LOCRO DE ZAPALLO A LUSH ANDEAN PUMPKIN STEW Ingredients ▢ 8 cups zapallo pumpkin or other winter squash, peeled and cut in cubes ▢ 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cut in cubes ▢ 2 cups floury potatoes cut in cubes ▢ 4 cups long-grain white rice boiled ▢ 1 corn on the cob cut into slices ▢ 1 medium red onion finely chopped ▢ 1 tablespoon ají amarillo yellow chilli paste ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced from garlic cloves ▢ ½ cup green peas ▢ ½ cup fresh broad beans ▢ 1 cup water optional ▢ 1 cup fresh white cheese (queso fresco), cut in cubes ▢ 2 tablespoons evaporated milk ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil ▢ 4 eggs optional ▢ A few sprigs of fresh huacatay or cilantro, chopped ▢ Salt and pepper to taste Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, ají amarillo paste and chopped onion into a pot and fry over medium heat for around 3 minutes. Add the chopped pumpkin, butternut and potato cubes along with the slices of corn and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Monitor the stew and if you feel it’s drying up too much, add a cup of water. (If you don’t have corn on the cob, you could just add 1 cup of sweet corn kernels.) Add the green peas and broad beans and cook for another 5 minutes. If using milk, add it now. Turn off the heat and add the fresh cheese cubes and chopped huacatay leaves. (This herb can be difficult to find outside of Peru, so you can replace it with some chopped cilantro or mint leaves.) Serve accompanied by a generous portion of white rice. Top with a fried egg (optional) and salt and pepper. Enjoy!