A Taste of Peru

A Taste of Peru

I am so honored to be chosen for 24x24 this month by www.Foodbuzz.com. I'm sure you're wondering what 24x24 is right?   Well it's when 24 featured publishers are chosen from all over the world to post about a meal they've prepared and it all takes place within 24 hours.


Before I get into it all here is a sneak peak:




I chose to make Peruvian food for the very first time for my son, roommate and a couple close friends.  I know some people think it's crazy to make food that not only have I never prepared before, but that I've never eaten either!  I call it thrilling, and exciting, and I get a huge rush from it!  My friend Carlos Leon who is from Piura Peru taught me how to make the food over the past couple of weeks.  We sat down together and hand picked 5 appetizers and a drink called Pisco Sour.  Then when it came down to the day where my family and friends would be here,  I made it all myself! 


Carlos showed me how to make some recipes from cookbooks of a famous chef named Gaston Acurio, also we will be using some recipes from his mother, Elena who used to own a bakery in Peru.  I feel so honored not only to be a part of 24x24 but to have the pleasure of learning the beloved recipes of his mother.  I really hope I make everyone proud!  Keep in mind we had to translate all these recipes from Spanish to English. So bare with me. Now we start!


The Menu:


Pisco Sour- A Peruvian Cocktail that you can't just have one of!
Causa Rellena- Potato with chicken Salad
Platano de le isla con queso- Fried Plantains filled with Fresco
Alfajores- Peruvian Sandwich cookie filled w/Dulce de Leche
Ceviche- Fish "cooked" in lime juice
Chicken Empanadas- A sweet and savory treat that can be baked or fried

I think we should start this party off with a drink. Don't you?



I had the pleasure of trying Pisco Sour for the first time, and boy was that good!  I may or may not have had more then three.  Pisco Sour originates in Peru. Carlos has a friend named Alan Toledo-Ocampo who resides in Washington and makes a brand of Pisco of his own called, Rajaz Pisco. It's becoming more and more popular.  For more information on Rajaz Pisco please take a moment to visit:
http://www.piscorajaz.com/



Pisco Sour:

4 oz. Pisco
1/2 of an egg white
1 oz lime juice
1 oz gum syrup ( I used a simple syrup)
Top it with Angostura Bitter or Cinnamon (optional)

Here is a picture of one that I myself made. Not too shabby.



Although we are making appetizers do not be fooled, this really took some hours in the kitchen! 9 hours in total. 3 hours just for the Dulce de Leche alone. Which almost took flight through my kitchen window.  But we'll get to that soon enough.
I made the Alfajores a day ahead just so I didn't make myself crazy.  I should say crazier :). This recipe is from Elena, Carlos' mother.


Alfajores: ( pronounce al-fa-hor-es )
1 1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cups corn starch
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Cognac
4 yolks


Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl mix flour and corn starch together. In a different bowl mix sugar, and butter together. Then add in the lemon peel and egg one at a time. Continue mixing and add in the vanilla.  Next slowly mix in the flour and corn starch mixture to the wet ingredients. With your hands make a big ball with the dough. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Next flour your work surface and roll out the dough. Cut into rounds with a cookie cutter. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.  Try not to eat them all before they get filled now!


Dulce de Leche - Oh how I loved to hate this.....kind of! I realized Carlos had never given me a recipe, nor taught me how to make this when it came down to the party! Oh no what am I going to do I thought. So I quick googled a recipe!! The Dulce de Leche recipe can be found here.
http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipes.recipeListing/filter/dianas/recipeID/2579/Recipe.cfm
You just simply spoon on the Dulce de Leche and sandwich it together with another cookie. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over top. Completely optional but you can also roll the sides in coconut! Yum. It just doesn't get any better. Alfajores are typically a celebration cookie in Peru. Weddings, birthdays etc.





Little did i know that you could have BOUGHT THIS AT ANY GROCERY STORE! Ahh it took me three hours to make it. Then I thought I screwed it up (which I did) but luckily saved from taking flight through my window! Hurray! In all honesty I would eat this by itself with a spoon. It's a lovely caramel flavor. It is like a Caramel Nutella if you will! Yep it's just that good people.


Carlos said he didn't give me the recipe because he didn't have one. In Peru it's really expensive to keep the gas on for so long. So they use evaporated milk and boil it. It's a very quick version of the recipe I linked for you all.


Next up is............


