Ecuadorian Locro de Papa with Avocado

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb starchy potatoes, cut into chunks
• 5 oz cheese, grated
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp butter or neutral oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp ground achiote or paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes, until completely soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds, then take the pot off the heat and stir in the achiote for 20 seconds, so it colours the fat without scorching.
3. Return to the heat, add the potatoes, and turn them in the coloured butter for 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are falling apart at the edges.
5. Crush about half the potatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, leaving the rest in chunks. Locro should be thick and half-textured, not a smooth purée.
6. Pour in the milk and warm it through over low heat without letting it boil, so it does not split.
7. Take the pot off the heat before stirring in the cheese, a handful at a time, until melted. Cheese boiled in soup separates into oily strings.
8. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve with the avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains dairy.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.