Coomon/basic Peruvian Ingredients
The most exciting aspect of a Peruvian meal, for a visitor, is the uniqueness and variety of the ingredients harvested from the country’s diverse terrain and climates, oceans and rivers. First of all it’s massive – 15% smaller than Alaska – with three sharply differentiated zones.
To the west is the 50- to 100-mile wide, warm and mostly arid coastline, skirted by the fish-goldmine that’s the Humboldt current. The ancient ancestor of ceviche dates back 2000 years to the Moche culture on the Northern coast and the Incans. Modern ceviche is made with fish or seafood macerated in highly acidic Peruvian lime juices, tossed with onions and Peruvian chilies.
The chilly Andean mountain region runs down Peru’s middle, splitting the country with mighty peaks over 20,000 ft (6,096 m), cloud-grazing plateaus and deep valleys. The tomato and potato first sprouted here, and now Peru has over 3,000 varieties of the tuber of all colors and shapes.
Then there’s the huge-kerneled Choclo, the Hulk of corn, cooked creamy or fried crisp, a ubiquitous side dish in Peru, and the purple corn (sometimes called black maize) to make the popular drink chic.
Exotic Peruvian-Andes potatoes and chillies, fruit (superfruit lucuma, the pipi de mono, cacao fruit, and the red and yellow charapit marrilla and rocoto chillies) are shipped as far as Europe and Japan. Most of the world’s quinoa is grown (and in fact is one of the few things that can grow) on the altiplano, a vast, cold and barren 14,000-foot Andean plateau in Peru and Bolivia. Native Peruvian ingredients -especially the limon and aji – are hard if not impossible to replace.
Limons Peruvian limes are so sour they wrinkle your fingers instantly – a quick acidity test when making ceviche. Not all limes are created equal, so making either use 30% more of the sourest limes you can find and try to get Thai limes, avoiding sweeter ones like Meyers.
All About Aji! (Bless you) Peruvian chiles, known as aji, are super fragrant and out come with a kick. Aji Amarillo is the most beloved and commonly used chili in Peru, prized for its floral notes as much as for its gorgeous color. The young green chili matures into an amber-orange that adds drama to any dish. It’s medium heat, similar to the serrano, makes it a versatile chili, used fresh, as a paste, dried whole and ground in sauces, soups, sides, meat, fish and starchy dishes.
Unfortunately there’s no substitute for this fruit that’s unique to Peru; not only is it a different family (Capsicum baccatum), it’s flavor and bouquet stands apart from Mexican (Capsicum annum) and Asian chilis. Fortunately, there are online stores you can order the paste version which is almost as good. Just get the brands with least additives. (check out Dona Isabel Aji Amarillo paste from Peru, about $10 for a 7.5 oz jar, on Amazon. It seems to be the most authentic despite using salt, citirc acid and sodium benzoate as preservatives). Otherwise, I use Serrano chiles when in the USA or long red chilis when in Asia and add my own fragrance with a tiny hint of orange/grapefruit zest or teaspoon of pineapple juice. Sadly the blazing color can’t be replicated.
Note – Aji amarillo rates 30,000 to 50,000 scoville heat units; serrano pepper rates 10,000 to 23,000. You can also buy Aji Amarillo dried, it’s known as Aji Mirasol. Aji Rocoto is a gorgeous, deadly lookalike of a tiny scarlet bell pepper, even it’s furled black seeds are a work of art. They’re killer spicy at 150,000 Scoville heat units and kicks butt in soups, sauces, meat and fish dishes or or stuffed with ground beef (Rocoto Relleno). It’s used fresh, as a paste or dried and ground. I would use the much spicier habanero to replace it, but halve or a third the amount. (To order online, check out Ala Cena Salsa de Rocoto Molido Red Hot Pepper Sauce from Peru, $9 for a packet of 100 ML) Aji Limo is the chameleon of the chili world – a slender, hot fruit of many different hues of orange, purple, green, red and yellow. It spices up and adds color to ceviche and other seafood dishes. I replace it with Serrano or deseeded Thai bird chili.
You say Potato, I say Papa – With the thousands of potatoe types here, there are several varieties of the white, but the best papas blancas have thin tan skins and a firm pale beige flesh. Similar in texture to the Great for french fries. Substitute with russet potatoes, if unavailable. –
Papa Amarillo is perfect grainy, fluffy when boiled and mashed for causa. Often just boiled, peeled and thickly sliced to serve as simple side dish or a base for Huancaina sauce. Use Yukon Gold and any starchy potato instead, if unavailable. Camote or sweet potato is popular for its sweet and tender flesh when boiled as well as bright orange meat, like the yellow potato simply sliced as a side dish
RECIPES
Ceviche – serves 4 as a starter
This Japanese-influenced dish is Zen in its simplicity and delicacy and an art rather than a recipe. Hence the long and essential explanation that follows.
