Cuban sancocho, made with love

Boston Globe

11-03-2025

Advertisement
A decent amount of time has passed since I was the little girl in my grandmother's kitchen listening to stories of my ancestors, but that feeling of family and unwavering sense of togetherness and belonging has followed me well into my professional years. My restaurant is named
Get Winter Soup Club
A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Chef Tatiana Rosana is a first-generation Cuban-American whose love of food and culture led her to opening
, a Latin-inspired restaurant located in the Envoy Hotel in Boston. Rosana is also the regional director of culinary for Hersha Hospitality Hotels and the author of the children's book 'Arlo and the Secret Ingredient.' Find her on Instagram at @chef.tatiana and @paramariaboston.
Advertisement
Tatiana Rosana at the Outlook Kitchen and Bar in the Envoy Hotel in 2016.
Pat Greenhouse
CUBAN SANCOCHO
Serves 8-10
While specialty Latin ingredients are becoming more widely available, some traditional items such as adobo seasoning, sazon, and some vegetables may be harder to find at your local grocery store. Check specialty markets for them and for premade sofrito; making it at home is always the best option. Pulse 1 large Spanish onion, 1 green bell pepper, 5 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon capers, and 1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves in a food processor until it forms the consistency of thick applesauce. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze until ready to use. Buen Provecho!
Advertisement
Ingredients
MEAT INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sofrito (store-bought or homemade)
2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
1 packet (3.5 ounces) Sazon Goya
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 whole chicken legs, thighs and drumsticks separated, meat cut into 1 1/2-to-2-inch pieces
1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut in 1 1/2-to-2-inch pieces
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-to-2-inch pieces
1. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, sofrito, adobo, sazon, oregano, and pepper until smooth.
2. Add the chicken, beef, and pork. Toss well to coat them all over.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to overnight.
VEGETABLES (Choose at least 3, or as many as you like)
2 green plantains
1/2 pound kabocha squash
1/2 pound yuca (cassava)
1/2 pound malanga
1/2 pound yam or sweet potato
1 large russet (baking) potato
1. Peel the plantains and cut into 1-to-1 1/2-inch slices.
2. Remove the rind from the kabocha squash. Cut the flesh into 1-to-1 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Peel the yuca (cassava) and cut into 1-to-1 1/2-inch pieces.
4. Peel the malanga and cut into 1-to-1 1/2-inch pieces.
5. Peel the yam or sweet potato and cut into 1-to-1 1/2-inch pieces.
6. Peel the russet potato and cut 1-to-1 1/2-inch pieces.
SOUP INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup sofrito (store bought or homemade)
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon adobo seasoning, or more to taste
1 packet (3.5 ounces) Sazon Goya
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 large bay leaves
2 cups beef stock, and more as needed (up to 1 cup)
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
Advertisement
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and more to taste
1/2 pound ham steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 ears fresh corn, cut into 2-inch pieces
Soup instructions
1. In a large (16 quart) stockpot or caldero over medium high heat, heat the oil until hot.
2. Lift the meat from the marinade and transfer to the hot oil. Cook for 10 minutes, turning the pieces, or until they are browned. (The meat will not be cooked through.)
3. Add the sofrito, onion, garlic, adobo, sazon, oregano, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. If the seasonings are starting to darken too much, lower the heat to medium.
4. Add the beef stock, tomato sauce, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the plantains, squash, yuca, malanga, yam or sweet potato, and russet potato with the ham.
5. Lower the heat to medium-low, stir the vegetables and meat, and cover the pot. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. Add more stock during cooking if the vegetables have absorbed too much liquid.
6. Add the corn and return the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes more. (Total simmering time is 50 to 55 minutes.)
7. Taste the broth for seasoning and add more black pepper and adobo, if you like. Serve with white rice, tostones, or avocados.
Outlook Kitchen and Bar