Argentinian-style pork, pumpkin and corn soup (locro Argentino)

Popular throughout the Andes mountains of South America, Argentinean locro is a thick, rich stew of mixed meats, beans and corn. Traditionally simmered over several hours and served on festival days, this quick-cook version is ready in just 30 minutes - without compromising on flavour.

Credit: Benito Martin

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100 g (1 small) hot chorizo sausage (see Note), cut into ½ cm pieces
• 250 g pumpkin, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 1 small onion, finely sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cob corn, kernels removed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 400 g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
• 160 g (1) pork leg steak, cut into 1 cm pieces
• salt and black pepper
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until golden and the chorizo begins to colour the oil. Add the pumpkin, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are well softened. Add the remaining spice mixture, corn and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the pumpkin starts to break down. Using a potato masher, mash half the butter beans and add to the saucepan with the remaining butter beans and the pork steak. Cover and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes until the pork is just cooked.

Ladle the locro into deep bowls and spoon over the spring onion mixture. Just before serving, place the spring onions and 1 tablespoon olive in a small bowl. Combine the paprika, cumin and chilli powder. Add ½ teaspoon of the spice mix to the spring onions, season to taste and mix to combine.

Note

• Try to source smoked and cured chorizo, as the taste and texture works wonderfully in this style of soup.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Lynsey Fryers. Food preparation by Alice Storey and Georgi Larby.

Blue stone bowl from The Chef and The Cook. Seren Horton bowl (paprika) from Funkis.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.