Recipe - Sancocho

Here's my version of a tasty Panamanian soup that is easy to eat and not too spicy. I get yuca (a large root vegetable) and plantains at Central Market in Austin; Whole Foods Market probably carries them also. The plantains should be a little on the green side--they get sweeter as they ripen. They should not be sweet for this soup.

Sancocho

Ingredients:
5 chicken leg quarters
1 large onion
8 garlic cloves, chopped
3 quarts cold water
1 lb. yuca root, peeled and cut into chunks (substitute potatoes if yuca is unavailable)
2 plantains, not too ripe
1 tbsp. salt
½ c. cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish

Place the chicken in the water with the onion, garlic, and salt and cook slowly until tender. Cut the yuca and plantains in 1½-inch pieces and add. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender. Season to taste. To thicken soup, remove some of the plantain and puree with a little broth until smooth; return to pot and mix in.