The key is FRESHNESS as the lime and salt marinade does not kill latent bacteria, which multiplies faster in fish than meat. For locals, fish is best less than 6 hours from it’s last gasp; ceviche and tiradito are eaten only at brunch or lunch made of the morning’s catch. Buy fish from a trusted fishmonger source or fished out from a tank, never (ever, ever, ever) frozen or from a supermarket shelf. Use only sweet red onions and the sourest limes. Look for semi-firm white fleshed fish, ask the fishmonger to fillet it for you, removing all the bones and if possible the dark red bloodline down the center of the fillet. If ice isn’t provided, bring your own in a large bag, lay the fish fillet in another ziploc bag atop this to bring home. At home, keep it on ice, replenishing if necessary, while in the fridge. Prep the non-fish ingredients ahead of time, but marinade and assemble the ceviche as your guests are lingering over pre-dinner cocktails as it takes only 15 – 20 minutes and has to be served immediately.Marinading time depends on the acidity of the limes, the thickness you cut the fish, and the texture you prefer but estimate a minimum 10 minutes to get a minimal balance of firm “cooked” exterior and sashimi-like velvet interior. The limes used in Peru have an incredibly high acidity exceeding even Thai ones, despite the fruit’s origin in Southeast Asia, so scout out the most sour you can find, avoid sweet limes like Meyers. The recipe below is based on tour guide Jose’s, observing the award-winning Bam Bam chef and cooks at the stalls of Surquillo market, who use stock to stop the cooking process. (Note – many street chefs add a pinch of MSG – I don’t use it myself but it does give an added dimension to the dish.)
Make the sides first –
2 ears of corn (or 1 C frozen choclo, large white Peruvian corn)
1 large sweet potato
Steam or boil the corn and sweet potato til tender. Slice the potato into 1/4” thickness; cut kernels off the ears of corn and set both aside til ready to serve ceviche.
Ceviche Ingredients
1 1/4 lb corvina (seabass), sea trout, flounder, sole or grouper
1/2 thinly sliced onion, soaked 10 minutes in ice water
1/2 C lime juice (less if using Peruvian or Thai limes)
1 aji limo or a spicy red chili, sliced finely
1/4 C cilanto, chopped finely (haters of this herb can replace with chives or green part of spring onion)
fine sea salt
Fish stock (recipe below)
Side dishes (recipe below)Fish stock
Ask the fishmonger to pack the head and bones of your filleted fish. Stock can be made a day ahead of your meal, but must be cool when used.
2 stalks celery with leaves on
1/2 lb fish bones and head
1 t salt
2 C water
1 slice fresh ginger
Soak the fish carcass in iced water for 30 minutes and rinse with cold water before using. Boil the 2 C water in small pot, add salt, celery stalk and ginger, turn down to a gentle simmer and add the fish carcass. Simmer for 30 minutes, turn off, remove from heat and cool completely before use.
Prep and Marinade ceviche
20 minutes before you plan to serve, drain the soaking onions and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove fish from fridge and ice bed, pat dry. Slice fillet into uniform slabs of 3 to 4 cm thickness and no longer than 35 cm (using metric for accurate measurement). Place in a large plastic or glass bowl.
Sprinkle on salt and with gloved hands or with two large rubber spatulas, fold into fish.
Then add lime juice – 4 T if using Peruvian limes, about 6 T if using Thai or Mexican limes and 1/2 C is using other limes. Gently fold into the fish. And start timing from now!
Gently fold in aji amarillo, onions and cilantro.
When 10 minutes are up, taste a piece, if it’s done to your liking, immediately spoon in 2 to 3T of stock (to your taste) and fold gently to stop the “cooking”. Do not marinade over 20 minutes or fish will have a chalky texture.
Serve with sides.
PERUVIAN RECIPES
Mixed Seafood Ceviche / Ceviche Misto – serves 4 as starter
I like to serve a large group of guests this version of ceviche alongside the regular fish one for variety. Please read the notes for Ceviche recipe in sourcing and keeping your seafood cold and fresh as possible – key to great flavor, texture and not picking a tummy bug. Also important to note the difference in time of marinade and taste depending on limes used and the .
