Cazuela de Llama

Cazuela de llama is a stew of llama meat, emblematic of the Andean altiplano of Jujuy and Salta, where llama has been a source of meat, wool and transport since before the Inca. The meat is lean, low in fat and cholesterol, with a flavour between beef and venison. The cazuela is a simple pot stew: llama meat is cut into chunks, browned with onion and garlic, then simmered with potatoes, corn, cumin and paprika until the meat is tender and the broth thick and savoury. Eaten at altitude in the cold, thin air, it is a sustaining dish, and the llama itself is a symbol of the Andean northwest, appearing on the coat of arms of some provinces.

Tender, lean, slightly gamey llama meat in a thick, cumin-scented broth with soft potatoes and corn, hearty and warming at high altitude. The flavour is clean and beef-like, leaner than any beef stew.

The technique is a long, slow braise. Llama meat, being very lean, must be cooked slowly in liquid to tenderise without drying. The meat is cut into chunks and browned with onion, garlic and cumin, then water or stock is added along with diced potatoes, corn kernels and paprika. The pot simmers covered for 1.5 to 2 hours, the low-and-slow cooking breaking down the lean meat's fibres and releasing their flavour into the broth, the potatoes thickening it, the corn adding sweetness. Cumin is the dominant spice, reflecting the Andean palate. The result is a simple, hearty, clean-flavoured stew.