Spicy Peruvian Stew Carapulcra Food

SPICY PERUVIAN STEW (CARAPULCRA)

Steps:

• Papa seca: In a dry Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the papa seca and toast until fragrant and light brown in spots, 5 minutes. (If you find small rocks or impurities while toasting, remove and discard.) Fill a medium bowl with 3 cups of water; add the toasted papa seca and stir to submerge. Set aside to soak, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the pot clean and prepare the pork belly.
• Pork belly: In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, add canola oil. Slice pork belly into 1-inch chunks, removing and discarding any skin. When oil is shimmering, add pork in an even layer and brown, 5 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, prep sofrito ingredients.
• Sofrito: Finely dice the onion; chop the garlic. When pork belly is brown on both sides, transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the rendered fat behind. Reduce heat to low; add onion and garlic, along with a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Sauté until brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally, 20-30 minutes.
• Add aji amarillo and aji panca pastes to the caramelized sofrito. Turn heat to high and toast, stirring continuously to prevent burning, 5 minutes. Add wine and deglaze the pan; reduce, stirring, until the moisture has been cooked out and the mixture is dark and paste-like, 5 more minutes.Add the pork and stir to coat; then add the papa seca, including the soaking liquid. Add enough water to submerge all the ingredients in liquid, about 3 more cups. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, until potatoes are soft and pork is tender, stirring occasionally. Total cooking time will be 1½-2 hours, but check stew after 1 hour. Add 1 cup water to thin the stew. Continue cooking, adding water as necessary, until pork is tender and potatoes are soft, 30-45 more minutes.
• After 1½-2 hours, stew should be thick and creamy; add a few tablespoons of water to thin, if necessary. Heat stew to a low simmer, then add chocolate, sugar, a pinch of salt, and cumin. Pick leaves from oregano sprig, roughly chop, and add to stew; roughly chop toasted peanuts and add to the stew. Stir to combine. When the chocolate is melted and fully incorporated, season to taste with salt and serve. Serving suggestion: Chef Ramirez serves carapulcra with white rice on the side, and tops each bowl of stew with salsa criolla: shaved red onions tossed in fresh lime juice, cilantro, and salt to taste.

SPICY PERUVIAN PORK

Steps:

• Place pork into a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, cumin, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Pour over the pork, and stir to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Remove pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and place in the hot skillet.
• Cook until nicely browned on the outside.
• Add orange juice, 1/2 cup water, dried onion, and the reserved marinade. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the pork is fork tender.
• In a small cup, stir together the flour and 2 tablespoons of water.
• Stir into the skillet, and simmer uncovered until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes.

PERUVIAN STEAK STIR-FRY (LOMO SALTADO)

Steps:

• Crema de Rocoto: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Peel and slice onion in half horizontally, then slice into strips. Slice garlic and add to the hot oil, along with the onions and a pinch of salt. Turn heat to high, stir to combine, and cook until caramelized, 5-8 minutes. Then remove from heat and let cool, 15 minutes.
• Add cooled onion-garlic mixture to a blender; add evaporated milk, egg yolk, rocoto paste, and red pepper purée. Cover blender and blend on medium to combine, then increase to high and purée, 30 seconds. Taste for seasoning, and add salt to taste. Add optional huacatay leaves and purée again. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Makes about 1½ cups Crema de Rocoto. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.)
• Slurry: In a small bowl, mix together 2 teaspoons water and cornstarch to make a slurry. In a small saucepan, add water and beef stock. Stir in the slurry and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling and thickened, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Lomo Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, red wine vinegar, beef stock, and oyster sauce. Set aside. Makes 1 cup Lomo Sauce. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.)
• Beef Tenderloin: Slice tenderloin into 1-inch chunks. Sprinkle with salt all over and set aside to rest, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and slice red onion in half horizontally; then cut each half again vertically. Remove the center (save for another use), leaving the outer 3 or 4 layers. Cut each piece into three slices, separate the slices, and set aside in a bowl. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, and set aside in another bowl.Put on plastic gloves (optional), then discard seeds and stem of habanero. Julienne into very thin strips and add to the red onions. (If you're not wearing gloves, wash your hands after handling habanero.) Separate the white and light green parts of the scallions from the green tops. Trim away the roots and discard outer layer of scallion bottoms; cut into batons, and add to the onions. Thinly slice green tops and set aside to use as garnish. Peel and thinly slice garlic, and add to the onions.
• Heat a wok or skillet over high heat and add oil. When smoking, add beef in an even layer. Sear on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. To the beef, add garlic, scallions, habanero, and onions. Add a splash of water, then shake and tilt the pan away from you, tossing the contents within the wok. (Optional: While tossing, allow the open flame to sear the contents. The flames give the dish a smoky char, but use caution, as cooking with an open flame can be dangerous in a home kitchen). Use a wooden spoon and continue tossing to stir-fry the beef until the onions are no longer raw but not fully cooked, 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, then stir and shake the wok. Then add ½ cup of Lomo Sauce and 2 tablespoons of the slurry. Stir in cilantro and continue cooking until the sauce has the consistency of a thin gravy, 2-3 minutes.
• Assembly: Spoon stir-fry into a serving bowl. Drizzle a few tablespoons (or more!) of Crema de Rocoto on top and garnish with remaining scallions. Serve with optional French fries and white rice on the side.