another great recipe from karen graber. this one is for a popular mexican stew. you can modify the vegetables and meats to any mix you like. here is the traditional version: Puchero del Valle de Mexico: Central Mexican Style Meat Stew This is perhaps the most famous Mexican puchero, and the one that comes to mind first when this dish is mentioned. It contains the classic Spanish combination of meats, vegetables and legumes, with the Mexican additions of chiles and tomatoes. Feel free to change or add to the selection of vegetables, varying according to what is available. Ingredients: 1/2 lb. garbanzos (chick peas) soaked in water to cover overnight 1 lb. pork leg, cut into chunks 1 lb.stewing beef, cut in chunks 1 beef marrow bone 2 bay leaves 10 black peppercorns 8 cloves garlic, peeled 2 medium white onions, peeled and quartered 3 smoked pork ribs, cut in pieces 1/2 lb. smoked ham, diced 1/2 lb. chorizo, fried and drained 3/4 lb. tomatoes 2 ancho chiles, seeded and deveined 1 T coriander seeds 3 T olive oil 1 small head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 large carrots, sliced 2 turnips, sliced 2 ears corn, cut into fourths 2 sweet potatoes 2 plantains, sliced 2 winter pears, sliced Salt to taste Preparation: Drain the garbanzos; place them in a large stockpot with the pork leg, stewing beef, marrow bone, bay leaves, peppercorns, 4 cloves of the garlic and one of the onions. Cover with 2 1/2 quarts water, bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook until the meat is tender. Liquify the tomatoes, chiles and coriander seeds with the remaining 4 cloves of garlic and the remaining onion. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan, add the tomato mixture and cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes, then add to stew. Add the pork ribs, ham, chorizo and all the vegetables. Cook 15 minutes, add the plantains and pears, and cook another 15 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve in deep bowls, or serve the broth first, followed by the meat and vegetables. Serves 8.
who is karen graber? i am posting some recipes from a lady named karen graber who can be considered to be an expert in mexican style cooking. her recipes are well researched and capture the flavors of the areas of mexico she has both visited and lived in. here is her bio: BIOGRAPHY KAREN HURSH GRABER Born in New York City, Karen Hursh Graber spent several years Directing an English as a Second Language Program in Northern California before moving to Mexico to teach at the state university in Puebla, where she developed an interest in the unique cuisine of the area. She has written food and travel articles for The News (Mexico City) and the Antigua Times (Guatemala) and is the Food Editor of the internet magazine Mexico Connect, for which she writes a monthly column. She is the author of Take This Chile and Stuff It: Authentic Mexican Chiles Rellenos (Golden West Pub., 1998) The mother of two grown daughters, she lives in southern Mexico with her husband, Larry. The Grabers travel frequently in Mexico and Central America, collecting regional recipes along the way.