Causa Rellena: This recipe comes from Elena as well
2 cups chicken (boiled) rotisserie chicken, you want every part
1 1/2 cup mayo
1 cup sweet peas
1/2 kilogram Peruvian yellow potato, cooked, peeled and smashed
1 kilogram white potato, cooked, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons Peruvian yellow pepper
1 to 2 limes
1/2 cup oil, Goya
3 boiled eggs
1 cup sliced red pepper
salt/pepper to taste


Potatoes and yellow hot pepper all mixed together


Peruvian yellow hot pepper


From the mountains of Peru- I give you yellow potatoes


Mix the potatoes with the yellow pepper, salt/pepper, oil and juice of about 2 limes. Mix with hands until well incorporated.
In a different bowl; mix the chicken, mayo and peas and set aside.


You will need a glass baking dish for this next step. Separate the potato mixture into two equal parts. At the end of the baking dish layer one part of the potato reserving the other half. Make sure it's about 1 inch thick and goes from one side of the baking dish to the other (the smallest side). Then layer chicken salad on top covering every inch. Layer the last half of the potato on top of the chicken. Make sure it's smooth and even.  Let it chill for about half hour in the fridge. Cut into squares or circles. Garnish with sliced of hard boiled egg and red pepper.  




Platano de la isla con quso- (pronounced plah'-tah-nno) Recipe by Gaston Acurio
4 Brown Plantains (really ripe) fried
4 grams fresh queso fresco cheese
1 cup red pepper
2 limes
oil
cilantro
salt/pepper to taste


Peel plantains, cut once in half. Then cut each piece lengthwise. Fry the banana on both sides until nice and golden.  Slice the cheese to fit in between each plantain. Then fry the cheese on both sides for added color. In a bowl add cilantro, salt/pepper, red pepper and lime juice. Place cheese in between each plantain like a sandwich and top with the cilantro and red pepper mixture.


Plantains frying




Ceviche- (pronounced say-vee-chay) Recipe by Carlos
3 Flounder filets about 7 oz each
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of lime juice
pepper/salt to taste
cilantro
hot pepper (of your choice) just a little bit
red onion- cut into slices
Chulpe Corn - Peruvian Corn (fried)


Cut the fish into cubes. Place the fish in a large bowl and add in lime juice until it just barely covers the fish. Next add in about 3 tablespoons fresh Cilantro, chopped finely. Now stir in salt/pepper and red onion slices. Let sit for 30 minutes. Then serve it on a bed of lettuce and garnish with orange sweet potato, Chulpe Corn and Yuca.


Peruvian Corn- it's crunchy and addicting!


Peruvian corn all fried and being sprinkled with salt. I'm serious when I say you can't have just one!


Carlos fast at work chopping cilantro!



Make sure the onion is cut like this. I got in trouble for doing it this way........


This apparently is a BIG no no for Ceviche

Ceviche marinating


Look how gorgeous! This was my first time eating Ceviche and I absolutely loved it.


Last but not least Chicken Empanadas. Carlos' mother taught him how to make the dough. We used his filling recipe.


Empanada (pronounced em-pah-NA-dah)


2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 gram margarine
1/2 cup milk


On a clean work surface pile on the flour. Shape it into a volcano with a small hole at the top. Sprinkle on the salt and mix well with your hands.  Form another volcano and add in the margarine. Mix well until you have small balls. Form into one more volcano and slowly add the milk a little at a time and work dough until it forms a ball. Wrap and put in the fridge for 1/2 hour.


In the meantime prepare the filling.


1 cup rotisserie chicken, shredded and uncooked
handful of red pepper
handful of red onion
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
handful of raisins
salt/pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of parlsey


There were no exact measurements here. We just eye balled what looked about right. Is Carlos part Italian? That's how I cook! A little of this and a ltitle of that


In a large skillet with hot oil fry the chicken. Then add in the onion until they are carmelized. Next the red pepper and spices. Once the red pepper is soft add in the hard boiled egg and rasins.  You are now ready to roll out the dough.
Preheat oven to 350
On a flour surface roll out the dough until it's pretty thin. I would say as thin as a tortilla would be. I used a standard size everyday bowl to make circles and cut them out. Line the rim with egg wash and fill generously with the chicken mixture. Fold one side over and pinch the edges. Next take a fork and make marks all along the folded edge. Brush with egg wash and set on baking sheet. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough/chicken mixture. This will make about 4 to 5 Empanadas.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.


Chicken Mixture


This dough takes a lot of patience. It almost took flight as well! lol


Fill generously and brush egg wash around edges





I hope I kept your attention long enough to make it to the end! A very lengthly process. Well worth every bit of it. I will be posting each individual recipe to make it easier to find on my website just as soon as I give my fingers a well deserved break. I want to give a special Thanks to Carlos for teaching me how to make all this wonderful food. Also for teaching me a little bit about his culture.  I hope you enjoyed this as much as we all did!