Thanks to my mother-in-law, Claudia, for sharing her ajiaco santafereño recipe with me. 🫶🏻

Serves: 8

Ingredients

For the ajiaco

  • 5½ lb medium papa criolla (yellow Colombian potatoes)
  • 2½ lb papa pastusa
  • 8 chicken leg quarters
  • 1 lb shelled green peas
  • 2 bunches of guascas
  • 1 large bunch of cilantro
  • Plenty of scallions, finely chopped
  • 3 large tender ears of corn
  • 9 serving bowls of water
  • 1 teaspoon salt to start, plus more to taste

To serve

  • Cream, to taste

  • 1 small can of capers

  • Avocado, sliced

  • 1 lb rice, cooked separately

  • The most important ingredient: LOVE ❤️

Instructions

  1. Pour nine serving bowls of water into a large pot—one more bowl than the number of servings, since some water will evaporate. Heat the water.

  2. Wash the chicken well, remove the skin, and add the chicken to the hot water.

  3. Finely chop plenty of scallions and add them with one teaspoon of salt.

  4. Cut the three ears of corn into thin rounds, about 3 cm wide, so they cook thoroughly. Add the corn to the pot with the chicken.

    One medium ear of corn cut crosswise into six pieces about 3 cm thick, ready for ajiaco

    Corn-cutting guide shared by Claudia; English labels adapted with Nano Banana.

  5. After the chicken and corn have boiled for 15–20 minutes, cut each papa criolla into quarters and dice the papa pastusa. Add both kinds of potato to the pot.

  6. Wash the cilantro well and add the whole bunch along with the shelled peas.

  7. Continue cooking for about an hour, or longer if necessary, until everything is very tender and the potatoes have made the ajiaco thick rather than watery.

  8. Wash and chop the guascas. Add them to the pot and cook for another 10 minutes.

  9. Turn off the heat and let the ajiaco rest for about 10 minutes.

  10. Serve with rice, sliced avocado, cream and capers on the side so each person can add them to taste.

Claudia’s keys to a good ajiaco: slice the corn thinly so it cooks completely, let the potatoes thicken the soup, and add the guascas near the end. And, of course, make it with love. ❤️