Translated by Katrina Heimark
A little bit of history...
After Ramon Castilla abolished slavery on December 3, 1854, the
huge
demand for workers on the costal haciendas was filled by Coolies, who
were workers from India, China and other Asian countries, and who had a
low level of work qualifications. Lomo Saltado is a typical Peruvian dish, which is the product of the fusion of two cuisines which date back thousands of years, the Peruvian and the Chinese. The dish was originally called Lomito de Vaca, Lomito Saltado, and Lomito a la Chorrillana.
Saltado, in Spanish, comes from the term salteado, or sauté, which is the technique of frying food in a pan or a wok over high heat.
In those days, the dish was only prepared in the back areas or “chinganas” of the Central Market of Lima, and in the northern areas of the Lima province, such as Huacho, Paramonga, Barranca and Huaral.
The upper and middle class of Peru were against visiting these areas, and eating there was not always well-looked upon. These were the areas of the masses, led principally by the Chinese. Thus, both Lomo Saltado and Tacu Tacu, which are now popular traditional dishes, came from some peoples’ necessity to eat in lower-class restaurants, where they could eat well, but at a very low price.
In 1915, the first record of Lomo Saltado appeared in a newspaper article, and not that of a cookbook, as the cookbooks of the time did not record this dish. Only in 1928 were Carne Saltada and Lomo a la Criolla included, which have evolved into the flambéed version that we have today. The Cantonese influence can be noted in the use of the wok.
Lomo Saltado is easy to prepare, and contains a mix of flavors, where each ingredient brings an important quality to the dish.
It was originally served without potatoes, and with a lot of vegetables. Later, the potatoes were added, and were served boiled, not fried.
Today Lomo Saltado is a typical Peruvian dish, very well known, appreciated and also one of the most popular in Peru. It truly and worthily represents our incomparable cuisine.
Investigative work: History of Cuisine Course
Escuela Peruana de Sommeliers 2011
Lomo Saltado
By Chef of Cuisine - Johann Knell.
Ingredients
100ml of Quebranta Pisco
1 tsp of crushed garlic
2 tsp of chopped aji limo
1 kilo of beef tenderloin
½ kilo thickly sliced red onion
½ kilo plum tomatoes, cut in quarters
1 kilo white or yellow potatoes
3 finely sliced aji amarillo
Soy sauce, to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Thyme, to taste
Red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Oil for frying
Preparation:
Cut the meat into strips, approximately 1 ½ cm thick
Add enough oil to cover the base of a frying pan or wok, and heat over medium heat. Fry the garlic and the aji limo for two minutes, increase heat. Add the meat and brown. Deglaze with Quebranta Pisco and flambé. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of fresh thyme.
Remove the meat and all juices from pan, reserving the juice to keep the meat moist.
Add a little oil to the pan, if necessary, and fry the onion until tender, approximately one minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Add a splash of vinegar and continue to sauté until the vinegar evaporates, approximately one minute. The onion should be slightly firm. Remove the onion and repeat the procedure with the tomato.
In a different frying pan, fry the potatoes until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, dry on paper towels, and add salt to taste.
Mix the meat, onion and tomato back in the first frying pan. Add the aji amarillo and soy sauce. Cook for about half a minute. Add the French fries and mix everything carefully. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately with white rice.
Chicken or shrimp may also be substituted for the beef, following the above procedures.
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