Peruvian Cuisine May 31

Today we went shopping! Sooooo fun and guess what I brought home? Something from the bakery of course (among other things).

This popular pastry is called conchita rellena con manjar blanco. Believe me it tasted better in my mouth than it felt trying to pronounce it.

The yellow bowl of deliciousness you see in the middle is my tia's favorite way to make quinoa. In fact since it's the only way she prepares it she just calls it "quinoa".

Quinoa
Cook the quinoa like normal and put aside. Cut potatoes and mozzarella cheese in chunks. In a pot fry with finely diced onions, aji molido, and palillo and add the cooked potatoes and cheese. Serve with rice.

Okay this recipe is a few days old, but some how I forgot to post it.

Asado
In a medium bowl mix vinegar, aji molido, pepper, salt, ajo molido. Mix part of it with dice carrots, onions, and tomato. Stuff roast beef with this mixture and cover the meat with the rest of the dressing. In a big pot fry the meat on all sides until hard and sealed. Add the rest of the carrots, onions, tomato, and left over dressing and add water until the meat is covered in a pressure cooker. Cook for 2 hours and serve as always with rice or in this case it was also served with puree de papa.

Last but certainly not least... ARROZ CON LECHE!!!

Arroz con Leche
Put one cup of rice (washed), 3/4 C sugar, pinch of salt, 2-3 sticks of cinnamon, 4 cloves, 4-5 C water in a medium pot on high with a lid. When rice is soft and there is hardly any water left (if there is too much water add a little dissolved corn starch), add 1 tb vanilla and a little more sugar if needed. Stir in 1 can evaporated milk and continue mixing until it boils. Take out cloves and cinnamon sticks and cool. Serve with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Picture Citation

Peruvian Cuisine May 30

So remember how I told you I went to a park full of cats, well today I went to a park full of olive trees. Which in my opinion are a whole lot tastier than cats (which I promise I haven't tried).

We also stopped by this cute little bakery...

I got Tres Leches de maracuya and a croissant filled with manjar blanco. My grandpa bought a large bag of conchi because it was a favorite in his younger years.

All these treats were sweet and delicious (and replaced my dinner). So all in all my day visiting San Isidro was quite worth it.

Lets talk Lunch. Today we made Soltero. This first question I asked my aunt when making this is, "If I eat this will I really be soltero?" Soltero in spanish means single, so you can understand why I was worried. Frankly if being single tastes this fresh and zesty I may just have to become a nun... Peruvian nun.

Soltero
Fill a big pot 1/3 full with water. Add 2 large diced carrots and 3 cups corn cook until the carrots are soft. Then add 2 cups lima beans. When they are cooked strain and cool them. Cut off a little less than 1/2 block mozzerella cheese and cut into small cubes and place aside. Dice 2 large tomatoes and put aside. In small bowl add 1 small finely diced onion, 1 tiny finely diced hot pepper, 1-2 finely diced twigs of parsley, the juice of 3 limes, 2-3 tsp salt, 2-3 tb olive oil and put aside. Place the chilled cooked vegetables in the bottom, the tomatoes next, cheese, lime mixture and mix all together. Serve with potatoes if desired.

Our lunch didn't stop there.Next on the menu crema de zapillo. I guess the love of creamy soups doesn't stop in the US. This creamy vegetable also soup doesn't stop at just squash (zapillo). There is crema de cauliflower, spinach, tomatoes, lentils, ect. Just think of something edible (that you can blend) and you PROBABLY can make a sopa de crema out of it.

Crema de Zapillo
Boil 3 cups of Zapillo and 1 quartered potato in a medium pot half full of water. When Zapillo starts to dissolve take off flame to cool down. In a blender, blend until completely liquified. Put in a large pot and let boil for 5 min. At this point add 1/4-1/3 C flour that has been dissolved in a little water, dissolve in water slowly while mixing. Add 1tsp salt and boil 2-3 min while mixing. Stir in 1 can of evaporated milk. Add 1 chicken bollion all while still stirring. Wait until is starts to boil as you stir and then add 2 tb butter. Serve when melted.