1/4 lb fillet of corvina (seabass), sea trout, flounder, sole or grouper
1/4 lb octopus (large part of tentacle)
1/4 lb small, raw ocean, not river, shrimp
1/4 lb squid
1/4 lb scallop meat
1/2 thinly sliced onion, soaked 10 minutes in ice water
1/2 C lime juice (less if using Peruvian or Thai limes)
1 aji limo or a spicy red chili, sliced finely
1/4 C cilanto, chopped finely (haters of this herb can replace with chives or green part of spring onion)
fine sea salt
fish stock (recipe below)
6 T fishstock (recipe below)
Side dishes (recipe below)
Fish stock
Buy a small firm fleshed fish or use the fish carcass leftover from a fillet. Stock can be made a day ahead of your meal, but must be cool when used.
2 stalks celery with leaves on
1/2 lb fish bones and head
1 t salt
2 C water
1 slice fresh ginger
Make sides
2 ears of corn (or 1 C frozen choclo, large white Peruvian corn)
1 large sweet potato
Steam or boil the corn and sweet potato til tender. Slice the potato into 1/4” thickness; cut kernels off the ears of corn and set both aside til ready to serve ceviche.
Keep the fish carcass in iced water for 30 minutes and rinse with cold water before using. Boil the 2 C water in small pot, add salt, celery stalk and ginger, turn down to a gentle simmer and add the fish carcass. Simmer for 30 minutes, turn off, remove from heat and cool completely before use.
Prep Seafood
Clean all the seafood well – for the octopus, rinse in salted water. Put a saucepan containing 3 C water to boil. Turn heat to medium, immerse the tentacle and cook for about 8-10 minutes making sure not to overcook. Remove, plunge into cold water to stop cooking. Slice into 1/8” thickness.
Shell the shrimp and devein, leave whole.
Peel skin off squid, separate tentacles from the mantle, rinse the insides of the mantle well, removing the spine. Cut off eye section above the tentacles, and pop out the hard, circular beak at the junction of the tentacles.
Slice the mantle into 1/8” thick rings and the tentacles into similarly sized, uniform pieces. If not ready to serve, place seafood in fridge til 20 minutes before serving.
Prep and Marinade ceviche
20 minutes from serving, drain the onions and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove seafood from fridge, pat dry. Place in a large plastic or glass bowl. Slice the fish fillet into uniform slabs of 3 to 4 cm thickness and no longer than 35 cm (using metric for accurate measurement), add to the bowl.
Sprinkle on salt and fold the fish gently with gloved hands or with two large rubber spatulas.
Then add lime juice – 4 T if using Peruvian limes, about 6 T if using Thai or Mexican limes and 1/2 C is using other limes. Gently fold the ingredients. And start timing from now!
Gently fold in aji amarillo, onions and cilantro.
When 12 minutes are up, taste a piece, if it’s done to your liking, immediately spoon in 2 to 3T of stock (to your taste) and fold gently to stop the “cooking”. Do not marinade longer than 20 minutes or seafood will have a chalky texture.
Serve with sides.
Tiradito – I fell in love with the velvety-tangy aji sauces and the flavors in this dish seem more harmonious than the sharp lime and onion notes of ceviche.
It’s essential to get the freshest fish as the lime and salt marinade does not kill latent bacteria, and the fish is almost as raw as in a sashimi. Buy fish from a trusted fishmonger or fished out from a tank, never (ever, ever, ever) frozen or from a supermarket shelf.
Look for semi-firm white fleshed fish, ask the fishmonger to fillet it for you, removing all the bones and if possible the dark red bloodline down the center of the fillet. If ice isn’t provided, bring your own in a large bag, lay the fish fillet in another ziploc bag atop this to bring home. At home, keep it on ice, replenishing if necessary, while in the fridge.
Prep and chill the aji sauce at least an hour ahead of time, but marinade and assemble the tiradito as your guests are lingering over pre-dinner cocktails as it takes only 15 – 20 minutes and has to be served immediately.
