Salami guisado (Dominican “Salami” hotpot)

This story started like many others before: with the need to write a recipe and take pictures, and a husband befuddled by the introduction of yet another “suspicious” Dominican dish.

- “Honey, what are you cooking”.

- “Something you’ve never eaten before”.

- “I can see that, but, what is it?”

- “Salami guisado“

- “What?!”

- “Why would you do that to salami, why is it cut into chunks?”

I had to give him a brief explanation about the fact that what most Dominicans call “salami” only has a passing resemblance to its European counterparts. The Dominican version is closer to potted meat than the European moldy, air-dried sausage. And unlike the Italian salame (plural is salami), or the French saucisson, which is consumed uncooked in thin slices, the Dominican version is rarely preferred uncooked.

As a cheap source of protein, Dominican “salami” or “salchichón” once endured a reputation that seems to have been mostly eradicated by the advent of standard industrial processes and, one hopes, tighter governmental regulations on meat sources. The biggest, most reputable brand is now owned by a British conglomerate. You can enjoy your salami with relative peace, mindful only, I assume, of the fact that like other similar meat products it is not exactly the healthiest choice one can make.

But, una vez al año no hace daño*.

And thus endeth the lesson on this Dominican comfort food, with Bo learning another piece of Dominican food trivia, and me being aware of how lucky I am that, although not sharing my cultural heritage, my husband is fairly open to trying anything. Plus it looked good, very good, one has to admit.

- “OK, I will go see if there is some golf on TV that I can nap to. Wake me up when supper is ready.”

 Aunt Clara

* Once a year is not harmful.

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Main ingredients: beef • salami