Dominican Sancocho Vegetable Bowls

Ingredients

• 12 oz yuca or potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• 12 oz pumpkin or squash, cut into chunks
• 2 green plantains, peeled and cut into rounds
• 2 ears corn, cut into rounds
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Peel the yuca thickly, taking off the bark and the pink layer beneath, and cut out the woody core. Yuca must always be peeled and cooked through.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion and bell pepper with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes, then add the garlic, oregano, and cumin for 30 seconds.
3. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then add the yuca and plantain rounds first, since they take the longest.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the pumpkin and corn and cook for 15 minutes more, until everything is tender.
5. Adding the vegetables in stages rather than all at once is what stops the soft ones dissolving while the yuca is still hard.
6. Crush a few pieces of the softest vegetable against the side of the pot and stir them back in; their starch is what thickens sancocho, so no flour is needed.
7. Simmer for 5 minutes more, until the broth has thickened enough to coat a spoon.
8. Season generously with salt and black pepper, stir in the cilantro off the heat, and serve with plenty of lime wedges.

Allergen note: No common allergens in the listed ingredients; check packaged items.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.