Finally to finish off everything... mazamora de leche!!!! This dessert does wonders for a vanilla girl like myself and for chocolate lovers that need a break too. It's texture is like jello but tastes like sweet milk!

Mazamora de Leche
Put 2 sticks of cinnamon, half a medium pot of water, 1 chancaka (dark sugar cone that they sell at mexican stores) and wait to boil and dissolve in a medium pot. Dissolve 1-2 C flour in about a cup of water in a separate small bowl. In the pot add 1 can evaporated milk while stirring. When it boils add the flour mixture while mixing. Continue mixing until the mixture boils (10 min). Put in bowls and wait 30-1 hour for it to set, then serve.

Crazy event of the day: We found a bee in the chancaka. Poor guy trying to defend his honey to the last.

Peruvian Cuisine May 29

I hit the jackpot today. Seco, which means dry in Spanish, is actually juicy and delicious.

Seco de Carne
Put a lot of diced onion, ajo, cumin and mix together with a little aji amillario. Add steak of any other meat with a little chopped cilantro and 2 Tb vinegar over high heat and let it almost come to a boil. Mix, add a little water and cover in the pressure cooker on lower. Wait until the water is gone with a little cilantro and peas.

Next up, Papa Rellena. This is a great recipe because it is so versatile.

Papa Rellena
Meat: Boil four eggs until hard. Fry two med onions, 2 tb ajo molido, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 tb aji molido (red), 1 tb salt, 3 green onion stems diced until the onions become translucent. At this point add ground beef and when cooked add paprika, parsley, and diced egg (you can also add raisins and olives).

At this point you can go on with the Papa part of the Rellena or you can switch recipes and make empanadas or Rocoto Rellna. I will explain how to make each.

Papa (or yuka) Rellena: Boil 12 potatoes. Peel and mash while hot. Make a little bowl of the mashed potatoes in your hand and fill with the meat mixture. Cover with potatoes and pat the entire thing with flour. Whisk 2 eggs and cover the oval balls. Fry in about 1/2 in of oil on all sides and take out when the entire thing is golden.

Rocoto Rellena: Cut and hollow some Rocoto (hot peppers or red bell peppers). Fill with meat mixture and top with tomato sauce and cheese and top. Put in 350 F oven until cheese melts.

Empanadas de Carne: 4 cups flour, 1 cup shortening, 1 cup margarine, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/4 cup cold water, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix flour, salt, powder, margarine, and shortening with a pastry blender until it looks like oats. Slowly add the cold water until it makes a dough and put in the fridge overnight or at least 3 hours. Make rounds and fill with meat mixture and fold over and crease. Mix a little egg and milk and brush on the empanadas. Put on greased cookie sheet, 400 F oven, for 20 minutes until light brown. Top with powdered sugar.

Did you know in Peru they call limes, limon. This surprised me because in Spanish lime is lima and lemon is limon. My grandpa told me this was because there are no yellow lemons here so they just call limes... lemons!

Peruvian Cusine May 27

I woke up to this today!

If you have not sat down to Paneton y chocolate you have not experienced Peru. That red chocolate bar you see in the background is the secret to this amazing drink. In the US you can buy Sol Del Cusco at a latino store or more popularly known is Abuelita chocolate which I have even seen at Costco. I promise once you taste this you will never had normal hot cocoa again. As to the Paneton, I posted the recipe about six months ago, but it is hard to make in the US because you cant find ecencie de paneton or chirimolla. It still tastes great without it, but before I get on the plane back home I am going to be lugging a pound of each in my suitcase.

Chocolate
1 round abuelita chocolate or one bar Sol de Cuzco
7 cups of water
1/2-1 C sugar (depending on your preference)
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 Tb cinnamon
1/2 Tb vanilla
Boil chocolate, water, and sugar for ten minutes with a whisk. Add evaporated milk and wait to boil then add cinnamon and vanilla. Serve hot!

Today for lunch I was surprised to see this...

It looked delicious but after one bite of the bubble gum textured meat I was asking questions. The answer... cows stomach. Yummy :| Now this recipe, which is called cau cau, can be made without cows stomach too. Just switch it out with chicken or beef.

