Pollo al Sillao/ Peruvian Soy Chicken

Chinese food is a very important part of Peruvian cuisine and this dish can be found in Peruvian restaurants other than Chinese Restaurants.

Ingredients
2 lbs. of chicken pieces
small handful of green onions with bulbs and tops cut off
1 red bellpepper sliced in thin pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce (sillao)
1 tsp. ginger minced
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup vegetable oil

prep

season the chicken with blackpepper and tbsp. salt and add 3 tbsp. soy sauce
marinade for at least 1 hr. or longer

In a large pot add the oil enough to cover the bottom to fry the chicken  and heat
add the chicken and fry. cover and let cook for at least 15 mins. per side.
When done chicken chicken should have a beautiful dark soy color.
remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Keep warm in an oven.
In the same pot add the bellpepper, ginger and green onions and cook down for a few mins.
in a little bowl add the cornstarch with a 2 tbsp. of water and mix completely add the rest of the soy sauce and mix together.
Add the soy mixture to the vegetables and let thicken if too thick you could add some more water to thin.
When the sauce is ready pour over the chicken and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Asado de Antano/ skirt steak with mushrooms

this is supposed to be an old recipe for Sunday suppers in Peru

3 lbs. skirt steak ( or if you prefer a more tender cut of meat to start )
1 red onion chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 stalks of celery chopped
6 plum tomatoes or 12 oz. crushed tomatoes
1 medium carrot grated
1/2 cup dried mushrooms reconstituted with 1/2 red wine
1 cup beef broth to add as necessary
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 laurel
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

prep

brown the beef  both sides in in a big pot.
Remove from the pot and set aside
add the onions, garlic and cook down for a few mins
add the grated carrots, celery the mushrooms with the wine, the blended tomatoes and the tomato paste.
Also add the laurel
again add the beef to the pot
Cover and add the cup of beef broth and let it cook down on simmer. For about 30 mins.
When the meat is tender it is ready to be served.
Serve the sauce with it.
This dish is served with buttered pasta.

Enjoy!

Frejol Criollo/ Peruvian Beans

These beans are served in simple restaurant offerings as beans and rice dish and quite delicious.
I have used chorizo or pork sausage with it but you can use bacon as well.

1/2 lb.cooked beans like white beans or pink beans
1/2 lb. pork sausage
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 small onion finely chopped
2 tbsp. aji amarillo
salt and black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. vegetable oil

In a saute pan, heat oil
add the garlic, onions and aji amarillo
cook until translucent and limp
add the sausage and cook for about 8 mins.
add the beans and cover on low heat for about 15 mins.
by now the beans should be soft.
mash half the beans, so there is a mixture of whole and mashed beans.

To serve squeeze some lime and drizzle some olive oil.

Enjoy

Tocino el Cielo

The name of this dessert literally mean "bacon heaven".
As much as I love bacon this dessert has nothing to do with bacon. As for the genesis of this name I would love to find out.

ingredients
1 lb. sugar
12 oz. full cream or 1 can evaporated milk with cream (this is what is used here)
1 can condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 baking dish around 11'x6'\

Heat oven to 350 degrees
melt 1/2 cup sugar in small pan to caramelize
when completely melted pour in baking dish to coat the bottom and set aside
In blender place break the 6 eggs and blend for just about 3 secs
add the cream, vanilla, coconut and blend for another 5 secs
pour into baking dish with caramel
and bake in oven for about 1 hr.

When dish is done
get the serving tray and place on top of the baking dish
very carefully with towels of hot pads pickup up both and flip the dish onto the serving tray
place on a table and gently giggle the baking dish away from the serving tray leaving the caramel side as a top.
Cool and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Easy to make and truly delicious or as they say here Muy Rico!

enjoy

Leche Asada

This is a light texture milk dessert and easy to make.

4 cups whole milk
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. vanilla
12 ramikens
1 large baking dish to hold the ramikens and a water base

1. place milk in a pot and gently heat
2. dissolve the cornstarch in about 2 tbsp. water and add to milk
3. add the sugar to the milk and stir
4. when sugar is dissolved, remove pot from fire
5. place pot in a bowl of cold water to cool
6. add the vanilla and mix in
7. when milk is cool remove 1 cup
8. place milk in blender
9. add the eggs and blend for about 5 secs
10. add the rest of the milk and blend for another 5 secs.
11. pour into ramikens
12. place ramikens on baking dish and pour about 2" water in pan
13. place in oven in lower rack
14. bake for about 1 hr. until a little golden
check the water midway and add some more if needed do not let dry.
15. let cool and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

to decorate here in Peru they use a cane sugar syrup, I think crushed almonds and granola would be delicious or just some fresh fruit depending on what you like. If using fruits make sure they are cut into bits sized pieces.

Enjoy!