
½ libra de polio cortado en trozos
½ libra de tasajo
1 libra de carne de puerco cortada en trozos
6 tazas de agua
Instrucciones:
Deje remojando el tasajo en agua durante toda una noche y lávelo con agua limpia antes de usarlo. En una olla grande coloque todas las carnes y cocínelas por aproximadamente una hora ó más hasta que estén bien suaves o blandas. Añada entonces la cebolla, el ají, el tomate, las hojas laurel, y el limón. Corte y pele todas las verduras y agréguelas, pero la calabaza échela cuando las otras verduras estén casi cocidas porque ésta requiere menos tiempo. Una vez que todo esté cocinado puede machucar algunas de estas verduras para espesar el caldo a su gusto, pero no muy espeso. El proceso total requiere aproximadamente de dos horas.
Sírvalo con pan Francés o pan Cubano.
Este Plato es la sopa típica de Cuba y se le llama “Criollo” porque las familias guajiras, o sea del campo, eran los que más cocinaban esta sopa.
La carne usada, es similar a la carne Americana llamada Yerki Beef, pero no puede substituirse el tasajo por esta carne.
El Tasajo se puede comprar en los mercados Latinos.
El Plátano mencionado como pintón es el plátano que todavía no se ha madurado, y está entre el verde y el maduro.
JuanPerezCuisine/Ajiaco/YouTube/InternetPhotos/TheCubanHistory.com
The Cuban History, Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona, Editor