Quimbombo

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One of the quintessential comfort foods in the Cuban cuisine repertoire is "Quimbombo con Fufu de Platanos".  Quimbombo, also spelled Kimbombo, is a rich, earthy, okra stew that contains beef, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and sweet plantain dumplings. The recipe traveled to Cuba via the slave trade from the Ivory Coast of Africa between the 16th and 19th centuries.  This dish is complex in flavors with its saltiness, sweetness, sourness, as well as the different textures from the okra, plantain, and beef.  The flavors and textures play musically in your mouth and on your taste buds.  Most people turn their noses up at the mere mention of okra in any dish.  To them I say, "Don't judge unless you have tried it".  And once you have tried it, you will be a convert.  Okra when prepared sometimes has a slimy texture.  However, when properly primed either with lemon juice or vinegar, the slime totally disappears.  Here is the recipe:

1 lb. of fresh okra pods

First, prime your okra by rinsing the pods in water.  Slice the pods in 1/2 inch segments and immediately soak them in 3 cups of water into which the juice of 3 whole lemons has been added.

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 onion (diced)
2-3 garlic cloves (crushed or minced)
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 small can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup of white wine
1 cup of vegetable stock (use beef stock if you want a heartier sauce)

Fufu:
2 sweet plantains
Peel and boil the plantains in water until tender.  Remove from water and mash with a fork.  Make meatball sized dumplings.


Sautee the beef in the oil until browned and add the onion and garlic.  Add the salt, pepper, tomato sauce, vinegar and white wine.  Drain the okra (do not dispose of the soaking water) and add to the beef.   Add the soaking water w/lemon juice and the stock.  Simmer the mixture until the okra is tender and the liquid has reduced.  Add the Fufu dumplings just before serving.