Potato and Cheese Locro

Mickael Thomassin

A soup from Andean cuisine that has its own version in Ecuador; the place I tried it for the first time.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Soup

Cuisine Ecuadorian

Servings 4

Calories 447 kcal

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

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.

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.