National Culinary Review - November/December 2011

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; to Peru with chaufa;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Chaufa Rice with Scallop: stir-fried rice, chorizo, mango, edamame and scallop.

In describing her relationship to Latin American food, Ingrid Hoffmann, chef, author and host of the Food Network’s “Simply Delicioso,” calls herself “a mutt.” Growing up in Colombia, with parents born in Colombia ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Basque traditions of her grandparents.

Colombian food remains a favorite of Hoffmann’s. The coastal Afro-Caribbean combinations of coconut, rice, soups and ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; from the Inca culture, inspire her cooking.

But Hoffmann pinpoints Peru as the next Latin American cuisine to charm U.S. diners. “In the past 15 years, look at the impact of chipotle and Spanish tapas on ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; fresh and clean with minimal cheese and ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; will become popular. Think potatoes—over 3,000 varieties—black Andean mint and aji amarillo, the country’s signature yellow pepper with a mild taste and smoky, fruity notes,” says Hoffman.

A testament to the growing interest in Peruvian food comes from renowned chef Gastón Acurio, with 30 restaurants in 12 countries. The Peruvian restaurateur ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; York venue, La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, in September. Beyond ceviche (cebiche in Peru), specialties are causas (potato casseroles) and anticuchos (grilled skewered meats).

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Chifa is one of Jose Garces’ most
successful concepts. Garces highlights
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immigration to Peru with chaufa, a
traditional Peruvian dish brimming with
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Chaufa options include scallops with fried
rice, edamame, mango and chorizo, or
oxtail with massaman curry, wok fried rice,
Chinese bacon, edamame and pineapple.

One of Chifa’s most popular appetizers is Peruvian ceviche. Garces quickly ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; leche de tigre (tiger’s milk), a combination of lime and spices. Rather than traditional sides of potato and corn, he adds sweet potato ribbons, moté (Peruvian corn), aioli with rocoto (Peruvian red spice) and pickled red onion to the bowl.

Another major Philadelphia chef feels the pull of Peruvian cuisine. Though Guillermo Tellez hails from Mexico, the food he serves at Square 1682 at Hotel Palomar brims with local ingredients prepared in French and global ways. Latin American ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; special features.

“When I visited Lima, I liked the light marinades of the ceviche. I follow Peruvian practice and highlight the ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; with long marinades,” says Tellez.

He quickly marinates local black striped bass and serves it with orange/passion fruit vinaigrette, jicama, avocado, spicy tomatoes and a side of lotus root chips. Peruvian specials have included choclo corn salad with cheese and onions and papas huancaina, boiled orange potatoes in a spicy cheese sauce with aji amarillo.

Ingrid Hoffmann

Ingrid Hoffmann makes a creamy avocado soup from onions, peppers and garlic blended with avocados, milk and dill, garnished with shrimp.

Another choclo dish is pastel de choclo, corn pie, a common South American dish especially popular in Chile, with meat or chicken, hard-boiled egg and a ground-corn crust.

CHILEAN EXPRESSIONS Chilean cuisine is not yet well-known in the U.S., but Pilar Rodriguez, a leading caterer and food event consultant at Food and Wine Studio, which she owns in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, notes that more Chilean chefs are taking stages in the U.S. and spreading the word on ingredients and techniques.

Chilean-born Sisha Ortúzar is chef at Riverpark, a Tom Colicchio restaurant in New York. Though the focus is modern ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Chilean roots in the menu. “Much like traditional Chilean cooking, the use of straightforward seasoning and acid to balance a dish can be seen at Riverpark.