08. My Wife's Cuban Soups

CUBAN TROPICAL SOUP (AJIACO CRIOLLO)

You'll need:
1 lb bones with meat, 4 quarts water, 1 tbsp salt, 2 ears of corn cut in small pieces, 2 green plantains, peeled, quartered, sprinkled with lemon juice, 2 lbs yucca, 2 lbs ñame, 2 malangas, 2 white sweet potatoes (boniatos), ½ small squash, all peeled and cut in small pieces, 1 packet Sazón con Azafrán, 1 (6 oz.) sofrito.

How to:

In large pot, combine meat, bones, water and salt, bring to boil, lower heat and cook for 1 hour. Stir in corn and green plantain, yucca, ñame and malanga, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, sazón and sofrito. Cook 1 hour or until all vegetables are tender.

RED BEANS SOUP (POTAJE)

You'll need:

2 cans red beans drained and rinsed, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin or to taste, 1 bay leave, 1 packet sazon complete, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp adobo with pepper, 1 cup water.

How to:

In a pot on medium, combine all ingredients, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until desired consistency.

BLACK BEANS SOUP (POTAJE DE FRIJOLES NEGROS)

You'll need:

2 cans black beans drained and rinsed, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin or to taste, 1 bay leave, 1 packet sazon complete, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp adobo with pepper, 1 cup water.

How to:
In a pot on medium, combine all ingredients, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until desired consistency.

HEN SOUP ORIENTE STYLE (CALDOSA DE LAS TUNAS)

You'll need:

½ hen, 2 yuccas, 3 potatoes, 2 green plantains, 1 malanga, 4 cloves garlic, 1 onion, 2 green peppers, 3 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp of sofrito, 1 pinch of cumin, 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp mustard, 4 l water, 3 lemons, salt to taste

How to:

Wash the hen and leave it whole. Peel the root vegetables (viandas), wash and cut them well and put it in a pot with water. In a suitable container with hot oil, cook the hen, then add the remaining ingredients and cook until the hen is almost tender, remove the bones and shred it. Add the root vegetables (viandas) and let them cook until puree. Add the salt to taste and garnish with sliced lemon.

GREEN PLANTAIN SOUP (SOPA DE PLATANOS)

You'll need:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 5 cups chicken stock, 2 green plantains, peeled and diced, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt & pepper to taste

How to:

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Cut the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cut the green plantains into little cubes and add them with bay leaf, cumin, salt and pepper. Return soup to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, until plantains are very tender, remove and discard the bay leaf. Puree the plantains and return it to the pot. Serve with green plantains chips (mariquitas)

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