FANESCA (ECUADOREAN LENTEN CHOWDER)

Fanesca (Ecuadorean Lenten Chowder) image

Provided by Maricel Presilla

Yield Makes about 16 cups (serving 8 as a main course)

Number Of Ingredients 23

1 lb skinless boneless salt cod
1 tablespoon achiote (annatto) seeds
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 cups water
1 1/4 lb queso blanco or French feta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup lentils
1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 ears corn, shucked
1/2 lb snow peas or green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (1-lb) piece calabaza or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (1-lb) piece green cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 (10-oz) package frozen baby lima beans
1 (10-oz) package frozen baby peas
5 cups whole milk, heated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups canned beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup drained canned hominy
1 (4-inch) piece canned heart of palm, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Accompaniments: quartered hard-boiled eggs and avocado slices

Steps:

Rinse cod well, then soak in water to cover in a large bowl, changing water 3 or 4 times, 12 hours total. If cod is still too salty, repeat process. Drain cod.
While cod is soaking, cook achiote seeds in oil in a small saucepan over moderate heat until oil begins to bubble. Cool seeds in oil, then pour through a sieve, discarding seeds.
Heat achiote oil in an 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring, 30 seconds. Add scallions and cumin, then sauté, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
Add water and bring to a boil. Stir in two thirds of cheese until incorporated.
Stir in lentils and carrots and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut 2 ears corn crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices, and cut corn kernels from remaining 2 ears, discarding the 2 cobs.
Stir all corn into soup with snow peas, zucchini, calabaza, cabbage, limas, baby peas, hot milk, and butter and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in mixed beans, hominy, and heart of palm and simmer 5 minutes. Add cod, in 1 piece, and cook 2 minutes.
To serve, remove cod from chowder and stir in remaining cheese. Cut cod into 2-inch pieces. Ladle chowder into bowls and top each serving with a piece of fish.