Mote de Queso Cordobés

Ingredients

• 900 g white yam (name espino), peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks
• 1.5 litres water
• 350 g queso costeño or firm salted white cheese, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp suero costeño or soured cream, to serve
• Small handful coriander leaves, to serve

Before you cook

• Peel the yam with a sharp knife and cut it into rough four centimetre chunks.
• Drop the yam pieces into a bowl of cold water so they do not discolour.
• Cut the cheese into two centimetre cubes and keep them cold.
• Chop the onion, garlic and spring onions and keep them together in one bowl.
• Squeeze the lime into a small cup.

Steps

1. Drain the yam and put it into a large pot with the water and the salt.
2. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer.
3. Cook the yam uncovered for thirty minutes, until the pieces are soft enough to crush against the side of the pot.
4. Press about a third of the yam against the pot wall with a wooden spoon so it dissolves and thickens the broth to the consistency of pouring cream.
5. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
6. Fry the onion, garlic and spring onions for eight minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and just starting to catch colour.
7. Scrape the whole panful of sofrito into the yam pot and stir it through.
8. Add the black pepper and simmer for five minutes so the flavours settle.
9. Turn the heat right down and tip in the cheese cubes.
10. Cook for four minutes without stirring hard, so the cheese softens and slumps but keeps its shape.
11. Stir in the lime juice and taste for salt, remembering the cheese is already salty.
12. Ladle into bowls, spoon a little suero over each one and finish with coriander leaves.
13. Serve hot with white rice on the side.