Lomo Saltado – Recreating the flavors of Peru at home

We’ve been fortunate to experience Chef Oka’s flavors on two other occasions in different settings and he has inspired us to learn more about Peruvian cuisine. In fact, we recently received a copy of Peru, by Gastón Acurio, and have been looking forward to working through the book. So, when we were contacted a couple of weeks ago with an invitation to cook with Chef Oka via a virtual cooking demonstration, Taste of Peru Live, I of course, said yes. It was a great opportunity to learn cooking tips, watch and listen, cook along with Chef Oka, and create his memorable dishes in our own home, while experiencing the flavors and dishes from our travels.

Prepped for the demo

We can’t forget the Pisco Porton!

This recipe for Lomo Saltado, one of the dishes we prepared on the virtual cooking demonstration, is a classic Peruvian stir fry made with beef, tomatoes, and onions, and is served with rice mixed with Choclo (Peruvian corn) and homemade fried potato wedges. Chef Oka uses sliced tenderloin for the meat.  Unlike some other recipes I have seen for this dish, he uses a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and vinegar for the sauce.  Many recipes I viewed online for Lomo Saltado call for just soy sauce or soy sauce and vinegar, but the oyster sauce adds in another layer of intensity and gives, what Chef Oka says, is more authentic flavor to the dish.

* Chef Oka is ready to go online for the demo

Waiting for the live feed

Cooking the beef, sauce, and vegetables together

My version of Lomo Saltado

It’s exciting to be inspired by travel and extraordinary dining experiences. Taking those dishes and bringing them home to your own kitchen reinforces the aromas and flavors that take you back to a special place and time. I was familiar with some Peruvian recipes and ingredients from working on Southern Heat, our cookbook with Chef Anthony Lamas, but have added to my Latin repertoire through our travels and working with Chef Oka.

Preparing the custard at the same time as Chef Oka for Chocolate Mousse

Folding in the custard and whipped cream

My version of Chef Oka’s Chocolate Mousse

We encourage everyone who enjoys great food and drink to seek out the best restaurants you can find (and that doesn’t always mean the most expensive), no matter if you’re at home, on the road, or in faraway places. Create food memories and travel back to some of your favorite destinations by preparing these memorable dishes at home in your own kitchen.

Now that dinner is done, it’s time for Pisco Sours!

Print Recipe

Lomo Saltado

Yield: Serves 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Serve this flavorful beef dish with homemade fried potato wedges and white rice that is mixed with Choclo, a Peruvian corn.

Ingredients:

For the stir fry:
12 ounces beef tenderloin, sliced into strips
2 to 4 ounces canola oil, as needed
4 ounces red onion, thickly sliced
8 ounces plum tomato, cut in wedges
1⁄2 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1⁄2 tablespoon ginger, chopped
2 ounces chicken stock
4 ounces pre-mixed sauce (soy sauce, vinegar and oyster sauce, equal parts)
Sliced green onions and chopped cilantro,for garnish

For fried potato wedges:
4 ounces Russet potatoes, cut into wedges, fried in canola oil and sprinkled with Kosher or sea salt while warm

For White Rice with Choclo:
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 ounces water
4 ounces (1/2 cup) white rice
1 ounce Choclo

Directions:

For the stir fry:
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and then season the beef tenderloin with salt. Fry the tenderloin until just cooked through; remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

2. Using the same pan, sauté the onions until transparent. Stir in the tomato, garlic and ginger and sauté until tomatoes soften. Return the meat to the pan. Pour in the chicken stock and soy sauce mixture and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked and the liquid reduces.

3.Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro and serve with fried potato wedges and white rice with Choclo.

For White Rice with Choclo:
1. Slowly cook the chopped garlic in 1 tablespoon butter. Add rice and water, season with salt to taste, cover and cook over simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Melt the additional 1 tablespoon of butter and combine with choclo. Add to the rice.

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Diego Oka
La Mar by Gastón Acurio – Mandarin Oriental, Miami

* Note – These images and the top photograph of Lomo Saltado are courtesy of Mandarin Oriental, Miami.

Disclosure – We were offered a payment for this collaborative effort with Trip Advisor and will be donating that amount to Open Hands Atlanta.  We partnered with Trip Advisor because it is a site that we use often when planning our travels.

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