Recipe: Carbonada Criolla

the appetizer:

Argentina is one of the world's major food suppliers. It is a major producer of beef, wheat, corn, milk beans, and soybeans. Argentine cuisine evolved distinctly from the rest of Latin American cuisine because of the heavy influence of Italian, Spanish, French and other European cuisines.

Carbonada Criolla

Serves 8

An Argentine stew with meats, vegetables and fruits.

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds stewing beef, in 1-inch chunks
4 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
3 baking potatoes, 1 inch dice
3 sweet potatoes, 1 inch dice
2 ears corn, cut into 1 inch widths
2 zucchini or yellow squash, in 1/2 inch dice
2 peaches in 1/2 inch dice
2 pears in 1/2 inch dice

Heat oil in heavy pot. Brown beef in batches. Remove from pan and set aside. Cook tomatoes, pepper, onion and garlic until soft. Add seasonings, stock and wine. Bring to boil scraping up browned bits, then return beef to pot with potatoes and sweet potatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in corn and squash. Simmer 10 more minutes, until vegetables are almost fully tender, then add fruits and cook only 5 minutes more.