COUNTRY:  ARGENTINA

DISH:  LOCRO

CONTRIBUTED BY :  Andrea D’Alotto, Spouse to Ambassador      

This Hominy Stew of squash, meat, and hominy is creamy and slightly sweet.  Serves 12.

 

Ingredients

2 cups dried, broken hominy

1 cup dried lima beans

1 cup dried chickpeas

3⁄4 cup olive oil

1 1⁄2 tsp. sweet paprika

1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. veal shoulder, cut into 1″ pieces

1 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1″ pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

10 oz. cured chorizo, cut into 1/2″ slices

1 large yellow onion, minced

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. dried oregano

1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup finely chopped scallions

 

Method

  1. Rinse hominy under running water until water runs clear. Place in a bowl with limas and chickpeas. Cover with water, soak at least 8 hours or overnight, drain.
  2. Whisk 1⁄2 cup oil, paprika, chile flakes, and 1⁄4 of the garlic in a bowl, set sauce aside.
  3. Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  4. Season veal and pork with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add to pan, and cook, turning until well-browned (5 minutes). Transfer to a plate.
  5. Add chorizo to the pan, cook until fat renders, about 2 minutes.
  6. Add remaining garlic and onion, cook until soft, about 3 minutes.
  7. Add tomato paste, oregano, cumin, and bay leaf, cook for 2 minutes.
  8. Return meat to pan with hominy, beans, chickpeas, squash, and 10 cups water, bring to the boil.
  9. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook until hominy and beans are tender, about 2 hours.
  10. Stir in lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with scallions.