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Argentina: Locro
Cuisine:
Ingredients
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2 cups hominydried - see note!
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1 cup lima beansdried - see note!
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1 cup chickpeasdried - see note!
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2 Tbsp olive oil
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2 lbs pork shoulder or butt
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salt and pepper
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1/2 pound baconthick cut
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10 oz cured chorizoYou may also use fresh and cook it before slicing
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1 large yellow onion
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5 cloves garlic
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1 Tbsp tomato paste
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1 tsp oregano
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1 tsp cumin
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3 bay leaves
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4 cups butternut squash
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To garnish
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1 lemon
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1 cup, finely chopped scallions
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1/2 cup olive oil
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3 cloves garlic
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1 tsp red chili flakes
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2 tsps smoked paprika
Directions
I had many ideas for what I might make from Argentina. I considered empanadas, such a delicious classic with a wide variety of fillings to choose from. And thought about making alfajores, a traditional sandwich cookie filled with dulce de leche. But ultimately I landed on locro: A thick, hearty stew comprised of several meats, hominy, beans and squash.
Hominy was probably the deciding factor. I fell in love with it when I made Mexican pozole, and impulsively bought a bunch when I found it at a small Portuguese store where my brother lives. If it’s any indication of how long I’ve been meaning to make this stew, that was in September! Fortunately canned and dried goods give me that luxury.
Ideally, I would have waited even longer to make this stew on May 25, when Argentines often make this national dish to recognize the anniversary of the May Revolution, the first successful revolution in the South American Independence process. While late May is a good time for a heavy stew in the Southern hemisphere where winter is just beginning, I wanted to make this while the weather is still nice and I chilly! It’s rich and flavorful, and the drizzle of chili-paprika oil gives it a nice little kick!
While this is a dish I’d usually make for a group since it makes such a hefty portion, I decided to make it before jetting off to LA for a week so Courtney could enjoy the leftovers!
Recipe Notes: You’ll see I’ve noted a couple modifications below. I chose to leave out the veal and double the pork because a) even Whole Foods didn’t have veal and b) 1 lb portion of pork butt/shoulder is pretty hard to find. I also used canned garbanzo beans rather than dried – you can get probably away with canned or dried for the hominy and lima beans as well. Other meats can also be subbed in, and you could certainly make a vegetarian version of this as well!
Adapted from: Weave a Thousand Flavors
Steps
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1
Done
*OVERNIGHT*
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Soak the legumesPut the hominy and dried beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight. Drain before using. **Note: You can use canned if needed. I used dried hominy and lima beans and canned garbanzos. If you do this, you'll want to increase the amount by about 1.5 - it's not an exact science. I used 1 can of canned chickpeas in place of 1 cup dried. I added them about an hour through the boiling process, but I think it would be fine to add them all at the start. |
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2
Done
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Prepare your ingredients*Cut skin and excess fat off of the pork shoulder/butt; cut into 1" pieces and set aside on a plate. |
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3
Done
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Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Add the pork cubes and cured chorizo. Sprinkle with salad and pepper and brown on all sides; set aside on a plate. |
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4
Done
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Add five cloves minced garlic, onion and bacon; cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. |
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5
Done
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Add tomato paste, oregano, cumin, and bay leaf; cook for 2 minutes. |
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6
Done
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Return meat to pan with hominy, lima beans, chickpeas, squash, and 10 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add ½ tsp baking soda to soften. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until hominy and beans are tender, about 2 hours. |
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7
Done
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Prepare the garnishesWhile it's cooking, whisk 1⁄2 cup oil, paprika, red pepper flakes, and 3 cloves garlic in a small bowl. Slice the scallions. |
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8
Done
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To serveOnce the stew is finished, squeeze in the lemon juice. To serve, ladle the stew into bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and drizzle with chili oil sauce. |
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I think a authentic Locro soup from salts Argentina is done with more mince meat. Also the bacon was more meat on the bone. Resteraunt across the road from the Catholic Church just off the main square
A local would know.