1 Potato, 2 Potato, 3 Potato, 4. . .

How could you resist a dish that features five different kinds of potatoes?

Long ago, those brilliant Peruvians perfected cultivation of the potato and passed it on to the rest of the world.  (Okay, perhaps they didn’t willingly share it out of the goodness of their hearts, it's more like the secret was stolen from them.)  The potato quickly became a worldwide staple.  There are still many more varieties of potatoes grown in South America than we will ever see in our neighborhood supermarkets.  I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like.  I would love to try them all. 

When I was a young bride, my older sister showed me how to cut up a chicken.  I naively asked her why I would ever need to do that and told her I would just buy pre-cut chicken.  Hoo-boy.  Pat was on my case with a big sister lecture about it being my responsibility to stretch the family grocery budget and get more flavor out of the chicken to boot.  I still prefer to cut up my own chicken, but these days I am ultra-ultra-careful about sanitizing the kitchen before and after.  I’m sure a pre-cut chicken would work just as well in this recipe, and take less time.

Columbian Chicken and Potato Stew takes advantage of the flavors and textures of five varieties of potatoes as well as fried chicken all in one pot.  Some potatoes turn to mush when boiled and others have a firm, waxy texture that holds up to long simmering.  This soup is all about the variety.  It simmers away on Sunday afternoon and I can relax, knowing there will be nice leftovers to carry us into the work week.

It tastes better than it looks!

 Columbian Chicken and Potato Stew

1 chicken, cut up and seasoned with salt and pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil for frying

2 small yellow onions, diced

4-5 cloves of garlic, finely diced

4 cups chicken broth

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced (about ½ pound)

½ pound each Yukon Gold, Red, Purple and Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 large tablespoon oregano

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

Top finished soup with Criolla Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Fry the chicken in small batches in a dutch oven just long enough to brown it.  Put it on a baking sheet and finish cooking it in a 350 degree oven until the juices run clear and some nice crispy brown bits form on the pan – about 15 - 20minutes.
2. Using the oil left in the dutch oven from browning the chicken, cook the onion and garlic until soft.  Stir in the chicken broth and russet potato.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potato falls apart – about 10 minutes.
3. Return the heat to medium-high.  Add the rest of the potatoes, the corn and oregano.  Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.   
4. Add the chicken back into the soup pot, scraping any browned bits from the baking sheet (but perhaps not all of the oil. .)
5. Whisk together cream and sour cream and stir them into the soup.  Do not let the soup boil after you add the cream.
6. Serve, garnished with Criolla sauce.

 Criolla Sauce

3 fresh jalapenos, chopped, and with ribs and seeds removed

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

6-8 green onions, chopped

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Put the sauce ingredients in the blender and pulse until smooth.  This sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.