Guisado de Picadillo (Mexican Stew)

By UncleDick

Wonderful filling soup/stew, rich with flavors, Some restaurants serve this soup/stew in a large, heated, Molcajete Stone. This recipe was inspired by Casa Ramos Restaurants, and my 88 year old father-in-law Lorenzo Garcia, who grew up in El Paso and still eats many versions of this. (Similar to Sopa de Molcajete) A mixture of Seafood (crab,shrimp, white fish etc.) may be substituted for the meats in this recipe, for a great New Years Feast!!!!!

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken legs or thighs
• 8 oz of beef cut to strips
• 1 thick slice of bacon
• 1 1/2 t veg oil
• 3 C boiling water
• 2 cubes Knorr beef boulion
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 Cups Ancho Chili Sauce (see Directions)
• 1 lb mushrooms cut in half
• 2 zucchinis halved and sliced
• 2 stalks cerery cut on bias
• 1/2 sweet onion chopped
• 2 t minced garlic
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 -1 t cocoa powder
• 1/4 t cidar vinegar
• 1 t dry sherry
• 1/2 t butter
• 1/2 t Cholula, Frank's or Tobasco sauce
• S & P
• garnish: Queso Fresco or Jack cheese, chopped Gr. Onions, fresh chopped Jalepenos, Avocado and dried Oregano.

Details

Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 40mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Prepare ancho Chili sauce. (see below)
2. fry bacon
3. remove and chop
4. add oil to bacon grease and brown chicken and beef
5. add boiling water and everything else
6. Cook 10 minutes, or simmer longer
7. Garnish and serve
(* Ancho Chili Sauce) Place 6-8 dried, seeded, Ancho chili’s in 2 cups water with ½ onion quartered, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teas. cumin seed, salt and pepper. boil 10-15 min. Remove peppers and onions to blender/processer. Add 1, 15oz can tomato sauce and 1 teas. Cumin seed. Blend till smooth. and use 2 cups sauce as base for soup!