Jun 3, 2018

Chicha Morada (purple corn punch)

Ingredients:

  • 2 dried purple corn on the cob
  • 4 liters of water
  • 1 pineapple peels
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 cloves
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 4 limes
Preparation:

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil with the corn, cinnamon, cloves and pineapple peels. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the liquid into another pot and discard the corn, spices and peels. Add the sugar and dissolve it while hot. Add the lime juice and refrigerate until cold.

Serve cold or over ice. You can add some chopped pineapple before serving. 

May 25, 2018

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.

May 22, 2018

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.