Ajiaco con pollo (Colombian chicken and potato soup)

It's a perfect day for soup: a cold rainy Sunday in December, just after Christmas.  Today I'm trying to recreate my significant other's mother's recipe for ajiaco con pollo.  This chicken and potato soup is a hearty staple of the capital city in Colombia, from whence my beloved Leo originated.  In doing some quick online research, most recipes refer to the soup simply as ajiaco, and there are several variations of the recipe.  I have decided to follow the notes that Leo took down while helping his mom to make the soup and try for an authentic Bogotan feel.  One variation from these notes is that I am using cubed butternut squash instead of pumpkin (In the frozen aisle at the grocery store: "I don't see any pumpkin." "Well here's some butternut squash, do you think that would work?" "Yes! I love butternut squash!" Case closed.). 

The staple ingredient which "makes" the soup is papa criolla amarilla, or yellow creole potatoes.  These small yellow potatoes are very sweet and have a creamy texture, and dissolve into the soup.  Like all potatoes, they are of Andean descent and are considered one of the best in Colombia.  They may be available at fancier food stores, at Latin groceries, and online.

Ingredients

-3 lbs chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and sliced in half lengthwise
-one small to medium sized garlic bulb, peeled and crushed
-one medium yellow onion, peeled and halved
-1 lb papa criolla amarilla
-4 large red potatoes, skin on, cubed
-1/2 lb frozen cubed butternut squash or pumpkin
-8 mini extra-sweet corn cobs
-one bunch green onions
-1 chicken bouillon cube
-1 bay leaf
-salt, to taste
-capers
-rice, cooked separately
-fried plantains
-can also be served with avocado, sour cream, and spicy aji


Begin by combining the chicken, onion, garlic, bay leaf, bouillon cube, and salt in 8-10 cups of cold water (you can always add more if need be).  I'm using my All-clad stockpot.  Heat all of the ingredients over low heat until they come to a boil.

    Meanwhile, cube your red potatoes.  Once the soup boils, remove the onion.  Add the red potatoes and the corn cobs and return to a boil.  When you can easily pierce the red potatoes with a fork, add the papa criolla amarilla and the butternut squash.  Allow the chicken to cook thoroughly, then remove, shred (with forks or hands), and return it to the soup.  Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens to the desired texture.  Just before serving, slice up your green onions and toss into the soup for a little bit of crunchy texture and bright taste.  Serve the soup with rice and fried plantains on the side, and add capers as per personal preference to each bowl.  This is a superbly savory and comforting soup with a simple execution.   

See also: Ajiaco: Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup (Serious Eats)

Venison Chili

Venison is a uniquely sweet meat, low in fat with lots of high quality protein.  It's always had a very special place on my menu.  Some of my earliest memories are running up to my father on a cold autumn evening as he comes home from a long day of deer hunting.  "Daddy, did you get one? Did you get one?!"  I would peer into the back of his old T100 pickup, gazing at the noble animal who would fill our freezer and our bellies, and anticipate the story of the hunt at the dinner table.

It takes a special talent to cook venison without messing it up- its low fat content makes it prone to drying out (as I have learned to my chagrin).  That's why my version of venison chili is an excellent introduction to cooking with deer; the other ingredients and the long, slow and low heat cooking keeps it moist.  When obtaining venison, it helps to either be or to know a hunter, but it is available in some stores and online.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground venison
1 lb canned crushed tomatoes
15 oz canned black beans (no salt added)
15 oz canned red kidney beans (no salt added)
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 tbsp vegetable oil
fresh chopped cilantro, to taste
4 large cloves of garlic, crushed
ground black pepper, to taste
chipotle chili powder, to taste
2 tbsp ground cumin

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  In an oven safe pot large enough to hold all of the above ingredients, saute the pepper and onions in the vegetable oil over medium low heat until the onions begin to soften and become translucent.  Add everything else in no particular order and stir well together.  Cover and transfer to the oven.  Allow to cook for about 2.5-3 hours.  Serve hot with grated cheddar (or whatever cheese your heart desires and your palate deems appropriate).