Peruvian Salad Food

PERUVIAN QUINOA SALAD WITH AVOCADO

Steps:

• Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Rinse the raw quinoa in cold water and add to the boiling water.
• Stir regularly and simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the sweet corn into a dry frying pan (without oil) and place on a medium to high heat. Cook for 5 minutes and turn occasionally until the sweet corn is lightly toasted.
• Grate the lime for its zest and squeeze the juice out.
• Strain the quinoa thoroughly using a fine strainer, ensuring all the liquid has been removed. Let cool for 5 minutes and then place the quinoa in a large bowl and mix with the olive oil.
• Add the coriander, sweet corn, tomatoes, onions, lime zest and red chilli pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove the flesh of the avocado with a large spoon and cut into thin slices.
• Add the avocado, lime juice and nuts to the salad and mix gently together before serving.

PERUVIAN POTATO-CHICKEN SALAD (CAUSA RELLENA)

Steps:

• Combine chicken, green peas, carrot, shallot, roasted red peppers, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and cayenne. Add mayonnaise and mix until combined. Cover chicken salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Place potatoes into a pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until very tender but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash until smooth.
• Add jai amarillo, olive oil, and lime juice to the potatoes. Season with cayenne and salt. Mash together with the potato masher. Switch to a spatula and mix until completely smooth.
• Line four 6-ounce ramekins with plastic wrap. Scoop mashed potatoes evenly into ramekins; press and smooth out the tops. Cover each with a layer of avocado slices. Fill ramekin to the top with chicken salad, pressing it down and pulling up the plastic wrap to eliminate any air pockets. Cover with a final layer of mashed potatoes, going up to 1/2 inch or more over the rim.
• Seal top with a new layer of plastic wrap and fold the sides over to seal. Refrigerate salads until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
• Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, and aji amarillo together for the sauce, adding a splash of water to adjust the thickness.
• Remove the top layer of plastic wrap from each salad. Invert each ramekin onto a serving plate; remove ramekins, then plastic wrap. Spoon some sauce around each salad.

PERUVIAN BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, stir garlic with honey-Dijon mustard, jalapenos, salt, pepper and vinegar.
• Whisk in oil.
• Drain and rinse beans, then place in a large bowl.
• Add pepper, avocado, tomatoes and parsley.
• Stir in dressing. (If making ahead, don't add avocado, tomatoes and parsley until just before serving.).
• Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

PERUVIAN TOASTED SWEETCORN, AVOCADO & QUINOA SALAD

Steps:

• Half fill a medium pan with water and bring to the boil. Rinse the quinoa in a fine sieve then add to the water, stir well and simmer for about 12 mins or until just tender.
• While the quinoa is cooking, put the sweetcorn in a dry frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 mins, turning every now and then until lightly toasted. Set aside.
• Rinse the cooked quinoa in a sieve under cold water, then press hard with a ladle or serving spoon to remove as much of the excess water as possible.
• Tip the quinoa into a bowl and toss with the olive oil, sweetcorn, tomatoes, coriander, spring onions, lime zest and chilli. Season well with black pepper.
• Halve and stone the avocado. Scoop out the flesh with a large metal spoon and cut into slices. Toss with the lime juice. Add the avocado and nuts to the salad and toss gently together before serving.

PERUVIAN SALAD

Steps:

• make dressing by placing all ingredients in a bowl and whisking with a fork or whisk, till smooth.
• Put the cooked rice in a large, glass salad bowl and spoon in half of the dressing.
• Add chopped parsley, stir well and set aside.
• Cut the pepper in half, remove seeds and pith, then place the halves, cut side down in a small roasting pan.
• Add onion rings, sprinkle onion with a little olive oil, place the pan under a broiler and cook for 5-6 minutes till pepper blackens and blisters and onion turns golden. You may need to stir the onion so that it cooks evenly.
• Stir onion in with rice. Put the pepper in a plastic bag and knot the bag. When the steam has loosened the skin on the pepper halves and they are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut into thin strips.
• Cook the green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, then add the corn and cook for 1-2 ninutes more, till tender. Drain vegetables, refresh under cold water and drain again.
• Place in a large mixing bowl and add pepper strips, eggs and ham, if using.
• Peel the avocado, remove the pit and cut into slices or chunks. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
• Put the salad greens in a separate bowl, add the avocado and mix lightly. Arrange the salad leaves and avocado on top of the rice.
• Stir in about 3 T of the dressing into the green bean mixture. Pile on top of salad.
• Sprinkle the capers and olives on top and serve with remaining dressing.