Recipe Archives->Mexican->Vitualla

Vitualla 
Serves 6 to 8

1/3 cup (2 ounces) dry chick-peas

1-1/2 pounds boneless beef brisket with some fat, cut into
2-inch cubes

1/2 pound boneless beef shin
A large marrow bone, cut into 4 pieces
1 large piece of porous bone
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons (or to taste) sea salt
1 small cabbage, cut into wedges

1 cup unconverted long-grain rice
2 cups warm chicken broth
1/4 medium white onion, roughly, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup lard or safflower oil
3 medium quinces (about 1-1/4 pounds) peeled, cored, and thickly sliced

3 underripe pears, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
3 underripe peaches, unpeeled, pit removed, thickly sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
Sea salt to taste
Salsa de jitomate

In a large pot, soak the chick-peas in water to cover overnight.

The next day, put the meat, bones, onion, garlic, and salt into a
deep pan.  Barely cover with water and set over low heat to simmer,
uncovered.  Continue simmering until the meat is almost tender,
about 1 hour.  Place the cabbage slices on top of the meat and
continue cooking until the meat and cabbage are tender, about 15
minutes longer.  Remove the cabbage, but leave the meat in the
broth and keep it warm.

Drain the chick-peas, reserving the soaking water.  Rub off and
discard the papery skins and put chick-peas with the water back
into the saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue
cooking at a fast simmer until all the chick-peas are tender but
not falling apart, about 40 minutes. 

Cover the rice with hot water and soak for about 10 minutes.  Drain,
rinse, and put into a pot.  Blend the warm broth with the onion
and garlic and pour over the rice.  Bring the broth to a simmer,
cover, lower the heat, and cook very slowly until the water has
been absorbed.  Set aside off the heat to steam, still covered.
The rice should be tender but not too soft, or it will become mushy
in the next step of the recipe.

In a large saute pan or flameproof dish, heat the lard (or safflower
oil) and gently saute the fruits and sugar, shaking the pan to
prevent sticking, and turn them over once so that they just begin
to brown lightly.  Add the chick-peas and rice with salt to taste
and fry the mixture gently, turning it over, for about 5 minutes.
Place the cabbage on top, cover the pan, and continue cooking over
very low heat for about 5 minutes more.


Salsa De Jitomate
Makes about 2-1/4 cups

1-1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes
4 (or to taste) chiles serranos
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons safflower oil
Sea salt to taste

Put the tomatoes into a pan with the fresh chiles, cover with water,
bring to a simmer, and cook at a fast simmer until fairly soft but
not falling apart ... about 5 minutes, depending on size of tomatoes.

Put the garlic, chiles, and 1/3 cup of the cooking water into a
blender jar and blend until well broken ..... about 5 seconds.
Add the unpeeled tomatoes and blend for a few seconds; the sauce
should have a roughish texture.  Heat the oil in a frying pan, add
the sauce, and cook over high heat, stirring from time to time and
scraping the bottom of the dish, until reduced and the raw taste
of garlic has disappeared .... about 6 to 8 minutes.  Add salt to
taste.

Printable version: vitualla.txt.