This time of year there is nothing better than cooking in your crock pot. One single pot, slow cooking and great smells. Now that’s comforting and that’s what I love to cook during the winter. This lentils and beef stew is really easy to make and delicious over white rice. The perfect weeknight dinner. Enjoy it! Read more…

Do you have pork spine?, I asked the butcher at my local market. He looked at me like I was from another planet and said “no, we don’t have that!” Okay, thank you, I said.

I was plannig to make Sopa de Maiz Pelao, a soup that my grandmother used to make. She would add pork spine(espinazo de cerdo) and the flavor was fantastic. So I started getting the rest of the groceries and thinking about that soup I was craving so badly. Well, I decided to buy pork ribs and use them instead.

I made the soup yesterday for lunch and it was delicious. I did not miss the pork spine at all. After I had my soup I called my aunt in Florida and told her the story. She laughed and told me that in this country pork spine are called pork neck bones.

So, if you want to make the soup the way Mamita used to make it, ask your butcher for pork neck bones, but if you prefer my way, use pork ribs. Either way, it is a wonderful soup!

For those who don’t know what hominy is, it is white or yellow dried corn and is used in Mexican pozole. In Colombia, we use it in arepas de maiz pelao, mazamorra or soups. You can buy it and cook it at home from scratch, or just buy it pre-cooked in cans. Read more…

When I was growing up in Colombia, my mom made sudados once a week. Sudados are a popular dish in Colombia and we have many variations of this dish. For my mom, sudado is the perfect one pot, quick and simple meal. She would make a big pot so we would have left overs for the next day and served it over white rice and fried pantains with avocado on the side.

The aromas of this dish remind me of home whenever I cook it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. This is traditional Colombian home cooking, the style of food that my mom knows how to make very well. Some other variations of sudados are: chicken, beef, pork, meatballs and fish.

Buen Provecho! Read more…

I want to share with you today a recipe from the archives. Bandeja Paisa or Paisa Tray is my favorite Colombian dish and the most popular dish in Colombia. My friend Joan from Foodalogue is having a virtual culinary tour and this week she is going to Colombia. After much thought about which recipe I should make for this stop, I decided to post this dish because it is the most popular meal in Colombian cuisine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Read more…

Don’t you just love soups that are simple and quick to make? Soups like this White Bean Soup, that are easy to prepare, nutritious and full of flavor, seem too good to be true It is always welcome in my home to be prepared when pressed for time. This white bean soup is delicious and comforting. Enjoy! Read more…

Sancocho is a traditional Colombian dish and is prepared many different ways throughout the country. You’ll find fish, chicken, beef and chicken, pork and bean Sancocho in Colombia.

Sancocho is a soup made with plantain, yuca, potato, corn, and the meat of your choice, It is a hearty, comforting and delicious dish that is usually served with white rice , salad , aji, lime and avocado on the side. Read more…

I think I’ve mentioned before that I am not a cauliflower fan, but I started the year in a cauliflower recipes testing mood Do you remember the mashed cauliflower I made at the beginning of the year? If not, don’t worry here is the recipe. Anyway I made this cauliflower and cheese soup last week for lunch and we loved it. Cauliflower is the perfect ingredient for a smooth and velvety soup. I guess I am loving cauliflower now. Buen provecho!

Ingredients
(4 servings)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cups cauliflower florets
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup diced onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Red pepper flakes for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and cauliflower florets. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cumin, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaf and add the cheese. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Transfer the soup to a blender or using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and add the cream. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper and divide into serving bowls. Sprinkle red pepper flakes. Serve warm.