Curanto
A layered shellfish, meat, and potato dish from Chile's Chiloé Archipelago, its name coming from the Mapudungun word for 'stone warmed by the sun.' Archaeological remains of curanto pits on Chiloé go back over 6,000 years, predating even the Huilliche people who gave the dish its name — the earliest pit-cooking tradition is credited to the Chono, canoe-dwelling hunter-gatherers who lived on the archipelago before them. The true earth-oven version (curanto al hoyo) is dug into the ground and sealed under leaves and sod to trap steam; this recipe honestly adapts it to a large sealed pot on the stove, the realistic version most cooks outside Chiloé actually make.
⚠ Contains: Shellfish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 kg mussels, cleaned
- 500g clams, cleaned
- 500g smoked pork ribs
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 pork sausages (longaniza or similar)
- 6 potatoes
- Cabbage leaves, to line the pot
- A splash of water or broth
- Tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime, for pebre (to serve)
Steps
- Layer the smoked pork ribs and chicken thighs at the bottom of a large heavy pot.
- Add the whole potatoes and sausages on top.
- Layer the mussels and clams on top of that.
- Cover everything with cabbage leaves, add a splash of water or broth, and cover the pot tightly.
- Steam over medium-low heat for 45-60 minutes, until the shellfish have opened and the meat is tender.
- Serve with pebre (tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime salsa) on the side.