Sancocho

Dominican meat and vegetable stew

3 quarts water
2 pounds beef (preferably flank steak), cut into 3-inch hunks
1 pound pork chops
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 hot green peppers, chopped
½ teaspoon fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
½ pound Jamaican pumpkin (calabaza), peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
2 ears fresh corn, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 pound white or yellow Caribbean yams, peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
2 green plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch slices
1 pound yuca (cassava), peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
1 pound batata (white Caribbean sweet potato), peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
1 pound yautia (also called malanga), peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
White vinegar to taste
White rice
About 2 to 3 ripe avocados, sliced

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  896 calories; 28 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 111 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams dietary fiber; 20 grams sugars; 58 grams protein; 147 milligrams cholesterol; 2163 milligrams sodium

Six to eight servings

Place the water in a large saucepan and add the meats, garlic, onion, cilantro, peppers, oregano, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Cook over medium heat until the meat is soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Remove the pork chops with a slotted spoon. Remove the bones and return to the pan. Add the pumpkin and the corn and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the yams, plantains, yuca, batata and yautia, and continue to simmer until the tubers soften and thicken the broth, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings and add vinegar and additional Tabasco, if desired. Serve with white rice and avocado.

2 hours 30 minutes