Chances are you haven't seen or heard of pepino silvestre guisado or cocombro guisado (stewed West Indian gherkin) before, but I don't want it to disappear as many of our grandmas' traditions.
Why we ❤️ it
Not long ago I arrived from my trip to a sleepy little village in the mountains by the border. From that trip to Capotillo, I came back home with a handful of Pepino Silvestre, sweet memories of my childhood, and a desire to reproduce a family recipe.
This humble dish combines the delightful texture and mild flavor of an unusual vegetable, with pork in a guisado I grew up with.
What's cocombro?
If you have never heard about it, allow me to introduce Cucumis Anguria, better known in the DR as pepino silvestre or cocombro, an obscure and poorly appreciated vegetable.
As its Spanish name suggests (wild gherkin), this vegetable grows in the wild, especially in areas of low precipitation.
Cocombro is known in English as West Indies gherkin, and in other Spanish-speaking countries as badunga and cohombro. This resilient vine yields fruits about 4 to 8 cm in length.
In the DR it isn't grown on a large scale and is almost never found through chain supermarkets. These bunch I bought at the farmers' market in Dajabón.
Serving suggestions
As pictured, I loved pepino guisado served with moro de habichuelas, and avocado slices. You can also serve some arepita de maíz, my mom's favorite side dish.
About this recipe
I remember this obscure and humble dish from my grandma's kitchen. This vegetable tastes a lot like regular cucumber, but it does not lend itself to being eaten raw. The mild flavor and interesting texture are best combined with the strong flavors of the braised pork.
Recipe
[Recipe] Cocombro or Pepino Silvestre Guisado (Stewed West Indian Gherkin)
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, [0.45 kg](or belly), cut into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound cocombro (West Indian gherkin), [0.45 kg] (pepinos silvestres), clean of seeds and cut into quarters
- 1 cubanela (cubanelle pepper), (or bell pepper), cut into small pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 red onion, cut into strips
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
Instructions
- Seasoning the meat: Season the meat with orégano, a pinch of pepper and a teaspoon of salt.
Browning the meat: Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep-bottom pot. Add the meat and cook stirring (careful with splatters of hot oil). It will release some liquid, once it has evaporated cook until it browns.Add half a cup of water and cover. Cook until the water has evaporated (be careful you don't let the meat burn).- Cooking the cocombro: Add the gherkin and cook stirring until it has heated through. Add another half a cup of water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the gherkins are cooked through (you should taste them).
- Making the sauce: Let the liquid evaporate and add peppers, garlic, and onion. Stir and cover. Simmer for 2 minutes.Add the tomato sauce and a cup of water. Mix well and simmer until it breaks the boil.Season with salt to taste. Add the cilantro, stir, and remove from the heat and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
