April 15, 2009 by Nathalie Herling.

Columbians love soups, every region with its various natural resources has a unique comfort food type of soup. Ajiaco is a delicious classic you would find in the country’s capital city Bogota. It is very simple to make, wonderfully addictive but requires at least one special ingredient to separate it out from most chicken and potato soups, it the herb Guascas. A delightful kind of citrus herb, that grows like a weed, and is sometime called the Valient Soldier!  You can buy it online* or if you are in a Columbian neighborhood any where in the world ask for it in the local stores and delis. They will usually have it.  I also recommend using all the garnishes when serving your soup. The capers, cilantro and cream really offer a fabulous taste treat.

In this picture the Ajiaco is served with the garnishes, rice and some Farmers Cheese Fritters. A very filling meal.

Ajiaco Chicken, Potato, Corn traditional Colombian Soup

2 chicken breasts and 3 large legs - skin removed

3 large cloves of garlic chopped

1 large onion chopped

3 -4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

12 sm yellow potatoes - I like the finger potoatos

3 medium yukon gold cut up in one inch cubes

8 small red potatoes cut in half

 Chopped bunch of cilantro plus 1/4 cup of leaves for garnish

8 T of dried Guascas

 2 T of salt

1 T of Pepper

3 Ears of Corn cut in wheels

10 Cups of a Chicken Broth.

1 Cup of Sour Cream or Mexican Crema if available.

1 Avocado Sliced

1 cut up lime

1/8 cup of capers

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. A classic La Chamba, Colombian clay pot would be idea but any dutch oven or large soup pot will work. Saute the chopped onion and garlic until golden. Remove the onions and save to the side. Next saute and cook the in the same oil/liquid as the onions.  When cooked through re add the cooked onion mixture, chicken broth, spices and herbs. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 mins. Add the cut up potatoes simmer for about 40 min. Add in the wheels of corn. Colombian corn would be added earlier since the traditional corn from this are for this dish would have larger slightly tougher kennels than the tender yellow typically found in the US. Cook the corn in the broth for about 12 - 15 min.

Serve the soup with bowls of the condiments, capers, sour cream, cilantro leaves and the sliced avocado.

Yummy!!!

 * Online Source for Guascas

http://www.amigofoods.com/kigu10gr.html   cool website for all kinds of special ingredients.

Posted in Stove to Table - One Pot Meals, main course, latin, recipes, la chamba cookware | 1 Comment »

April 15, 2009 by Nathalie Herling.

This recipe is super simple and inspired by my childhood visits to my Grandparents, Mame and Pape, in Le Harve, France. We would go to the once rough waterfront which was previously full of sailors and soldiers filled bars when the port was at it peak. Post war the shores have been transformed into many cafes and family run old style bars.  My favorites were the ones with large vats of Mussels. ”Moule” is mussels in French.  Unlimited, huge bowls of steaming moule with baskets of crusty bread could be bought very cheaply. It became my favorite meal next to the bouillabaisse I later discovered. Moule is a very hands on dish. A kids dream as you grab a shell and just start eating. It felt like one could eat a hundred mussels in a sitting with it’s intoxicate aroma of wine and onions and fresh shellfish. The sauce from the mussels was impossible to resist sopping up with the flavorful bread and using the mussel shells as soup spoon scoops to get every last drop of the seafood gravy.  To this day its hard for me to resist not buying a bag of mussels in the seafood section every-time I see one.

Its a great value to serve  mussels. A very inexpensive super quick and easy to prepare appetizer or meal.  All you need is a large pot, ideally a heavy dutch oven type, since it makes the nicest mussel sauce.  Clay pots are perfect for the way they hold the moisture of your ingredients.  I like making my mussels in my fish clay pot… the theme is fun and I can take it decoratively directly to the table.  You can make many different kinds of sauces. tomato, Thai influenced, spicy… be creative… Here is the one that reminds me of my childhood, easy to build upon and tickles my taste buds when I see mussels for sale.

Classic white wine and shallots Mussels

1 bag of mussels

4 big shallots chopped

2 cloves of garlic

1 stick of butter (you don’t have to use this much… but it tastes so good)

2 Cups of Wine or keep adding as much as you like.

1/2 Cup of Water… or more to fill the bottom of your pot with the wine about 1.5 inches.

1 t of salt

1 t of pepper

1 Cup of parsley

Fresh Sprigs of lemon thyme or lemon verbena (optional)

Juice of one lemon… extra for serving if you like.

 A loaf of crusty bread.

 Clean your mussels. Most mussels I buy at the seafood counter seem very clean,  just make sure the straw like beards are removed. Put the clean mussels aside for a later step.

On the stove saute the shallots and garlic in with the butter, until wilted in the pot you are going to cook your mussels.  You can substitute some olive oil or use less butter or even a pan spray depending on your dietary preferences. Each choice will offer you a different flavor but will be good.

Add the water and wine, half the parsley (and hearbs), salt, pepper, lemon, to the big pot and bring to a very hot steamy boil.

Pre heat your oven for the bread. And right before you put the mussels in start heating your bread. While the mussels cook remove and slice or leave the loaf whole for tearing crispy chunks of bread.

Put the mussels in and quickly and tightly cover the pot. Steam for 8-10 min. Do not over cook. The mussel shells should open and your sauce will have reduced a little. Discard any shells that are unopened. Throw the rest of the parsley on top and take to the table in your cooking pot if appropriate or one big serving bowl.

If you would like a thicker sauce. After 8 min remove the opened cooked mussels, keeping covered to not dry out too much, turn up the heat on the broth, reduce to the your desired consistence, add a couple tablespoons of cream and pour over the mussels and serve.

Serve immediately and ladle the mussels into soup size bowls so the sauce can gather in the bottom and easily be absorbed up by the accompanying bread.

Enjoy and be creative.

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