1 lb fillet of corvina (seabass), sea trout, flounder, sole or grouper
1T cilantro, minced finely
1 lime, juiced
1/2 t fine sea salt
4 oz or Aji Amarillo, thinly sliced to make up 1/2 C
4 oz Aji Rocoto, thinly sliced to make up 1/2 C
1” ginger, grated and and squeezed to make 1 t ginger juice
Aji sauces (recipe below)
Aji Amarillo and Aji Rocoto Sauces
4 oz or Aji Amarillo, deveined, deseeded and thinly sliced to make up 1/2 C
4 oz Aji Rocoto, deveined, deseededand thinly sliced to make up 1/2 C
1/2 C corn oil, divided into two portions
Place the aji amarillo into a blender with 1/4 C oil and whiz to emulsify til you get a smooth, velvety sauce. If too thin, add more oil in a thin stream while machine is running to get a density of cream. Strain the sauce to ensure a velvety texture.
Clean the bowl of blender and repeat with the aji rocoto.
Cover and chill sauces for at least an hour before use.
Making the Tiradito
Slice the fish into 2 mm thickness, at least 20 by 30mm width and length. Try to even up the pieces by cutting off uneven edges. Gently spread or fan out the tiradito in a single layer on a large serving plate.
Lightly smear the salt and ginger juice evenly over the fish, only on the side facing up. Drizzle the lime juice and spread evenly over the side facing up with the back of a spoon. Let marinade for 5 minutes.
Spread 1/3 C of the yellow aji amarillo sauce over half the fish ; and 1/3 C red aji rocoto. Decorate the plate with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Choritos a la Chalaca (Callao Mussels) – serves 4 as a starter
Callao is a port just 45 minute’s drive north of Lima and Peru’s busiest. Some of the best seafood in the world comes through here and this simple dish makes the most of fresh, plump mussels. The mirin is not traditional – leave it out if you’re a purist – bu ti found it boosts the natural sweetness or the shellfish.
12 large or 16 small Mussels
3T very finely minced cilantro
Salsa –
1 ripe tomato (remove the seeds and dice finely)
1 t finely minced aji rocoto (spicy red chili)
4T lime juice
3T finely finely diced sweet red onion
1 t mirin
1/2 t fine sea salt
Make sure you get the mussels the day before or morning of your meal. Scrub the shells without damaging them.
Then soak the mussels in enough salted (1 1/2 t coarse sea salt to every 1 C) cold water to cover them by about 2”. Leave at least 3 hours in a cool place.
Mix salsa ingredients and set aside.
Bring to a boil a large pot of water that can fit a steamer and all the mussels at one go.
While waiting for the water to boil, strain, rinse well then de-beard the mussels (don’t debeard too early as you’ll kill them). Grip the greeny-brown fringe (that’s the beard) at the edge of the shell at the base, and tear them out firmly.
When water is boiling, place mussels in steamer and cover tight, steam til they open. Be careful not to overcook. A minute or two after you see the steam emitting from the pot, they should be ready. You can quickly remove those that are opened with tongs, then re-cover and continue steaming. After another few minutes, the rest should be done. Toss those that do not open.
Open up the mussels and lay out on the half-shell, in a fan -shape on a large serving dish. Spoon the salsa atop; sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
Crab, Tomato and Avocado Causa – serves 4 as starter
Notes – There’s no substitute for the bright amber aji amarillo – it’s uniquely fragrant and spicy. Find the most sour limes possible. You’ll need a deep, 3 and 1/2 inch or 4 inch in diameter muffin or dough cutter. For a much simpler and economical but still delish version, use good quality canned (in brine) tuna.
Juice of 8-12 large limes to make up 1/2 C juice
Aji Amarillo Sauce
6 Aji Amarillo 2Tbs Corn Oil plus more if needed
2T top quality mayonnaise (preferably home made)
1/2 t tomato paste
1/2 t fine sea salt
Filling
1/4 C crabmeat
4 steamed or boiled shrimp, chopped roughly
1 ripe avocado – cut into chunks
pepper and salt to taste
1 small tomato – remove seeds and chop roughly
Make the sauce at least two hours ahead for flavors to meld-
If you’re unused to working with spicy chilis, it’s best to wear thin gloves.
Devein, deseed and cube the aji amarillo. Place the aji amarillo in a blender with the salt, mayonnaise and 2T oil.
Whiz at high speed to create a smooth, emulsified sauce the consistency of light cream. If it’s too chunky or thick, add more oil sparing to avoid an overly watery consistency.
Set aside in fridge for at least 2 hours. Make sure it’s at room temperature and give a good stir before you use.
Make Filling –
Shred crab into tablespoon-sized chunks, chop shrimp very roughly. Add 2T of the lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
Make the Potato Mix –
Boil the potato, skin on, in water until tender. Make sure the the potatoes do not burst as this will render the flesh too watery to work with. Peel the cooked potatoes while still warm and finely mash them with a fork to make 1 and 1/2 C. Work quickly as flavors will absorb better when potato warm.
