Intro from Cooking Challenge: This week the theme is Peruvian. Besides the guinea pig, some important ingredients in Peruvian cuisine are: quinoa, lima beans, potatoes, oca (similar to a potato), and chili peppers. Since Peru has different climates, the cuisine tends to vary based on the specific area you are in and below are some foods that are popular based on those specific areas. This list is in no way definitive and there’s a lot more information on the Wikipedia link at the beginning of this week’s introduction thread, so definitely check it out. The Coast: ceviche, chupe de camarones (shrimp/crayfish stock soup with potatoes, milk and chili pepper), papa rellena (mashed potatoes stuffed with ground meat, eggs, olives and spices – deep fried), pollo a la brasa (marinated, grilled whole chicken). The Andes: cuy chactado (fried guinea pig), puka pikanti (made from white potatoes, beets, yellow chili pepper, mint, and peanuts), rocoto relleno (rocoto chilis stuffed with spiced beef or pork, onions, olives, egg white and then cooked in the oven with potatoes covered with cheese and milk). The Amazon: chapo (a drink made with sweet plantains), juane (rice seasoned with turmeric, and chicken wrapped in banana leaves). And some additional links to check out: Top 10 Things to Eat in Peru, Classic Peruvian Recipes, 15 Peruvian Foods You Have to Try.
I was so excited for this week - My dad and I went to Peru and had amazing food the whole time, so I knew I had some great options to work with. Sadly, I couldn't get my hands on any guinea pigs. However, this chicken came out really fantastically.
I ended up borrowing a bit from each of these two recipes: Serious Eats andDaring Gourmet. My marinade ended up included: paprika, cumin, salt & pepper, garlic paste, distilled white vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, ginger paste, dried oregano, and soy sauce. I rubbed it under the skin and let the chicken sit in a ziplock with the rest of the marinade for a little over 24 hours.
The aji verde sauce had some serious heat to it. I lucked out in that while I was shopping for the peppers, I ran into a guy from Peru and he told me to add a tomatillo to tame it a bit. It came out really well and complimented the chicken perfectly.
This was almost my first time cutting up a whole chicken! Not perfect, but good practice!
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