Cau Cau
Fry finely diced onion with 2 tb ajo molido, and palillo. When it becomes translucent add cooked cubed meat (or stomach) and let it boil on low heat. Add cooked cubed potatoes and add peas and serve with rice.

Thankfully my tia somehow foresaw my dislike of eating stomach's and had an alternative, ARROZ CHAUFA! Yum, Yum, Yum!

Arroz Chaufa
Fry 1 lb cubed chicken breast and wait until cooked, add bacon and wait until cooked, and finally add 3 hot dogs and wait until cooked. Then everything is cooked add finely diced green onions and when cooked add cooked rice. Separately scramble eggs in oil and mix in with the rice. Add final soy sauce for taste and serve.

This beautiful place is called Plaza Lima Sur among many things it has a Burger King, Mcdonalds, Cinemark, and METRO! Metro is like the Spanish plush version of Walmart.

I had a little too much fun on my trip here. I bought so much! Like an empanada...

 

Budin...

Biscocho...

and of course groceries but I didn't take a picture of those. I love the Mercado but the level of cleanliness at the Metro makes me feel a lot safer about what I am eating.

Peruvian Problem: You can buy a simple gallon of milk down here. They drink either evaporated milk or those boxes of milk (they look like soymilk) that don't need to be refrigerated. They definitely don't taste the same, but thankfully I drink soy so I don't miss the fresh stuff that much.

Picture Citation

Peruvian Cusine May 26

Today I realized how fragile life is.

We went to visit my great grandma's grave. The cementaries in Peru are very different from those in the US. They are above ground, very tall, and seem to go on forever.

What really struck me was the beautiful display of flowers you could purchase to place on your loved one's grave.

After a long day visiting different relatives at different cementaries we finally came home to a very late lunch. First course crema de choclo and creamy soup that reminds me a lot of sopa de leche.

 Crema De Choclo
Boils potatoes and lima beans. In a blenders place a medium bowl full of non sweet corn and strain so that you are left with only liquid. Add the corn liquid to the water that was cooking the potatoes and beans until it becomes thick. Stir in shredded mozzerella or parmesan cheese and add cilantro before serving.
Next we had mashed lima beans and yellow potatoes.  I don't know what this dish is really called but it was very delicious and super healthy.

Boil lima beans and potatoes until soft in salty water. Drain and mash together. Add cheese while hot and serve when melted.
Lastly we had when I like to call cauliflower poppers. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside these are to die for!

Cauliflower Arrebosado
Cook a huge pot full of cauliflower, whipe 7 egg whites until it forms stiff peaks. When it does add 1 tsp black over and whip in the egg yolks. When thourougly incorporated add 1/3-1/2 C of flour and 1 tsp of salt. In a large frying pan add enough oil to cover the bottom and leave it warm up. Dip large pieces of cauliflower in the batter and place in the frying pan. Flip on all sides until golden. Add more oil as you continue to fry more pieces.

 Tip for Peruvian cooking throughout any recipe keep tasting the food so you can find opportunities to add more salt. I personally am not a salt fan, but over here they even add salt to their salads!

Peruvian Cuisine May 24

Let's just say I am kinda of jealous of myself.

I went to Larcomar today a huge outdoor mall that is on the side of a cliff that overlooks the ocean! They had Guess, Converse, Aeropostale and more!

They also had some familiar restaurants like Burger King, Starbucks, and KFC. I headed straight to Pizza Hut which I have been craving ever since leaving the US which seems like forever ago! It was quite expensive over here but totally worth it.

So it has been a while since I posted and I have a great recipes to share so lets dive right in. Did you know  Peruvians have their own version of spaghetti? This dish has a very distinct but yummy taste due to the surprising addition of carrots.

Fideos
Cut two chicken breast into medium chunks and cook in a little bit of oil. When almost cooked take out chicken and add 1/2 lb diced onion, 1/2 tb ajo molido and fry until onions start to become translucent. Then add 1/2 lb carrots blended in a blender. Boil for 15 minutes and then add 3/4 lb tomatoes (without skin or seeds) blended in a blender. Let this boil for 10 minutes and then add the chicken let this sit for 30 minutes Add 1 packet of spaghetti sauce mix, let this boil for a while, and take out the chicken. Mix the sauce with cooked noodles (1 lb dry). Place chicken on the top and serve.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I am enjoying Peru!

