Caldo - Beef Stock
Serves 8
This is a light brown stock so it is more suitable as the base for hearty beef soups and sauces.
1 pound beef bones
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup onions, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled and whole
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon Aliño (recipe below)
12 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
In a roasting pan, brown the bones for 20 minutes. In a stock pot with 2 tablespoons of oil, brown the vegetables. Add the bones, approx. 8 cups of water, Aliño, peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a slow simmer. Deglaze the roasting pan (dissolve the caramel formed around the pan with water) and add the juices to the pot. Simmer for at least 6 hours. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables and bones. Store the stock in the refrigerator or freezer without removing the fat. Remove the fat before using the stock.
Aliño - Mixed Dried Herbs
1 tablespoon dried thyme (tomillo) leaves
1 tablespoon dried rosemary (romero) leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon sage (salvia) leaves
1 tablespoon dried mint (menta) leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon dried lemon balm (toronjil) leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon dried marjoram (mejorana) leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon tarragon (estragón) leaves (optional)
Mix and crush the herbs. Store in an airtight, dry container in the dark.
Ajiaco - Beef and Potato Soup
Serves 8
2 pounds eye of round beef, lean
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
1 tablespoon Ají de Color (Chilean Sweet Paprika) or Spanish Paprika
1 tablespoon dry thyme, crushed or ground
1 tablespoon dry oregano, crushed or ground
freshly ground pepper to taste
8 cups Caldo (see recipe above)
1 whole fresh or dried ají (optional)
1 pound of potatoes, peeled
1 medium Sevillana (tart) orange, juiced
salt to taste
1 pinch of fresh parsley, chopped
2 large hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Rub the beef with oil and bake for 30 minutes. Cut the meat into strips, return it to its juices and set aside. Saute the onions with paprika, thyme, oregano and pepper until transparent. Add the Caldo to the onions and bring to a boil, add the ají. Add the meat with its juices to the soup and simmer for 30 minutes. Cut the potatoes into length wise wedges or the shape of country-style french fries and add to the soup, simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the orange juice, check for salt and let it rest, off the heat for 10 minutes. (Sevillana oranges can be replaced by half a Valencia orange and half a lemon.)
Serve in soup bowls garnished with parsley and eggs.
