Ajiaco Colombiano – Colombian chicken and potato soup
When a particular dish calls for particular ingredients – things that aren’t all that common in my hometown of Sydney – I see it as a challenge to find them, not a deterrent. Case in point with two of the ingredients in this Colombian soup that requires a certain variety of potato and a dried herb you won’t find in most Australian food stores.
I Googled, I called a variety of stores, I Googled again. I needed some papa criollas – a tiny potato that’s similar to regular chats – and some dried guascas, a herb that gives this incredibly delicious soup its unique flavour.
I did end up finding both of these in one place. All it required was taking a 1-hour train trip to the western suburbs of Sydney and visiting Tierras Latinas in Fairfield. This tiny shop hoards a wealth of imported latino goods – even greeting you with a good old buenos días if you don’t look overly gringo.
The base of this hearty soup is chicken stock; the bulk of it is three varieties of potato – two of which are readily available in grocers here in Oz. There’s a couple of chicken breasts for some added protein and delightful ears of corn to nibble on.
Describing this soup as being delicious is an understatement. It’s actually divine. It’s hearty, it’s rich and it seriously packs it in the flavour department.
It could come down to the way I’ve adapted the recipe – in particular the amount of guascas I used. The herb has a vaguely similar flavour to dried oregano – just a bit different.
My favourite soup of the moment, without a doubt!
Recipe adapted from here
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- 1 small onion (about 130g)
- 1 clove garlic
- 7 coriander roots washed thoroughly
- 3 litres chicken stock
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 large chicken breasts (600 g)
- 3 spring onions cut in half
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 3 red potatoes (360 g), cut into inch-sized chunks
- 3 yellow potatoes (620 g), cut into inch-sized chunks
- 400 g papa criollas (or 790 g jar, drained)
- 4 tbsp guascas dried, or to taste
- 3 ears corn cut in half
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Sour cream or double cream to serve
- Capers to serve
- Avocado, red chilli & coriander leaves to serve
Ingredients
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- Purée the onion, garlic, coriander roots and a ½ cup of the stock in a blender until smooth. Alternatively give them a good pounding in a mortar, adding the stock after you've pounded them.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat, toss in the butter and follow with the chicken breasts, left whole. Cook the breasts on both sides until opaque, but not browned.
- Toss in the onion purée and mix it around occasionally for about 5 minutes, turning the chicken as you go. This is where the flavour levels start to develop.
- Add the spring onions, remaining stock, turmeric and all the potatoes. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, allowing it to cook for about 40 minutes. Toss in the corn, guascas and check for seasoning. Give it a stir and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred them.
- Serve the soup with the shredded chicken, cream, capers and avocado. Garnish with the chilli and coriander leaves.
- Note - the potency of the guascas could vary, so if you make this recipe, try adding 1-2 tbsp and letting it cook for ten minutes. Taste and add more if you feel it may need it.
