Locro served in the Latin America market (Wikipedia image: Author: Martin Tiedemann)
Locro is Spanish, it means meat and vegetable stews. This simple-to-make Latin American stew recipe has been passed down from generation to generation, even crossed the ocean and landed at my door step in Australia. It is a traditional Latin cuisine that has become a firm favourite both locally and internationally. Today you have a chance to taste its magic.
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1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks
120ml water
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1-2 cobs of corn
450g potatoes, cut into cubes and parboiled
85g lima beans or butter beans, cooked
85g peas
100g feta or crumbly cheese, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil, salt and pepper
Process:
1. Put the water into a pan with the squash, pumpkin, potatoes and cook until it boils and all the ingredients start to soften.
2. While cooking the mixture in the pan, heat the olive oil in anther pan and stir fry the onion, tomato, oregano, for about 3-5 minutes, then add salt and pepper. Take the mixture out of this pan and add them into the pan with the squash stew and combine them well.
3. The corn and lima beans go in now. Let them cook gently in the squash stew for 10 minutes.
4. When the corn is cooked, crumble in the cheese cubes. Stir carefully until the cheese begins to melt. Add some more water if the stew starts to dry up.
5. Now cast the chopped parsley on top and serve right away.
Presentation:
The crock pot I found at the Rozelle Market
The locro is traditionally served in a clay pot as it keeps the heat and flavour longer. If you don't have a clay pot, a crock pot is also an ideal alternative.
