Spicy Peruvian Stew Carapulcra Recipes

Steps:

• Papa seca: In a dry Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the papa seca and toast until fragrant and light brown in spots, 5 minutes. (If you find small rocks or impurities while toasting, remove and discard.) Fill a medium bowl with 3 cups of water; add the toasted papa seca and stir to submerge. Set aside to soak, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the pot clean and prepare the pork belly.
• Pork belly: In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, add canola oil. Slice pork belly into 1-inch chunks, removing and discarding any skin. When oil is shimmering, add pork in an even layer and brown, 5 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, prep sofrito ingredients.
• Sofrito: Finely dice the onion; chop the garlic. When pork belly is brown on both sides, transfer to a plate and set aside, leaving the rendered fat behind. Reduce heat to low; add onion and garlic, along with a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Sauté until brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally, 20-30 minutes.
• Add aji amarillo and aji panca pastes to the caramelized sofrito. Turn heat to high and toast, stirring continuously to prevent burning, 5 minutes. Add wine and deglaze the pan; reduce, stirring, until the moisture has been cooked out and the mixture is dark and paste-like, 5 more minutes.Add the pork and stir to coat; then add the papa seca, including the soaking liquid. Add enough water to submerge all the ingredients in liquid, about 3 more cups. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, until potatoes are soft and pork is tender, stirring occasionally. Total cooking time will be 1½-2 hours, but check stew after 1 hour. Add 1 cup water to thin the stew. Continue cooking, adding water as necessary, until pork is tender and potatoes are soft, 30-45 more minutes.
• After 1½-2 hours, stew should be thick and creamy; add a few tablespoons of water to thin, if necessary. Heat stew to a low simmer, then add chocolate, sugar, a pinch of salt, and cumin. Pick leaves from oregano sprig, roughly chop, and add to stew; roughly chop toasted peanuts and add to the stew. Stir to combine. When the chocolate is melted and fully incorporated, season to taste with salt and serve. Serving suggestion: Chef Ramirez serves carapulcra with white rice on the side, and tops each bowl of stew with salsa criolla: shaved red onions tossed in fresh lime juice, cilantro, and salt to taste.

Steps:

• Umami Bomb: Dice onion and celery (pieces should be roughly the same size); set aside in a bowl. Slice the outer flesh from a habanero pepper and discard the stem and seeds. Dice the habanero, add to the bowl, and wash hands thoroughly (to avoid burning eyes and face). Peel and thinly slice garlic, and add to the bowl. Peel ginger, roughly chop, and add to the bowl. Add salt and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Add the vegetables and their liquid to a blender. Purée until smooth, adding water a few tablespoons at a time as necessary to help blend. Pour the Umami Bomb into a bowl and set aside.
• Ceviche and Leche de Tigre: Remove the skin and bloodline (dark flesh) from the fish and discard. Cut fish into ¾-inch cubes and place in a medium bowl. Add salt and stir to coat. Roll limes against the counter to release juice inside; slice 2 limes in half and lightly squeeze juice into bowl. Add fish stock and toss to coat. At this point, Chef Ramirez builds flavor by tasting and adjusting ingredients as he goes. First, add more lime juice, then ice cubes to both chill and dilute the Leche de Tigre. Add the Umami Bomb, ½-1 teaspoon at a time, followed by stirring, seasoning with salt, adding more ice cubes and lime juice, and tasting after each addition.
• Slice the outer flesh from half a habanero pepper; thinly slice and add to ceviche, along with the sliced cilantro, mix and set aside. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Thinly slice red onion on a mandoline and shock in ice water to both mellow and crisp up the onion, 30 seconds. Remove onions, pat dry on a paper towel, and add to the ceviche. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary with more salt, lime juice, and Umami Bomb.
• Assembly: Place ceviche into a shallow bowl, piling the fish and vegetables in the middle. Spoon the Leche de Tigre around the edges and serve immediately, chilled.

Steps:

