Elite life
Peru (Peruvian Recipes)
First, Peru's ecological and climactic diversity (Peru is home to 84 of the 104 eco-systems existing on Earth) has given rise to a major supply of fresh produce, which any chef would be ecstatic about. The rich Peruvian fishing grounds abound in fish and shellfish species, the heart of the succulent coastal gastronomy; rice, fowl and goat, meanwhile, are the key ingredients of Peru's north coastal cooking. In the Andes, meanwhile, delicious ingredients such as the potato and sweetcorn in all its varieties, plus cuy (guinea pig) and ají chili pepper are the basis of highland cooking and are to be found across the country. The jungle adds its own touch, wild game with a side serving of fried banana and manioc root. Local fruit varieties such as chirimoya (custard apple) and lucuma produce incomparable deserts.
The second reason is the rich mix of Western and Eastern cultural traditions. Over the course of centuries, Peru has felt the influence of Spain in stews and soups, Arab sweets and desserts, African contributions to Creole cooking, Italian pastas, Japanese preparations of fish and shellfish and Chinese culinary methods which have given birth to one of the most popular gastronomic traditions in Peru: chifa. But the originality of Peru's cuisine does not stem just from its traditional cooking -rather, it continues to incorporate new influences, preparing exquisite and impeccable dishes that have been dubbed the New Peruvian Cuisine. It is a veritable privilege to experience Peru's cooking.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of white fish
1 cup of lime juice
1 clove of crushed garlic
2 red peppers, diced
2 finely diced jalapeno peppers
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
Bunch of finely chopped cilantro
2 lettuce leaves per plate
12 to 16 corn on the cobs cut into 2 inch pieces cooked as usual
3 or 4 sweet potatoes, boiled and peeled
Cooking Instructions:
Wash and de-bone fish and cut in 1/2 inch chunks. Season with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Let it marinade for 1 hour. Add onion, jalapeno and red pepper, celery and cilantro. Marinade for 1 more hour. Serve on a bed of lettuce and add two pieces of corn on the cob and a portion of the sweet potatoes.
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
8 yellow or while potatoes
Huancaína sauce
Lettuce leaves
2 hard-boiled eggs
8 large black olives, halved
Cooking Instructions:
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling and add the potatoes. Boil potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain water from potatoes and let cool. Slice potatoes and arrange on top of the lettuce leaves. Pour huancaína sauce over potatoes, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg and black olive halves.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
8 small boneless and skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves of fresh garlic
1 onion finely chopped
½ cup vegetable or olive oil
3 cups rice (not instant)
5 cups chicken bullion
1 cup cilantro and 1 cup water chopped in blender
(drain water after blending)
½ pound cooked peas
2 jalapeno peppers cut in very thin strips
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté salted and peppered chicken breasts in oil until browned and cooked completely and remove. In the same oil, cook the garlic and onion till tender. Combine the chicken to the garlic and onion. Add the cilantro and bullion and boil. Add the rice and jalapeno peppers. Cook over medium heat till liquid is absorbed. Add peas and continue to simmer over low heat until rice is cooked.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 pounds of beef tenderloin or other tender steak
¼ cup red wine or burgundy
2 tablespoons of crushed garlic
2 medium onions cut in strips
4 tomatoes, seeds removed, pureed in blender
5 potatoes peeled and cut into strips for frying
1 jalapeno pepper cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon of vinegar
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt and pepper
Finely chopped parsley
Cooking Instructions:
Cut beef into thin strips and marinate in wine for 1 hour. Cook garlic in oil over medium heat and add meat. Reserve the juice. Add the tomato puree, salt and pepper. Cook a few minutes. Add onion, jalapeno strip, parsley and vinegar. Combine the juice from the meat. Fry the potatoes in a separate pan and add to other ingredients. Serve over white rice.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
4 cups water
1 pound washed rice
1 onion, finely chopped
2 pound of slice steak
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons of raisins
5 black olives, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 tablespoon of finely minced parsley
Cooking Instructions:
Sauté the garlic in oil, add a few drops of lemon juice, salt and the water and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook for 20-25 minutes or just tender. In other pan, stir in onions and sauté, add meat, tomatoes, tomato paste, raisins, olives, egg and parsley. Take a one-cup glass measuring cup and coat the inside with a little oil. Fill halfway with rice, add some meat filling and add more rice to top of cup. Invert onto a plate and carefully remove cup.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
10 medium potatoes (new or red a good choice)
1 pound of cheese (romano, Mexican or feta work well)
2 small jalapeno peppers
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
8 saltine crackers
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Salt and pepper
lettuce
3 hard cooked eggs
Black olives
Cooking Instructions:
Cook and peel potatoes and allow to cool. In a blender, mix the cheese, peppers, milk, oil, garlic, crackers, mustard, salt and pepper. The sauce should be fairly thick; add more crackers if not, or add milk is too thick. Lay a bed of lettuce in a serving dish and place the potatoes on top. Cover with the sauce. Cut the hard boiled eggs in half and place on top of the potatoes. Add black olives if desired. This dish can be served slightly cold.
