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.
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| Causa rellena - layered potato and tuna salad (from the Inka Grill in Cusco) |
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| 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 |
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| Rocoto relleno |
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| 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.
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| 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!
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| 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. |