Peruvian Cusine May 21

Today we I got a break from the kitchen and had someone else cook for me for a change. 

We went to Miraflores and enjoyed the culinary excellency that this district had to offer. First stop Picarones at the parque Kennedy!

I thought I had mastered these pastries but I was wrong. These were crispy on the outside a little gooey on the inside and the miel was just perfect. Trying to eat these proved to be quite difficult as we had to compete with some bees. Although bees weren't the only thing we had to compete with in this park.

Cats were everywhere! They were in the flowers, on the sidewalk, and even in the trees! Thankfully were able to get to the other side where there was a cute deli that was decorated like an ice cream shoppe (they sold ice cream too). The first thing that popped out to me on the menu was Ceviche. This widely popular dish of raw fish that is a must if you visit Peru.

Well now I can officially say that I have tasted it. The verdict? Yummy, but I don't I will ever have it again. Fish is not my thing and raw fish is even lower on my radar. As soon as we walked out the door I headed straight for the churro stand.

This is not your typically churro. This is filled with manjar blanca a caramal like filling that almost tastes like dulce de leche. Obviously I didn't make this, but let me share this wonderful churro recipe with you.

Churro
 3 C flour, 1tb baking powder, 2 1/2 C water, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tb brown sugar, 2 egg yolks, oil to fry them in, and sugar and cinnamon to top it with. Sift together flour, baking soda in a bowl. Boil 2 1/2 C water with the salt and sugar and constantly stir until it is dissolved. Take off the stove and add the flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Add the yolks one at a time until it is smooth. Let it cool. Heat the oil to 375 F. In a star shape made with icing maker, fry them for 3-4 minutes, then let the oil drip off on paper towel. With a syringe add the manjar blanco and cover in a sugar and cinnamon mixture. Ta da!     

After a long and delicious day we headed home exhausted and happy!

Complete Book of Desserts

Today we made tamales, picarones, and a great lunch!

The Picarones were eaten so quickly that by the time I finished serving them I had nothing left to take a picture of. Thankfully there is google and I can provide you with a delicious view of these sweet treats.

 

Picarones
Boil and strain 1 lb of pelled pumpkin and 1 lb of peeled sweet poatoes in 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of anis. Put the entire contents of the pot in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the juices of the vegetables (putting the vegetable aside) and wait until the liquid is lukewarm. In a separate bowl take a cup of the liquid, two tablespoons of yeast, and four tablespoons of sugar and mix until the yeast dissolves. Let this mixture sit for 15 minutes. In a very large bowl add 1.5-2 lb of flour, the mashed vegetables, and the yeast mixture. Let the mixture rise for 3-4 hours. Heat oil to about 370 F and drop the soft dough in a circular shape, using a thin stick (chopsticks work) twirl the batter around to make sure the hole is defined. Flip over when bottom of golden and let it drip before fully taking it out.
Top with miel de chancaca. [In a small saucepan add 1 cup of water, one chancaca (1/2 lb), 2 cloves, 3 sticks of cinnamon, and the rind of an orange. Boil until it has the consistency of honey.]

Unfortunately I blog the same way I eat, dessert first. For lunch we had roasted turkey with potatoes and ensalada.

Roasting a fowl is a thoroughly discussed subject on most food websites. The turkey was great but if you really want to learn how to roast a turkey just know they cook it the same way they do in the states.

Tamales are ALOT of hard work. We started making them yesterday and they were done at 10pm tonight!

The recipe for making a tamale is quite long and very hard to explain. This isn't the first time I have made them. For Christmas last year I surprised my extended family by making this traditional dish. They were perfect and I attribute it to a step by step video I made a while ago. Instead of trying in vain to explain how to make them. I promise that when I get back to the states, and my own computer, I will post my video.

I didn't write many recipes today, but thankfully I found this unfinished post that I have been meaning to put up with recipes galore... 

