Vaca Estofada (Stewed Beef)

Ingredients

• two pounds of juicy beef
• two tablespoonfuls of flour
• one quart of broth
• one gill of tomato sauce
• eight raw potatoes
• the same quantity of tomatoes
• a handful of French beans
• a small quantity of parsley
• a bunch of sweet herbs
• a few small pieces of lean bacon
• some bits of sausages
• a good pinch of salt
• half a pinch of pepper
• a crushed point of garlic

Method

1. 1

   Chop beef into squares, brown in butter with onions, add flour, and cook.

2. 2

   Moisten with broth and tomato sauce, cook for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Add potatoes, tomatoes, beans, herbs, bacon, sausages, salt, pepper, and garlic.

4. 4

   Cook for 25 minutes and serve with rice.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated from matched ingredients across 8 servings.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Banquets of the nations (1911) by Robert H. Christie, page 181. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Vaca Estofada (Stewed Beef) Enchiladas (Fried Tomatoes and Indian Corn) Asado de Res (Roast Mutton) Coles Morados (Browned Cauliflower) Barquillo de Papas (Potato Pudding) Miel Queso Tartinas (Honey Cheese Tartlets) Tortillas de Queso (Cheese Cakes) Fruta (Fruit) 45- MEXICO Pulque. (Milk of Aloes.) This refreshing and invigorating beverage is much indulged in by Mexicans. Tt is not an intoxicant, except in excessive quantities. When the American aloe or century plant of Mexico is about to bloom, the flower stalk is cut away and a deep hole made at its base, from which the sap is drawn daily for a couple of months, or till it is finished. It is then allowed to ferment, and cleared. It should be of a good opaque colour. By the natives it is considered as a medicinal cure-all as well as a beverage. When distilled it makes a very strong spirit of a not unpleasant character. Sopa r>E Frijoles Negras. (Black Bean , Soup). The night before the soup is made soak one pint of black beans in three quarts of water. On the following morning drain the water off the beans and put them into a saucepan with three quarts of fresh water. When boiling move the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let them simmer for six hours, when the water should be reduced to one quart. Now put in a bunch of sweet herbs, one large onion, a slice each of carrot and turnip, and a stalk of celery, all of which have been finely chopped and fried in butter. Add a small quantity of whole allspice, cloves, mace, and cinnamon, and pour in one quart of stock. Put one tablespoonful of butter and one tablespoonful of flour in a frying pan, and stir 453 BANQUETS OF THE NATIONS over the fire till brown, which mix into the soup, and keep simmering for one hour. Put some slices ot lemon in a soup tureen, pour in the soup, straining it through a fine hair sieve, and serve with a dish of egg balls. Sopa de Col. (Cabbage Soup.) Fry in butter some breadcrumbs, with salt and pepper. In this place some cooked sliced cabbage and four pints of milk. Add another piece of butter very slightly rolled in flour, and bring to the boil, after which remove from the fire, and stir in the yolks of four eggs. Huevos al Gusto. (Eggs and Rice.) Fry in oil a point of garlic and some chillies. After the latter are cooked put them to one side. Throw away the piece of garlic. Put in the pan some well- washed rice which has been soaked in water for three hours, and fry it along with the pulp of some good fresh tomatoes, seasoning it with salt and pepper. Serve the rice on an entree dish, on the top of which place some neatly trimmed fried eggs. Garnish with the fried chillies, which you have again heated up, and serve very hot. Peseado. (Fillets of Mackerel.) Boil a couple of nice mackerels, and, when cold, remove skin and bones and cut into neat pieces, and pour over some tomato sauce. May be served as a separate dish or with any kind of cold meats. 454 MEXICO Tomato Sauck. (Sharp.) Mince up together a point of ground garlic and half a dozen tomatoes, and mix along with some breadcrumbs, vinegar, pepper, salt, mint, chopped onions, cooked chillies, and sufficient oil to make the whole the con- sistency of thick cream. Tamales. (Croquettes of Sheep's Brains.) Boil half a pound of brains gently for twenty minutes, and put them for a few minutes in cold water ; peel off the outside, chop up the brains, and add one break- fastcupful of breadcrumbs. Mash all together, then add one teaspoonful of finely minced parsley, one ounce of butter, the yolk of an egg, a little lemon juice, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Mix all well together, and after flouring the hands make it up into shapes like sausages. Take and fill some husks oi Indian corn with this mixture, and place them in a pan with some well- seasoned second stock, and simmer gently for an hour. Strain the stock and boil some rice in it. Again strain the stock, and reduce it to a semi-glaze. Dish the tamales, surround them with the rice in which some thick cream has been mixed, and garnish with slices of lemon. Frijoles. (Stewed Beans with Rice.) Remove the rind of half a pound of streaky bacon, cut it up into pieces one inch long and half an inch thick, and put them into boiling water to blanch. Take them 455 BANQUETS OF THE NATIONS out in five minutes, drain, put them into a large saucepan over the fire, and cook until they are of a light brown colour. Then add half an ounce of flour, stir for two or three minutes longer, add three teaspoonfuls of red wine, two teacupfuls of water, a green chilli, and a small point of garlic. Simmer gently on the side of the fire for twenty-five minutes, then add one quart of red haricot beans (boiled till quite tender), two cupfuls of good brown stock, and pepper and salt to taste. Bring to the boil. Strain the stock, which season with a glaze made of a sliced onion, piece of ham, a carrot sliced, and fried in a pan. Put a good piece of butter on the beans, and serve in a hot dish with tortillas, and the sauce in a sauce-boat. Tortillas. (Bean Cakes.) Make a good soft dough of bean flour, water, and sait. Roll out, cut into rounds, and cook on a girdle till brown on both sides. Vaca Estofada. (Stewed Beef.) Chop up into two-inch squares two pounds of juicy beef freed from fat, skin, and gristle ; brown them in a saucepan with butter and two onions cut in square pieces ; add two tablespoonfuls of flour ; and cook for six minutes. Stir well, and moisten with one quart of broth and one gill of tomato sauce, and cook for half an hour. Then put in eight raw potatoes (cut in quar- ters), the same quantity of tomatoes, a handful of French 456 MEXICO beans, a small quantity of parsley, a bunch of sweet herbs, a few small pieces of lean bacon, some bits of sausages, a good pinch of salt, half a pinch of pepper, and a crushed point of garlic

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.