Peru

Welcome to Peru!

Peru, according to Google, has a total population of 32,971,854 people.  The capitol is Lima.  All I had heard about Peru and cuisine was guinea pig.  I wasn't about to even attempt that one.  When I told people about doing this project, and heard that I was doing Peru first, they all asked if I was making guinea pig.  Nope!  So what is their national dish, you ask?

Ceviche!

Raw fish.  I didn't know if I could stomach eating raw fish.  No, I don't like sushi.   After living in Alaska for seven years, and then the Pacific Northwest for the past four years, I've grown to love fish.  But not raw fish.  Therefore, I had to find another meal to make because I was convinced that I wasn't going to like it.

So I decided to make Peruvian Chicken (Pollo A La Brasa) with Aji Verde sauce, and Cilantro-Lime (Cauliflower) rice.  Here's how I did the recipes:

CEVICHE

.75 pound Ahi Tuna

1 tbsp Aji Amarillo paste 

4 smashed cloves of garlic

2-4 tbsp cilantro (I guestimated)

2 tsp salt

Juice of about 12 limes (enough to cover the fish.  Also, use real lime juice, not bottled lime juice)

1 shallot, thinly sliced

Cut the fish in bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.  Completely cover the fish with lime juice.  Add the smashed garlic, cilantro, Aji Amarillo paste, salt.  Stir, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.  (I did mine for two hours.)

Meanwhile, put the shallots in a separate bowl, and cover with hot, but not boiling water and 1 tsp of salt for 15 minutes.  Drain and rinse, and add to the ceviche about 15 minutes before serving.

To serve the ceviche, place on a lettuce leaf, a couple slices of cooked sweet potato, and corn nuts.  (You're supposed to use Corn Chulpe, but I used corn nuts...)

(Sources: https://theforkedspoon.com/ceviche-recipe/ and http://www.bitsofumami.com/recipes/peruvian-fish-ceviche/)

PERUVIAN CHICKEN (POLLO A LA BRASA)

3 tbsp gluten free Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Worcheshire Sauce

Juice from 1 lime

1 1/2 tsp Paprika

1 1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic

1 1/2 lbs Chicken Thighs

Combine all the ingredients in a gallon zip lock bag and marinate overnight.  When ready to cook, grill until the chicken is done.  You can also bake or cook on the stove top, but I grilled them.

(Source:  https://www.thegayglobetrotter.com/peruvian-chicken-pollo-a-la-brasa/)

AJI VERDE SAUCE

1 Jalapeno, seeded

1 C Cilantro

4 Cloves Garlic

1 Green Onion

1 tbsp Aji Amarillo Paste

Juice of 1 Lime

Zest of 1 Lime

2/3 C Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Put all the ingredients in a food processor, blend until creamy. 

(Source: https://www.thegayglobetrotter.com/peruvian-green-sauce-aji-verde/)

CILANTRO LIME CAULIFLOWER RICE 

16 oz Riced Cauliflower

3 tbsp Butter 

4 Cloves Garlic, chopped

4 Green Onions, chopped

Juice from 1 Lime

Zest from 1 Lime

1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped

1/2 C Bone Broth

Melt the butter in a skillet.  Add the whites of the green onions and garlic.  Add rice, and saute until coated.  Add lime juice, and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add zest and bone broth, and cover.  Simmer until cauliflower rice is cooked to your liking.  Add the greens of onions and cilantro right before ready to serve.

The verdict?  The ceviche wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  It was extremely tender and very flavorful.  However, I don't think I will be eating it again.  Handsome Husband enjoyed it, and said he would eat it again if I made it.  We'll see.  Secretly, I think he just liked the excuse to eat corn nuts...  Neither of us liked the shallots, so I would recommend leaving them out, if you choose to make it.

The real winner, we both thought, was the chicken.  This will be in our rotation for dinner.  And the sauce?  It has become a new favorite.  It's AMAZING!  Not too spicy, but has a little bit of a kick.  So very good! 

So, the rating.  We're both going to rate the dishes on a scale from 1-10.

ME

Taste of Ceviche (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing):  4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable):  1

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor):  7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Ceviche (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 1

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing):  8

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable):  3

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Peruvian Chicken with Aji Verde Sauce (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 3

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

Thanks for joining us in Peru!  Next week...Austria!