Sancocho

This recipe is a CLASSIC in the Caribbean culture. It may not have the same name in different countries but the basic ingredients are about the same. This is my version.
A rich, velvety soup with an earthy mix of root vegetables, soothing herbs and melt-in-your-mouth morsels of meat.
Another ordinary soup you say? I truly beg to differ. I know entire families that swear by this soup, claiming that it can cure colds, hangovers and other ailments. All I can say is that it's a soup that speaks for itself. So get out those winter soup bowls, your favorite crusty bread, and that Snuggie you got for Christmas last year, and indulge in a bowl of Sancocho.

Note* Before peeling and chopping the root vegetables and bananas, be sure to have a cold water bath with 2 squeezed lemons or limes ready so that the vegetables don't oxidize while they wait.

Sancocho

1 1/2 lbs. Top Round Beef cut into 1" cubes
1 1/2- 2 lbs. Pork Roast Boston Butt cut into 1" cubes
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
5 cloves of Garlic minced
1 Spanish Onion diced
2 Ajicitos Dulce Peppers diced (this can be replaced by 1 Italian frying pepper)
1 of each Red and Green bell Peppers diced
2 Stalks of Celery diced
2 Bay Leaves
3 Culantro leaves chopped
1/2 cup Cilantro chopped (stems and leaves)
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
5 cups of Beef Stock
1-2 ears of Sweet Corn cut into 1/4's
3 Plum Tomatoes diced
1 Yellow Plantain cut into 1/2" slices
1 Green Banana cut into 1/2" slices
1 Batata (white sweet potato or yam) peeled and chopped
1 cup Calabaza (West Indian Pumpkin) peeled and chopped, seeds and membrane removed
1/2 cup Taro peeled and chopped
2 Potatoes peeled and diced
1 tablespoon Annatto Seeds (tied in a Soup Satchel) or use 2 packets of Sazon con Culantro y Achiote

Have a large soup pot with lid ready. Season the meat with the salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat the olive oil on medium. Brown the meat, then remove and set aside.
In the same pot, saute the onions, celery and peppers for 10 minutes covered.
Next add the garlic, bay leaves, and tomatoes. Simmer covered for 5 minutes then add the meat back to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes then add 2 1/2 cups of the beef stock to the pot along with 1/2 of the chopped cilantro and culantro. Simmer 30 minutes more adding more stock if necessary.
Start adding the potatoes, taro and the soup satchel. Simmer 10 minutes then add all the other ingredients and simmer until the bananas are tender.
Squeeze a little fresh lime juice into the bowl and ladle the hot soup right over. Serve with a good crusty bread.