Colombian Sancocho Food

COLOMBIAN SANCOCHO

Steps:

• Cut and peel all veggetables and protein as needed.
• Place all of the veggetables on the bottom of a 5 quart slow cooker.
• Layer all of the proteins on top of the veggetables.
• Add Sazon to 2 cups of water and stir well. Pour water over proteins.
• Sprinkle proteins with a liberal amount of Adobo.
• Pour in water until the slow cooker is full.
• Cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 4. Test meat for doneness before you turn off.

SANCOCHO

Steps:

• To make the recaito, process the onion, bell pepper, frying pepper, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a blender until it resembles a very chunky sauce. Add the cilantro and blend until the sauce is combined and has a slightly chunky consistency, about 30 seconds. Set aside 1/2 cup of the recaito you've just made and freeze the rest for future preparations.
• Add the remaining olive oil to a very large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Dry the oxtails and add salt and pepper. Brown the oxtails in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate or platter.
• Remove excess fat from the pot you browned the oxtails in, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Add the reserved 1/2 cup recaito and saute until fragrant. Add the adobo, oregano and bay leaves, then stir in the tomato sauce and saute for 1 minute. Add the red wine and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that as the broth reduces it will become saltier; don't go overboard. Add the oxtails back to the pot. Lower the heat and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly cracked. Simmer until the meat is beginning to become tender and fall apart, about 2 hours.
• Skim the fat off the top of the stew. Add the potatoes, yucca, plantains, pumpkin and corn. Top with more chicken stock, if necessary, to cover all the vegetables. Put the lid back on and simmer until the root vegetables are tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Taste the broth, season with salt and pepper and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with a side of rice if desired.

COLOMBIAN CHICKEN STEW: SANCOCHO

Steps:

• In a blender, puree the garlic, carrots, peppers, onion, chile, and 1 cup cilantro.
• In a large pot, combine the puree with the water, bouillon cubes, and cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the chicken and simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Add the yucca and green plantain and simmer for 10 minutes more. Add the potatoes, ripe plantain, and corn and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• In a blender, combine the remaining 1 cup cilantro and a little of the stew broth and puree. Stir the puree into the soup, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

STEW - COLOMBIA - SANCOCHO ANTIOQUEñO

Steps:

• 1) Pour water into a large pot and add all the meat (beef, pork, chicken and chorizo), the oil, the green onions, cumin, cilantro, parsley (if using), salt and pepper and the Goya seasoning. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low stir thoroughly, and cook, covered, for 45 minutes.
• 2) Add the corn and plantain. Bring to a boil, cover and lower to medium-low heat. Cook for another 30 minutes.
• 3) Add the potatoes and the shredded carrots. Bring to a boil, check the flavor and correct seasonings, cover and cook for another 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
• 4) Finally, add the yuca and bring to a boil once more. Cover and cook for 15 or 20 minutes more or until the yuca is tender.
• 5) Remove the cilantro green onions and parsley, if you are using it, serve. (Good hint: Digging for the cilantro, green onions and parsley can be a pain. So, I use a small mesh bag, place the green onions and cilantro inside it, tie it and drop it into the water. That way, all I need to do is remove the little bag instead of having to dig.).