Birthplace of Oscar de la Renta and Cardi B's father, neighbor to Haiti and Puerto Rico, and creator of Mama Juana, the Dominican Republic has so much to offer historically, culturally, and gastronomically.

If you have the fortune to visit this Caribbean country, you cannot miss these delicious stews, which are very representative of the island.

Stewed Chicken
Dominican-style stewed chicken is an economical dish that you can see any day on a family’s table, perfect for lunch. It is prepared with lemon, red onion, tomato, bell pepper, and chili peppers, and seasoned with garlic, sugar, oregano, and pepper. It can also be made with beef, but chicken is much cheaper.

The Flag
The Dominican flag is the traditional lunch dish in the country. This identity dish consists of rice, beans, and meat, whose colors are said to represent those of the Dominican Republic's flag, of course, with a bit of poetic license for the blue, represented by the meat.

Mangú
In the Dominican Republic, as in many other Latin American countries, plantain is a main ingredient in the cuisine, thus, mangú is a mashed plantain that is usually eaten for breakfast, accompanied by cheese, eggs, and fried salami. The whole dish together is known as the Tres Golpes.

Sancocho
Sancocho is usually prepared for celebrations or special occasions and consists of a beef broth with tubers like yam and cassava, but never potatoes. Its cooking is long and at a low temperature, which gives it an orange-brown color.

Chambre
Another broth made with rice, legumes, and meat, chambre is a thick stew that is usually prepared with leftovers from the previous day's lunch, because in Latin countries, we never waste anything. It generally includes smoked chops, sausage, red beans, pigeon peas, squash, rice, and vegetables.


*With information from Cocina Dominicana