Ajiaco

Method

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1. Simmer the chicken in the water with the spring onions, coriander stalks, onion, garlic and salt for 40 minutes.

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2. Lift the chicken out, cool slightly, and shred the meat. Return the bones to the pot for another 20 minutes, then strain the broth.

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3. Bring the broth back to a simmer and add the yellow criolla potatoes and the floury potatoes.

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4. Cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally — the criollas should dissolve completely and the floury ones should start to break down, thickening the soup.

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5. Add the waxy potato slices and the corn and cook 15 minutes, until the slices are tender but still holding.

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6. Stir in the guascas, rubbing it between your palms as it goes in, and simmer 10 minutes.

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7. Return the shredded chicken and warm through. The soup should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright for a moment.

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8. Taste and season.

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9. Serve in deep bowls with a piece of corn in each, and cream, capers and avocado spooned in at the table.

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Chef’s Tips

• Three potatoes, three jobs. Using one variety gives a thin soup.
• Guascas is the flavour. Order it rather than substituting.
• Cream and capers go in at the table, not the pot.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• White rice
• Avocado and capers
• A cold beer

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days; it thickens considerably. Loosen with broth when reheating.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.