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Picana boliviana
Beef, chicken and corn stew
Picana: Bolivia's Christmas Eve soup-stew of beef, chicken, corn and potatoes
In Bolivia, picana is what families eat after the midnight Misa de Gallo on Christmas Eve: a big pot of beef, chicken and sometimes lamb or pork simmered with corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, raisins and spices, traditionally finished with a little wine and sugar for a sweetish broth. Each bowl holds a piece of every meat and a chunk of corn. Here the wine is optional; use extra stock and a spoon of grape juice for an alcohol-free pot. Chef's tip: add the chicken after the beef has had its head start, so both are tender at the same moment.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb beef brisket or shinin 8 pieces
- 12 ½ cups water
- 2 onionschopped
- 4 cloves garlicchopped
- 3 carrotsin chunks
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 cloves
- 2 ⅛ oz raisins
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup red wine or grape juice
- 8 potatoessmall, peeled
- 4 corn on the cobhalved
- 2 ½ tsp salt
- 1 handful parsleychopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb beef brisket or shin in a large pot with 12 ½ cups water, bring to the boil and skim. Add 2 onions, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, 3 cloves and 2 ½ tsp salt and simmer gently for 1½ hours.
90 minStep 2: Add 8 chicken thighs and 3 carrots and simmer for 25 minutes.
25 minStep 3: Add 8 potatoes, 4 corn on the cob, 2 ⅛ oz raisins, 1 tbsp sugar and ¾ cup red wine or grape juice and simmer for 25 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender, the beef is soft and the chicken reads 165°F in the thickest part. A common mistake is a rolling boil, which clouds the broth and toughens the beef.
25 minStep 4: Taste and adjust the salt. Serve in deep bowls with a piece of each meat, corn and potatoes, and scatter with 1 handful parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does picana boliviana take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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