Sudado de Carne (beef stew)

This variant of the sudado de carne is typical from Arequipa, in the South of Peru.

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg of beef, a tender cut is recommended (approximately 2 lbs.)
• 2 regular size onions in small dices
• 1 1/2 cup of peeled diced tomato
• 4 cups of dark beer (a non so hoppy and alcoholic one is recommended)
• 1 tablespoon of aji panca paste (Peruvian red chili paste or it could be replaced by 2 teaspoons of ground paprika)
• 3 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of garlic puree
• 4 teaspoons of salt
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 rocoto in small dices (it could be replaced with ground cayenne pepper)

Preparation:

Put the oil, garlic, cumin and aji panca in a pot on low heat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the meat cut in small dices (approx. 1.5 cm or 1/2 inch) and the black pepper and mix well. Cover the pot and let it cook on medium temperature for 10 minutes stirring once or twice. Add the tomato, bay leaves and beer and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Add the onions and 1 tablespoon of diced rocoto (or 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper) and let it cook for 3-5 minutes until the onion is soft.

Serve with your favorite crusty bread (ciabatta, French baguette or Kaiser roll), in order to dip the bread in the stew. Put the remaining rocoto in a small bowl to add it to plates at will.

Causa de Atun (layered potato tuna salad)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 Kg. of yellow potatoes
• 3 180g cans of tuna fish
• 1 diced onion
• 1 tablespoon of aji amarillo paste
• 4 limes
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 6 lettuce leafs
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 12 black olives (halved or pitted)
• Salt
• Parsley
• Black pepper

Preparation:

Boil the potatoes with their skins on and some salt. Peel once cooked and mash them. Let them cool down. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, the lime juice and the aji amarillo and mix well, gradually adding the oil to keep the mixture smooth.

In a bowl, mix the tuna fish with the onions and mayonnaise. Add some salt and black pepper.

In order to assemble this dish you need to have a layer of the tuna filling in between two layers of potatoes and decorate it with slices of hard boiled eggs, olives, parsley and lettuce. You can assemble individual plates by using cookie cutters or you can prepare a big one from where to cut individual slices by using a tray or the outer ring of a springform pan. Alternatively you can put a layer of potatoes and a layer of the tuna filling on a plastic wrap and carefully roll it, as a jelly roll. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Shredded chicken, crab meat or shrimp can be used instead of tuna fish for the filling. Avocados and tomatoes can also be used for decoration or even for an extra layer of filling.

Aji de Gallina (hen in yellow chili sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 large skinless hen breast (it could be replaced by chicken breast)
• 1 Kg. of boiled potatoes (approximately 2 lbs.)
• 6 minced garlic cloves
• 1 regular size onion in thick slices
• 3 tablespoons of aji amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chili paste)
• 3 slices of white bread soaked in 1 cup of milk
• 12 peeled roasted peanuts (it could be replaced by 1 tablespoon of peanut butter)
• 2 cups of cottage cheese (fresh cheese or mozzarella could be used)
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup of black olives (halved or pitted)
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 carrot in slices
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 lettuce leafs
• Parsley
• Salt

Preparation:

Place the hen breast, celery, carrot, garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons of salt in a medium size pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the hen is tender. Remove the hen from the pot and shred it. Save the broth.

Put 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté the minced garlic and onion until the onion is cooked. Add the aji amarillo and cook for two minutes stirring frequently. Put the mix in a blender, add the soaked bread, cottage cheese, peanuts and a teaspoon of salt. Blend until creamy, add a little bit of broth if too thick and salt if needed.

Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan at medium-low temperature, pour the sauce and cook until the sauce starts boiling, stir frequently. Add the shredded hen and mix, add some broth if too thick. Cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently.

On each plate put a layer or two of potatoes cut in 1/2 cm. thick slices (approximately 1/4 in.), cover with plenty of sauce. Decorate with slices of hard boiled eggs, olives, lettuce and parsley.

Serve with white rice.