Dominican Mofongo

Directions

For the Broth

In a large pot, over medium heat, brown 1kg of beef in some cooking oil.
Remove the meat once browned, add half a sliced onion, and sweat it till translucent.
Add sliced garlic to taste, and sautée until fragrant.
Add the beef back in, and cover with 1L of beef broth, and half a liter of water.
Season with salt, thyme, and a handful of cilantro.
Bring to a boil, then simmer until beef is tender (at least an hour).

For the Chicharrón

Season 1kg of skin-on pork belly with a few tablespoons of salt and place in the bottom of a dutch oven.
Cover the pork with 1.5 liters of water, and add a few sprigs of thyme and a few cloves of garlic.
Bring to a boil and cook uncovered over medium heat until all the water evaporates.
Enough fat should have rendered out of the pork to continue to fry the pork belly. If not add a few tablespoons of frying oil.
Fry until the pork is crispy. Cut into small pieces.

For the Plantains

Peel and cut 4 green plantains into 1cm rounds.
Pan fry in oil until golden on both sides, then remove to a paper towel.

To Assemble

Add a few cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of salt to the bottom of a pilón or mortar and pestle.
Mash until the garlic turns into a paste.
Little by little add a bit of chicharrón and a few plantains, mashing thoroughly after adding each.
Continue to add pork and plantains until you have an orange sized amount with whatever ratio you desire.
Add a tablespoon of broth from the soup, and incorporate by mashing. This will keep the mofongo from being dry.
Form the mash into a ball, and serve with soup on the side (and some of the leftover chicharrón).