Ajiaco (Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup)
Bogotá's signature soup: chicken, corn and three kinds of potato that melt into a thick, golden broth scented with the herb guascas.
Method
Put the chicken, water, whole spring onions, lightly crushed garlic, the cilantro tied in a bundle and half the salt in a 22 cm pot. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim off the grey foam, then lower to medium-low heat, half-cover and simmer for , until there is no pink left near the bone.
Add in this stepBone-in, skin-on chicken breast 450 gWater 1,500 mlSpring onions, whole 2Garlic cloves 2Cilantro (coriander) sprigs 4Salt ½ tsp
high heat→medium-low heatMeanwhile, peel the potatoes. Cut the floury and waxy potatoes into 1 cm slices or bite-size chunks; leave small papas criollas whole and halve any large ones. Cut the corn into 3–4 cm rounds with a heavy knife. Keep the cut potatoes in cold water so they don't darken.
Lift the chicken onto a plate and discard the spring onions and cilantro. Add the floury potato, papas criollas and corn to the broth and simmer on medium heat for , until the floury potato starts to break up at the edges.
Add in this stepFloury potato (sabanera or russet) 220 gPapas criollas (small yellow potatoes) 240 gCorn on the cob 1
medium heatAdd the waxy potato and the guascas and simmer on medium-low heat for , stirring from the bottom every few minutes so nothing catches. It is ready when the papas criollas have melted into a thick, creamy yellow broth and the waxy potato is tender but still holds its shape. Add a splash of hot water if it gets too thick.
Add in this stepWaxy potato (pastusa or Yukon Gold) 220 gGuascas (dried herb) 1½ tbsp
medium-low heatMeanwhile, remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat into strips. Return it to the pot, season with the rest of the salt and the pepper and heat on medium-low heat for .
Add in this stepSalt ½ tspGround black pepper 1 pinch
medium-low heatLadle into deep bowls with a piece of corn in each. Put the cream, capers and sliced avocado on the table so everyone can add their own: a spoonful of cream stirred in and a few capers on top is the Bogotá way, with white rice on the side.
Add in this stepDouble cream (Colombian crema) 3 tbspCapers 1 tbspAvocado ½
Cook's tip
Guascas is the herb that gives ajiaco its unmistakable flavour; look for it dried in Latin American shops or online. The soup is still good without it, but don't try to replace it with oregano. Frozen papas criollas work well; if you can't find them, use small yellow potatoes and grate part of the floury potato into the pot for thickness.
Cooking it at camp
One big pot on a single burner is enough, but it simmers for a while, so bring plenty of fuel. Cut the potatoes at home and carry them in water in a sealed container; keep the cream in the cooler. Thin pots scorch easily, so keep the flame low and stir often.