Locro

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare all the ingredients before you start: dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the spring onions, cube the squash, and cut the chorizo and pork belly into bite-size pieces. Keeping the squash pieces evenly sized helps them soften at the same rate, while thick chorizo slices stay juicy during simmering.

2. 2

   Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add the sunflower oil. Add the pork belly and cook for 5-6 minutes until it renders some fat and starts to brown. Add the chorizo and cook for 3-4 minutes more, turning the slices so they color lightly. Browning here builds the deep, meaty base typical of a good locro.

3. 3

   Add the diced onion and the sliced white parts of the spring onion to the pot and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, sweet paprika, cumin, bay leaf, black pepper, and half of the salt, and cook for 30 seconds just until fragrant; do not let the paprika scorch or it can turn bitter.

4. 4

   Add the cooked hominy corn, cooked white beans, squash, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the squash softens, press a few cubes against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken the stew naturally without flour.

5. 5

   Taste and adjust with the remaining salt if needed, then simmer for 5 more minutes until the pork belly is tender, the chorizo is fully cooked, and the stew is thick, creamy, and spoon-coating. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

6. 6

   While the locro finishes, make the salsa picante: warm the sunflower oil in a small pan over low heat for about 1 minute, then stir in the spring onion greens, sweet paprika, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt. Heat very gently for 20-30 seconds to bloom the paprika without frying it hard.

7. 7

   Ladle the locro into warm bowls and spoon the salsa picante over the top. Serve immediately while hot; the contrast between the rich stew and the sharp paprika oil is one of the dish's signatures.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •To keep the recipe within 60 minutes, this version uses pre-cooked hominy corn and pre-cooked white beans; traditional dried legumes would require many more hours.
• •If the stew thickens too much as it stands, loosen it with a splash of hot water or stock before serving.
• •A small piece of smoked bacon can be added with the pork belly for a smokier, more old-fashioned flavor, but it will change the nutrition.
• •Locro is hearty enough on its own, but crusty bread or a simple green salad works well alongside.

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