Sancocho de gallinaHen sancocho

• 1 (about 2 kg)1 (about 4.4 lb) hen (gallina criolla), or a free-range chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces, skin on
• 3.5 l15 cups water, enough to cover everything generously
• 2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
• 4 stalks cebolla larga (long green onion) or thick scallions, finely chopped
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 ears of corn (mazorcas), each cut into 3 rounds
• 3 (about 900 g)3 (about 2 lb) plátano hartón (plantains), 2 green and 1 half-ripe (pintón), peeled; snap the green ones into chunks by hand
• 700 g1.5 lb yuca (cassava), peeled, woody core removed, cut into large pieces
• 500 g1.1 lb floury potatoes (papa sabanera or russet), optional; peeled and halved (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp azafrán de raíz (ground turmeric) or achiote color, for the golden colour
• 5 leaves cilantro cimarrón (culantro, Eryngium foetidum), or a few extra cilantro stems
• 1 bunch (about 30 g)1 bunch (about 1 oz) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• to serve: white rice, sliced avocado, ají (Colombian chile sauce), lime wedges

Method

1. 1

   1. Rinse the hen pieces, pat them dry and rub them with salt, pepper and a spoonful each of the chopped green onion and tomato. Leave them for 20 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.

2. 2

   2. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the rest of the green onion, the white onion, the tomatoes and the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes, until soft and jammy.

3. 3

   3. Add the hen pieces and turn them in the sofrito for 5 minutes, until the skin turns opaque.

4. 4

   4. Pour in the water and bring it to a boil, skimming off the grey foam that rises during the first minutes.

5. 5

   5. Add the corn rounds and the green plantain chunks. Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for about 1 hour, until the hen is almost tender when pierced at the thigh (a farmyard hen may need 30 minutes more; a young chicken needs less).

6. 6

   6. Add the yuca, the half-ripe plantain, the potatoes if using, the cumin, the turmeric or achiote and the cimarrón leaves. Season with salt.

7. 7

   7. Simmer for another 30 minutes, until the yuca turns translucent and starts to split open and the potatoes break when pressed against the side of the pot.

8. 8

   8. For a thicker broth, crush two or three pieces of yuca against the side of the pot and stir them in.

9. 9

   9. Take the pot off the heat, stir in most of the chopped cilantro, check the salt and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

10. 10

    10. Serve in deep bowls, giving each person a piece of hen, corn, plantain and yuca in plenty of broth, scattered with the remaining cilantro, with rice, avocado and ají on the side.