Soup season is here again. For me this means weather that is cold, blustery, and rainy that leads to a search for warm, satisfying relief. While colder soup is also delicious, there’s something special about a nurturing dish that warms your innards—that is the internal organs of our bodies..

Soup is the answer. And I am a big fan. My “fave raves” as a child included chicken soup, lentil soup, borscht (which is a beet derived soup from Eastern Europe) , corn and clam chowder and potato – leek soup. As I got older I discovered black bean soup, turkey soup, especially around Thanksgiving, and boullabaise ( the French fish soup made with saffron, chicken and fish stock). But as I began to travel more as a Peace Corp Volunteer and as a Cultural Anthropologist, I also fell in love with Latin America and the many foods I discovered there.

Colombia is one of the Latin countries that opened my eyes to new culinary vistas. Two soups in particular are special and worth trying. One is called “Ajiaco- pronounced A -HE- AKO. This is a wonderful Chicken soup with the unique flavoring of pureed chile pepper—not too hot, cilantro, white vinegar, onion, tomato and scallions. Next week let’s focus on this soup. The other soup i will elaborate on today is “Caldo”.

Caldo is often called “Caldo de Costilla” in Colombia— a broth made from beef ribs. Yet alternative cuts are delicious as well such as beef chuck, shank or oxtail. They are less expensive to use when making Caldo and no less tasty. Interestingly for Western palates, this soup is more often eaten for breakfast in Colombia especially in the cooler, mountainous regions in cities like Bogota, Fusagasuga ( The center of coffee country) and Boyaca. Colombians also enjoy eating Caldo with “Arepa”, a dried corn pattie thicker than a tortilla and sometimes stuffed with a soft cheese like Ricotta.

Caldo is easy to make in less than an hour and is a refreshing way to start your day. It’s not Wheaties but it certainly is satisfying.

Caldo Soup Colombiano
Serves 6

4 pounds beef shanks, oxtails or beef chuck with bone in ( This is the cut we often use for Pot Roast.) Whatever cut you choose, prepare the beef by cutting it into 1 inch pieces. Be sure to add the bones as well.
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2-inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and julienne sliced
1 pound medium, yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 pound medium yucca, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (Found in most grocery stores)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut obliquely into 1 inch pieces
2 limes cut into quarters
6 scallions cut on the angle ( obliquely) into 1/2 inch pieces plus more for garnish
½ cup cilantro, diced plus 2-3 more sprigs with whole leaves for garnish
3 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 cups of water

Directions

1.  Use a large heavy pot. Begin by browning the beef on all sides. Cut the beef into 1 inch pieces. Then add the beef and bones to the water, bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 30 minutes.

2.  Add the potatoes, yucca, carrots, garlic, onion, cilantro and scallions with the beef; return to a simmer until tender for about 5-10 more minutes. Add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

3.  Skim any fat from the surface and discard. Or, remove all the bones, beef, vegetables and herbs and place the pot in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. Remove the pot from the fridge and skim the fat from the surface.

4.  Return the beef, vegetables and herbs to the liquid and heat at a medium simmer for 10 minutes.

5.  To serve, add pieces of beef and vegetables to each bowl then ladle in broth. Chopped scallions and cilantro are delicious as a garnish with the juice of 1 quarter lime.

6.  You may also enjoy serving the Caldo with Arepas ( fried Corn patties) in the morning or serve brown or white rice for lunch or dinner.