Monthly birthday Pot luck

Posted On April 12, 2019

Like many work places, we have the customary birthday potluck. I am always trying to bring a piece of the world to share with others . This time I choose two dishes

1. Lomo Saltado
2. Beef salad

A warm dish and a cold dish. A Peruvian Chinese fusion dish and a Romanian dish.

Lomo Salrado

1. This is the quintessential Peruvian dish. I had done a post on Peru before so I am going to focus on just the dish. It is the ultimate gastronomic fusion food. The two cultures (Andean/Inca/Spanish marrying Chifa (Chinese presence in Peru from the 19th century) A combination of south American beef , yellow Peruvian chilies (Aji Amarillo), red onions, cilantro, potatoes (Peru and potatoes are almost synonymous) with Chinese soy sauce, vinegar and wok style of cooking.
2. The dish is best served hot. It has the kick from the chilies (hot and fruity) and salty and tangy from the soy/vinegar. The tender sauted steak is complimented by the crispy veggies.Like any traditional dish, there are a million versions , depending on the number of grandmas in the country.This is my version. I have made it more than once and the people have enjoyed it and that the end of the story.

Ingredients ( I always say you can experiment with the ingredients/measures)

1.Beef 2 lb cut in to strips 3 to 4 inch strips(medium thickness)

You need high grade cuts. Tenderloin or sirloin steaks. I use sirloin when making for a large group. If you are entertaining a handful or trying to impress your date, certainly go for tenderloin or fillet mignon. If you don’t want to use these expensive cuts ,you can cut any steak into strips and marinate them in the soy sauce ,salt, pepper and vinegar the night before and refrigerate.This would tenderize the meat

2. 3 RED onions cut in to wedges vertically ( out of the 3 onions fine chop 1/2 an onion) Do not use other types of onions

3. 1 red bell pepper cut in to strips

4. 3 roma tomatoes (firm and not too ripe) cut in to vertical slices and seeds removed.
5. This is the star of this dish. 2 Aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow hot pepper) chopped after de seeding and de veining . You can also use bottled Aji Amarillo paste 2 tsp or to taste according to heat tolerated.
You can get them in Mexican/Latin/peruvian stores ONLY.

6. Oil to cook

7. marinade

a) salt and pepper to taste (be mindful that you are using soy sauce that has salt

b) 1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce low salt adjust the measure to taste

c) 1/4 cup red wine or apple cider vinegar adjust the measure to taste

8. 2 table spoon butter

9 1-2 lb Yellow/Gold Potatoes to fry/bake/airfry

10. 2 cup white rice

11. 4 cloves of garlic and 1 inch of fresh ginger chopped up.

12 1/2 cup cilantro chopped

Directions

1. Marinate the beef for 15 minutes. remove from marinade and pat the meat dry. Save the marinade. Heat the Chinese wok to high heat and heat the oil. When very hot, saute the beef in batches( wok should not cool down) so that it really get seared (browned and not grey and minimize the juices coming out). take it out. (Keep it rare to medium rare do not over cook ).set aside to rest.
2. Bottom line about meat to keep them juicy, quick short searing at high heat is all you need.DO NOT OVER COOK.
3. Repeat the sauteing for the onion wedges, tomato slices and red pepper. Keep them crisp and don’t over cook. take out and keep aside.
4. In the wok at medium heat, melt 1 table spoon butter and saute 1/2 finally chopped onion, garlic, ginger. add the yellow chilies or the paste. Add only the amount of the marinade to your taste. when reduced add the meat and the veggies toss for a couple of minutes only just to get all of it mixed up. and take it out.
5. Potato fries Use yellow/golden potatoes. After that I will leave it to you, the method of cooking it. Depending on the time of cooking it, you will have to do it simultaneously with making the meat. You can use fresh potatoes or be fast and use frozen. The taste depends (you know)
6. Rice Heat 1 table spoon of butter and lightly fry the rice. Do not let it burn. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. cover, shut of the heat and in 20 minutes the rice will be done. Fluff the rice . You can add more butter and some chopped cilantro.

Serving

On the platter layer the beef alternating with fries. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with a side of rice. It is best served right away.

Beef salad. (Salata de Bouf)

It is a Romanian festive dish

To compliment the hot steak I made a cold dish. You make it the day before and chill in the refrigerator to serve it cold. It is similar in the French BOEUF salad and Russian Salad Oliver.

Ingredients

1. 1 to 2 pounds beef (Can use turkey or chicken as well) Boiled with salt and pepper until the meat is very tender (can use pressure cooker to cut the time. Take it out rest and fine chop.
2. Muratui in Romanian cuisine, is one or a collection of pickled veggies that include cucumber, green tomato, carrot, beet , cauliflower turnips (you name it) I have used pickles and beet as pickled. and potatoes and carrots as fresh boiled as noted below. You can choose any combination of the veggies.
3. 1 lb potatoes unpeeled
4. 1 lb carrots unpeeled
5. 2 cups frozen peas
6. 2 cups pickles (cucumber in brine) finely chopped and pat dry
7. 1 cup pickled beet cut for dish and also garnish pat dry with no oozing red juice.
8. 1 cup black olives cut for dish and also garnish
9. 4 boiled eggs chopped up
10. 1/4 to 1/2 cup mustard
11. 2 cups Mayo
12. salt/peeper to taste
13. 1 tbp sweet paprika to garnish(optional)
14. 1/4 cup capers for garnish (optional)
15. parsley for garnish

Directions

1 Get meat ready as above and put it in a mixing bowl

2. Boil the potatoes and carrots , peel and chop into small pieces.cook the peas and add to the meat.

3.Add finely chopped pickle, boiled eggs,some chopped olives and beet to the bowl.

4. Add mustard, a dash of paprika,salt& pepper and 3/4 of the mayo and mix well.

Transfer it into a 9×13 glass/ceramic pan . Level it out and top it of with a thin smooth icing of the mayo. Garnish with Olives,beet, capers, paprika and parsley. Cover with wrap/foil and refrigerate over night.

Serve cold.

Kimberly added further Peruvian flavor. She went looking for Peruvian food and brought in two dishes, just for me!