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Dominican Black Bean
Soup
===================
Dominican Republic
food
----
* 2 Lbs. washed
Black Beans
* 1 Lbs. diced white
onions
* 1 oz. clean diced
garlic
* 4 oz. chopped
celery
* 1 Lb. white
rice
* .5 Lbs. Cuban or
Anaheim Peppers
* .5 bunch of fresh
Cilantro
-----------------------------------
1. wash beans well
& let soak overnight.
2. Lightly sauté
garlic, onions, celery and Cuban Peppers,
This is referred to
as a Sofrito.
3. Bring beans to
boil, add "sofrito",
fresh cilantro and
gently simmer for 4 hours.
4. To make a cream
of Black bean soup
puree until
smooth.
5. This soup is
traditionally accompanied with
boiled white rice
and diced onions.
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(Casabe)
for 6 round breads
Dominican Republic food /
This simple bread was prepared and
eaten by the natives (Caribe and Arawak Indians) of the
island long before Hispaniola was discovered by the
Europeans. The recipe below uses the same ingredients
and method of preparation used by the native peoples of
this bountiful island.
------------------------------------
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE 6 CUPS CATIBIA
FLOUR
- 4 pounds fresh yucca #
PREPARATION OF THE CATIBIA
FLOUR
- wash the yucca well
- carefully peel away the brown
outer skin
- using a hand grater or food
processor the yucca must be very finely grated
- squeeze the grated yucca to remove
as much of the water and starch as possible
...(a good technique is to first
hand squeeze and/or wring out the liquid and then wrap
the grated yucca in a cheese cloth, weigh it down with
something that weighs about 20 pounds and leave it for
10-12 hours.)
- the objective is to make your own
flour, which by definition is a "dry
ingredient".
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE DOUGH FOR 6
ROUND CASSAVA BREAD CAKES
- 6 cups of "Catibia" flour
- water ( amount will depend on how
dry your homemade Catibia flour is)
- 2 tbs. vegetable oil
PREPARATION OF THE CASSAVA
BREAD
1. heat a cast iron skillet until
very hot
2. while skillet is heating lightly
moisten the Catibia flour and add 1 tbs of oil and mix
to combine.
3. when skillet is ready, reduce the
flame to medium-hot, brush skillet with a little oil and
place 1 cup of the lightly moistened Catibia flour in
the bottom of the skillet and form it into a round shape
about 1/8 of an inch thick.
4. cook the down side for 6-8
minutes and then flip it over and cook for 6-8 minutes
again.
5. repeat for the remaining
"dough"
6. kept in a closed container or bag
this bread will keep just fine for many days and can be
reheated in an oven until brown (about 5 minutes at 400
degrees F).
# Yuca-"Manihot Dulces"-sweet
cassava (not to be confused with American yucca) is a
spindle shaped plant root about 10 inches long that is
also known as manioc and cassava. It is tuberous and
fibrous and native to the tropical regions of the new
world. Tapioca and laundry starch are made from it among
other things. Make sure you get firm, non stringy, fresh
yucca with white, crisp flesh.
NOTE: Commercial Cassava flour is
also available at Caribbean grocery stores and health
food stores.
Dominican Republic food /
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("Chicharrones de
Pollo")
For 4 persons
Dominican Republic food /
=============================
* 1 whole 3 lb. chicken
* 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
finely
* 3 ozs. Sour lime or sour orange
juice
* 1 ozs. Fresh oregano
leaves
* .25 ozs. Fresh minced
ginger
* .5 lb. seasoned flour with salt
and pepper
* Peanut oil to deep fry
---------------------------------------
1. To prepare the Marinade
thoroughly mix the garlic, ginger, citrus
Juices and oregano.
2. Wash chicken well and cut into 16
pieces.
3. Place chicken pieces in marinade
for 10 minutes.
4. Remove chicken and then let drain
for 3 minutes.
5. Toss chicken in seasoned
flour.
6. Heat oil to 335 degrees F and fry
the chicken 3/4 of the way done.
