Ajiaco Bogotano – Chicken, Potato, and Corn Soup with Avocado and Capers

The soup broth is fairly thick, like a stew, but still somewhat translucent, and flecked with the herb guascas, which apparently gives the soup its distinctive flavor. Chicken, potatoes, and corn on the cob are served in the soup, and capers, avocado, rice, and cream are served on the side for you to top as you go. It’s this last aspect – spooning bits of perfectly ripe avocado and plump capers on top of the hot bowl of soup – that really makes the meal special for me. Each time you bite into a caper it’s such an unexpected pop of salty tang against the creamy and hearty background flavors, I just love it.

Ajiaco Bogotano

Serves 4-6.

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 20-30 parsley stems
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
• 3 medium red bliss potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 2 TBS dried guascas
• 3/4 c. frozen corn kernels
• 1/4 c. Mexican crema, for serving
• 2 avocados, pitted and sliced, for serving
• 1/4 c. capers, rinsed, for serving

1. Use a fork to pull the meat from the chicken, setting aside in a large bowl. Place the chicken carcass, bones, and skin in a large stockpot. Cut the carrots and onions into rough chunks and add to the stockpot. Peel the garlic and cut in half, then add to the stockpot along with the parsley stems, salt, and black pepper. Cover the stock ingredients with water, using 3-4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then simmer until stock is rich and golden, about 3-4 hours.
2. Ladle 8 cups of the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a different stockpot, discarding the solids left behind and saving any extra stock for a different use. Add the grated potatoes, diced red potatoes, and guascas to the stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the russets have completely dissolved and the soup has thickened, about 20-30 minutes. Add the reserved chicken meat, chopped into bite-sized pieces if necessary, to the soup and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the corn and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with the crema, avocados, and capers on the side.