Puchero

Puchero (Stew) Ingredients:

2 lbs of stewing beef, cut into 2" cubes
1 oz chorizo or hot pepperoni, cut into thin slices
4 green onion, cut in 4" length
1 stalk celery, cut in 4" length
2 tsp salt
1 small cabbage, cut into 8
2 medium potatoes, pared and cubed
1/4 lb green beans
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 c tomato sauce
1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzos)

Procedure:

1. Boil beef in a big pot with just enough water to cover meat. Let simmer until beef is tender, about 2 hours.
2. Remove beef from pot. Boil broth and add potatoes. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add green beans and cabbage. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. In a separate smaller pot, saute garlic and onion in hot oil. Add beef and tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the chickpeas. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Place the beef in a deep serving dish. Arrange the vegetables around the meat. Garnish with the chorizo slices. Pour the tomato sauce broth over the entire dish and serve with hot rice.
5. Eggplant salad complements this nicely. Serve it as a side dish.

(Note A: You may substitute 3 lbs of cut-up chicken instead of the beef, or 2 lbs of chicken and 1 lb of lean pork. Cook the pork first for about 1 hour before adding the chicken for another 30 minutes.)

This recipe serves 6-8 people.