Peruvian Cuisine Introduction by Ruth Paget
Peruvian food is not similar to Mexican food I learned as I read Everything Peruvian Cookbook: 300 Recipes for Fresh, Flavorful, and Exotic Dishes by Morena Cuadra and Morena Escardo.
The difference in diet comes from the influence of more cultures being assimilated into Peru’s national culture than in Mexico. Cuadra and Escardo discuss the culinary contributions of Peru’s multicultural society as follows:
*The Incan Diet of Ancient Peru
-The Incans ate a mostly vegan diet with eggs and dairy being taboo except for the ill
-meat was eaten at celebration and religious rites
-fish and seafood were good to eat and raw fish became what is known today as cebiche
-On a daily basis, the Incans ate many carbohydrates such as potatoes, corn, quinoa, and kiwicha (amaranth)
*Spanish Influence
-The Spanish brought European food products to Peru that are now integral to Peru’s national cuisine such as rice, wheat, sugar cane, bananas, figs, dates, grapes, cilantro, garlic, onions, cows, goats, lambs, and pigs.
-The Spanish had local farmers produce these items to save money and encouraged the eating of eggs and cheese called queso fresco, a type of Parmesan
-Grapes went into the production of Peru’s national alcohol called pisco.
-The Peruvians use onions and garlic along with native ají (chile peppers) to produce their base cooking sauce called aderezo.
*The Arab Influence
-The Spanish in Peru had recently freed themselves of Arab domination. However, some Spanish men brought Arab wives and servants with them to Peru who were considered very good cooks.
-Empanadas, a small crescent-shaped pie stuffed with meat and/or vegetables is credited to the Arabs.
-Very sweet desserts are also credited to the Arabs such as rice pudding and candied lime.
*African Influence
-Peru Imported slaves to replace Incans who had died.
-Africans according to the authors used variety meats such as the heart and intestines to help economize. Many street stalls today sell items such as these.
*Chinatown
-When slaves were freed, Peru hired Chinese laborers to take their place as had been done in Cuba.
-When the Chinese obtained money, they set up stores and street stalls that sold rice dishes.
-The main Chinese contributions to Peruvian cuisine are ginger, scallions, and soy sauce.
*The Italian Influence
-At the end of the 19th century, Italians from Liguria came to Peru. The authors state that everyone in Peru now eats lasagna, gnocchi, ravioli, gelato, and panettone.
-Salsa verde is Peruvian pesto.
-Queso fresco, a white cheese, is Peru’s version of Parmesan.
*Japanese Influence
-Japanese farmworkers replaced Chinese farmworkers.
-The Japanese brought their superb knife skills for sushi and applied them to cebiche, Peru’s raw fish dish cured with lime juice.
After that informative introduction, I did read the 300 recipes, but thought trying Peruvian sauces is the best introduction to learn the flavor of the food when cooking at home. I chose the following sauces, because I thought they would go well with pasta, rice, potatoes, quinoa, sandwiches, some soups, or cooked fish:
-salsa criolla made with onion, ají Amarillo (yellow peppers), lime juice, salt and pepper, olive oil, and cilantro. There is also a recipe for this with radishes.
-scallion salsa criolla made with red onion, scallions, ají Amarillo, limes, olive oil, and chopped cilantro
-black olive mayonnaise made with black olives, garlic, mayonnaise, roasted red bell peppers, and salt and pepper
-avocado cream made with avocados, lime juice, scallions, ají amarillo, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and cilantro leaves
-salsa verde made with vegetable oil, onion, garlic cloves, spinach, basil leaves, evaporated milk, queso fresco
-scallion and egg dip made with vegetable oil, ají amarillo, sliced scallions, eggs, and salt and pepper
-papa a la Huancaina made with ají amarillo, oil, evaporated milk, soda crackers, queso fresco, Bibb lettuce, potatoes, black olives, eggs, and parsley
Cooks interested in trying a new cuisine might enjoy Everything Peruvian Cookbook by Morena Cuadra and Morena Escardo with its 300 recipes.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
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