Pumpkin and corn locro

This is a delicious meat-free ‘locro’ (stew), packed with fresh vegetables and a little spice.

Credit: Rachel Tolosa Paz

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  55 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 3 corn cobs, each cut into 6 pieces
• 300 g (10½ oz) pumpkin (winter squash), peeled, seeds removed and cut into 2-cm (¾ in) chunks
• 300 g (10½ oz) waxy potatoes, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) chunks
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 litres (51 fl oz/6 cups) vegetable stock
• 400 g (14 oz) tin cannellini (lima) beans, rinsed and drained
• handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly
• chopped, plus extra to serve
• crusty bread, to serve
• butter, to serve

Quiquirimichi

• 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp tomato paste (concentrated purée)
• 125 ml (14 fl oz /½ cup) vegetable oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. To make the quiquirimichi, combine the spring onion, parsley, oregano, spices and tomato paste in a heatproof bowl. Het the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over high heat. When smoking hot, carefully pour the oil over the ingredients and stir until well combined. Season and set aside for the flavours to develop. This can be made a day in advance and kept covered in the fridge.

2. Heat the olive oil oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the garlic, leek and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir through the corn, pumpkin and potato and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Stir through the chilli, cumin and oregano and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, until aromatic. Add the stock, beans and parsley and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 40–45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

3. Serve with bread and butter on the side, the quiquirimichi and some extra parsley scattered over the locro.

Recipe from The Food of Argentina by Ross Dobson and Rachel Tolosa Paz, Smith Street Books, RRP $44.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.