Fricase Paceno

Bolivian Cookbook’s fricasé paceño simmers pork with a prepared yellow ají sauce, garlic and cumin. This version selects pork ribs and water, with black chuño and canned hominy joining the soup near the end.

When chuño is used, it soaks in water overnight and any extra skin is cleaned off if necessary. The pork is cut into eight large pieces and rubbed with the yellow ají sauce.

Water heats in a large pot. While it is hot but not boiling, the pork, garlic, salt and cumin are added and simmered for about an hour and a half. The chuño cooks separately for about twenty minutes or until tender and is set aside.

Once the pork is tender, dried oregano and breadcrumbs are added and simmer for ten more minutes. The cooked chuño and canned hominy join the soup; the author likes to cook them briefly in it so that they absorb the flavour.

The source recalls fricasé as a dawn dish after New Year’s Eve gatherings. It also suggests crispy marraqueta and llajwa alongside the soup, with bread used to soak up its juices. The chuño may be omitted when it is unavailable.