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!