Today we’re off to Argentina—a country where cuisine is built on generosity and contrasts. We’re making two iconic dishes: a hearty corn-and-meat stew that warms you in the Andes, and a stuffed beef roll that became the symbol of Creole cooking.
🍲 Locro
A traditional Argentine stew based on white corn, beans, and several kinds of meat. Thick, rich, with the smoky aroma of chorizo and the tender texture of swollen grains—this is the dish they cook for national holidays.
Ingredients:
• White corn (dried or canned hominy) — 400 g
• White beans — 200 g
• Pork belly — 300 g
• Beef shank — 400 g
• Chorizo (smoked sausage) — 200 g
• Yellow onion — 2 (large)
• Bell pepper — 1 (red)
• Squash (butternut or regular) — 300 g
• Smoked paprika — 2 tsp
• Ground cumin — 1 tsp
• Bay leaf — 2
• Vegetable oil — 3 tbsp
• Salt, black pepper — to taste
• Water or beef broth — 2 L
• Green onion — for serving
Preparation:
Step 1. Prep the legumes
If using dried corn and beans, soak them overnight in cold water (minimum 8 hours). In the morning, drain and rinse under running water. If using canned hominy, just open the can and drain the liquid. You can use canned beans, but dried will give a richer flavor.
Step 2. Sear the meat
Cut the pork belly into 3×3 cm cubes, the beef shank into 5 cm chunks. In a thick-walled pot or cauldron (at least 5 liters), heat the oil over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the meat in a single layer (work in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan) and sear for 3-4 minutes per side. Doneness criterion: dark golden crust, meat releases easily from the bottom. Transfer the seared meat to a plate.
Step 3. Aromatic base
Dice the onion into 0.5 cm cubes, slice the pepper into 1 cm strips. In the same pot where you seared the meat, sauté the onion over medium heat until translucent (5-7 minutes), stirring constantly with a wooden spatula and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom—this is concentrated flavor. Add the pepper, paprika, and cumin, sauté for another 2 minutes. Criterion: onion is soft, spices are fragrant but not burnt.
Step 4. Main simmer
Return the meat to the pot, add the corn, beans, and bay leaves. Pour in water or broth until the liquid covers the contents by 3-4 cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Check the liquid level every 30 minutes—if it’s evaporating too quickly, add hot water. Criterion: meat starts to fall off the bone, corn has swollen.
Step 5. Add squash and chorizo
Peel the squash, remove seeds, and cut into 2×2 cm cubes. Slice the chorizo into 1 cm rounds. Add both to the pot, stir. Continue simmering, covered, for another 40-50 minutes on low heat. Doneness criterion: squash has completely softened and partially dissolved into the broth, creating a thick texture; meat falls apart when pressed with a fork.
Step 6. Final adjustments
Taste the locro and add salt and black pepper to taste. If the stew is too thin, remove the lid and simmer over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes to evaporate excess liquid. The consistency should be like a thick soup-purée—a spoon should stand almost upright. Turn off the heat, let it rest covered for 15 minutes.
Step 7. Serving
Ladle the locro into deep bowls, sprinkle with finely chopped green onion. In Argentina, they serve quemado—a spicy paprika-and-oil sauce—with locro, but you can just drizzle each portion with good extra virgin olive oil. Serve with crusty white bread.
💡 Fact: Locro is a must-have dish for Argentina’s Independence Day on May 25. They cook it in huge cauldrons on the streets, and every family has their own secret recipe passed down through generations.
🥩 Matambre a la Pizza
A stuffed roll of thin beef flank steak with a filling of vegetables, eggs, and herbs. After baking, it’s sliced to reveal a bright spiral filling—the calling card of Argentine asado.
Ingredients:
• Beef flank steak (thin cut) — 1 kg
• Carrots — 2 (medium)
• Bell pepper — 1 (red)
• Fresh spinach — 200 g
• Chicken eggs — 4
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Fresh parsley — large bunch (50 g)
• Dried oregano — 1 tbsp
• Sweet paprika — 1 tsp
• Olive oil — 3 tbsp
• Red wine vinegar — 2 tbsp
• Salt, black pepper — to taste
• Kitchen twine or butcher’s string
• Beef broth — 500 ml
Preparation:
Step 1. Prep the meat
Lay the flank steak on a cutting board. If the meat is thicker than 1.5 cm, cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to a thickness of 1 cm, working from the center outward. Goal: a smooth rectangle about 30×40 cm. With a sharp knife, make shallow diagonal cuts (3 mm deep) across the entire surface on both sides—this helps the marinade penetrate deeper.
Step 2. Marinate
In a small bowl, mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic (pressed), oregano, paprika, salt (1 tsp), and black pepper (0.5 tsp). Rub the meat with this mixture on both sides, working the marinade into the cuts. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Criterion: meat has darkened, smells aromatic.
Step 3. Prep the filling
Hard-boil the eggs (9 minutes after boiling), cool in ice water, peel, and cut lengthwise into quarters. Peel the carrots and cut into long 0.5 cm thick strips (like for Korean carrot salad). Slice the pepper into 1 cm strips. Wash and dry the spinach. Finely chop the parsley. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, quickly sauté the carrots and pepper over high heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Criterion: vegetables are bright, edges slightly caramelized.
Step 4. Assemble the roll
Take the meat out of the fridge, unwrap it onto a large sheet of parchment or foil. Layer the filling, leaving 3 cm from the edges: first spinach (even layer), then sautéed vegetables along the long side, egg quarters in a row, sprinkle with parsley. Tightly roll the meat from the long side, like a Swiss roll. Tie with kitchen twine every 3-4 cm, knotting on top. Tie the ends as well. Criterion: roll is tight, filling doesn’t fall out.
Step 5. Sear
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large braising pan or thick-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat. Sear the roll on all sides for 2-3 minutes each, using tongs to flip. Criterion: even golden-brown crust all over, meat is “sealed.”
Step 6. Bake
Transfer the roll to a baking dish (or leave it in the same pan if oven-safe). Pour beef broth into the bottom of the dish—it shouldn’t cover the roll, just create a moist environment. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Every 30 minutes, open the foil and baste the roll with the released juices. Doneness criterion: internal temperature reaches 70°C (158°F) when probed, juices run clear.
Step 7. Rest and serve
Remove the roll from the oven, leave it wrapped in foil for 15 minutes—the meat will “rest,” and the juices will redistribute evenly. Remove the twine, slice with a sharp knife into 1.5-2 cm thick pieces. Arrange on a platter with the spiral facing up. Drizzle with the juices from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature with chimichurri and a tomato salad.
💡 Fact: The name matambre comes from the Spanish mata hambre—“kills hunger.” This dish was traditionally cooked by gauchos (Argentine cowboys) over an open fire, and it was so filling that one slice was enough to satisfy hunger after a long day on the pampas.