Indio Viejo (Nicaraguan Beef Stew)

Step 1

The night before you would like to make your stew, cut the tortillas into small pieces. Put them in a medium bowl and add water to cover. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside.

Step 2

The next day, drain the tortillas and blend with 4 cups of broth (from the beef, below) until smooth.

Step 3

In a heavy bottom soup pot, add the beef roast, water and onion. Cover and let it cook on medium low heat for 2.5 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Step 4

Remove the meat from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Use the broth to blend the tortillas.

Step 5

To a big soup pot, over medium high heat, add lard or oil, onions, garlic and green pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes and add tomatoes, cilantro, mint, lemon juice, ground achiote or paprika, and salt to taste. Let it cook for 3 minutes before adding the shredded beef and the tortilla mixture.

Step 6

Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Step 7

Serve hot with fried plantains or crusty bread.