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
1 can of sweetened, condensed milk
1 can of evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 eggs, beaten
¼ cup water
Cooking Instructions:
Mix the condensed milk, evaporated milk, ½ cup of sugar, the vanilla and eggs. In a saucepan dissolve ½ cup sugar in ¼ cup of water and heat carefully until it becomes syrupy and slightly tan. Pour the caramel in a glass baking dish and pour the milk mixture on top. Take a slightly larger glass dish and fill halfway with water. Place the dish with the milk mixture inside the larger dish and cover with foil. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until custard is completely cooked. Serve slightly chilled.
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 tablespoon sugar
1 glass of Pisco (Peruvian Brandy)
Juice of 6 limes
Chopped ice
Angostura bitters
Cooking Instructions:
Beat the egg white and sugar in a blender. Add pisco, lime juice, ice and angostura bitters. Mix well and pour into shot glasses.
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked quinoa
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
¼ Cup fresh lime juice
1/3 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sea salt
Cooking Instructions:
Toss the jalapeno pepper, tomato, cucumber and mint with cooled quinoa. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper until creamy. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss again. Serve with a flourish.
Ingredients:
2 yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 blue potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces (if you cannot find blue potatoes, use another variety)
2 white potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
Pinch of saffron
4 ½ Tbsp butter or margarine
Sea salt Olive Mixture:
1/3 cup of finely chopped kalamata olives
1/3 cup finely chopped green olives
3 cloves of minced garlic
11/2 Tbsp. minced capers
2 Tbsps. Finely chopped parsley
1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled & chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Cooking Instructions:
Boil each of the 3 types of potatoes in separate pots. Add saffron to the yellow potatoes. Cook all potatoes until tender (about 20 mins.) Drain the potatoes, and mash each type separately adding 11/2 TBsp butter or margarine and sea salt to each. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the olive mixture. Line a 9X4 loaf pan with plastic wrap, extending the wrap over the edges of the pan. Layer one variety of mashed potatoes in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Spread ½ of the olive mixture on tope ot the potatoe layer and add a layer of another variety of potato, another layer of olive mixture and finish with a potato layer. Fold the plastic wrap over to cover the top and chill in refrigerator overnight. Lift the plastic wrap carefully onto a serving platter, remove plastic wrap. Slice the causa. Serve with Huancaina Sauce.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
3 Medium Onions, chopped
6 Cloves Garlic, chopped
4 Medium Chopped Rocoto Chiles or jalapenos
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Basil
2 Cups Peanuts, roasted and chopped
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
3 Pounds Chicken Breasts, chopped
3/4 Cup Lowfat Yogurt
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Cooking Instructions:
Boiled Potatoes, for garnishHeat oil in large saucepan and saute onions and garlic until the onions are soft. add chiles, cinnamon, cumin, basil, peanuts, cheese, and chicken. stir well. simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. 2 minutes before serving, add yogurt and stir well. serve surrounded by potatoes.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds fillets of flounder or similar white-fleshed fish
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 large ripe avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 small red onion, chopped fine (1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 large potato, peeled, boiled, and sliced
Cooking Instructions:
Season the fillets with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and let stand 5 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the oil until hot. Add the fillets and fry them lightly until just cooked through. Let cool, then chill. Peel and pit the avocado. In a bowl mash the avocado, add the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, onion, and parsley, and combine well. Line a serving platter with the sliced potato. Place the fish fillets in the center and pour the avocado puree over all.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound river turtle liver, cut into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon corn oil
Cooking Instructions:
Rub the liver with the salt and cumin. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the liver lightly over low heat for about 2 minutes. Serve immediately, while still warm, as an appetizer.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 slices
