Yucatan Stew Recipes

PERUVIAN STEWED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place tomatoes in a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until liquefied. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan or stockpot over moderate heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Add cumin, oregano and bay leaf and stir to combine. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to pan. Brown the chicken lightly. Add the tomatoes and enough water to cover 3/4 of chicken. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until chicken is cooked through. About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, add the green pepper and peas. Serve warm.

HOT AND SPICY HABANERO BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Combine flour, paprika, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large, resealable plastic bag; shake to mix. Add beef and shake to coat beef in flour mixture. Remove beef from bag and shake to remove any excess flour mixture.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in hot oil until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove beef with a slotted spoon to a slow cooker, retaining oil and drippings in the skillet.
• Saute onion in retained drippings until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes; add to beef in slow cooker.
• Stir vegetable broth, potatoes, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, carrots, tomato, chopped habanero pepper, habanero pepper halves, black pepper, and caraway seeds with the beef and onion in the slow cooker.
• Cook on Low for 4 hours. Remove and discard the habanero pepper halves before serving.

LAMB STEW, YUCATáN STYLE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the seasoning paste. Mix 2 tablespoons of the paste with the vinegar and rub all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Store the remaining paste for later use. 2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and the seasoned meat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the meat is tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes more to thicken a bit and reduce some of the liquid. Add salt, if needed. Serve with white beans or steamed rice.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

YUCATAN BEEF

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat saute onions, beef and garlic for 5-7 minutes, until beef is nicely browned. Stir in beef broth and scrape up browned bits on bottom of pan, reduce heat to medium and add remaining ingredients. Simmer covered for 1 hour until beef is tender and sauce is thickened. For thicker sauce increase heat to medium high, uncover pan and cook until sauce is desired consistency.

YUCATAN PORK STEW WITH BACON AND CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• In a very large heavy stew pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered. Scoop out bacon and transfer to a deep bowl, leaving rendered fat behind.
• Season the pork with salt and black pepper and add half of it to the casserole. Cook over medium-high heat, turning, until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to the bowl with the bacon. Brown the remaining pork.
• Return all of the pork and bacon to the casserole along with any accumulated juices. Stir in the onions, garlic, jalapeno, bay leaves, cloves, and chicken broth; season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Add the Ragu, nestling the pork into the sauce. Cover and cook over low heat until the pork is very tender, about 2 hours. Discard the bay leaves, add the cauliflower, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Stir in the Feta cheese and cilantro.

CHEF JOHN'S YUCATAN-STYLE GRILLED PORK

Steps:

• Place orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice in a bowl. Add garlic, kosher salt, annatto powder, chipotle powder, ground cumin, cayenne, oregano, and black pepper. Whisk until well blended.
• Cut the tenderloins in half crosswise; cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place pieces in marinade and thoroughly coat with the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap with the wrap touching the surface of the meat and marinade. (Or transfer mixture to a resealable plastic bag.) Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
• Transfer pieces of pork from marinade to a paper-towel-lined bowl to absorb most of the moisture. Discard paper towels. Drizzle vegetable oil and a bit more annatto powder on the pork.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pieces evenly spaced on a hot grill. Allow meat to sear onto the grate until pieces can be easily turned, 4 or 5 minutes. Turn and grill on the other side another 4 or 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 135 to 140 degrees F (63 degrees C). Transfer onto a serving platter and allow meat to rest about 5 minutes before serving.

YUCATáN FISH

Steps:

• Make the pickled onions: Put onion in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add serrano, 3 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice, then mix well. Set aside for at least 15 minutes. Combine and reserve remaining citrus juice for marinade.
• Make the marinade: Put achiote, cinnamon, oregano and chipotle in a small stainless steel or glass bowl. In a small dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast cumin, cloves and allspice until fragrant, 1 minute or less. Grind toasted spices to a powder in a spice mill or mortar, then add to other spices. Add garlic, 1 large pinch salt and remaining citrus juice and stir to make a paste. If very thick, add more lime juice. (Note: achiote may stain surfaces or clothing.)
• Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, score skin at thickest parts, if desired. Paint fish on both sides with marinade. Squeeze a little lime juice over fish. Chill for 45 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
• Bring fish to room temperature and heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut banana leaves crosswise into footlong lengths and soften by passing them briefly over a stovetop burner. Rinse leaves and pat dry. Lay a double thickness of leaves on a baking sheet and lay fish on it, skin-side down. Top fish with a large handful of pickled onions. Arrange tomato wedges over onions. Sprinkle with salt and a little more lime juice. Lay more leaves on top, then wrap like a package, tying with string or strips of leaf. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove and let package rest, unopened, for 15 minutes. Serve with remaining pickled onions.