Sancocho (Puerto Rican Meat And Root Vegetables Soup) Recipe (with Video)

1. Cut the meat and place in a large bowl. Give it a good rinse with cold water and lime juice or vinegar. Set aside.
2. Make the marinade: add sofrito, bitter orange juice, chicken bouillon paste, adobo, sazon, oregano, black pepper and olive oil and blend in a food processor. Pour mixture over the meat and mix until well combined. Allow meat to marinate for at least 1 hour but the longer the better.
3. Place a very large pot or caldero over medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the meats with the marinade, cover and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove chicken and set aside.
4. Add chicken bone broth along with the chicken bouillon paste, onion, bell pepper, cilantro and culantro. Cover and cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove and discard onion, bell pepper, cilantro and culantro and any excess oil from the top of the soup.
5. Add chicken back to the pot along with yuca and yautia. Cook for 30 minutes.
6. Grate the plantain to make plantain dumplings. Roll balls about the size of regular meatballs.
7. Add kielbasa, plantain balls, carrots, calabaza and corn. Cook 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are fully cooked and soup has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
8. Serve with white rice, tostones (fried plantains) and avocado.