Sopa a la Minuta with Dry-Aged Ground Beef

INGREDIENTS:

¾ pound dry-aged ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ají panca paste (or substitute mild red chile paste)

1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Peruvian or Mexican oregano)

4 cups beef broth (preferably homemade or good quality)

1 cup whole milk

1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced small

1 small carrot, diced

1 small handful of angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti (broken into short pieces)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Optional: 1 egg per serving (for poaching directly in the broth)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sauté the aromatics: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3–5 minutes. Add the garlic and ají panca paste, and cook another minute until fragrant.

Brown the beef: Add the dry-aged ground beef to the pot. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and just cooked through. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and oregano.

Build the broth: Add the diced potato and carrot. Stir to coat. Pour in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are just tender.

Add pasta and milk: Add the broken pasta pieces. Cook for about 3–4 minutes until pasta is just barely tender. Lower the heat and stir in the milk. Simmer gently (don’t boil) for another 2–3 minutes to warm through and marry the flavors.

Optional egg: If you want to serve traditional-style, crack an egg directly into the hot soup about 2 minutes before serving. Let it poach gently in the broth until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.

Finish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped cilantro or parsley.