Being of Bolivian descent, the cuisines of other Latin American countries become something of a taboo.
Our signature empanada, called a Salteña, is originally from Argentina. But if you were in La Paz, one of the capitals of Bolivia, no one would even stop to hear such an atrocious thing.
Which brings me to this wonderful dish. Lomo Saltado. It is a Peruvian dish, and is just such a simple and delicious thing.
When I first tried Lomo Saltado it was a wonderful moment in my culinary history. I was is a city called Rurrenabaque, Bolivia, a city still considered a part of La Paz.
But unlike La Paz, which is dry and cold. Rurrenabaque borders the tropics. As you enter the jungle you can feel the sweat retreating from your body.
Lomo Saltado means “Jumped Loin.” It is a thinly sliced tenderloin marinated in at least soy sauce, while the other spiced marinades vary from region to region.
I personally use Soy sauce, and store bought GOYA brand adobo. Marinade it for a day, with a quick pickup on a cast iron or chargrill.
The soy sauce comes from the chifa tradition of cooking in Peru. Throughout the centuries many small communities of Chinese immigrants moved to South America, in search of jobs.
The Lomo Saltado you see above is my take on the classic Peruvian dish, marinated tenderloin as I mentioned above, with a Cilantro based roasted vegetable puree used as the liquid for the rice.
Sauteé the rice with thinly sliced onions, and twice fried potatoes, and finish with thinly sliced tomatoes.
One bite and this hard-to-pronounce dish becomes an instant favorite. It is something I often cook for my friends and family, and I think you should too.