Remove and keep warm.
7. When ready to serve, raise oil to
400 degrees F and fry the chicken a
SECOND time until very crispy
("chicharrones")
8. TO SERVE
Accompany with French fries or the
typical Dominican twice fried
green plantains which they call
"Tostones".
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"Pan de Maiz"
/ Dominican Republic food
----------------
Makes 2 loaves
----------------
INGREDIENTS:
===========
2 1/2 cups yellow corn meal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
8 ozs. Unsalted butter
2 cups of grated fresh coconut /
grated fine
1/2 tsp anise seed
(optional)
1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup fresh coconut milk
4 large eggs / whisked well
PREPARATION OF FRESH GRATED COCONUT
& FRESH COCONUT MILK:
1. Split 2 dry coconuts* in half ;
drain and reserve the water for another used.
2. Separate / scrape the white
coconut meat away from the brown outer coconut
shell
and then grate the meat using a food
processor or a hand grater. Reserve your 2 cups of
freshly grated coconut.
3. Allow the remaining freshly
grated coconut to infuse with 10 oz. of milk
for at least two hours, then strain
using cheesecloth, squeezing out all the liquid..or..all
the "goodness".
4. This is your coconut
milk.##
PREPARATION OF THE CORN
BREAD:
===============================
1. Sift all the dry ingredients
together.
2. Cream the butter until it is
light and fluffy and then gradually add it to the dry
ingredients.
3. Add the grated coconut and anise
seed (if using) and mix well.
4. In another bowl gently combine
the evaporated milk, coconut milk and the well whisked
eggs.
5. Add the combined milk and eggs
from step 4.
6. Mix thoroughly, beating for two
minutes.
7. Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans and
fill with the mixture. The mixture should be very soft,
like a thick batter.
8. Bake in the center of a preheated
oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
9. The bread will shrink away from
the sides of the loaf pans and turn golden brown on top
when done. To check for complete completeness pass a
wooden skewer into the center of the loaf and if it
comes out dry the bread is done.
=======Comments, footnotes and
explanations follow below
Domincan Republic Food * Can usually
be purchased at Latin American, Cuban or Dominican
grocery stores called "colmados".
## Unsweetened canned cream of
coconut or coconut milk may be substituted, but is not
recommended.
Dominican Republic
food /
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Dominican Republic food
Here is a method to make fresh
mozzarella cheese from cow's milk. It is interesting in
that
in the making of this cheese you are
working with a warm product.
================== Cheese Master
===
Panchin Lluberes,
Buena Vista Norte,
La Romana, Domincan Republic
Dominican Republic Food =====================
================== Ingredients
=========
18 gallons of fresh, WHOLE, not
pasteurized cow's milk (still warm from milking is
best)
23 cc. liquid rennet (about 1 cc per
every 3/4 of a gallon)
1) Add rennet and mix very
thoroughly to disperse this material; this is
important.
2) Let sit about 1 hour.
..........You will be able to tell
when this part of the process should be stopped
because the surface
of the milk will become shiny and
get firm, like yogurt or jello, and your should
come away clean
when pressing gently with the open
palm.
3) Break this semi-firm milk up with
your paddle (wooden or stainless steel). Be through
with
this and make sure the pieces are
not more than 1 or 2 inches square in size.
4) Let sit about 45 minutes to allow
the solids-curds to precipitate. The solids should
occupy
about the lower third of the tank
and the liquid-whey should occupy the upper 2/3 of the
tank.
If you allow this step to go on for
an excess of the time needed, the curds will explode
upwards
and the resultant "mess" is
basically unsalvageable for anything other than animal
feed.
5) Remove the whey-water and scoop
the curd up to a stainless steel table and allow
to
drain for about 12 hours. The watery
liquid can be used to make ricotta cheese or given to
pigs.
6) Cut the now fermenting (you can
see the air holes) curd mass into 4 or 6 large
pieces,
pile up on each other and allow to
drain another 6-10 hours.
7) Slice curd into pieces about 1-2
inches thick; inspect well for foreign matter
that may have escaped you
previously. At the same time bring about 8
gallons
of lightly salted water to 90
degrees F.
8) Place a quantity of the sliced
curd in a stainless steel bowl and pour the warm water
over;
use enough to cover. allow to sit
about 4 minutes or until the curds begin to
soften
and "melt" and are pliable.
9) Using wooden or stainless steel
hand paddles begin to fold the soft mass over into
itself.
Use a motion where you rotate the
mass counter-clockwise while folding a portion
into
the center going in a clockwise
direction. This should be done rapidly as to not allow
the
temperature to drop too much. Try to
fold the mass 50 times.
10) Remove the mass to the stainless
steel table, pour off the now white water.
Allow this same water to cool a few
minutes and add a bit of cool water. You want
the
temperature to now be at around
80-82 degrees F.
11) Shape the mass into a thin sheet
and return to the stainless steel bowl and cover
with the cooled water. Repeat the
folding process, this time giving only 35-40 "turns"
to
the cheese mass.
12) Form a whole in the center of
the cheese mass......like a thick doughnut...... and
remove
the cheese mass from the liquid.
Quickly cut the cheese ring into pieces of about 1
pound
each and return to the same liquid
in the bowl to keep them warm and pliable.
13) Now comes the process of forming
the cheese into the shape you desire and when
you have done that immerse in cold
clean water until ready to use or age./ Dominican
Republic food.
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"MANGU"
Dominican Republic food
=============================
A Dominican Republic food favorite
usually eaten in the morning. This is a very
filling
dish, a real "stick-to-the-ribs"
item, historically fed to the field workers
before they went out for a long day
of hard cane-cutting.
----------------------------
* INGREDIENTS for 6 servings
* 3 large green plantains **
* 2 oz. olive oil
* 6 oz. sliced onion (white)
* 6 oz sliced Cuban or Anaheim
peppers
* 1/4 quart of the plantain boiling
liquid
* 1.5 oz. salt
* PREPARATION
1. Wash the platanos very well and
then boil for about 20 minutes.
Time will depend on age of the
plantain and its size. Remember
that you will be preparing a puree
so make sure the plantains are
fully but not overly cooked.
2. Let cool a bit then remove the
skins and in a bowl and the salt
and then mash with the indicated
amount of boiling liquid.
3. Transfer to a food processor or
strong blender and finish the
pureeing.
4. Sauté the onions in the olive
oil.
5. Put puree in a serving dish and
top with the sautéed onions and
the olive oil and serve.
-----------------------
Dominican Republic Food ** GREEN
PLANTAINS Can be purchased at Latin American grocery
stores
or "Platanos" that also carry fresh
produce.
-------------------
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("ARROZ CON POLLO Y
GUANDULES")
Dominican Republic food
=============================
-----------------------------
*To Prepare the Guandules (Pigeon
peas)
1. Option #1 [1.5 cups dry peas]
@
1) Clean, Wash and soak over
night
2) Start with cold water, place
beans in cold water and bring to high
heat, lower when comes to boil and
simmer about 40 minutes or until peas are
tender but still Whole. Reserve the
cooking liquid for the final dish.
2. Option #2 [1.5 cups fresh peas]
To Prepare the Guandules (Pigeon peas) @
1) If the pigeon peas are very fresh
and not dried as in the above,
they do not need to be soaked.
Instead you can just wash them and then sauté them
for
about10 minutes where indicated in
the master recipe.
3. Option #3 [16 oz. can] To Prepare
the Guandules (Pigeon peas) @
1) If not available in any other for
look for them canned, which is the
least desirable option. Drain and
use where indicated in master recipe.
*To Prepare the Chicken
1. Cut whole chicken (3-4 lbs) into
12 pieces or 16 pieces and rinsed well with
cold water and then lime juice or
sour orange juice. @
2. Marinate for about 5 hours with
the following;
¥ 2 tbs. Worcestershire
sauce
¥ .5 tsp salt
¥ 2 tbs. lime juice
¥ 2 cloves garlic diced
¥ fresh oregano leaves to taste
(about 3 tbs. fresh leaves)
*To prepare the Dish = 8
persons
* Ingredients
¥ 3 cups of raw rice
¥ 4 tbs. of olive oil
¥ 1 medium red onion / sliced
thinly
¥ 1 medium ripe tomato/ seeded and
diced
¥ 2 cloves garlic / diced
finely
¥ 1 bell pepper / seeded and thinly
sliced
¥ 2 tbs. tomato paste
¥ 2 chicken bouillon cubes (Very
typical in Dominican cooking)
¥ 1 tsp. vinegar
¥ 1 tbs. diced stuffed
olives
¥ 1 tbs. diced fresh coriander
(cilantro)
¥ about 5 cups of water depending on
the rice you use.
* Preparation
1. Remove chicken from the marinade.
Heat half the oil very hot and
brown on all sides. Lower heat,
cover and continue for another half hour or
until the chicken is fully cooked.
Remove from pot and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile heat up the other 2
tbs. of oil and sauté the onion,
garlic, tomato, bell pepper and
fresh coriander (fresh, canned(drained) or the
boiled glandules are added here) for
about 10 minutes. Then add the
chicken bouillon cubes, vinegar,
olives, tomato paste and a .5 cup of water
and continue cooking for another 5
minutes.
3. Add the rice and mix
well.
4. Add the rest of the water
(depends on what type of rice you use).
If you arousing glandules option #1
here you will substitute half
of the water for the guandules
cooking liquid, or more. The
Dominicans boil their rice uncovered
until most of the water has
evaporated and then they tightly
cover it to finish and then let
it rest for at least 5 minutes
before eating. Before you cover it
give the "Moros' a touch of oil
place the cooked chicken on top of
the rice and stir from the center
out a few times, level the rice
and cover till finished cooking,
about 15-20 minutes more.
<-------------------------------comment---------------comment->
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TAMALES WRAPPED IN BANANA
LEAVES
{PASTELES EN HOJAS}
Dominican Republic food:
Here is a typical Creole recipe for
their "Pasteles en Hojas". The tradition
here is to fill them with a ground
meat stuffing similar to the Cuban
"Picadillio" which is like a dry
"Sloppy Joe" [which originated in Key West
years ago] or a ground pork filling
with garbanzo beans. In Venezuela they
use a sweet version with hard boiled
eggs and raisins. You can of course
make your own with whatever you feel
is appropriate to the dough base and
the dish you are trying to enhance.
Dominican Republic recipes.
To Prepare the "masa" or the tamale
dough.
* 8 ozs. yautia blanca /cleaned and
peeled
* 8 ozs. yautia Amarillo / cleaned
and peeled
* 6 ea. Rulo (large) * /
peeled
* 2 ozs. Bija ** / ground
* 1 oz. fresh garlic
* 1 ea. sour orange ***
* 2 ozs. butter
* 2 ozs. olive oil
* This is a type of red skinned and
squarish Plantain which should be
available from the local Cuban or
Puerto Rican grocer.
** This is a natural form of red
food coloring called Achiote. If you
cannot find it in the ground form,
that's OK just follow the directions
below and once you have extracted
the red color, strain the seeds out
and continue with step 3.
*** Should also be available from
the local Cuban or Puerto Rican or
Latin grocery store.
NOTE: // To make the pasteles with
green plantains instead substitute
the Rulo for green plantain and the
yautia blanca for Pumpkin or what
the Dominicans called Ahuyama
squash. Be for-warned that the best
pasteles are made without plantains,
and the use of them contributes a
dark unappetizing color.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To Prepare the "Pasteles en
Hojas"
1. Fine grind the Yautias and the
Rulo.
2. Add a few drops of lime juice or
sour orange juice to keep the color
from turning black.
3. Sauté the Bija in the olive oil
to make a nice red color and then add
the butter and then the
garlic.
4. After a couple of minutes add the
ground "root" vegetables and the
Rulos to make a nice type of "masa"
similar to that of a tamale. Adjust
the salt and pepper. Add a touch of
warm water or milk if the dough is
too dry. This will vary on the
freshness of the root vegetables.
---------------------------------------------------------
This completes the prep of the main
part of the pastele. A 3 oz. pastele is
a nice size to garnish a plate. No
bigger. Remember to cut out the
banana leaf stems and blanch the
leaves a bit before filling and tying. Lay
down the "masa" and square it up,
add your filling (which should carry the
main flavors you want to express)
and then carefully double the whole thing
over so the filling is in the
middle. Tie the package with the twine into a
nice bundle and simmer in salted
water for about 40 minutes. Cut twine, open
package and serve the cooked Pastele
on a piece of fresh banana leaf for
more presentation. A Dominican
custom is to accompany the "pastele" with
ketchup or tomato based Creole
sauce./ Dominican Republic food.
--------------------------------
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FOODS OF THE
CARIBBEAN
Dominican Republic food /
=============================
The following is a typical Dominican
Republic festival night menu, enjoyed
by Dominicans and visitors
alike.
---------------------------------------------------
The Menu:
SERVED BUFFET STYLE
---------------------------------------------------
* "Casaba" (yucca) bread and fresh
rolls
* Fresh sliced tropical
fruits
* Salad Boat with beet salad, Creole
mixed salad, tomato and
onion salad, carrot salad, hearts of
palm salad, avocado
salad.
* "Sancocho" stew
* White rice
* Dominican Snackshack (prepared in
front of guests)
+ Fried beef, cheese and chicken
empanadas
+ Dominican fried chicken,
"Chicharrones de Pollo"
+ Fried Dominican country
sausage
* Whole roasted pig, (carved in
front of guests)
* Baked coconut grouper
* Stewed goat, Creole style
* Creole style beef tips
* Sweet plantains baked with cane
syrup and cinnamon stick
* Yucca "Mojo" style with onions,
garlic and Cuban peppers
* Dominican rice with red beans
("Morros")
* Stewed Chayote squash
* Dominican Desserts
+ Corn Pudding
+ Rice pudding
+ Coconut cake
+ "'Tres leches" / 3 milk
cake
+ Flan
+ Bread pudding
+ Dominican Milk Candies, with that
smoky cooked-over-the
-wood-flame taste
+ Dominican chocolate cake
* Dominican "Green Mountain"
Coffee
Dominican Republic food
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"SANCOCHO"
=============================
"SANCOCHO" is perhaps the most
typical of all Dominican dishes. Recipes for this
stew
also abound around the Caribbean and
the north coast of South America and vary
greatly.
In the Dominican Republic it is a
slowly prepared soupy-stew of vegetables, tubers and
up
to 5 kinds of meats authentically
served with white rice and slices of avocado.
---------------------------------------------------
* INGREDIENTS for 12
servings
* 3 lbs whole chicken
* 1 lb. pork
shoulder/bone-in
* 1.5 lb. beef stew meat/bone
in
* 3/4 lb. longaniza#
* 1/2 oz Ajies Gustosos" ##
* 2 each Anaheim or Cuban
peppers
* 1 large white onion
* 1/4 bunch fresh parsley
* 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
* 1/6 bunch fresh oregano
* 2 cloves garlic
* 3 ears fresh corn / each ear cut
into 6 pieces
* 4 "green" platano## / peeled and
washed in water with lime juice and then each cut into 8
pieces
* 1 lb. pumpkin (auyama)## / cut
into medium size pieces
* 1/2 lb. yam (Yautia amatilla)## /
cut into medium size pieces
* 1/2 lb. yam (Yautia blanca)## /
cut into medium size pieces
* 1 lb. white potatoes (yucca)## /
cut into medium size pieces
* 1 lb. Name (name)## / cut into
pieces
* 1 lb. sweet potatoes (batata)## /
cut into medium size pieces
* 4 oz. vegetable oil
* 1 gallon chicken or beef stock (if
none available, use water)
* 2 oz. salt
* 4 sour oranges (naranjas
agrias)##
NOTE: TRY TO ACQUIRE AND USE THE
AUTHENTIC ITEMS IN PARENTHESES() WHEN INDICATED WITH
##
Pumpkin, yams, potatoes and sweet
potatoes can to be substituted if the native, authentic
ingredients cannot be found.