Mix in 2 T oil, 4 T lime juice, 4 T aji amarillo sauce and 1/2 t sea salt to taste. The potato should be tender yet firm and not too fluffy.
Just before assembling, cube the avocado and add it along with tomato to the Filling, to avoid discoloration and wateriness. Add more salt and lime juice if needed to balance flavor.
Assemble the Causa-
Place the deep, 3 and 1/2 inch or 4 inch in diameter muffin or dough cutter onto the plate you are serving the causa on. I suggest a small individual starter plate for each guest. Pat about 1/4 C potato mash into the bottom as evenly as possible, to a depth of about 3/4 to 1” depending on how heavy you want the starter to be. I prefer a lighter dish.
On to of the base, dollop about 1/4 C plus 2T filling and pat firmly to a thickness of about 1 and 1/2”” and then finish with another layer of potato.
Serve slathered with about 5 T of Aji Amarillo sauce, enough to coat the top and drizzle a third down the sides.
(Like a sandwich, Causa can be stuffed with chicken or canned tuna, vegetables and mayonnaise, but any ingredient can be substituted.)
Chupe de Camarones
Seco de Res – serves 4 as a main
notes – Cilantro is the director, star and producer of this Criollo beef stew, so if you don’t like the flavor don’t attempt it! Seco de Res is usually served with rice and bean sides or over french fries.
Tomato Puree Crawfish Carrots and Peas
Fumet OnionsGarlicQueso Fresco Yellow Potato Egg Evaporated
Cook the minced garlic and onions in a medium sized pot.
Add the tomato puree and cook down.
Add the carrots, peas, fumet and queso fresco to the mix and bring to a boil.
Boil the soup for 10 minutes and add the potatos.
Once the potatos are cooked, add the evaporated milk and egg. As the egg is being added to the soup, make sure to whisk. It should have a consistancy similar to egg drop soup.
Add the crawfish and once cooked, serve.
Ingredients:
For the sauce –
2 Aji Amarillo
1 T corn oil
For the stew –
1 1/2 lb chuck steak
3 shallots and 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 C roughly chopped Cilantro leaves with stems
3/4 C dark or Malt Beer
!/4 each frozen peas and diced carrots
Devein and slice the ajiamarillo finely, place in blender with 1T oil and whiz on high speed to obtain a smooth, light sauce.
Boil water and blanch the cilantro leaves and stems 1/2 C hot water, then whiz in blender to obtain a light sauce.
Cut the steak into 3/4” thick chunks and rub in 1/2t fine sea salt. Heat 2T oil in a heavy frying pan over high flame and when oil is almost smoking, sear beef on all sides till deep brown in small batches and set aside.
Heat 1 T corn oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low flame. Soften the shallots for five minutes, then add garlic and continue softening until translucent. Turn heat high and add the meat, give a quick stir. While the ingredients are sizzling, quickly add the dark beer.
Boil uncovered until half the liquid remains, then add the aji amarillo and cilantro sauces and about 1 1/2 C of water. When it comes to a boil again turn flame to low, cover and continue to cook for another one and half to two hours ‘til beef is tender. If needed add more water, half cup at a time, enough to cover the meat until it tenderizes and stir with a flat wooden spoon, scraping the bottom to prevent burning.
Half hour before the cooking finishes, toss in the peas and carrots.
Serve with rice and beans.
Marina’s Aji de Gallina – – Marina cooks for a charity in Manchay. She also resides in this impoverished, drought stricken slum with her extensive family. I spent a day cooking in her clapboard home and found her humble version of this popular Criollo dish delicious, even though the usual Parmesan and pecans replaced with queso fresca and sesame seeds.
2 lb Whole Chicken Breast, skin on
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 boiled potato
1/4 C sesame seeds
2 slices white Bread
1/2 C crumbled plain crackers
1/2 C evaporated milk (plus more)
4 oz queso fresco, roughly cut into 1/8” slices
1 t turmeric
1/4 t cumin
dried oregano
1 large aji amarillo
2T corn oil
2 boiled, then peeled yellow potatoes, cut into thick slices to serve as a side
Being to boil 1 c of water, in a small pot and simmer the chicken in until cooked. Remove and discard the skin, shred the meat finely. Save the meat (lightly covered) and broth separately.
