Cazuela

Cazuela is the name for many different dishes, especially from South America. The name comes from the word "cazuela," which means "cooking pot" in Spanish. Traditionally, these dishes are cooked in a shallow pot made of unglazed earthenware.

The ingredients and how the dish is made can change depending on the region, but it is usually a tasty soup made by cooking meats and vegetables together. This makes cazuela a comforting meal enjoyed in many places.

Chilean cazuelas

Cazuela is a popular dish from Chile. It is often made with chicken or beef, but can also use pork, lamb, or turkey.

In Chilean cazuela, the ingredients are cooked separately and then brought together when serving. The meat, like beef or chicken, is boiled with chopped onions and carrots. The other ingredients are boiled in their own pots. The broth from the meat and vegetables is mixed together. The dish is served with squash, potatoes, green beans, rice, and sweetcorn. It is often garnished with fresh coriander, parsley, or ají verde.

People usually start by drinking the broth and then eat the meat and bigger vegetables, like potatoes or squash, last. Sometimes the meat and vegetables are cut up and eaten together with the broth. Leftovers can be turned into a stew called carbonada.

The Chilean cazuela has roots in a traditional Mapuche broth.

Puerto Rican cazuela

In Puerto Rico, cazuela is a special pie without a crust. It is cooked in banana leaves and often made during the Christmas season. It is similar to a pumpkin pie but includes batata (a type of sweet potato), calabasa (Caribbean squash), raisins, ginger, spices, coconut milk, eggs, butter, and bread, flour or rice flour. Some recipes also add sweet plantain, ripe breadfruit, taro, or yuca along with baking powder and lard.

Other regional variations

In southern Arizona, cazuela (sometimes spelled casuela) is often made with special dried beef called carne seca or machaca. It is mixed with potatoes, garlic, green chiles, and herbs to make a tasty dish.