* PREPARATION
1. Cut the chicken, with bone, into
12 pieces and wash for 5 minutes under running tap ÊÊÊÊÊ
water.
2. Cut the beef and pork into pieces
the same size as the chicken.
3. Slice the "longaniza" sausage
into 1/2 oz. pieces (24 equally sized pieces).
4. Juice the 4 sour oranges
5. Small dice the peppers, onion and
garlic.
6. Pick the leaves from the parsley,
cilantro and oregano and chop fine.
7. Combine the chicken, beef, pork
and longaniza in a bowl and marinade with the sour
orange juice, half of Ê the salt, vegetables and herbs.
Mix well and let steep 2 hours, turning every 30
minutes.
5. Heat the oil till smoking, remove
the chicken, beef, pork and longaniza from the marinade;
reserve the marinade.
6. Brown the chicken, beef, pork and
longaniza in the smoking oil. When finished, strain the
reserved marinade and sauté the vegetables in the pan
drippings.
7. Add the strained out sour orange
juice and an equal amount of stock and simmer the sauté
pan, making sure to scrape up all the pan
drippings.
8. Combine the pan drippings and the
remaining chicken stock in a large kettle and bring to a
simmer.
9. Add the Platano, name and corn
first, then 10 minutes later add the yucca, yautias and
auyama. After 5 minutes add the browned meats and the
rest of the salt.
10. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or
until all the vegetables are cooked.
11. Ladle into deep bowls and
accompany with boiled rice and slices of ripe
avocado.
NOTE:___There are two options to
serve the Sancocho. Some just like to ladle and serve.
Other like to remove ________about 5%-10% of the liquid
with the "viveres" (yucca, yautia, auyama, name,
platano) and puree them in ________a blender and then
return this thick liquid to the kettle to add some body
to the Sancocho. Take your pick ________as both options
are great.
--------------------------------------
# Longaniza is a Dominican pork
sausage, mildly spiced, usually available at Latin
American or Dominican grocery stores. When unavailable
you can substitute with Italian hot or mild
sausage.
## THESE ITEMS Can usually be
purchased at Latin American or Dominican grocery stores.
/ Dominican Republic food.
--------------------------------
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CRACKED WHEAT and GROUND BEEF
FRITTERS
{QUIPES / KIPES)
=============================
Actually from the middle eastern
influence on the island of Hispaniola. Kibbeh is a
Middle Eastern
dish that has many variations, but
is basically ground meat (usually lamb or mutton) with
bulghur
Wheat and seasonings. This
"picadera", fritter or hors od'oeurve looks like a
football shaped fried
meatball consisting mainly of
cracked wheat (bulgur), ground beef and spices.
---------------------------------------------------
* INGREDIENTS for 3 dozen
* 1 pound medium sized cracked
wheat
* 1 pound of ground beef
* 1 tbs. fresh lime juice
* 1 pound of white onions
* .5 oz (1 tablespoon) ground
allspice
* 1 cup olive oil
* 1/6 bunch fresh mint
* 1/4 bunch fresh parsley
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp ground black pepper
* 2 quarts peanut oil
* PREPARATION
1. Cover the cracked wheat with cold
water and let soak 30-45 minutes. Time will vary on
the
freshness of the bulgur.
2. When bulgur is soft, drain off
excess water in a fine colander and then hand squeeze
the
remaining water from the
bulgur.
3. Peel and grate the onion into the
ground beef, add the salt, pepper, olive oil, lime
juice, allspice and then lightly mix.
