Ajiaco Santafereño

Method

Ajiaco is a broth-led soup — the chicken and corn build the flavour base, the two-potato system creates the body. Bring 2 litres of stock to a rolling boil. Add the whole chicken breast, halved onion, crushed garlic cloves, and corn cobs. The onion and corn dissolve into sweetness; the cob itself stays intact but leaches starch and flavour into the liquid. Simmer for 20 minutes — the chicken will turn opaque throughout and pull apart easily when tested with a fork.

Pull the chicken out and shred it into rough pieces. Discard the cob. Return the broth to the boil and add the waxy potatoes cut into 3cm chunks. These hold their shape under heat because of their lower starch content; they'll need 10 minutes to soften but not collapse. While they cook, cut the floury potatoes into smaller 2cm pieces — their higher starch means they'll break down faster and thicken the broth through natural-starch-gelatinisation. Add them now and simmer for another 15 minutes. By the end, the floury potatoes will have begun to disintegrate, clouding the broth with starch and giving it the creamy texture that defines colombian-cuisine versions of this soup. Season with salt and black pepper — taste first, then adjust.

Divide the shredded chicken between bowls and ladle the broth and potatoes over it. The avocado goes on last, sliced just before serving so it doesn't oxidise and turn grey. A generous spoon of sour cream stirred through cools the soup slightly and adds tang that cuts the richness of the corn and potato. Scatter chopped spring onions on top for bite. The corn cob stays in the pot during cooking but should be fished out before serving — some cooks leave it in the bowls for chewing, but that's optional.