March has arrived: five cheap and tasty recipes to stop the pot

There are surely as many recipes for meat in a casserole (also called a la olla or al jugo) as there are Chilean homes where this traditional preparation is cooked. The common denominator, yes, is that it is a meat cooked for a long time, with some vegetables and seasonings, in order to leave it very tender and tasty at the same time.

The beauty of this dish is that it’s still made with cheap cuts of meat, which are usually quite tough. However, this is its great virtue and its goodness: transforming a discreet and appreciated cut by the animal into a real delicacy. Here is my version, with chest cover, for four people.

Tapapecho in the pan

—1 kilo of tapapecho

—2 quartered onions

—4 carrots, sliced

—2 ripe tomatoes

—4 garlic cloves

-1 bay leaf

—½ liter of white wine (what they have)

—Salt, pepper, sweet paprika and olive oil

Cut the tapapecho into four equal pieces and season with salt and pepper. In a large pot, ideally with a thick bottom, heat a little oil and sear the meat on all sides. When the pieces are completely browned, they should be removed from the pot and placed on a plate.

In the same oil, over low heat, sauté the onions and carrots, plus the garlic with the skin and the bay leaf. Mix well and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Once the vegetables are golden, add the quartered tomatoes, a little sweet paprika and the white wine. Immediately, using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to bring out the flavors, and return the meat to the pot. Add lukewarm water to cover three quarters of the meat, cover and cook over high heat until the first boil.

At this point, reduce the heat to low and cook for two hours, or until the tapapecho is very tender. Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes, bathed in the vegetable sauce that will form in the pot.

Another of our classic recipes, and which comes in handy when we have to cook with little money and without too many complications. It must be said: this dish is easy, inexpensive but very filling. What more could you want? That’s it, for four people.

peeled chicken

—4 complete tutorials

—1 onion, peeled and cut into small squares

—1 carrot, peeled and sliced

—2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

—1 cup frozen peas

—1 glass of white wine

—Salt, pepper, cumin and olive oil

Season the chicken breasts with salt, cumin and pepper. In a large pot, heat a little oil and brown the tutorials. When ready, remove them from the pot and fry the chopped vegetables in the same oil, also seasoning them with salt, pepper and cumin.

When they have taken color, add the peas and the wine. Mix well then add the chicken. Cover half of the tutorials with lukewarm water, cover and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken meat is tender. Ideally serve with cubes of fries.

It is becoming more and more difficult to find them in stores. For the same reason, if you see any, it is practical to buy several trays and freeze them. It’s that this chicken offal has it all: it’s cheap, profitable and, above all, very tasty. Here’s a recipe for four people that has no waste:

counter stew

—3 counter boards

—1 large onion, peeled and cut into small squares

—2 carrots, peeled and grated

—3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

-1 bay leaf

—1 glass of white wine

—Salt, pepper, coriander and olive oil

Remove the counters from the trays, cut them in half, discard the greenish parts that may come and set aside. Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the onion and carrot in olive oil, with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, along with the bay leaf. When the onion begins to turn transparent, add the cons and the garlic, stirring well and adding more salt and pepper.

When the mixture begins to brown, add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, in case anything has stuck to it. Add lukewarm water until the cons are submerged, cover the pan and leave on high heat until the first boil. Once this happens, lower the heat to low and cook for two hours.

At the end of this time, uncover the pan and increase the heat for fifteen minutes, so that the liquids reduce and the preparation thickens. Finally, rectify the salt if necessary and serve with white rice and a little freshly chopped cilantro on top.

Experts say it: you should eat legumes at least once a week, because they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals; that is to say, they do well. On the other hand, they are quite inexpensive, and if prepared well, they are simply exquisite. An example that sums it all up? This lentil recipe serves four people.

Lenten stew

—½ kilo of lentils (soaked overnight in cold water)

—1 large onion, peeled and cut into small squares

—2 carrots, peeled and cut into small squares

—2 stalks of celery, cut into small squares

—2 ripe, grated tomatoes

—3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

-1 bay leaf

—4 chorizos (of those who have it) sliced

—Salt, pepper, red pepper and olive oil

Put a good amount of olive oil in a large saucepan, heat over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaf. Add a little salt and pepper and stir well until the onion starts to turn transparent.

Add the paprika (red pepper) plus the grated tomatoes and mix well. Drain and rinse the lentils, then add them with the chopped chorizo. Stir once more, cover with warm water and cook for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Serve immediately.

Is it possible to prepare a stew with a good flavor and at the same time powerful without using animal proteins? Of course it is possible. You just need to have a good amount of vegetables, cut the tougher ones into small pieces and the softer ones upside down, and also have good olive oil, seasonings and not much else. That’s it, as you can see in this stew for four that can only be healthy and tasty.

Vegetable stew

—2 large onions, quartered

—2 finely minced garlic cloves

—2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

—2 cups raw green beans, trimmed at the ends

—2 cups halved mushrooms

—1 cup shelled corn

—3 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

—1 grated ripe tomato

—Salt, pepper and olive oil

In a large pot, heat a little olive oil and, except for the tomato, add all the ingredients from the list (onions, garlic, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, corn and potatoes). Season with salt and pepper and cook the vegetables until they are just beginning to brown.

At this point, add the grated tomato and stir again. Finally, cover everything with lukewarm water, cover the pot and cook over medium heat for twenty minutes. The idea is for the vegetables to be soft but not to fall apart. Finally remove from the heat, rectify with salt if necessary and serve immediately.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of March 7, 2023. Values ​​and availability may change.