Peruvian Food - Causas, Cuy, Rocoto relleno, Ponderaciones

I cannot complete my Peruvian gastronomic adventure without showing you these very Peruvian dishes.  The causa, seen below in two different guises but recognizably the same ingredients - the yellow layers of mashed potatoes with lemon sauce stuffed with fish or chicken salad.  It's a delicious first course, especially combined with avocado in some instances.  Lots of recipes on the web, check out this one for the causa rellena. 

Causa rellena - layered potato and tuna salad (from the Inka Grill in Cusco) 

 

Rocoto relleno or "fire in your mouth" - stuffed chilli peppers, a traditional Andean dish from Arequipa.  I have lifted the cheese to show the stuffing,  a combination of beef and vegetables

Rocoto relleno

Cuy - guinea pig roasted

With apologies to my pet-loving friends and family, I have to at least briefly mention and show a small photo of the "cuy" (guinea pig), a Peruvian delicacy.  During pre-Columbian Incan times, it was food only for the nobility.  It is now raised commercially and is considered a staple of Andean cuisine.    We tried this roasted version in a restaurant near the Plaza de Armas in Cusco.  I would say the taste was "interesting", a little gamey, definitely would need lots of herbs in the cooking process.  Texture was very much like pork, but a bit more chewy.  There was not a lot of meat but enough for two as you get tired of the rather intense flavour after a few pieces.   Worth a try.

On to something tamer - the ponderaciones is a Peruvian pastry - sounded exotic and looked good, but not the best dessert we've tasted.

Ponderaciones

This pear poached in red wine, however, was outstanding - the best dessert on the trip (also at the Inka Grill)

Finally, we can't leave Peru without tasting its famous chocolate!  We got this chocolate basket by fluke.  I was unable to get room service at the Lima Sheraton to understand my Spanglish request for a kettle. After 4 or 5 phone calls, I finally got one but it didn't work.  I went and talked to Guest Services.  They were apologetic and the same guy who brought me the kettle brought me this spectacle on a tray. The chocolate was deep, dark and intense!  What luck!

This wraps up my Peruvian food adventure.  It has been quite a trip!  To see the actual travel, please visit http://www.travelswithrarecat.blogspot.ca.   Thanks for coming along.