Sarza de Embutidos (charcuterie onion salad)

This is a variation of the sarza de cabeza, a traditional dish from Arequipa, in the South of Peru. The traditional dish is prepared with boiled pork head meat which is cut in small pieces.

Ingredients:

• 750 g. of meat ends in small slices or cubes (approximately 1 1/2 lbs of meat ends)
• 3 medium size onions in thin slices
• 3 medium size tomatoes in slices
• 8 medium to small size boiled potatoes
• 2 slices of fresh rocoto chopped in small pieces (you could replace it with ground cayenne pepper)
• 1 cup of white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon of salt

Preparation:

Cut the meat ends in small slices or cubes (about 1.5 cm cubes or 1/2 inch), put them in a bowl and add the vinegar, and pepper. For best results, let the mix marinate for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight, in the fridge.

Boil and peel the potatoes.

Cut the onions and wash them thoroughly. Add them to the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Add more salt and rocoto or cayenne pepper if needed.

Serve it cold with the boiled potatoes.

Crema de rocoto (rocoto hot sauce)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of rocoto paste. You can use more rocoto paste if you want it spicier or replace the paste with two seeded rocotos.
• 2 medium size onions in slices
• 8 garlic cloves in slices
• 6 tablespoons of oil
• 1 teaspoon of huacatay paste (you can prepare this sauce without huacatay if you are unable to find it)
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Preparation:

Add two tablespoons of oil to a pan over medium heat and saute onion, garlic, huacatay and salt until onion is light brown. Add the rocoto paste and saute for one more minute.

After the ingredients have cooled than a little pour them into a blender, add the remaining oil and blend until you get an homogenous cream. Add more oil and salt if needed.

Picante de Mariscos (spicy seafood stew)

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg. of seafood medley (approximately 2 lbs.)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 6 medium size potatoes cut in small cubes (1.5 cm or 1/2 inch cubes)
• 2 tablespoons of aji amarillo paste (yellow Peruvian chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon of aji panca paste (red Peruvian chili paste or it could be replaced with 2 teaspoons of ground paprika)
• 1 tablespoon of garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1/2 cup of oil
• 2 cups of fish broth (if you don't have fish broth you could use chicken or vegetable broth)
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1 cup of chopped parsley

Preparation:

In medium size pot heat the oil, add the aji amarillo, aji panca, garlic, cumin, salt and onion and cook on medium high until brown stirring frequently. Add the fish broth and potatoes, cook on medium for approximately 25 - 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender then slightly press the potatoes to make them crumble a bit. Add the wine and seafood and cook for 5 minutes. Add the parsley and mix well right before serving.

Serve with white rice and decorate with parsley leaves.