Skill Level: Medium

Cuisine: Regional

Course: Lunch/Dinner

Portions: 4 Portions

Time: 2hs

Lalo or Legume Fey is a signature dish of Artibonite. It is a staple food of the area made using rice, beans and lalo. The dish is not only filling but is also hearty and tasty and is known for high amounts of protein and iron. The dish is made using different kinds of green vegetables. The greens that are generally used include lalo (a local vegetable), spinach and watercress. Beef and crab is also required for the preparation and is cooked one day ahead of preparing the dish.

Ingredients for Lalo (Legume):

  • 2lbs of beef, diced in chunks.
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tsp of black pepper
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • Few sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • Few sprigs of thyme
  • 3-4 sprigs of parsley
  • 3 cubes of Maggie chicken bouillon
  • 1 cup of oil
  • 2 tsp of Epis (Spice mix)
  • 1 can of tomato paste
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 1 box of frozen chopped spinach
  • 6 bags of frozen jute leaves
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme,
  • 3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley
  • Water as needed
  • White Rice

  1. Clean the meat with the juice of half a lime. Season with black pepper, garlic powder and epis. Squeeze the other half of the lime juice over the meat. Drizzle with oil. Let it marinate for 2 hours.

  2. Clean your crabs and season them with lime juice and epis. Boiled them in water with Maggie cubes. Set them aside.

  3. Transfer the meat onto a saucepan over high heat. Add 2 quarts of water. Continue to cook over medium high heat until tender and the water has evaporated. Set aside the meat.

  4. Using the same saucepan, add one can of tomato paste. Stir in onions and bell peppers. Saute over high heat.

  5. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add in 6 cups of water, the jute leaves (lalo), and chopped spinach. Stir in rosemary, thyme, parsley. Let it cook for 20-30 mins. Taste and adjust to add more seasonings as needed. Combine the cooked meat onto the vegetables.

     (A little secret, add some olive oil to enhance the flavor of the Lalo)

  6. Serve hot with white rice and sòs pwa.

Bon Appétit!

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