One of the first books on Spanish cooking is titled “The book of stews”written in the year 1525 by the king’s cook, Roberto de Nola. The publication comes from an older version titled “Book of Coch” by master Robertchef of Ferdinand I of Naples, in which numerous culinary preparations of the time are detailed. In writing, the stew consists of preparing food by cooking it in a sauce, after sautéing, allowing the vapors to reflux during the preparation process.
In this aspect, the stew is a culinary process that allows the use of a wide variety of ingredients. As a general rule, the foods available in the region, in season or those that are to the taste of the cook who prepares it are usually used. Although the cost of preparation varies, depending on the country, it is considered a tasty and cheap preparation. It is for this reason that Argentina has, both for his Mediterranean and pre-Hispanic heritagea great variety of stews that are ideal for the winter season.
buseca
buseca It is the popular denomination of the River Plate countries for tripe stew, originating in the Italian region of Lombardy. The dish is a succulent preparation similar to the so-called “Madrid-style tripe”typical par excellence of Spanish gastronomy, which maintains bovine tripe as the main ingredient.
The recipe is relatively simple and the use of various vegetables is recommended to give it a more pronounced flavor. Wash and soak the beans and chickpeas for at least 5 hours and boil the mondongo in plenty of salted water until tender, then let it cool and cut it into strips. Peel and chop the onion, potatoes and carrot, cut into cubes and reserve.
Cooking begins by browning the cut bacon in oil, then adding the sliced red chorizo, adding the onion and stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the potatoes, carrots, mondongo, red pepper and legumes. The next step is to cover the stew with water and season to taste. Leave on low heat until the preparation is thick.
Lents’ stew
A true family classic, one of the cheapest in the region, is the lentil stew. According to records, it began to be made between XIX and XX century in Spain, with the quality of being a rich, cheap and very abundant dish. It is characterized by having a legume such as lentil, which provides fiber, vitamins, iron, manganese, potassium, copper and phosphorus.
Simple preparation, it begins first by chopping the onion, garlic, and chili pepper and sautéing it with olive oil. Then, cut the rest of the vegetables, such as pumpkin, eggplant and zucchini; adding it together with the grated carrot to the previously sautéed ones. Stir to integrate and add the meat, the pre-cooked lentils and a cup of broth. Season to taste and bring to a boil. It is crucial for the intensity of the flavor to lower the heat a little to let it cook for 40 minutes with the semi-covered saucepan.
locro
Of course, the locro cannot be missing. The stew of pre-Hispanic and pre-Inca origin, typical of several Andean towns, based on pumpkin, corn, white beans and potatoes, originally from the area of the Andes mountain range. derived from Quechua “ruqru” or “luqru”the Argentine locro, for at least three centuries, synthesizes European gastronomic contributions: pork, chorizos, mondongo and numerous seasonings have been contributed by colonial immigration.
The ideal preparation takes two days to prepare, starting with soaking the beans in boiling water. The next day, change the water and boil them until they are tender. Also, the day before, place the white corn in a large saucepan and cover with water.
The day the locro is prepared, I boil the corn with all the water for half an hour, add the meat, the tail, all the vegetables and the shredded red chorizo. When it comes to a boil, remove the foam that rises to the surface, to prevent the locro from being acidic. Then lower the heat and add the beans. Let simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 hours. If while the locro is cooking the water evaporates, add broth as needed. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that the ideal and creamy consistency will be provided by the pumpkin, so it is recommended to have it cut into small cubes in the pot.
carrero stew
Historically, the “carrero” stew was a popular dish in every sense, since it was not only shared, but also something from the different carts that each one of them brought to cook. Its origin dates back to the military campaigns of the “Conquest of the desert” in which the soldiers contributed pieces of jerky, few legumes and some vegetables, without caring too much about their irregular and discontinuous variety.
The elaboration is very simple, austere and practical, possibly due to its military origin. It begins by cutting the meat into cubes, browning in a saucepan and reserving. On the other hand, boil the chorizos to defat them. In the same saucepan, sauté the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and add the meat and the sliced chorizos. Add broth and add the sweet potato first, then the potato and finally the pumpkin. Finally, the corn and cook until the latter are cooked.
Rice stew
Finally, the rice stew is one of the daily recipes of international cuisine. Its ingredients are available in any supermarket in the world and it is one of the simplest dishes to cook, regardless of the region or the time of year.
It begins by placing the oil and butter in a saucepan, browning the chicken cut into pieces and adding the onion. Add the cut and peeled tomatoes, the bell pepper, the peas, the broth and season well. Cover the saucepan and simmer gently until the chicken and peas are cooked. Add the rice, cover the pan again and let it boil slowly for 20 minutes. The secret is that the rice should be thick, but juicy.
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