I found a wonderful book! It's called The Complete Book of Desserts by Ann Seranne. It has great recipes for any baker. Since I made the famous rainbow cake on Pinterest and tasted the horrible butter frosting I was determined to find the best frosting in the world. I got distracted though because I found some other great recipes along the way. So before I share some great frosting recipes I have to add a baklava and cheesecake recipe (and a few more).

Peruvian Cuisine May 18

 Today we started the day early by attending my cousins military ceremony. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. Imagine hundreds of young men and women in a variety of uniforms marching to the traditional music of Peru, which was played by members of their own rank. The only bad part was walking around in heels for three hours.

Sadly my aunt couldn't come and when we came back found lunch halfway done. So this beautiful plate of my favorite soup in the entire world has a recipe that has yet to be written.

Thankfully I got the recipes for the rest of this delicious lunch of ensalada and pescado frito!

Camote y Ensalada
To make sweet potato simply boil like the potato.
The ensalada is easy as well and by far my favorite salad...EVER! In a bowl add shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and diced avocado. Squeeze 3-4 limes, dash of salt, and 2 tb olive oil. Toss and serve.

Pescado Frito
In a medium bowl add bread crumbs, flour, salt, dash of dried pepper, and garlic powder. Cut Tilapia into fillets and coat it with the flour mixture. Fry in a little bit of oil and serve with rice.

Today I took on the task of making picarones by myself. They are currently rising so I will keep the recipe a secret until tomorrow. Good night Peru :)

Peruvian Cuisine May 17

I woke up this morning to a wonderful bowl of "Avena" or as we call it in Utah oatmeal. It surprises that many names of plants and fruits are called by their scientific names. Another example is a pomegranate which is called granada which is pretty close to granatum. Enough science and more food! This oatmeal tasted nothing like all the horrible oatmeal I made in my college dorm. This was sweet and creamy, almost like a desert. Thankfully my tia consented to give me the recipe.

Avena

Boil water with a stick of cinnamon. Then put in a little less oatmeal than the package advises. Cook for about five minutes and add a some evaporated milk. Trust me it's good.

Next we set out to make lunch which was small today because we undertook the task of making Humitas. So we made Guiso. This dish is very easy, quick, and versatile. Today we made it with eggplant (verengena), but any vegetable will do.

Guiso de Verengena
Chop 2 large, peeled egg plants into large cubes. Dice 2 chicken breasts into medium cubes. Peel and dice three small, seedless tomatoes and one medium onion, very finely. In a large pot fry the onions in vegetable oil, with 1 1/2 tb ajo molido. When the onions become translucent add the diced tomatoes and a tsp of cumin. When the tomato starts to dissolve add the chicken and wait until it is cooked. Finally add the egg plant and serve when the vegetable becomes tender.

So more about the Humitas. They are not to be confused with tamales that look very similar. They are somewhat hard to explain and even harder to make. The long process is definitely worth it, so get some family together and enjoy some bonding time.

Humitas
Wash and husk about 15 pieces of corn. Throw away the bad parts of the husk and keep the clean ones. Cut off all the kernels (try to leave the bottom of the kernel on the husk). Grind the corn in a grinder (wet). Chop up fresh anis and put it in a small container and add about a cup of juice from the mashed corn. Blend this mixture and then strain out the juice. Divide the corn into two large containers. In container 1 add about 3/4 C sugar, one stick of melted butter, 1 tsp salt and the anis liquid. In container 2 add 2-3 C freshly grated cheese (any white cheese), one stick of melted butter, and 1 tb salt. In boiling water soak the corn husks. Using two husks, with their wide part overlapping, fill with about 1/3 C of a mixture. Fold the flaps over so that it is completely encased and tie with string like a birthday present. In two large pots put the corn pits on the bottom and cover with leftover husks, stack the prepared Humitas of each flavor in each pot, and then cover with more husks. Add enough water to just cover the pits and husks that are in the bottom of the pot, and cover the pot with a lid. Cook on medium heat for one hour and serve warm.

Peruvian Cuisine May 16

Everyday is an adventure when you're in another country. Today my taste buds were overwhelmed by all of the wonderful food we tasted. For lunch we decided to make minestrome soup with one of my absolute favorite dishes, Papa a la Huanquina!