Place the crackers and bread into a bowl with milk. Soak a few minutes until the bread and crackers are soft.
Devein and slice the ajiamarillo into small chunks.
In a nonstick pan, lightly toast the sesame seeds, shaking to prevent burning. Set aside.
Using the same pan, roast the aji amarillo and the slices of queso til edges are browned (beware the spicy fumes from the chili).
Place the sesame seeds, roasted queso and aji, 1/4 C of the retained chicken broth and the milky-cracker-bread slush into a blender and whiz til smooth and creamy. Strain and set aside.
Heat the 2T oil in a medium frying pan over medium low flame. Cook onions 8 minutes then add the garlic and cook further until tender and translucent.
Add the turmeric and oregano and cook a minute, stirring to prevent burning. Then add the sauce and cook another 10 minutes or until the onions are melted into the sauce.
Add the shredded chicken and stir. Add pepper and salt to taste (note – the queso fresca has already added saltiness to the dish).
Add more reserved broth or evaporated milk until the chicken is coated with a velvety sauce the consistency of heavy cream.
Serve with the sliced potatoes on the side.
Marina’s Arroz con Pollo – serves 4
This is another green-hued Criollo dish appreciated by those who adore, but best left alone buy those who can’t stand, cilantro. It’s delicious and worth the effort. You can use a half chicken, cut up into pieces, skin on, or just legs which makes for a richer-tasting dish.
Salsa Criolla Sauce
1/2 sweet red onion, chopped
4 T cilanto, chopped
1 aji amarillo, minced finely
3T lime juice
Arroz con Pollo ingredients –
4 chicken legs Chicken (cuts like drumstick and thigh make for more flavorful dishes)
3/4 lb cilantro leaves
3/4 lb spinach leaves (with only tender parts of stem)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Aji Amarillo, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
1/2 C Chicha de Jora or Black Beer
2 3/4 C water (for richer taste use half water and and half sodium free chicken stock)
1 small carrot, diced
1/3 C frozen Peas
1/3 C frozen large Peruvian white corn kernels (or any frozen corn will do)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4” pieces
Corn oil
2 t sea salt
2 C rice
Just mix all the ingredients of salsa criolla ahead of time. It’s optional but if you plan on serving as a side dip, make an hour ahead of time and let sit in a fridge for flavors to marry.
Wash pat dry the chicken legs and halve into drums and thighs. Season with a dash of salt and pepper.
Heat 1T oil in large frying pan over medium high flame, when it’s hot, add the chicken and brown each side. Remove and set aside.
While chicken is browning, wash the spinach and cilantro, then rip into pieces and place in a strainer atop the kitchen sink.
Boil water, then blanch the cilantro and spinach well. Gently press out excess water with a large wooden spoon.
Place in a blender with the diced aji amarillo and whiz until smooth.
Heat 3T corn oil in a large pot that will fit about 5 liters of water over medium flame, sautee the minced garlic and onion until golden, turn the heat up and add the chicha de jora or black beer, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot well. Add the 2 3/4 C water.
When liquid comes back to a boil add the browned chicken, turn the heat to medium low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the cilantro-spinach-aji sauce, peas, carrots and bell peppers and 2t sea salt and raise the heat again to medium. Bring to a boil, stirring once or twice, and cook covered for another five minutes.
Add the rice to the boiling or simmering liquid and stir to blend ingredients evenly.
Cover the pot tightly, reduce heat to low and cook another 18 minutes. Remove from heat while keeping the pot carefully covered and let sit another 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and fluff up the rice, then serve in a large platter with side of salsa criolla.
Lomo Saltado
Having grown up with Chinese stir fried beef, this cumin and soy sauce flavored Chifa dish was a real culture shock but a tasty one. Not just in flavor but presentation as the one served in Hikari was glopped over fat, juicy french fries. Also, the prep for the meat lacks the velveting technique and feels coarse to traditional Cantonese palate.
Note – it’s important to use the best, fragrant ground cumin or the dish will be bland. It’s also best to use unfrozen fresh meat. Peruvians make a heavy breakfast sandwich with lomo saltado.
1 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
3T corn oil
1 lb sirloin, uniformly cut into 1/4” thick, 2” wide and about 4” long strips
1 1/2 t ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced finely
1 tomato, cut into eights lengthwise
1/2 red onion, sliced 1/4” thick
2T minced cilanto
1/2 t ground cumin
2T light soy sauce
2 T red wine vinegar
1 t black pepper (and more to taste)
Rub the pepper and salt over the sliced sirloin. Heat 1T in a wok over high heat til the oil is shimmering. Working in small batches, give the sirloin a quick sear til edges charred, but do not cook through (adding more oil if needed) . Remove from wok, and rub cumin over the seared meat.
