Even though I’ve worked in Europe for many years, I have never been able to adapt to the local habit of a three-course lunch as the principal meal of the day. I don’t understand how my European colleagues stay awake and work after a huge meal. Salads, using seasonal ingredients, are my preferred midday meal. …
Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Pomegranate and Almonds Read More »
l never thought of eating cold mashed potatoes flavored with various citrus juices and hot peppers as a salad or appetizer until I discovered la causa rellena (literally translated as “the stuffed cause”) in Cusco, Peru’s imperial city high in the Andes Mountains. Until I traveled in Peru, I was dismissive of leftover mashed potatoes. I …
Peruvian Causa – Colorful and spicy mashed potato starters with chicken or shrimp Read More »
Hot weather and cold food is a winning combination. A cooling and zesty Aquachile Verde (literally “green chile water”) with shrimp or scallops or both is a perfect antidote and a stimulating starter to make when seafood is plentiful and fresh; an excellent opening to a grilled dinner. Aquachile is a spicy, tart Mexican cousin …
As we ate our way through my list of must-try dishes, we discovered that Peruvian cooking is a fusion of traditional indigenous practices, local ingredients and imported food practices. Each wave of newcomers to Peru added their cuisine atop that of centuries of indigenous pre-Incan and Incan cooking. Absent familiar ingredients, new immigrants adapted their recipes …