Caldo de Millo Canario

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 4 to 5 liter pot with lid
• •Strong chef's knife or serrated knife for cutting corn cobs
• •Ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the millo

   Husk the corn and cut each ear into 3 or 4 thick rounds. Use a strong knife, press straight down through the cob, and keep your other hand clear; a piña de millo is harder than it looks. Peel the papas and cut them into even chunks, then cut the calabaza a little larger so it does not collapse before the potatoes are tender.

2. 2

   Start the cobs

   Put the corn rounds, onion, garlic, tied cilantro stems, olive oil, salt, and cold water into a 4 to 5 liter pot. Bring it up slowly, skim any foam, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes, half-covered. This head start is the dish: the cob sweetens the water before the potatoes and squash go in.

   Frozen whole corn cobs work well if fresh corn is poor. Add them straight from frozen and give them 5 extra minutes before the potatoes go in.
3. 3

   Add the papas

   Add the potatoes and keep the pot at a calm simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not boil hard and do not stir as if you were making a mash. Nudge the pieces gently with a ladle so the broth stays almost clear.

4. 4

   Add the calabaza

   Add the squash and the cumin, if using, and cook another 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the squash gives easily but still holds its shape. Lift out the onion, garlic, and cilantro stems. If a little squash softens into the broth, no tragedy. If the whole pot turns thick, you've made a potaje, not this caldo.

5. 5

   Finish with cilantro

   Taste the broth and adjust the salt. Take the pot off the heat, stir in the chopped cilantro leaves, and let it rest 10 minutes. Ladle clear broth into each bowl with a piece of corn, potato, and calabaza, then finish with a thin thread of olive oil. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.

Chef Tips

• •Buy corn that smells sweet when you husk it. Old starchy corn gives a thin broth, and no careful cooking can fix that. Frozen whole cobs are better than tired fresh ears; they were packed while sweet.
• •Use waxy potatoes, not floury baking potatoes. They hold their edges and keep the broth clear. Pésalo, no lo adivines: if you overload the pot with potato, it turns cloudy and heavy.
• •Cut the calabaza larger than the potatoes because it cooks faster. Butternut squash is a good substitute far from the islands; kabocha is sweeter and denser, so give it a few extra minutes.
• •Cilantro is not decoration here. Use the stems in the simmer and the leaves at the end. Parsley makes a decent green soup, but it does not taste Canarian.
• •Do not use boxed stock for the water. The point is the sweetness drawn from the piñas de millo. If the broth tastes flat at the end, it usually needs salt, not stock.
• •Leftovers keep for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently and add a little fresh cilantro after warming, because the first handful will have gone quiet.

Advance Preparation

• •The corn, potatoes, and squash can be cut up to 4 hours ahead. Keep the potatoes covered in cold water, keep the squash covered separately, and chop the cilantro leaves just before serving.
• •The broth can be cooked a few hours ahead through the end of the simmer. Reheat gently and add the chopped cilantro only at the table, so it stays bright.
• •If making it for the next day, expect the broth to cloud a little as the potato sits. It will still taste good, but this caldo is prettiest the day it is made.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 700g)