Jump to Recipe

Skeletons, ghosts, and pumpkins still decorate the neighborhood; it’s Phoebe’s favorite time of year. Lately we’ve bundled up and walked around the neighborhood after dinner to view all the “spookies,” despite the early nightfall. But Halloween has come and gone once again, leaving behind baskets of candy that are slowly picked over by parents (myself included) and which, in our case, will soon be donated to save us all from ourselves. This is the moment when the year picks up speed, careening toward Thanksgiving and Christmas at warp speed, as always. Soon it will be another new year. In the meantime, scarves and hats have been dug out of the backs of closets, the wall heater has shaken off it’s layer of dust, and windows no longer stay cracked through the night. It’s truly the season to be cozy, both in attire as well as what we choose to eat. Time for roasted squash, long braises that heat up the kitchen, and spiced loaf cakes that gloriously perfume the house.

After giving birth to Wren, my sister Emma and her fiancé, Danny, brought us one of Danny’s favorite family meals, which he simply called seco. They stopped by in January with a pot full of fragrant meat and vegetables along with a container of rice, and sat down around the table to eat it with us. Succulent morsels of falling-apart beef mingled with large chunks of carrot and the occasional pop of green peas, all laid out over a warm bed of white rice. I absolutely loved it. Danny wrote out a recipe draft and I’ve made it a few times since then. It’s a very simple, hearty Peruvian dish that was passed down to Danny from his mom’s mom, his abuelita, who had it passed down to her from her mother. It’s traditional, delicious, and steeped in family history.

Danny’s mom, Jessika, is a fantastic cook. I’ve been fortunate to sample some of her cooking, including a few fantastic salsas, arroz rojo, and arroz con pollo. Some of her recipes have taken on legendary status; I can only hope my own kids one day speak as highly about my cooking as Danny does about Jessika’s. Danny’s original seco recipe made enough for a large family; his mom had three boys so of course got into the habit of cooking large quantities to fuel them. I pared it down to feed about five or six people, but if you want leftovers or have more mouths to feed, by all means double the recipe.

Seco literally translates to “dry.” In the context of this meal, it means you’re braising meat without a whole lot of liquid; it’s not a stew. A whole bunch of cilantro gets whizzed up with a couple cups of chicken stock or water to make a super simple braising liquid that imparts plenty of flavor without much effort. Brighten up the hearty dish with lime wedges, a little extra cilantro, and a sliced jalapeño (or homemade salsa, if you want to go the extra mile).

Abuelita’s Seco

Serves 5-6 / adapted from the Garcia family’s recipe

3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
5-6 large carrots, cut into ½ inch chunks on the diagonal
½ lb Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks (optional)
4 tsp ground cumin
3 cups chicken stock or water
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peas

1 bunch of cilantro, rinsed, yellow or brown leaves disposed of, ends trimmed

lime wedges, a sliced jalapeño or two, and extra cilantro leaves, for serving

At least 30 minutes before and up to a day ahead, season the meat all over with 3 ½ tsp kosher salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil into the pot and, once it’s hot, add pieces of meat in a single layer, giving them a little space in between. Cook the meat until it’s a deep brown on all sides, rotating every couple of minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a bowl and repeat with the rest of the meat.

While the meat is browning, chop a whole bunch of cleaned cilantro into thirds and add to a blender along with 3 cups of chicken stock or water and ½ tsp salt. Blend until the sauce is a smooth green liquid, with only tiny specks of cilantro remaining. Set aside.

Once all the meat is browned and removed from the pot, add another 3 tbsp olive oil and toss in the chopped yellow onion and ½ tsp salt. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden. (If the bottom of the pot looks burnt at any time, add a decent splash of water and stir, scraping the pot, until the bottom is mostly clean.) Stir in the sliced garlic plus 3 tsp ground cumin and sauté for another minute, until fragrant. Add the carrot chunks and ½ tsp salt (plus the chopped potatoes, if using). Stir the browned meat back into the pot and sprinkle with another 1 tsp cumin. Pour the cilantro sauce over everything and stir. Add more water or chicken stock if need be so that the meat and vegetables are about three quarters of the way, but not completely, submerged.

Cover with a lid and pop the pot in the oven for 3 hours. Stir in 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peas as soon as you take the pot out of the oven. Serve the seco hot over warm white rice and top with fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeño or salsa, and lime wedges for squeezing. Enjoy!