Minestrome
You start this soup as a meat broth. Boil the water with a little salt and add the meat until it is almost cooked. At this point is where you change things up. You simply add any vegetable you want. Here in Peru we added yuca, potatoes, corn, abba, green beans, nabo, frijoles, pumpkin, celery, and carrots. When the veggies are almost cooked add the noodles. When everything is cooked, liquify basil in a blender with a little bit of water (you can also add cheese to this mixture for a creamier soup), then add to the soup. Let it boil for about ten minutes and serve hot. 

Papa a la Huanquina
Cook some potatoes and eggs. In a blender add two cups of cheese (mozzerella, pepper jack, or fresh from a peruvian market :), one cup aji (not aji molido), 6 butter crackers, half a can of evaporated milk, and one Tb olive oil. When this mixture is liquified pour over sliced potatoes and top with an olive and half a cooked egg.

After a long and fun day we went to a little supermarket to buy a liter of Lucuma ice cream.

This creamy and delicious ice cream was a great way to top off another day in the capital of this wonderful country.

Peruvian Kitchen May 15

Another sunny day in Lima, Peru! Today we set out to make Aji de Gallina. This creamy dish is one of my absolute favorites. It is also very easy to make.

Aji de Gallina
First you put 5 large white dinner rolls to soak in a bowl of water. When soaked, place them in a blender with 1/2 - 1 C chicken broth. In a medium pot fry one medium diced onion, and 3 Tb of ajo molido, in enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pot. When the onions start to become translucent add about a half a cup of yellow aji molido and let the flavors come together over medium heat. After about 10-15 minutes add one teaspoon of cumin and blender mixture. When it starts to boil add the chicken, one can of evaporated milk, and two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and one cube of chicken bullion. Let the mixture come to a boil and turn off the stove. Serve with rice, olive, and half an egg.

Random fact: Gallina vs Pollo. Gallina is a chicken who laid eggs, while pollo is a chicken about two months old. According to a Peruvian a costly gallina is more nutritious and delicious.

Peruvian Cuisine May 14

I am so lucky to have the opportunity to be in Peru! I love everything about this place. I love the culture, food, and most of all the people. Since I am staying with some relatives I have the privilege of helping out in my favorite part of the house, the kitchen. We start out the day by drinking an herbal tea (coffee for my tio) or fruit smoothie always coupled with pan Frances or ceke.

Then it is off to the market to buy the fresh ingredients for almuerzo (lunch). In the market the fruits and vegetables are freshly picked and the meat was killed minutes before being sold. There are stores like Walmart here, but when you can get everything fresh hardly anyone shops at retail stores.

Every time I cook with my grandma and great aunt I am always so amazed because they never use a recipe or measuring utensils. They just eye the measurements and some how the food always turns out wonderful! Today we made lentils and my great uncle made chifa de verdura (vegetable stir fry).It was so yummy I forgot to take a picture but thankfully I wrote down the recipes.

Chifa
Add the following ingredients in order in a medium pot
3/4 C rice vinegar
3 lengthwise sliced carrots
2 C green beans
1 of each red, green, yellow pepper sliced lengthwise
1 cucumber sliced lengthwise
2 Daikon (long white radish) sliced lengthwise
Cook on high until the veggies are almost cooked. Then take out about a cup of the juice in the pot and mix with 1/2 - 3/4 C potato starch and add back into the pot. Cook for about five more minutes and serve.

Tacu Tacu
Put a pot of water to boil while you wash the lentils. When it begins to boil add the lentils with salt for taste and some pieces of cooked pork/bacon or as they call it in Peru (tocino). While that cooks make the aderosa (a salsa that you add to the lentils). Dice a onions and tomato. In a small frying pan add some oil to fry the onions and add some ajo molido [this is a staple in Peruvian cooking as well as aji molido. Ajo (garlic) is blended with hardly any water, while the aji (pepper, which can be bought in the us as dried california peppers in the hispanic aisle in the US) is also blended with a little water, these are blended until they have the texture of ketchup. It is then stored in the fridge and used in almost every peruvian entree]. When the onions become translucent add the tomatoes and when all the ingredients come together add them to the cooked lentils and cook until you can taste that the flavors have come together. Serve with rice!