Adobo Arequipeño

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg pork shoulder, cut into 4 cm chunks
• 700 ml chicha de jora, or 500 ml dark beer plus 200 ml water
• 4 tbsp white vinegar
• 4 tbsp ají panca paste
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 red onions, cut into thick wedges
• 1 rocoto, sliced into rings
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 crusty bread rolls, to serve

Before you cook

• Cut the pork shoulder into chunks roughly 4 cm across, leaving the fat on.
• Whisk the chicha de jora, vinegar, ají panca paste, garlic, cumin, oregano and salt together in a large bowl.
• Turn the pork through the marinade until every piece is coated.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight, for at least eight hours.
• Cut the onions into thick wedges and slice the rocoto into rings just before cooking.

Steps

1. Lift the pork out of the marinade and pat the pieces dry, keeping every drop of the liquid.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over high heat until it shimmers.
3. Brown the pork in two batches for about 5 minutes a batch, until the edges are deeply coloured.
4. Return all the pork to the pot and pour in the reserved marinade.
5. Add the bay leaves and bring the pot to a gentle boil.
6. Lower the heat until the surface barely trembles, cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours.
7. Stir the pot every half hour and top it up with a little water if the meat looks dry.
8. Add the onion wedges and rocoto rings and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes more.
9. Check the broth, which should be dark, slightly thickened and sharp against the sweet pork.
10. Season with salt to taste and pull out the bay leaves.
11. Ladle the pork and plenty of broth into deep bowls and serve with crusty bread for dipping.