Sancocho
Recipe type: Soup, Stew
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken legs (or leg quarters) with bone and skin
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 unripe plantains
  • 1 cassava (manioc or yuca) root
  • 1 pound (500 grams) waxy potatoes
  • 2 ears corn
  • 8 cups (2 liters) chicken stock (can use half water)
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped
Instructions
  1. Peel unripe plantains with a paring knife.
  2. Cut into 8 equal size discs then cut each disc in half.
  3. Cut ends off the cassava root.
  4. Cut in half.
  5. Stand one piece on its end on a cutting board.
  6. Using a sharp paring knife, slice off strips of the bark-like skin.
  7. Skin the second piece.
  8. Cut each piece in half.
  9. Take out pencil-size core by holding each half in your hand and whacking one side of the core at an angle with a large knife.
  10. Do the same on the other side of the core so it pops out.
  11. Or, cut each piece in quarters, stand on the end and use a paring knife to slice the core out.
  12. Cut into bite size pieces about the same size as the plantains.
  13. If skin is thin on potatoes, do not peel. Otherwise remove the skin.
  14. Cut into pieces same size as plantains and cassava.
  15. Husk corn and remove silk.
  16. Cut into 1 inch (2 ½ cm) thick slices.
  17. Or, stand corn on the flat end and use a serrated knife to remove kernels.
  18. Heat a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add oil.
  19. When the oil shimmers add chicken. If using quarters, cut each piece in half.
  20. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until browned then turn over and cook until other side is brown.
  21. Add stock.
  22. Bring to a simmer.
  23. Add plantains, potatoes, cassava and corn.
  24. Simmer until vegetables are soft.
  25. While the soup is simmering, place tomatoes, onion, garlic, bell pepper and spices in the bowl of a food processor.
  26. Puree until chunky-smooth. Add most of the mixture to the soup.
  27. Stir most of the cilantro into the soup, retaining some for topping.
  28. Optional: Pull chicken out of the pot and pull off the meat. Cut into bite-size pieces and return the meat to the pot.
  29. To serve: Ladle into bowls and top with reserved tomato puree and chopped cilantro.
Recipe by Crawfish and Caramel | Amy Eber at https://crawfishandcaramel.com/sancocho/