Simple Measure

At the first of the month I usually discover a pile of coverless magazines on the dining room table. (Yes, they do have a funny way of making it to the bathroom, too.)

One of the perks of Jared’s job is snagging any magazine that doesn’t sell. It’s always a motley, unpredictable assortment and I keep my fingers crossed for some recipe ideas from the pages of a neglected Gourmet or Real Simple.

It’s a little curious, getting recipes a month late. Kind of like had me downs from a well-dressed friend — sure, you might look great in that shirt but it’s so last year.

Or in my case, it’s a Thanksgiving feast in December, and a line up of dazzling New Year’s hors d’oeuvres in un-glitzy February.

This month, it was jackpot. I eagerly extracted a Gourmet from the pile, and the pages fell open to a winner. I had my coat on and was out hunting down the ingredients in minutes.

Locro de Papas is a filling potato stew with steamy Ecuadoran origins. It begins simple enough with sturdy russet potatoes and white onion. Delicate cumin and annatto seed-flavored oil gives it an irresistible sunniness.

Stirring the annatto in a warm bath of vegetable oil, the tiny pebble-like seeds filled the kitchen with a bright, brassy aroma. They also released a natural dye that gives the broth a surprisingly vibrant burnt orange color.

Eating this stew is like wrapping yourself up in a big, warm comforter. All the ingredients are soothing: pillowy potatoes, silky avocado and nubby bits of salty queso fresco swirling together in a milky-warm broth.

Considering dinner didn’t actually make it to the table until 9:00 o’clock, I was ready for a nap as soon as I scraped my bowl clean.

The recipe claims this dish takes 1 1/2 hours to pull together. But with the potatoes simmered in two batches, it was more like 2 hours start to finish.

Don’t let that stop you from making this dish stat. Besides chopping the onion and potatoes, the simmering action doesn’t take much watching. And it makes plenty, too. I recommend inviting friends over because it’s really too good not to share.

Hmm, but if you’re feeling just a tiny bit selfish you can be excused — this stew makes incredible leftovers the next day.

Locro De Papas (Potato Stew)

From Gourmet
Serves 6

2 tsp annatto seeds (achiote)

2 Tbs vegetable oil

3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes

1 cup chopped white onion

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

7 cups water

1 cup whole milk

5 1/2 oz queso fresco, coarsely grated (1 1/4 cups)

2 ripe avocados

There’s no shortage of Latino groceries in my neighborhood, so I had no trouble finding the annatto seeds or queso fresco. If you’re not lucky in your searches, Gourmet suggests replacing the cheese with ricotta salata, which is similarly salty.

But if you can’t find the annatto seeds then alas, maybe this recipe will have to wait another day. The slight bitterness they impart really pulls the whole stew together.

Now for the preparation. First heat the annatto seeds in a small saucepan over low heat. Swirl them every few moments until the oil is simmering and bright orange.

Remove from the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes. You’ll have no problem waiting that 10 minutes because you’ve got a lot of potatoes to peel and chop up into 3/4 inch pieces.

Place half of the potatoes in a bowl of cold water. They’ll be added to the stew later on.

Next, drain the annatto oil, removing all the seeds. We didn’t have a sieve handy, so we made do with the screen in our French press. A tea ball could do the job, too.

In a big, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium high and add the onions and potatoes, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining spices to the mix and keep stirring for another minute or so. Pour in the water and bring to a boil, scraping up any of the potato mixture that may have stuck to the bottom.

Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until the potatoes are extremely tender and fall apart when pierced, about 30 minutes. Mash them all into the broth.

Drain your remaining potatoes and add them to the pot. Simmer these partially covered until tender, too, about another 30 minutes.

When the potatoes are your desired tenderness, add the milk and cheese. Turn the heat to high and stir until heated through. Remove from heat and season with more pepper.

While the soup is cooling, cut up the avocados into healthy, bite-sized chunks. Serve the soup warm but not hot, topped with avocados.