• Crema de Rocoto: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Peel and slice onion in half horizontally, then slice into strips. Slice garlic and add to the hot oil, along with the onions and a pinch of salt. Turn heat to high, stir to combine, and cook until caramelized, 5-8 minutes. Then remove from heat and let cool, 15 minutes.
• Add cooled onion-garlic mixture to a blender; add evaporated milk, egg yolk, rocoto paste, and red pepper purée. Cover blender and blend on medium to combine, then increase to high and purée, 30 seconds. Taste for seasoning, and add salt to taste. Add optional huacatay leaves and purée again. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Makes about 1½ cups Crema de Rocoto. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.)
• Slurry: In a small bowl, mix together 2 teaspoons water and cornstarch to make a slurry. In a small saucepan, add water and beef stock. Stir in the slurry and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling and thickened, cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Lomo Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, red wine vinegar, beef stock, and oyster sauce. Set aside. Makes 1 cup Lomo Sauce. (Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.)
• Beef Tenderloin: Slice tenderloin into 1-inch chunks. Sprinkle with salt all over and set aside to rest, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and slice red onion in half horizontally; then cut each half again vertically. Remove the center (save for another use), leaving the outer 3 or 4 layers. Cut each piece into three slices, separate the slices, and set aside in a bowl. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, and set aside in another bowl.Put on plastic gloves (optional), then discard seeds and stem of habanero. Julienne into very thin strips and add to the red onions. (If you're not wearing gloves, wash your hands after handling habanero.) Separate the white and light green parts of the scallions from the green tops. Trim away the roots and discard outer layer of scallion bottoms; cut into batons, and add to the onions. Thinly slice green tops and set aside to use as garnish. Peel and thinly slice garlic, and add to the onions.
• Heat a wok or skillet over high heat and add oil. When smoking, add beef in an even layer. Sear on both sides, about 30 seconds per side. To the beef, add garlic, scallions, habanero, and onions. Add a splash of water, then shake and tilt the pan away from you, tossing the contents within the wok. (Optional: While tossing, allow the open flame to sear the contents. The flames give the dish a smoky char, but use caution, as cooking with an open flame can be dangerous in a home kitchen). Use a wooden spoon and continue tossing to stir-fry the beef until the onions are no longer raw but not fully cooked, 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, then stir and shake the wok. Then add ½ cup of Lomo Sauce and 2 tablespoons of the slurry. Stir in cilantro and continue cooking until the sauce has the consistency of a thin gravy, 2-3 minutes.
• Assembly: Spoon stir-fry into a serving bowl. Drizzle a few tablespoons (or more!) of Crema de Rocoto on top and garnish with remaining scallions. Serve with optional French fries and white rice on the side.

Steps:

• Marinade: In a bowl, mix together ground bean paste and aji amarillo paste. Add chicken stock, cumin, and sunflower oil. Peel garlic cloves, then use a Microplane to grate the garlic into the marinade. Finely chop oregano and add it to the marinade. Stir to combine all of the ingredients.
• Marinate chicken: Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a rack. Spoon marinade onto chicken, liberally covering all surfaces of the bird, including the cavity. Carefully place a heaping tablespoon of the marinade under the skin of each breast. Marinate, covered or uncovered, in the refrigerator, at least overnight and up to 24 hours. (Note: You'll have enough marinade for 2 chickens. Store leftover marinade in a lidded container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.)
• Roast chicken, part 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, preferably convection. Meanwhile, remove chicken from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature 20-30 minutes. Roast for 20-25 minutes. (Total roasting time will be 45-60 minutes, depending on oven and size of the bird.)
• Aji Verde, part 1: Roast poblano and jalapeño peppers by placing directly over the flame of a gas burner set to medium-high. Char on all sides. (Alternatively, peppers can be roasted on a grill or under a broiler in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until charred.) Place charred peppers in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest, 20-30 minutes. Steam will continue to cook the peppers and soften the skin for easy removal.
• Roast chicken, part 2: After the first 20-25 minutes, rotate the chicken 180 degrees and continue roasting, another 20-35 minutes. Check temperature: A thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, should register 160 degrees F. (Temperature will continue to rise after removing chicken from oven.) If necessary, continue roasting and rotating the pan, 10 minutes at a time, until temperature reaches 160 F. Then remove from oven and let rest, 20 minutes.
• Aji Verde, part 2: After the peppers have rested, remove plastic wrap. Under running water, use your fingers to gently remove charred skin, stems and seeds. Dry peppers between layers of paper towels and set aside. Remove cilantro leaves and set aside, discarding the stems. Place peppers into a blender, followed by cilantro, vinegar, and egg yolk. Starting the blender at low speed, gradually raise it to medium-high to combine, 10 seconds. With motor on, slowly drizzle in half of the oil to begin emulsifying the sauce. Turn off blender, scrape down the sides, and salt to taste. Turn on blender and continue drizzling in the remaining oil. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.
• Carve chicken: As you carve, try to keep the skin intact for maximum flavor distribution. First, cut away the thigh and leg in one piece; then separate the thigh from the leg. Repeat on other side. Cut down the center breastbone to remove the breast meat from the bone; cut the breasts in half crosswise. Remove the wings. Arrange chicken on a serving platter and serve with Aji Verde on the side.

Steps:

• Peel garlic, then use a Microplane to grate cloves into a small bowl. Set aside. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add oil and butter. Heat until butter is melted and frothy, 1-2 minutes, then add garlic and stir until fragrant and lightly golden, 1-2 minutes. Add rice and stir so each individual grain is coated in the butter and oil. Scrape down the sides of the pot and toast rice, 30 seconds.
• Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot with foil to prevent any steam from escaping, then place a lid over the foil and simmer, 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow rice to continue steaming, covered, 10 minutes.
• Taste the rice. If rice is undercooked, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons water on top, but don't stir it in; cover the pot again and simmer on lowest heat, 5-10 minutes. Fluff the rice in the pot with a wooden spoon and serve.
• When serving, leave rice that sticks to bottom of the pot. Turn the heat to high and let the oil fry the rice till crispy, 5 minutes. (This is a special chef's snack called concolon!)