Maíz Mote con Hierba Buena

Peruvian Dried Corn with Ají Peppers & Hierba Buena

In Peru, hominy (dried corn kernels treated with mineral lime) is known as maíz mote (from the Quechua mut’i, meaning dried grains that must be cooked in water), or mote for short, only the corn kernels we use are usually bigger. The dried kernels from the Cusco region are actually called maíz mote gigante del Cusco.

Making mote is a lot like making a big pot of beans. You need to soak the dried corn in water for a long time and then cook them patiently. The corn gets an almost chewy texture that with the broth turns into more of a stew. It’s used in rustic dishes like Chanfainita (page 158), but a big bowl of maíz mote on its own with a little queso fresco or feta on top is pretty hard to beat. Don’t substitute canned hominy, which becomes almost mushy in the can. Hierba buena is an herb in the mint family, so mint is a good substitute.

Mote

• 1 (15-ounce) bag maíz mote pelado or dried hominy, soaked in plenty of cold water overnight and drained
• About 6 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock (see page 40) or low-sodium store-bought broth
• 1 cup pilsner or other light beer (optional)

Stew

• Olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, preferably Mexican
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons ají panca paste, store-bought or homemade (see page 36)
• 1 tablespoon ají amarillo paste, store-bought or homemade (see page 34)
• 1½ to 2 tablespoons frozen huacatay, thawed, or about ¼ cup fresh huacatay leaves, coarsely chopped, to taste
• Homemade chicken or vegetable stock (see page 40) or low-sodium store-bought broth, if needed
• ½ cup hierba buena or mint leaves, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese or queso fresco, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup), optional

1 To make the mote, combine the mote, stock, and beer (if using) in a medium Dutch oven or saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook the corn, uncovered, until the kernels pop open and break apart, a good 2 hours. If the liquid level ever recedes beneath the corn, add water to cover. Drain the mote, reserving the cooking liquid. Use the mote right away, or let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

2 To make the stew, heat a nice drizzle of olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of a medium Dutch oven or saucepan (2 to 3 tablespoons), over medium-high heat until hot, a good 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, oregano, and salt, then add both ají pastes and the huacatay.

3 Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently push the aderezo (flavorings) back and forth on the bottom of the pan for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking liquid and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the mote and enough of the mote cooking liquid to almost cover the corn (if you don’t have enough cooking liquid, add a little stock or broth), bring the stew to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors. Season the mote with salt to taste. If not serving right away, let the mote cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. (To rewarm the mote, heat it slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and add a little more stock or broth if the corn seems dry.)

4 Stir in all but a few tablespoons of the hierba buena, then add the feta. Pile the mote into a large serving bowl or on individual plates. Sprinkle the few remaining tablespoons of the chopped hierba buena on top, and serve.