To the same wok, add 2T oil and turn heat on high. Fry the onion for a minute, long enough to keep it crisp but cooking out the raw flavor, toss in the tomato, and cook another minute then add the beef and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.
Add soy sauce and then the vinegar to deglaze, stir and add pepper to taste. Make sure beef is cooked through but still tender. Sprinkle cilanto on top.
Serve on rice or fat french fries.
Papa Rellena – makes 6 for starter
Even though I shudder whenever there’s a “papa” in the recipe, not being a potato lover, I’ve become a fan of this easy, versatile and deep-fried (yay!) snack. Note – you’ll need at least 4 eggs in total for the recipe. You can freeze uneaten papas, and toast in oven to reheat for a quick snack.
Filling –
1lb minced beef
1 T corn oil
1 egg
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 C frozen peas, thawed
3T raisins, soaked an hour then pat dry with paper towels
Dough –
2 lb Yellow Potatoes
1 1/2 t fine sea salt
1t ground black pepper
1/4 C flour
1 whole egg plus white of one egg (reserve yolk)
For frying –
1 egg plus Reserved yolk beaten with 1T water
4 T flour
1 C corn oil
5T chopped parsley
Make filling first –
Boil the egg to a hard boil, cool, peel and dice. Seta side covered.
Heat oil in frying pan, cook the onion over low heat til tender. Add garlic, then raise heat to medium high, add the beef and brown, breaking the meat quickly with spatula. When almost cooked, add raisins and peas, cook a few minutes and salt and pepper to taste.
Place potatoes in large pot and cover with enough water to clear by at least 2”. Bring to boil, and cook about 20 minutes til tender, being careful not to break the skin as this ruins the texture.
When cooked, strain. Work quickly while potatoes are still hot, mash with fork in a large metal bowl to get a fine texture. Measure out 3C of mashed potatoes.
When the potatoes are still warm, add the egg and egg white, salt and pepper and mix well then add the flour.
Mix at low speed with a electric mixer fitted with dough hook if you have one; or knead lightly on a floured surface to get a soft, malleable yet not-sticky dough.
Prepare for frying – place beaten egg and extra flour into two separate bowls. Heat the 1C oil in a small saucepan over medium flame.
Measure out a little over 1/4 C of dough, shape into a rough hollow oval about 2 1/2” long that fits easily into your palm, about 1/4’” thick. Scoop about 3-4 T filling, cover with another 1/4 C of potato dough.Shape into a firm, fat football, ensuring the filling is compact and fully encapsulated.
Working gently and quickly, lightly dip the football into the beaten egg then the flour, you should get 6 or 7 papa rellena.
Drop a pinch of flour into the oil to make sure it’s at the right temperature and gently slide in the papas, no more than 3 at a time. The oil should come up to no less than 3/4 way of the papas.
Fry each side to a golden brown, then serve hot sprinkled with parlsey.
This dish is can be served for breakfast or lunch and can be stuffed with a variety of fillings, such as beef, creamy mixes and vegetables.
Chupe de Camarones – serves 4
This super easy, rich and tasty seafood soup, made with shrimp and oily-fleshed fish, is an impressive starter. It has as many variations are there are cooks – clams, crawfish and squid make interesting additions or alternatives. Skip making the stock if you’re short on time and just use canned fish broth, preferably sodium free.
3 T Tomato Puree
1 lb shrimp
1lb salmon fillet
1 t dried oregano
1/4 C each frozen carrots, corn and peas
4 C fish stock or fumet (recipe below)
1 white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 oz queso fresco
1 large yellow potato, diced the same size as carrots
3 eggs, whisked
1 C evaporated milk
Fish stock
One fish carcass (ask the fishmonger who fillets your salmon to wrap up the bones and head)
shrimp shells from main recipe
1/2 onion, in one piece
1 T oil
1 T chili oil
5 C water
Heat oils over medium low flame in a large pot, add the onion and shrimp shells and heads. And continue cooking til fragrant and the shells are golden-crisp. Add the fish carcass and and water, lower heat and close the lid to simmer for no more than 30 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm til needed.
