Fanesca

If you visit Ecuador in March or April, you might have the opportunity to try Fanesca, an Ecuadorian Easter soup made with bacalao (dried and salted cod) and a variety of other ingredients. It's a very traditional Ecuadorian dish that's only made once a year to celebrate Easter and Lent.

Fanesca recipes vary, but it's a rich and symbolic soup made with a variety of ingredients such as bacalao cooked in milk, sambo (figleaf gourd), zapallo (pumpkin), mellocos (Andean potatoes), and twelve different types of beans and grains. The bacalao is a representation of Jesus, while the beans are a representation of the twelve apostles. They differ depending on the cook, but common beans and grains include lentils, peas, corn, habas (fava beans), and chochos (lupines).

As if all of those ingredients weren't filling enough, fanesca must be served with a variety of side dishes such as hard-boiled eggs, fried plantains, avocados, hot peppers, queso fresco (fresh cheese), empanadas, and marinated white onions in lime juice. It truly is a special soup fit for a king, hearty and filling, and often the only meal enjoyed by Ecuadorians on Good Friday!