Olla de carne

Olla de carne is a Costa Rican soup in which beef and substantial pieces of vegetables cook in the same broth. Short ribs, flank or other beef cuts can be used, with cassava, potatoes, plantain and taro or related root crops. It is served in homes and in small local eateries known as sodas.^[1]

A Heredia recipe collected from Ligia María Villegas Hernández begins by cooking the meat with onion, garlic, sweet pepper, celery and fresh herbs. Green plantains are added before the remaining vegetables, which include chayote, corn, cassava, potatoes and squash. The vegetables cook in the meat broth, and rice or homemade tortillas may accompany the finished soup.^[2]