Make the soup
Peel the heads and shells off shrimp but leave tails on. Retain shells for soup stock (above). Cut the salmon fillet into strips about 1/8th inch thick. Chill seafood until needed.
Sweat the garlic and onions in a medium pot over low heat. Add oregano and give a quick stir. Turn the heat to medium, add the tomato puree and cook down.
Add the potatoes, leave for a minute then add carrots, peas and queso fresco. Stir well for a minute. Add the stock.
Bring to a high simmer for about 10 minutes til potatoes are almost done, and add the evaporated milk and bring back to a medium simmer.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl and pour in a thin stream into the simmering broth, whisking the broth gently to create delicate ribbons of cooked egg.
Simmer to thicken another few minutes to obtain the consistency of egg drop soup. Add the shrimp, after three minutes add the salmon slices and stir gently now and then til they are cooked tender, another 5 minutes or so.
Serve immediately.
Papa a la Huancaina – serves 4 as a side
Translates to potatoes with huancaina sauce – a humble but popular dish.
4 Yellow Potatoes, boiled, peeled, sliced into 1/4” thickness
1/3 lb Queso Fresco
2 whole cloves garlic, skin on
2 aji amarillo
3/4 C evaporated milk
6 crackers
Corn oil
2 hard boiled eggs, cooled, peeled and halved
Devein and remove the seeds of the aji amarillo and halve lengthwise.
Cut the queso fresco into a large, 1/4” thick pieces.
Heat a frying pan to medium high and sear the aji amarillo, queso and garlic (skin on!) until lightly charred. Remove the skin of the garlic, chop the aji into small pieces and place all the roasted ingredients in a blender.
Add 2T oil, 1 t salt, crackers and evaporated milk and blend at high speed until smooth and creamy and there are no lumps.
Lay the potato slices in a pile on individual serving plates, and ladle the huancaina sauce atop. Serve with a garnish of parsley or cilantro leaves and chopped tomatoes.
Tacu Tacu
This multi-step, difficult Criollo dish didn’t wow me in the texture department but Jose did such an amazing job cooking it, so this recipe is kudos to him. Also couldn’t have a post about Peruvian cooking without LIMA beans!
It’s a typical African-influenced Peruvian dish – ie. combines a ridiculous amount of different starches, sometimes with a base of lard. And Peruvians eat this as a side for steak! Sigh – here goes….
(Note – make the rice at least one day before as it must be stale to provide the correct texture and adhesion; also pre-soak the beans the night prior, you might want to also cook them beforehand)
1 C dried Lima or Kidney Beans , pre-soaked and boiled til tender (note – never add salt to boil beans)
4 cloves garlic, minced plus an extra clove minced finely for topping
1 onions, minced
2 t cumin
1 C day-old long grain white rice
Rocoto sauce (recipe below)
3 T corn oil
2 t fine sea salt
black pepper
1/2 lb mix of squid, shrimp and firm fleshed white fish – cleaned and sliced into 1” long, thin pieces
Rocoto sauce
4 aji rocoto or any spicy red chili, deseeded, deveined and diced
3T plain flour
2T butter
Whiz the diced rocoto and 1 T oil until smooth, strain into a small bowl.
Heat butter in a small sauce pan and cook the flour to a golden color. Add the rocoto and whisk briskly to create the sauce.
Make the Tacu Tacu
Soak your beans the night before. Boil them until they are tender. Measure out 1 1/2 C of the beans.
Whiz ¾ of the beans to a chunky puree and add the remaining whole beans to the mix. (These steps can be done the day before and the beans chilled til needed).
Heat 2 T oil in a medium pot and sweat the garlic, onions and cumin until fragrant and translucent.
Add the beans and cook at medium heat a minute or two to marry the flavors, then add the stale rice, making sure to break it up to incorporate evenly into the mix. Add 2 T fine sea salt, a grind of black pepper and stir well.
Turn out the goppy mix onto a cutting board and gently knead in 1T of flour, adding more if needed to create a non-sticky, firm football shape about (use floured large spatulas if the surface too sticky) and lightly dust with another tablespoon of flour.
Heat 2T of corn oil over medium flame in a large nonstick saucepan – once it’s hot, fry the tacu tacu on both sides til golden brown, adding more oil if needed.
Set on large serving platter and keep warm.
Using the same frying pan, cook the remaining clove of minced garlic in 1T of oil til fragrant then add the seafood and cook til done but still tender.
Lay the seafood atop the tacu tacu and smother in the rocoto sauce.
Serve garnished with sliced chili and chopped coriander.
