Yucatan Stew Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.