Ajiaco Recipes

AJIACO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN, POTATO AND CORN SOUP)

Steps:

• In a 5-quart pot, combine the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 8 cups water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and skim any foam or impurities from the top. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cilantro stems and scallion whites. Simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender and releases easily when pierced with a knife, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the aji sauce: In a food processor, combine the scallion greens, hot sauce, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup of the cilantro leaves and pulse to a coarse sauce. Set aside. (Alternatively, the ingredients can be chopped by hand and stirred to combine.)
• Add the potatoes to the soup along with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Cover, bring back to a simmer and simmer another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred with your hands or 2 forks (discard the bones and skin). Set aside.
• Add the corn to the soup and cook until the corn and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken meat back to the soup and return the soup to a simmer. Add salt if needed.
• Divide the soup among 6 bowls and serve with sliced avocado, sour cream, capers, aji sauce and remaining cilantro leaves.

AJIACO

Steps:

• Put the chicken, corn cobs, garlic, onion, pepper, potatoes, spring onions and coriander in a pan with 2 litres water and bring to the boil, season well, then simmer for approximately 45 mins over a medium heat.
• Remove the corn and the chicken and transfer them to a plate. Blend the remaining ingredients in the pan with a hand blender until you get a creamy consistency.
• Add the papas criollas and the guascas to the pan and cook over a medium heat for around 10-12 mins, or until the papas criollas start to get soft but do not disintegrate.
• Meanwhile, shred the chicken breasts finely with your hands, and cut the corn cobs into thick slices. Put into separate small bowls.
• Put the cream, capers, avocado and extra chopped coriander in small bowls as well, so that everyone can help themselves to what they want. Pour the soup into four soup bowls and serve alongside the other ingredients. Don't forget napkins for eating the slices of corn.

COLOMBIAN AJIACO {POTATO AND CHICKEN SOUP}

Steps:

• Cook chicken and vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add chicken, onions, and garlic and brown outside of chicken for 1-2 minutes each side.
• Cook soup: Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, cilantro, green onion, and guascas and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is cooked throughout, about 20 minutes.
• Add potatos + shred chicken: Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Add potatoes and corn and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. In the meantime, use a fork to shred chicken breasts.
• Simmer and season: Add shredded chicken back to soup along with the corn on the cob. Simmer on low another five minutes. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, or guascas if needed.
• Garnish and serve: Serve in a chamba soup bowl with white rice, sliced avocados, cream, and capers.

AJIACO COLOMBIANO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN AND POTATO SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large pot, place the chicken, corn, chicken bouillon, cilantro, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked and tender. Remove the chicken and set aside.
• Continue cooking the corn for about 15 more minutes. Discard green onion and add red potatoes, white potatoes, and the guascas. Cook for 15 more minutes.
• Uncover and add the frozen papa criolla and simmer for 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
• Cut the chicken meat into small pieces and return to the pot. Serve the Ajiaco hot with capers and heavy cream on the side.

AJIACO (CHICKEN, SWEET CORN, AND POTATO SOUP)

Steps:

• Combine chicken, water, onion, carrot, celery, 1/2 bunch cilantro, garlic, bay leaf, salt, thyme, and black pepper in a large soup pot and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 1 hour.
• Remove chicken from broth and let sit until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken in a large bowl and reserve for later.
• Transfer cooked vegetables and 1 cup broth to a blender, working in batches if needed. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Return to the pot.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add Yukon Gold potatoes, red potatoes, and russet potatoes to the pot. Add corn cobs and continue cooking soup until potatoes soften and start to dissolve, about 1 hour.
• Season ajiaco with salt and transfer to a large serving bowl. Place shredded chicken, crema, 1 bunch chopped cilantro, Mexican cheese blend, diced avocado, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and capers in individual pretty serving bowls to be served with the soup as garnish.

COLOMBIAN CHICKEN STEW (AJIACO)

Steps:

• Put chicken pieces in a large pot over medium heat with enough water to cover the chicken; bring to a boil and let simmer until the chicken is falling off the bones, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot, reserving the water in the pot. Allow the chicken to cool enough to be able to remove the meat from bones and shred into strands.
• Return the water to medium heat; add the potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the water; cook until the potatoes and onion are soft; about 30 minutes. Once the potatoes are tender, use a masher to mash the potatoes into the broth, resulting in a thickened broth. Stir in the shredded chicken and corn; cook until heated through completely. Add the avocado and cilantro just before serving; garnish with sour cream.

AJIACO (COLOMBIAN CHICKEN SOUP)

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large (at least 8-quart) stockpot and add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, frequently skimming off the foam that floats to the surface.
• Add all the vegetables, the garlic, the cilantro, and the bouillon cubes to the pot, along with the salt and pepper. Stir a few times to distribute the vegetables and submerge as many of the solids as possible. When the broth returns to a gentle boil, partially cover the pot and simmer, stirring once or twice, for 1-1/2 hours. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pick out the chicken pieces and put them on a large plate. Stir the soup with a large spoon, breaking up some of the potatoes to thicken the soup slightly. Keep hot if serving soon or let cool and refrigerate.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and shred it by hand. Discard the bones and tendons, and put the shredded chicken in a serving bowl.
• In a food processor, pulse all the aji ingredients until they're finely minced. Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Put the avocados, sour cream or creme fraiche, capers and cilantro leaves in small bowls and set them on the table along with the bowls of shredded chicken and the aji. Reheat the soup if necessay and ladle it into large soup bowls, putting a quater ear of corn in each bowl. Let your guests add the garnishes and the aji as they like.

AJIACO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Saute onion, garlic for 5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add yuca, pumpkin, potatoes, malanga, boniato, plantains, corn and vegetable stock. Cook for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.
• To finish the dish, add mushrooms and parsley and cook for 2 minutes and serve.

AJIACO CUBANO

Steps:

• THE DAY BEFORE:.
• Cut the beef jerky in large pieces and soak in water to cover.
• Soak overnight.
• SOUP:.
• Now drain jerky and place in a very large and deep stockpot.
• Add the 5 quarts of water and the cut up hen or chicken.
• Boil for one hour.
• Add the flank steak and pork pieces.
• Add the spare ribs.
• Boil for one more hour.
• Remove fat and froth that will rise to top.
• While meats are cooking, make the "sofrito", peel and cut the "viandas" (vegetables).
• PREPARE SOFRITO:.
• Add all ingredients, except for seasonings, to sauté pan and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
• Then add seasonings and simmer about 5 minutes longer.
• Discard the bay leaves.
• PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:.
• When meats are tender, add the viandas, except ripe plantains and pumpkin.
• Cook about one hour more.
• Add the sofrito and cook another 20-30 minutes.
• Add the ripe plantains and pumpkin and cook 30 more minutes or until pumpkin and plantains are tender.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
• If broth is too thin, thicken by mashing some of the viandas in a little broth and adding it back to the pot.
• Serve in a large soup tureen and give each guest a large, flat rimmed soup bowl.
• You can place lime slices in little dishes along the table.
• The ajiaco tastes really good with freshly squeezed lime juice, but let each guest decide if they would like to squirt their own.
• This is so versatile, it can be served as a stew with rice and a salad of lettuce, tomatoe and cucumbers, or served with just the broth or served as is; meats and vegetables in a deep soup bowl.
• Buen Provecho!