Aunt Didis Carne Guisada Recipes

Steps:

• Use a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic, minced chile, peppercorns and cumin seeds into a smooth paste. Add 1/4 cup water and mash until the paste is incorporated into the water. Transfer the mixture to a measuring cup. (Alternately, blend the garlic, minced chile, peppercorns and cumin seeds in a blender with about 1/4 cup water, occasionally scraping down the sides of the blender until very well blended, about 5 minutes.)
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium. Add half the steak and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and meat. Return the browned meat to the Dutch oven then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour and 1 teaspoon salt over the beef and stir to incorporate, then add the blended garlicky liquid and just enough water to barely cover the meat (about 2 cups). Increase the heat to medium-high and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven, releasing any browned bits.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately lower the heat so that it cooks at a low simmer. Cover the pot and cook until the meat is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Remove the lid and stir in the cubed potatoes. Let the guisada cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Divide among bowls and serve with hot tortillas, plus cilantro and sliced chile, if using.

Steps:

• In a large saute pan over medium heat add the cubed meat and cook until browned. Add the chopped bell pepper, onion, tomato, garlic, cumin, black pepper and 1-ounce water and stir to combine. Add 1 quart water and bring everything to a boil. Turn the heat down and add the roux. Cook the mixture until it thickens and season with salt, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and serve.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned in spots but still a little red in the middle, about 5 minutes.
• Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and stir to combine. Add the cumin, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Stir in the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with Mexican rice, refried beans, and warm tortillas.
• From Aunt Elsa's Kitchen
• For a thicker gravy, after cooking use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving bowl. Combine 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup water and stir until smooth. Whisk this slurry into the gravy and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened. Pour the gravy over the meat and serve.

Steps:

• Brown beef well in a large cast iron dutch oven, a heavy stainless steel pot can be used with good results.
• Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent.
• Add stock, chili powder, comino, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours or until beef is very tender.
• In a separate skillet mix flour and oil together to form a roux.
• Cook over medium high heat until a dark beige color, about 5 minutes.
• Be careful not to let it burn.
• Carefully add roux to stewed beef.
• Be very careful because it can splatter.
• Bring back to a simmer and thicken, simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
• Serve like a soft taco on flour tortillas with fresh cilantro, chopped onions, shredded cheese and sour cream for garnish.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium to high heat and saute meat on all sides until brown, about 10 minutes. Crush garlic with pepper and oregano in a mortar.
• Pour wine into skillet with beef. Add crushed garlic mixture, sofrito, salt, beef bouillon cube, and bay leaves; stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until meat is tender, about 1 hour. If meat is not tender yet, add 1/2 cup of water and continue to cook until meat can easily be pierced with a fork.
• Stir in potatoes, carrots, olives, and tomato paste. Cook on low heat until vegetables are done and sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the beef sirloin in the Dutch oven and cook until the cubes are brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, red bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, paprika, and water.
• Continue cooking, stirring often, until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• In a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, mix first 13 ingredients and, if desired, liquid smoke. Stir in pork, potatoes and onion. Cook, covered, on low until pork is tender, 7-9 hours., Discard bay leaf; skim fat from cooking juices. Shred pork slightly with 2 forks. Serve with remaining ingredients as desired.

Steps:

• Season the meat with the garlic powder, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides.
• Add the flour, stirring well, and saute for 1 more minute. Gradually add the water, making sure to crush any flour lumps. Then add the onion and green bell pepper, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together until well blended. Add the shortening and use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Slowly add the water, mixing it in with your fingers a little at a time. Turn the dough out onto a surface and knead until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Place the dough in a clean, large bowl, cover with a towel, and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet or platter, cover with a towel, and let rest 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin (palota) to roll one ball at a time into an evenly thick round; roll it to about 1/8 inch thick for thick, chewy tortillas or as thin as you like. It is more important that the round be evenly thick than a perfect circle, but there is a good method to getting a good, round shape: Place the ball on the lightly floured surface in front of you and flatten it slightly with your palm or the rolling pin. Place your rolling pin at the center of the round and roll once straight up and then straight down. Do not allow your rolling pin to roll right off the edges; just roll up to the edges, not off them. Lift the round and give it a quarter turn. Repeat the rolling and quarter turning until the round is the desired size and thickness. Place the rolled-out tortilla on a baking sheet or large platter and cover with a damp cloth while you roll out the remaining tortillas. Once you have the hang of it, you'll be able to roll and cook at the same time.
• Heat a comal over medium heat until hot. Place a tortilla on the comal and cook until the underside is brown in spots, the tortilla has risen slightly, and the surface is dotted with air bubbles, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Flip the tortilla and cook until that side is browned in spots (usually where the bubbles were), 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. For best results, do not flip the tortilla more than once. Transfer the tortilla to a tortilla warmer or place on a platter and cover with a cloth napkin while you cook the remaining tortillas. Serve warm.
• Try to flip flour and corn tortillas (page 174) only once; flipping them back and forth makes the tortillas tough. Wrapped tightly, flour tortillas can be stored for several days in the refrigerator. Reheat them on the comal just before serving.
• A tortilla press is essential for making Corn Tortillas (page 174) and Tostones (page 34). It is made from two round, heavy plates. One sits solidly on the counter and the other, attached to the first by a hinge, is pushed down over the first using the leverage of the handle. It's a beautifully simple design that hasn't been improved by the introduction of new technologies or materials. Buy the heaviest one you can find; I like cast iron. The weight helps do the pressing for you. Don't buy nonstick or electric presses. Be sure to line both sides of the press with wax paper or plastic wrap or the tortilla will stick to it. Tortilla presses can not only be found at kitchen supply retailers, department stores, and online, but they can also often be found for half the price in grocery stores catering to a Latin clientele.
• A comal is a flat, heavy griddle-again, I prefer cast iron-crucial for cooking tortillas. They are widely available at big box and department stores and well worth their very reasonable price. They're sturdy enough to last decades and are great for searing meat and making quesadillas, panini, and grilled cheese.
• Unlike the tortilla press and comal, a lidded tortilla warmer is not crucial for producing the most successful tortillas possible. You can certainly place cooked, warm tortillas on a platter and cover them with a clean, cloth napkin or pretty kitchen towel. But tortilla warmers are fun and often beautiful. I love to collect them, in fact, and have a large assortment of warmers made from cloth, ceramic, terra-cotta, and porcelain. I love to present everything I serve in an attractive way, and tortilla warmers look lovely on the table while actually doing the useful job of keeping my fresh tortillas moist and warm!