4. Pick the leaves from the mint and
parsley and finely chop.
5. Add the chopped mint leaf and
softened cracked wheat to the ground beef (step 3
above)
and then mix and combine well. This
will take about 5 minutes and the resultant blend
should
be quite smooth and uniform.
6. Form into mini football shaped
"rolls". The length should be about twice as long as it
is wide.
7. Refrigerate for at least two
hours to allow melding of flavors and preparing for
frying.
8. Heat peanut oil to 425 degrees F.
and carefully deep fry the Kipe fritters, turning if
necessary.
They should be uniformly browned,
very crispy and fully cooked.
9. Remove from oil, drain on paper
towels and serve.
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"Sancocho de rabo de
vaca"
--------------------------------------
Serves 6- 8
--------------------------------------
INGREDIENTS:
===========
4 pounds ox-tails (cut into 1/2 to 1
inch thick rounds or "disjointed")
1 oz. sugar
3 quarts water
4 cloves of garlic / crushed
6 branches fresh oregano / leaves
removed and chopped
8 sprigs fresh cilantro / leaves
removed and chopped
8 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley /
leaves removed and chopped
3 beef bouillon cubes
2 medium onions / 1 diced and one
peeled and whole
1 large bell pepper / diced
2 stalks celery /chopped
2 cups of peeled and cubed
auyama*
2 each whole allspice
2 cups of peeled and cubed
yucca**
2 each green plantains*** /cut into
1/2 inch thick pieces
4 ears of corn on the cob / each cut
into 4 pieces
1 cup of peeled and cubed white
yautia blanco****
1 cup of peeled and cubed yellow
yautia amarillo*****
2 tbs. cider vinegar
2 large naranjas agrias
******
1 oz. dark rum
-- salt and ground black pepper to
taste
-- Tabasco sauce: optional, to
taste
PREPARATION:
=============
- rinse the ox-tail pieces under
cold running water and then squeeze one of
the naranja agria over the pieces
and allow to marinade.
- In a heavy skillet carefully melt
(caramelize) the sugar until it becomes a
blonde color and then add the
ox-tail pieces.
- over a high flame brown the pieces
of ox-tail and when they have good color
lower the flame and add the onion,
garlic, chopped oregano leaves and one
crushed beef bouillon cube. Continue
to sauté for about 4 minutes longer
and then add one cup of water.
Continue to stir and braise on medium heat,
until the water has evaporated and
then add another cup of water. Repeat
this braising until the ox-tails are
tender, or about one hour. cover and
remove from flame.
- quarter the remaining onion and
stud one quarter with the 2 whole allspice.
- dissolve the 2 remaining beef
bouillon cubes in the remaining water, bring
to a simmer and add the onion
quarters, celery, green pepper, auyama, yucca,
green plantains, the yautias and the
corn pieces.
- simmer uncovered for 30
minutes
- add the braised ox-tails along
with all the pan juices, the rum,
cider vinegar, remaining naranja
agria juice, then adjust the salt and pepper
and the optional Tabasco sauce.
Simmer covered for another 20-30 minutes.
- remove the whole allspice from the
onion quarter (discard allspice) and serve
the stew/soup in hot bowls.
- usually accompanied with white
rice.
=========Comments, footnotes and
explanations follow below
-----------------------------------------------------
THE INGREDIENTS INDICATED WITH A
*ÊÊÊ
Can usually be purchased at Latin
American, Cuban or Dominican grocery stores called
"colmados".
------------------------------------------------------
* if unavailable use pumpkin / also
known as "calabaza"
** if unavailable use potatoes
(reduce boiling time)
*** also known as "platano verde" -
if unavailable do NOT use green bananas
**** if unavailable use white
potatoes / also known as "malanga" (reduce boiling
time)
***** if unavailable use yellow
potatoes / also known as "malanga" (reduce boiling
time)
| 
Traditional Dominican Republic food
is very tasty and includes a diverse selection.
