Photo story: cooking with the gauchos of Argentina’s Sierras Chicas

Between the pampas and the Andes, within a range of hills called the Sierras Chicas, the 6,500-acre Estancia Los Potreros offers a taste of Argentina’s treasured rural traditions. A working ranch, home to 500 Aberdeen Angus cattle, it’s where lasso-wielding gauchos on criollo horses expertly round up the herds. Beyond this, the area around Estancia Los Potreros is perfect for walking and horse riding.

At the estancia, guests sip mate (a traditional South American tea) through metal straws and dine on simple classics like gnocchi, empanadas and meat straight from the asado. In Argentina, gnocchi is usually eaten on the 29th of each month. This tradition dates back to the 19th century, when salaries were paid at the start of the month, meaning by the end of the month all that was left in the pantry was potatoes and flour, which could be combined to make this inexpensive yet filling dish.

Hardy and intelligent, criollo horses have remarkable endurance. They can survive extreme temperatures and live off scarce food and water resources. But this breed, of Spanish descent, comes into its own when working cattle. Cutting into herds and facing off against bulls, they’re quick on their hooves and brave, the perfect match for the daring gaucho.

The yerra (branding festival) is held every summer in the Sierras Chicas, Argentina. Cattle are driven in from the fields by gauchos on horseback, separated into groups and then dipped. Local gauchos come to assist, and what follows next is three days of dust and whirring rawhide lassoes as young boys and grown men alike show off their prestigious skills. 

Mate is something of an acquired taste. The bitter tea, called yerba mate, is made from the leaves of the South American holly tree and is high in caffeine and nutrients. Sharing it among friends and family is an experience that’s an integral part of gaucho culture. It’s made by the cebador (server) who pours hot water over the dried loose tea, sips through the bombilla (metal straw), then passes it on to the next person. The order of drinking remains the same, and it’s up to the cebador to remember. The tea is never stirred and can be drunk with added sugar.

So much more than a mere barbecue, the asado is a way of life in Argentina. It’s also a rite of passage — Leo Godoy (pictured) cooked his first aged 14 under his father’s tuition and has been cooking them ever since. The preparation begins in the morning with the selection of the wood. The fire is then lit, the wood and coals are maintained and, finally, the meat is cooked.

Empanadas are another beloved Argentinian culinary institution. With a name that translates as ‘wrapped in bread’, they’re traditionally filled with ground beef, chicken or ham and cheese. However, every region has its own take on them. In the Córdoba province, sugar is sprinkled on top and a few raisins are added to the mixture to make empanadas cordobesas. 

Working a lasso is one of the oldest arts of the gaucho. Headman Daniel Tulian has worked on the estancia alongside the Begg family for 35 years. His father was headman before him, and his children are set to follow in his footsteps. 

Originally of Scottish origin, the Begg family settled on the estancia in the early-20th century. The ranch has remained within the family for four generations and counting, with the first guests arriving in 1947. Lunch is taken on the long wooden table on the porch, and everything is cooked from scratch each day, including the cakes and breads, largely using organic ingredients from the estancia.

The Italian influence on Argentinian food is unmissable. More than 60 per cent of Argentines are of Italian descent, and on menus across the nation you’ll find dishes such as butter and sage ravioli (pictured) — adapted versions of pasta dishes brought over by Italian immigrants in the late-19th and early-20th centuries.

Chef Paula Delgado prepares a tortilla de papas, or Spanish omelette, made with potatoes and onions, using a recipe from Argentine culinary legend Doña Petrona.

Early gauchos were famous for being resourceful — they could make their own bridles out of rawhide and preserve meat without the aid of refrigeration. As a nod to its roots as a working cattle farm, Los Potreros has captured this gaucho spirit, reintroducing methods of preserving both meat and fresh produce, including making chutneys and jams and smoking meats. This farm-to-table approach means that much of what’s consumed on the estancia is homegrown, such as the figs (pictured), which are often used to make jam.