2 ears corn
3 fresh hot red peppers, about 4 inches long, or use hot green peppers
Black olives
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
1 pound cassava (yucca) root, peeled and cut into 6 slices
Flour
3 medium onions, cut into 1/8 inch slices
1/2 pound Spanish fresh cheese or Munster cheese, cut into 6 wedges
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups olive oil plus 4 tablespoons
3 green plantains or green bananas
2 pounds striped bass fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces, or any firm white fish
1/2 cup white vinegar
Lettuce leaves
Cooking Instructions:
In a small bowl combine the finely chopped onion, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Cook the potatoes in salted water until they are tender, but not mushy. Drain well and mash. Add 1 cup of the olive oil to the onion and lemon juice. Pour this dressing over the potatoes, mixing thoroughly. Make a mound of the potatoes in the center of a large round platter and keep warm, not hot. Boil the sweet potatoes and cassava in salted water for 20 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain and keep warm. It does not matter if the cassava slices have broken up. In a separate saucepan boil the plantains, unpeeled but cut in half if necessary to fit the pan, until tender, about 30 minutes. Green bananas will take less time, about 15 minutes. Peel and cut into 12 slices. Keep warm with the sweet potatoes and cassava. Drip the corn into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and boil for 5 minutes. Cut each ear into 3 slices and put with the other vegetables. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking to remove the excess. In a skillet heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the pieces of fish until they are golden brown on both sides, about 3 or 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Cut the peppers into 1/8-inch strips and put, with the sliced onions, into a saucepan of boiling water. Blanch for a few minutes then drain well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over low heat and cook, covered, for 2 or 3 minutes. To serve, garnish the platter round the edge with lettuce leaves. Arrange the fish fillets, corn, sweet potato, cassava, and plantains or bananas on the lettuce leaves. Pour the onion and pepper mixture over the potatoes and garnish the mound with the wedges of cheese and black olives.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon corn oil
2 cloves garlic, ground to a paste with 2 tablespoons water
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 cup chopped ripe tomato
1 pound boneless beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2-1/2 cups water
1 pound spaghettic (#8), broken in half
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
Cooking Instructions:
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the garlic, onion, pepper, cumin, salt, and tomato and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the 2 meats and potatoes and fry over low heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the water, cover the pan, and cook until the meats are almost tender, about 45 minutes. Add the spaghetti to the paan with the remaining 1-1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes until al dente. Stir in the cilantro. The sopa seca should be moist, the meat tender, but there should be very little sauce.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 or 2 fresh hot red or green peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3-1/2 quarts fish stock, or half clam juice, half water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 pounds jumbo shrimp
1/2 cup rice
3 large potatoes, peeled and halved
1-1/2 pounds peas, shelled, or use one (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
2 ears corn, each cut into 3 slices
1 cup light cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro) or use parsley, preferably fat Italian
Cooking Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are softened. Add the tomatoes, hot peppers, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a few minutes, stirring to mix well. Add the fish stock and the diced potatoes. Peel the shrimp and add the shells to the saucepan. Set the shrimp aside. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently, covered, for about 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing down on the solids to extract all the juices. Rinse out the saucepan and return the broth to it. Add the rice, halved potatoes, and peas, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the corn and the shrimp and cook for 5 minutes longer. Break the eggs into the soup, one at a time, stirring, so that the eggs coagulate in strips. Pour in the cream and cook just long enough to heat through. Pour into a warmed soup tureen and sprinkle with the coriander or parsley. Ideally this is served in large, deep, old-fashioned rimmed soup plates. Serve in large bowls holding about 2 cups.
