When I think about it, I guess the reason why I decided to try a recipe for
Ajiaco was because the chunks of corn on the cob in the photo that accompanied it made it look like it could be tasty. ;) Ajiaco is a Colombian stew made of chicken, corn, and potatoes; and the recipe with the appealing photo was from the September 2007 Latino America special issue of
Gourmet. I had never tried Ajiaco before following the recipe, so I can't say how authentic the resulting taste was, but I enjoyed it. One of the traditional ingredients that I could not find were yellow potatoes called
papas criollas, which break down and thicken the soup, so I used grated russets instead. If I can find the potatoes, I'd like to try making it again. I already ended up making it 2 times because on my first try I couldn't get fresh corn and instead used frozen kernels. The flavor of the soup was just okay that way, but when I finally got fresh corn and made it the second time, I enjoyed it much more!
Another recipe that I tried from the same issue of
Gourmet was for
Pozole Rojo, a Mexican pork and hominy stew. The ingredients in the recipe just made it seem like it would be good, and I was not disappointed! The stew is made with meat from country style pork ribs that have simmered for around an hour and then shredded. It is then added back to the resulting broth which is mixed with a puree of toasted Guajillo and Ancho chiles that give the stew its
rojo, or red, color and adds a tiny bit of heat. When finished, the Pozole Rojo can be eaten with a variety of condiments. In the photo above there are sliced radishes, tortilla chips, white onion, avocado, lime, and crema. Because of all the toppings and preparation of other ingredients in the recipe, the active time for making the dish ends up being around 5 hours for me. From the time I start cooking the pork, to when the stew is finally prepared, I'm doing something—chopping, blending, straining, stirring, or whatever else is involved (that includes cleaning up, too). I think it's worth it, though. I've already made it a few times; but a funny thing is that when I first cooked the stew, it had a nice little bit of spiciness that has been absent the subsequent times I have made it. I don't know what I did that first time. That lack of spiciness was a bit of a disappointment for me, and I didn't enjoy eating it as much. I'll probably try adding more chiles when I make it again. The recipe is definitely one I'll use many more times, and everyone I've served the stew to has liked it. :)
When I think about it, I guess the reason why I decided to try a recipe for Ajiaco was because the chunks of corn on the cob in the photo that accompanied it made it look like it could be tasty. ;) Ajiaco is a Colombian stew made of chicken, corn, and potatoes; and the recipe with the appealing photo was from the September 2007 Latino America special issue of Gourmet. I had never tried Ajiaco before following the recipe, so I can't say how authentic the resulting taste was, but I enjoyed it. One of the traditional ingredients that I could not find were yellow potatoes called papas criollas, which break down and thicken the soup, so I used grated russets instead. If I can find the potatoes, I'd like to try making it again. I already ended up making it 2 times because on my first try I couldn't get fresh corn and instead used frozen kernels. The flavor of the soup was just okay that way, but when I finally got fresh corn and made it the second time, I enjoyed it much more!
Another recipe that I tried from the same issue of Gourmet was for Pozole Rojo, a Mexican pork and hominy stew. The ingredients in the recipe just made it seem like it would be good, and I was not disappointed! The stew is made with meat from country style pork ribs that have simmered for around an hour and then shredded. It is then added back to the resulting broth which is mixed with a puree of toasted Guajillo and Ancho chiles that give the stew its rojo, or red, color and adds a tiny bit of heat. When finished, the Pozole Rojo can be eaten with a variety of condiments. In the photo above there are sliced radishes, tortilla chips, white onion, avocado, lime, and crema. Because of all the toppings and preparation of other ingredients in the recipe, the active time for making the dish ends up being around 5 hours for me. From the time I start cooking the pork, to when the stew is finally prepared, I'm doing something—chopping, blending, straining, stirring, or whatever else is involved (that includes cleaning up, too). I think it's worth it, though. I've already made it a few times; but a funny thing is that when I first cooked the stew, it had a nice little bit of spiciness that has been absent the subsequent times I have made it. I don't know what I did that first time. That lack of spiciness was a bit of a disappointment for me, and I didn't enjoy eating it as much. I'll probably try adding more chiles when I make it again. The recipe is definitely one I'll use many more times, and everyone I've served the stew to has liked it. :)
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