From brent@hplbct.hpl.hp.com Mon Jun 15 13:23:43 1998 Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 17:19:24 -0700 From: Brent Thompson To: "W.A. Sawford" Subject: Re: [CH] A source > unless anyone has any Peruvian recipes? I have a few I really like (e.g. a version of Aji de Gallina) that I'll type in later someday (but not for a while due to too busy lately), but here are some, anyway (most not yet tried by me :-( ). --- Brent ###################################################################### AJI DE GALLINA (Chicken in Aji Sauce) This easy-to-prepare dish will impress any dinner guest. Using nuts as a thickening ingredient, as well as for flavor, is common throughout Latin America. Traditionally this dish would be prepared with yellow potatoes, which are not readily available outside of Peru. If you can't find a "Yukon gold" potato, a baking potato will do. 1 3 1/2-pound chicken, quartered 6 pieces white bread, crusts removed 1 large onion, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 6 fresh Aji Amarillo, stems and seeds removed, diced 2 tablespoons margarine 1 cup chopped pecans 1 15-ounce can evaporated milk 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 potatoes, peeled and boiled, cut in wedges Salt and pepper to taste 2 to 3 hard-cooked eggs, cut in wedges for garnish Pitted black olives Cover the chicken with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender, skimming off any foam that forms. Remove the chicken and let it cool. Strain and reserve the broth. Remove the bones and skin from the chicken and shred the meat. Soak the bread in 1/2 cup of the reserved broth and, when soft, mash with a fork to form a thick paste. Saute the onion, garlic and chiles in the margarine until the onions are golden. Add 1 cup of the remaining chicken broth and the soaked bread mixture and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, pecans, milk, and Parmesan cheese, reduce the heat and cook unfil the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, arrange the potatoes on a platter, top with the sauce and garnish with the egg wedges and olives. Serves: 4 to 6 Heat Scale: Hot ###################################################################### ANTICHUCHOS - Peruvian shiskabobs (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) In Peru beef heart is used but I use a good quality beef steak. Cut in cubes and marinate overnight in the following: wine, good quality (yes, wine, not wine vinegar) garlic to taste ¼ (1/4) C. ground aji amarillo ½ (1/2) C. chopped aji amarillo ½ (1/2) tsp. cumin seed ½ (1/2) tsp. achiote (annato seed) salt to taste pepper to taste Make sure the meat is completely covered. Keep in fridge at least overnight. Put meat on wooden or metal skewers and cook on a spit or rack over direct heat, basting with the following sauce, until done to taste: ¼ (1/4) C. ground hot peppers ½ (1/2) C. oil 3 Tbs. red wine vinegar a few tablespoons of the marinade The tradition in our family was to have anticuchos with freshly made fries, and a big salad made from a variety of lettuce, avocadoe and tomatoe with an oil, red wine vinegar and garlic dressing. Yum yum - my mouth is watering as I write this - guess I'll make these this weekend with the last of my frozen aji. ###################################################################### ARROZ CON PATO - rice with duck (you can also use chicken if you like) (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) 1 duck cut in pieces salt and pepper to taste ½ (1/2) cup oil 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, chopped 1 large tomatoe, peeled and chopped 1 bunch coriander, chopped fine aji amarillo ground or 1 (or more) fresh pepper cut in strips 5 cups water ½ (1/2) bottle of beer - not ale 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen) 2 ½ (2.5) cups rice ¼ (1/4) cup oil Season duck with salt and pepper. Brown in oil and remove from pan. In the same oil brown the garlic, onion and tomatoe and then add coriander and hot pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Return duck to pan and add water and beer. Cook over moderate heat until duck is almost tender. Add peas and rice. Season and cook for 10 minutes over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes or so until rice is dry. Five minutes before removing from heat add ¼ cup oil and stir lightly. ###################################################################### CAUSA A LA LIMENA - potatoe salad from Lima (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) 8 yellow or white potatoes unpeeled (in Peru there are tiny yellow potatoes available that are very creamy - I use Yukon Gold instead) 3 Tbs. lemon juice ½ (1/2) C. oil salt to taste pepper to taste ground hot yellow peppers Cook the potatoes: remove skins and mash well. Add lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper and hot peppers. Shape into small balls or spread on platter and cover with the following sauce: 2 onions, thinly sliced 1 fresh hot pepper (or more) cut in strips salt to taste pepper to taste 1 Tbs. oil 1/2 lemon, juice of (½ lemon) Wash onion and pepper slices in cold water. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Add the oil and lemon juice and mix well. Garnish with the following: ripe olives, fresh cheese, sliced hard-boiled eggs, cooked shrimp, ham, pieces of fried white fish, lettuce leaves or whatever you like. ###################################################################### ** Causa Azulada (Causa in Blue) (from: The Art of South American Cooking, Felipe Rojas-Lombardi, 1991) Serves 8-10 5 lb. potatoes, blue, scrubbed 1 garlic head (the whole head), unpeeled, cut in half horizonatally 5 in. ginger root, fresh, sliced 2-3 rosemary branches, fresh, or sage or tarragon sprigs 3 Tbs. salt or to taste 2 Tbs. vinegar (sherry, raspberry, or red-wine vinegar) 6 Tbs. oil, olive 1 garlic clove, peeled, minced 2-3 chiles jalapenos, minced 2.5 lb. Swiss chard, washed, drained 1 C. mayonnaise 2 tsp. salt or to taste 1/2 C. olives, black, pitted, sliced (e.g. Alfonso, Kalamata, Nicoise) red bell pepper, roasted, cut into strips (optional garnish) eggs, hard-boiled (optional garnish) olives, black, pitted (optional garnish) Cover potatoes by 2 inches with water in a large pot, add garlic head halves, ginger, rosemary, and 1 Tbs. salt; cook over medium heat until done, about 35-40 minutes. As soon as potatoes are cooked, remove them from water, place on a rack to cool, and discard the water. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and rice them (or mash by pressing through a strainer). Add 2 Tbs. salt, 1 Tbs. vinegar, and 2 Tbs. olive oil. Using hands, mix well. Set aside. Separate stems from leaves of the Swiss chard, reserving both. Blanch leaves a few seconds in boiling water then drain thoroughly. Coarsely chop the blanched leaves, then place in a clean cloth/napkin and twist to squeeze out all the water. In a skillet, combine 2 Tbs. olive oil, the minced garlic, and chile, and stir a few seconds over high heat. Do not let the garlic brown or burn. Add the squeezed chopped chard leaves and saute, stirring, for 4-5 minutes. Mix in 1 tsp. salt and the remaining 1 Tbs. vinegar. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Oil the ring, but not the bottom, of a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a (serving) plate. Press half the mashed potatoes into the pan. Spread the chard leaves evenly over the potatoes then put the remaining mashed potatoes on top, pressing to shape and smoothing out the surface. With a large spatula, spread the mayonnaise uniformly over the surface of the potatoes. Remove the springform carefully, leaving the causa on the plate Cut the reserved chard stems on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. In a skillet, saute the stems with remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil for 5 mintues over high heat. Mix in the remaining 1 tsp. salt and the sliced olives. Remove from heat and let cool. Surround the cause with the braised stems. Serve as is, or garnished with roasted pepper, hard-boiled eggs, and/or olives. Variation: substitute 3 lb. baking potatoes and 2 lb. all-purpose potatoes for the 5 lb. of blue potatoes. ###################################################################### ESCABECHE - fish in onion sauce (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) 2 lb. white fish (firm) salt to taste pepper to taste flour 1 lb. onions, cut in thick slices 4 fresh hot peppers, sliced 1 tsp. ground hot pepper ½ (1/2) tsp. oregano oil for frying 1 C. vinegar 2 hard-boiled eggs cooked ears of corn 12 ripe olives cooked sweet potato 1 C. fresh cheese lettuce leaves Skin fish, remove bones and cut in large pieces. Season with salt and pepper, dip in flour and fry in very hot shortening. Place on a platter. Put onion, fresh peppers, ground peppers, oregano, salt and pepper in a saucepan with sufficient oil. When onion is cooked, add the vinegar and cover saucepan. Immediately remove from heat and pour over fish. Garnish with the eggs, pieces of corn, olives, sliced sweet potatoes, cheese and lettuce. ###################################################################### LOMO SALTADO: stir fried steak (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) Use a good quality steak, cut thinly across the grain. I use New York strip or flank. Slice beef thinly across the grain and fry in hot oil until brown - set aside; 2 small onions cut in strips - fry slowly until soft and transparent; ¾ (3/4) fresh garlic cloves - add to onions about half way through cooking onions; 2 fresh, ripe tomatoes cut in quarters - add to onions and garlic once the onions are soft; Add whatever quantity of aji amarillo you want and stir fry for 2 minutes or so; Mix in meat; heat thoroughly; serve over rice with freshly made fries on top. ###################################################################### Papas a la Huancaina (Potatoes with Cheese and Aji Sauce) This popular dish from the mountain town of Huancayo is often served as an entree at social events and parties. These potatoes are traditionally garnished with hard-cooked egg halves, olives and sliced onion rings, but anything goes. Here we have garnished with egg whites, parsley and sliced chiles. 4 small potatoes, peeled 2 hard-cooked eggs, yolks and whites separated 3 Aji Escabeche, stems and seeds removed 1.5 C. grated mozzarella or Muenster cheese 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Garnish: Lettuce leaves Diced hard-cooked egg whites Chopped fresh parsley 2 fresh chiles, stems and seeds removed, cut into thin strips Sliced black olives Boil the potatoes until done, drain and keep warm. If the potatoes are large they may be cut in half. Put the egg yolks, chile lemon juice, and turmeric in a blender or food processor and puree unfil smooth. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the cheese sauce, and simmer until the sauce is hot and thickened. The sauce should be thick but pourable. Add more milk to thin, if necessary. To assemble: Arrange the lettuce on a platter and place the potatoes on top. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and garnish with the egg whites, parsley, chile strips and olives. Serves: 4 to 6 Heat Scale: Mild ###################################################################### PAPAS A LA HANCAINA - potatoes from Huancayo (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) 10 yellow or white potatoes, cooked and peeled Arrange potatoes on serving dish and cover with the following sauce: 2 cups fresh cheese 3 hard-boiled egg yolks 2 tablespoons (to taste) ground hot peppers salt and pepper to taste 1 cup oil ½ (1/2) cup evaporated milk few drops of lemon juice ¼ (1/4) C. onion, finely chopped, rinsed in boiling water (same method as salsa criolla) 5 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 10 ripe olives 1 hot pepper cut in strips lettuce leaves Mash together the cheese and egg yolks with a fork. Add hot peppers, salt and pepper and mix well. Pour in oil a little at a time as for mayonnaise; add evaporated milk and lemon juice. Beat well and lastly, add onion. Cover potatoes with this sauce and garnish with remaining ingredients. ###################################################################### Rocotos Rellenos (Stuffed Rocotos) This dish may also be prepared with 'Aji Amarillo', and can be baked or fried. Nobody leaves the city of Arequipa without having tried this dish, but once you do, you'll want to stay there forever. 6 fresh rocoto chiles 1/2 lb. beef, ground 1/2 C. onion, chopped 2 tsp. roasted, ground peanuts 2 tsp. raisins 1/2 C. carrots, cooked, chopped 1 egg, hard ooked, chopped 1/2 C. peas, cooked a small potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced 1/4 C. milk 3 eggs 1 C. mozzarella or Muenster cheese, grated salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top off each chile, remove the seeds and membranes and save the tops. Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet, breaking up any large clumps of beef. Add the peanuts, raisins, carrots, hard-cooked egg and peas and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste add the salt and pepper. Fill each rocoto with the meat mixture and cover with the rocoto tops. Place the potatoes in a lightly greased pan and arrange the filled rocotos on top. Beat the milk and eggs in a separate bowl and pour over the rocotos. Sprinkle the cheese around the rocotos and bake for 10 minutes. Serves: 4 to 6 Heat Scale: Medium ###################################################################### Salsa de Aceitunas (Olives and Aji Sauce) A tasty dip for a wide variety of snacks. Serve it with chips, pretzels, breadsticks or vegetable sticks. 1 cup pitted black olives 1 cup grated mozzarella or Muenster cheese 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1/4 cup vegetable oil 6 Aji Panca, stems and seeds removed, chopped 1 cup mayonnaise Place all the ingredients, except the mayonnaise, in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Gently mix in the mayonnaise and refrigerate until served. Yield: 2 cups Heat Scale: Medium ###################################################################### Salsa Criolla (from: sasha , chile-heads, 26May98) This is something i always make with grilled steak - it's also wonderful on pork roast sandwiches. Red onions Aji amarillo Garlic Oil Salt and pepper Slice onions thinly - put in sieve and pour boiling water over the onions to soften them (they still retain some crunch); Add as much garlic and aji amarillo as you like Add oil - just enough to make it all a bit runny - experiment. Season to taste. ###################################################################### Tallarines con Conchitas al Aji (Noodles with Shells and Aji Sauce) This is a common dish in the coastal regions of Peru where fresh shells, or pink and white scallops, are readily available. An excellent way to give a unique touch to everyday noodles. 8 ounces dry noodles, such as shells,fettuccine, or egg noodles 1 cup white sauce* See below. 1/2 cup chopped fresh ajis 1/2 cup orange juice 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 dozen scallops, in the shell 1 cup mayonnaise Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cook the noodles in boiling water until done, drain and place in an ovenproof serving dish. Heat the white sauce and add the chiles, orange juice and cheese, and mix well. Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss to coat, and add the scallops. Spread the mayonnaise over the top of the casserole and bake for 10 minutes. Serves: 4 to 6 Heat Scale:Hot *WHITE SAUCE 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 cup warm milk Salt and pepper to taste Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the milk and cook, while stirring, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: I cup ######################################################################