Menudito

Whenever I was helping my mom in the kitchen making a dish that contained ground beef, she would tell me, “Vas a picar bien menudito la carne.” She never bought ground beef, so we would have to make it in our own way. She said, ‘menudito,’ I knew exactly what she meant: small pieces, really small pieces. I would slice the meat thinly with the knife and then pound the meat with the stone on the batan (grinding stone) and then cut the pounded meat by hand.  This process adds amazing flavor to the food.

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 lb pork (boneless prime roast)

1 lb chicken breast

1/2 lb beef ( NY sirloin steak)

2 medium size onions minced really well

3 garlic cloves minced really well

2 large tomatoes

1/2 cup aji rojo (spicy red pepper sauce) (or 1 tbsp chilli powder and 2 tbsp paprika)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cumin

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 tsp oregano

6 cups chicken broth (any broth)

1 can hominy (1 lb can)

For the side:

slices of baguette

slices of lemon

slices of jalapeno (or locoto)

Preparation:

Using the large sized holes of a grader. Grade the 2 onions. We want them really in small pieces but not a paste.

Chop the parsley

Use a garlic press for the garlic cloves.

Boil water and add the tomatoes. Cook them for 2 min, no more than that. The skin will get loose.

Cut the meat in tiny pieces by hand. This takes a little bit of time but it’s worth it and gives the menudito more body.

Heat the oil in large pot and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 min and then add the aji rojo (spicy red pepper sauce).

Cook for another 5 min and add the cumin, parsley and oregano. Mix really well.

Add the pork and meat and salt. Cook for about 10 min or until the mix starts drying.

Add the 2 tomatoes that are peeled. When you add them crush them in your hand so it’s more like a puree. Cook for another 5 min.

Add the chicken and cook until the chicken changes color to a dark white. At this point add the 6 cups of broth.

Let it simmer for 20 min.

Add the hominy and let it boiled until the soup starts getting thick. (10 min). I used la Preferida is a 1 lb can if you have Goya used 2 cans.

Serve hot with bread, green onion and hot pepper on the side and if you like, squeeze a wedge of lemon on top.