CAZUELA DE VACUNO

January 29, 2018 SouthAmerica

Cazuela is one of the typical Chilean dishes mainly enjoyed during winter season. I remember having this dish at the restaurant Doña Tina while it was cold and raining in Santiago. A good delicious soup like Cazuela is ideal for cold days. This dish can be made with beef, chicken, or turkey, but my favorite is Cazuela de Vacuno or beef broth. Cazuela is a mixed dish, falling somewhere between a beef stew and beef broth. I like to cook it during these cold months and have it for lunch.

The traditional Chilean recipe calls for zapallo, a sort of pumpkin or winter squash. I prefer to cook it with sweet potatoes instead, simply because I always have potatoes and sweet potatoes at home. Other main ingredients are green beans and corn. Corn is out of season here so I am using frozen vegetable mix that includes green beans, carrots, and corn. But if you like winter squash, and you are able to find fresh corn by all means use them. Also in Chile they add rice to the cazuela, I am trying to make this cazuela a bit healthier, hence I omit the rice because we already have potatoes.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 lb. beef any cut you like: it could be chuck short ribs, chuck pot roast, or for a leaner cut tenderloin or petite sirloin steak. Cut into 3 inch slices.

3 medium-size yellow potatoes

2 medium-size sweet potatoes

3 fresh ears of corn (if available)

1/2 medium-size yellow onion

2 celery sticks

2 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1 sprig of fresh oregano

½ teaspoon cumin powder

Salt and pepper

1 beef bouillon

Water about two liters

1/2 red bell pepper cut lengthwise

2 cups of frozen vegetable mix (green beans, carrots, and corn)

Chopped parsley as garnish

Preparation:

Cook the potatoes, the sweet potatoes, and the corn. Leave aside once cooked. Before serving peel the potatoes and cut in rounds. Repeat with the sweet potatoes. The corn is served in half.

Season the meat with salt, pepper, and cumin. Place in a big pot, add the onion, celery, garlic cloves, and oregano. Add the water, and bring to a boil. You might have to remove the foam that develops. Simmer partially covered, and cook until the meat is almost done.

Using a strainer transfer the broth to a clean pot. Reincorporate the meat, the celery, if you like to eat it (as I do), and everything else is removed (the garlic, the bay leaves, and the onions). Add to the stock the remaining ingredients; the mix vegetables, the bell pepper, and cook over medium heat, and once its boiling, add the beef bouillon, mix well and taste before serving.

To serve place in a soup bowl, adding the potato, the sweet potato, corn, some meat, vegetables, and top with the broth. Garnish with parsley.