It wasn't nose I've followed but a little bit of browsing on the net and few questions on various forums. But, following your nose can be quite good as Lima, capital of Peru, is also declared Gastronomic capital of Americas at the Fourth International Summit of Gastronomy Madrid Fusión 2006, regarded as the world's most important gastronomic forum. Peruvian cuisine is great mix of Incas, Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and French food cultures, resembling all the nations that had interest in this Andean country. Also regional is Peru very diverse and it encompasses the cuisine of the coast, of the Lima, of the mountains and jungles. Peruvian government takes many efforts to brand their country through the food, after success made by Thailand or Vietnam. The success was obvious in the Economist from 2004, which states that "Peru can lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines".
As Jorge told me, Peruvian ceviche is among most characteristic coastal dishes in Peru, but also in neighboring countries. It is citrus marinated seafood salad, mostly based on lemon and lime, my favourite citrus fruit. Origin of the dish dates back to Inca times, but is also influenced by Spanish conquistadors:
The Peruvian cook cleans the fish and lets it soak in salt water for 10 minutes and then removes it and pats it dry.
1 lb fish fillets of corbina, red snapper, or any good quality whitefish
juice of three lemons
juice of three sour oranges or limes
one medium onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 hot pepper, chopped fine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander)
Cut fish into pieces and place on a platter. Place the thinly sliced onions on the fish. Then add the remaining ingredients, covering with the juices. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve on bed of lettuce and garnish with cold sweet potato or corn-on-the-cob.
Leche de tigre (tiger's milk), is the Peruvian colloquial name for the juice produced from the ingredients of ceviche. It has a light spicy flavor and serves as a good reconstituent. Local custom recommends ceviche as a breakfast for sleepwalkers, a hangover cure and as an aphrodisiac. Unlike ceviche from Mexico and Ecuador, it does not have tomatoes, and unlike that of Tahiti it does not use coconut milk, though both are abundant in Peru.
Anticuchos (Quechua for Cut Stew Meat) are popular, inexpensive dishes in Andean countries consisting of small pieces of grilled skewered meat. Anticuchos can be readily found on streetcarts and street food stalls (anticucherias). The meat may be marinated in vinegar and spices (such as cumin, aji pepper and garlic), and while anticuchos can be made of any type of meat, the most popular type are made of cow heart (anticuchos de corazon). Anticuchos often come with a boiled potato on the end of the skewer.
Beef:
1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Fiery rub:
1 teaspoon ground aji amarillo or hot paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cooking spray
Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce
Preparation
To prepare the beef, combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Cover and chill 3 hours.
To prepare fiery rub, combine 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, turmeric, and parsley. Prepare grill. Remove beef from bowl, discarding marinade. Thread beef onto each of 6 (10-inch) skewers. Press fiery rub onto beef. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Serve with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce.
For additional information and recipes on this cuisine, which I find very interesting, visit blog Peru Food.
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