Carne en Jocon (Guatemalan Beef in Tomato and Pepper Sauce)
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 red or green bell peppers seeded and chopped
2 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
3 pounds lean boneless beef chuck cut into 1″ pieces
10 oz. can tomatillos with liquid
4 medium tomatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup beef stock
2 stale tortillas, or 2 Tbsp. masa harina or 2 Tbsp. cornmeal
Instructions:
Heat the oil in heavy saucepan or casserole dish and saute the onion, garlic and peppers until the onion is soft. Add the meat and the other ingredients except the tortillas. The liquid should barely cover the meat. Add a little more stock if necessary.
Cover and simmer gently until the beef is tender, about 2 hours. If using tortillas soak them in cold water, and crumble them like bread crumbs. Add to the casserole and simmer uncovered, until the sauce is thickened. If using masa harina or cornmeal, mix with a little cold water and stir into the stew, cooking just until the sauce is thickened. Serve the stew on a bed of rice.
Recipe from The University of Chicago archives.