Fanesca — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A once-a-year ceremonial soup made with twelve grains and legumes, salt cod, and a rich milk-based broth, served only during Easter — Ecuador's most sacred dish.

Ingredients

200g dried salt cod, soaked and flaked
1 cup each: fava beans, lupini beans, lentils, white beans, chickpeas, field peas
1 cup each: corn kernels, rice, chopped green beans, peas, lima beans, chopped squash
1L whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
200g queso fresco
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp ground peanuts
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp achiote oil
Salt, pepper
Hard-boiled eggs, fried plantain, empanadas for garnish

Instructions

1 Soak all dried beans and grains overnight. Cook each separately until tender. Drain.
2 Soak salt cod 24 hours, changing water three times. Shred into pieces.
3 Make a refrito: sauté onion, garlic in achiote oil with cumin. Add ground peanuts.
4 Combine all cooked grains and beans in the large pot. Add refrito and milk.
5 Add salt cod. Simmer gently 20 min, stirring carefully. Add cream and cheese.
6 Serve in bowls garnished with hard-boiled egg, fried plantain, and mini empanadas.

Did You Know?

The twelve grains in fanesca represent the twelve apostles — preparing it is considered a spiritual act, and families spend the entire day cooking it together.