Instructions: We reduced meat from 2 pounds beef chuck to 6/8-pound of lean, trimmed sirloin; oil from 2 tbsp to 2 tsp. Used golden raisins; balsamic vinegar.

Substituted mango. A winner! 12/15/97

In food processor, finely chop the onion and garlic together. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Lightly season with pepper and salt. Saute the beef with the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until it is brown on all sides, and the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the bouillon (stock or water may be substituted). Add the bouillon, tomatoes, red wine vinegar

(or balsamic vinegar) and oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to the stew pot.

Stir well. Reduce heat and simmer the stew, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Raise the heat so that the stew boils moderately, add the pumpkin squash and carrot (1-inch pieces, 1/2-inch slices). Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes, reduce heat to prevent scorching or boil-over. Stir the stir. Next add the peaches, corn, and raisins. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust the pepper and salt; oregano and thyme, if necessary.

Ladle the stew into wide soup bowls over or along side a bed of rice.

Garnish with cilantro. Dollop with the blended yogurt.

ounces of meat: 332.2 cals, 4.8 g fat (12.8% cff); 12 ounces 345 cals, 5.3 g fat (13.6%). For balance, serve with a spinach and romaine salad.

For festive occasions in autumn and winter, Argentine Americans may serve this stew en zapallo, in a carved pumpkin that has been baked separately.

Some of the pumpkin flesh is scooped out when the stew is ladled into bowls. For less fuss, cook chunks of pumpkin right in the stew as in this recipe for CARBONADA CRIOLLA. The zapallo or pumpkin used in Argentina resembles the West Indiian calabaza, which is a green pumpkin, also called Cuban Squash. Substitute sugar pumpkin, Hubbard squash, butternut, banana, or even acorn squash. For the fruit, use 3 medium ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into 1-inch dice; or 6 canned peach halves, drained and cut into 1-inch dice.

Serves 4 without rice and 6 with rice.

NOTES : Hi! Another Stew. This one from Argentina. Loved it! Festive and tasty. We used frozen Mango instead of the original call for peaches (fresh or canned). We had about 10 ounces of meat, trimmed; I allowed cals/fat grams for 12 ounces trimmed meat. Add rice and a hearty salad and it definitely serves 6 people. And Surpise! Its not chile-pepper hot. We just added black pepper at the table. If youre looking for a New Years Eve stew, this just might be the one ;-)

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