Ecuador is said to be the country with the most soups, or so I heard or read around. However, notwithstanding if such a statement is true, for me, this soup was delicious when I first tasted it on the edge of the Pululahua volcano crater in a restaurant called, as a matter of fact, El Cráter (The Crater).
I made some research here and there, because even though it’s almost 20 years since I went there, I still remembered it as something tasteful which I wanted to reproduce at home. Therefore, here’s what I did to prepare it. I guarantee you the result will be delicious, pampering, and warm for the chilly days we are still going through.
Potato and Cheese Locro
A soup from Andean cuisine that has its own version in Ecuador; the place I tried it for the first time.
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Chef's Knife
- Potato peeler
- Small saucepan
- Small strainer
- Instant-read thermometer
- Oil bottle (glass jar or mason jar will work as well)
- Medium Pot
- Kitchen Tongs
- Spatula
- Blender
Ingredients
For the Annatto Oil:
- 240 g cooking oil peanut or sunflower work quite well
- 170 g annatto seeds
For the soup:
- 500 g potatoes (choose three varieties of potatoes, such as red, white, and yellow)
- 120 g grated ‘queso fresco’ if unavailable, use mozzarella or ricotta
- 1 bunch scallions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 500 ml fresh water
- 100 ml heavy whipping cream
- Salt and Freshly-ground pepper
- Annatto oil as needed
To decorate:
- 120 g fresh grated ‘queso fresco’ if unavailable, use mozzarella or ricotta
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 bunch cilantro
Instructions
For the annatto oil:
- In a saucepan at a low heat warm the oil being careful that the temperature stays below 70 °C (160 °F). Add then the annatto seeds and let them infuse for about 15 minutes. The oil will become red/orange. Let it come to temperature to then filter it and extract the annatto seeds. After you prepare your soup you will be able to store the rest of the oil in an oil bottle without having to worry about preservation if you store it in the kitchen cabinet with the rest of your cooking oils for a couple of months.
For the soup:
- In a pot heat up a bit of the annatto oil to sauté the potatoes. To do that, I peeled and cut in small cubes the white and the yellow potatoes. For the red potatoes, I just cut them without peeling them. Then, I added the white and the light green portion of the spring onions finely minced. Also, finely chop the garlic cloves and add them to the sauté. When your potatoes are well fried, add the fresh water to deglaze. Don’t forget to scrape everything that might have stuck to the pot. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Pour half of the preparation (water and potatoes) into the blender and mix it well together with the cup of cheese. Pour back in the pot, incorporate everything and add salt and pepper to season. For a creamier texture, add the heavy cream. If you wish, you can avoid adding all of the cream, this will depend on the texture you desire for your soup.
- Decorate each dish with a bit of grated cheese, avocado cubes, and a little coarsely chopped cilantro. Some people even add a little chili (or ají, as it is called in Ecuador). I prefer mine without, but believe me it will conquer even the pickiest guests at your table. I promise they will eat it without a doubt.
Spanish