Caribbean Beef Stew
This Ramadan I’ve chosen to make a bunch of Latin dishes, mainly because of the hot, steamy weather we’ve been experiencing here in Chicago. It’s ironically not dissimilar to the weather in the Caribbean when it rains for 30 minutes and then the sun comes out and that goes on all week. It reminds me of weather in Florida, Puerto Rico and other hot, humid climates I’ve visited. When I experience that weather, I crave the foods that come from those places. More specifically, I crave the foods I also grew up with, rooted in Puerto Rican fare. I wrote about this extensively in my most recent cookbook, but it bears repeating in that the smell and taste of things like mangos, plantains, guava and even the spice mixtures of adobo and sofrito will always remind me of my maternal grandparents who were very intent on sharing those flavors with me as a child. I’m so glad they did. I wouldn’t be the cook I am today without that experience.
That said, I was craving a really good Carne Guisada, also known as a Caribbean Beef Stew, due to the flavors and ingredients being a blend of the Spanish, Indigenous and African flavors. It’s a classic dish on the island of Puerto Rico and I’m so happy to be able to share the recipe with you.
For example, to get started with this dish, I marinate the beef for a short amount of time in a blend of garlic, oregano, vinegar and olive oil (also known as the adobo). The small will forever remind me of how my abuela (grandmother) cooked her meat. You can marinate this overnight, but if you’re in a crunch for time, 20 minutes should do the trick.
The meat is then sautéed with potatoes, onion, green pepper and olive oil in preparation for all the other goodness to come.
I also add sofrito to give it hat extra special very Puerto Rican taste: a puree of cilantro, tomatoes, yellow onion, serrano pepper, garlic.
Stir thoroughly.
The stew should cook, covered, for a good amount of time- to thoroughly soften the meat and the potato. During the last leg of cooking, add the Manzanilla olives and capers. That’s what really tops this dish off and takes it to new heights, adding slightly vinegary taste.
Once thoroughly cooked, it’s ready to serve.
I prefer to go classic- serve with white rice, pink beans (habichuelas), and baked plantains (which are typically fried).
As they say in Spanish to describe how delicious it is… que saboroso!
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