Passport & Plate - Lomo Saltado

theblacktusk — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 08:52:00 GMT

Ingredients
180 grams of beef sirloin, cut into strips
1/2 medium sized tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
2 white potatoes, to be fried
1/2 yellow aji pepper
3 sprigs of coriander, washed and chopped
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of pisco
1 pinch of oregano
1/2 cup beef broth
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt (to taste)
ground black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cooked white rice

How to prepare this recipe
Peel and cut potatoes into small wedges or 1/2 inch thick french fries. Set aside.

In a pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, sauté the garlic, then add and fry the beef sirloin and season with black pepper and salt. Remove the meat from the heat, set aside.

Add the onions and yellow pepper, and sauté with the pisco in the pan used to cook the meat. Let the mixture sweat, and then add the tomatoes, coriander, soy sauce, oregano and salt. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and the seasoned meat back into the pan. Mix everything together and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a separate pan, fry the potatoes in vegetable oil until golden brown, or place in a deep fryer.

Serve all on a plate by arranging the fries and rice with the Lomo Saltado. Add chopped cilantro for garnish if desired.

The story behind this recipe
During a backpacking trip in Peru, our group of backpackers stopped in Cusco before beginning our trek on the Inca Trail. Our entire trip up to that point was mainly to seek out and try different traditional dishes and specialties in each region we were in. As luck would happen, we ended up in one of the best restaurants in Cusco for dinner.

From the moment we walked in, one of the owner's, Victor, came to greet us and was so gracious to make sure each one of his customers enjoyed their meal. It was obvious how passionate Victor was to share his culture with us and where their food came from and how it was prepared.

By the end of our meal, I wanted to learn more about how I could try to recreate some of these dishes, and where I could find these traditional recipes. I asked Victor if he knew of any good cooking classes in Cusco. His response was, why go somewhere else to learn how to cook Peruvian cuisine, when he could teach us in his restaurant. A few days later, he opened his restaurant's kitchen to the 6 of us for our personalized cooking class.

We began by going to a local farmer's market where Victor showed us the ingredients they used and what's available. After learning about the ingredients, we headed back to the kitchen where his chefs demonstrated for us the recipes we were going to try making ourselves, one of them being lomo saltado, a Peruvian beef and potatoes dish.

The Peruvian cooking class was probably one of the most memorable experiences of my trip to Peru, and it was interesting to see how common ingredients I was used to using could be used in other ways I had never tried before.

Victor and I kept in touch over the years and he told me ever since we did the first cooking class in his restaurant, they have been offering the cooking class to other travelers looking to learn how to make Peruvian cuisine. To this day, whenever I hear from Victor, he always asks me how is my lomo saltado, and it brings back all my great memories of Peru.

Photos: My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

theblacktusk — Fri, 5 Jul 2013 02:48:00 GMT

Growing up, our family never had a lot of money to spend on luxuries such as traveling around the world. As children, we found other ways to entertain ourselves, fueling my imagination, creativity, and desire to explore outdoors. Many people have their “bucket list” – a list of things to do before you die. In my mind, I never had a bucket list. I always had a “LIFE LIST.” Why should someone wait to do things they’ve always wanted to do BEFORE they die? Why not do the things you want to do WHILE you live? Each year, I try to accomplish at least 5 or 6 of my many interests and passions in life. This year, I hope to cross off travel to Greenland, work for National Geographic, and learn more about photography off my life list. One thing I love about photography is that it is a snapshot of a moment in time. There are many elements in life that are often disregarded and taken for granted when it is right in front of you. In the busy city life, many people are often set into their daily monotonic routine. By learning more about photography, I hope to use it as a tool to help others see there are so many opportunities to view their community in a new, and reflective way.

Landing Place of the Thunderbird

Passport & Plate - Lomo Saltado

Photos: My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited