Fanesca

Layla Pujol’s fanesca is an Ecuadorian Holy Week soup combining dried cod, sambo, squash, cabbage, rice, cooked grains and legumes, peanuts and dairy. Boiled egg, fried ripe plantain, fresh cheese and other prepared accompaniments finish the meal.

The dried cod soaks for twenty-four hours, with its water changed every six to eight hours, and is cut into medium pieces. Sambo and squash cook separately in small amounts of water, while cabbage boils briefly. Their cooked mixture is processed with very soft cooked rice into a purée.

Six cups from the listed milk gently cook the cod for eight to ten minutes. Two more cups blend with the supplied toasted peanuts and are reserved. Butter, supplied chopped onions and crushed garlic, ground achiote, cumin, dried oregano and pepper form the refrito in a large soup pot.

The purée and the remaining two to four cups of milk join the refrito, followed by the cooked fava beans, corn, baby lima beans and white beans. After fifteen minutes of slow cooking and frequent stirring, the cod milk and some shredded cod are added, followed by the peanut mixture for another ten minutes.

Near the finish, peeled lupini beans, cream, cream cheese and the selected queso fresco are stirred in; chopped cilantro and adjusted salt complete the soup. Remaining cod pieces are offered with boiled egg slices, prepared fried plantain, extra queso fresco, ají criollo, pickled white onions, avocado and prepared empanadas de viento.