This week at the Bowl, Josh Groban helps us celebrate the Fourth of July with a fireworks spectacular.
Our featured chef may veer far from traditional all-American dishes, but offers some of the best food from the Americas. Ricardo Zarate’s native Peruvian cuisine is as diverse as our nation, laced with Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and Italian influences. At his restaurants around town—Mo-Chica, Picca and Paiche—Zarate presents a chic contemporary interpretation of Peruvian cooking.“For me, music is an integral part of my creative process when I’m
playing around with a new ingredient or working to perfect a dish. It’s very calming for me,
and always puts me in a good mood. I especially love to listen to salsa when I’m in the
kitchen—it’s so freeing and reminds me of my country. Also, I love anything from Marc Anthony!”

—Ricardo Zarate

For more information visit:

mo-chica.com

piccaperu.com

paichela.com

[+click here] for our weekend entertainment guide

PRESENTS THIS WEEK’S RECIPES:

ENSALADA RUSA (“Russian” Salad)

PAN CON CHICHARRON (“Pork Belly Sandwich”)

FLAN DE VANILLA Y PISCO

ENSALADA RUSA (“Russian” Salad)

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces seared albacore
• 1/4 cup Aji Amarillo Aioli (See Recipe Below)
• 1 tablespoon Aceituna Botija Sauce (See Recipe Below)
• 2 hard-boiled quail eggs (cut in half)
• 4 baby carrots (cut in half)
• 4 pee wee potatoes (cut in half)
• 2 baby beets (cut in half, or cut into quarters if they are larger beets)
• 16 English peas (shucked)
• 6 green beans (cut in half)
• 1 pinch cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Aji Amarillo Aioli (Spicy Red Pepper Mayonnaise)

• 8 ounces mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 tablespoons yuzu kosho
• 1 tablespoon aji amarillo purée
• 1 teaspoon yuzu or lime juice

Aceituna Botija Sauce (“Olive Oil” Sauce)

• 4 ounces Botija olives, pitted (or other cured, black olive)
• 1 ounce aji amarillo purée
• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic purée
• 1 tablespoon shallots
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil

PROCEDURE

Aji Amarillo Aioli

1. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients, whisking very well. Make sure aioli is smooth and incorporated.

Aceituna Botija Sauce

1. Pit the olives. In a blender mix all ingredients together except olive oil. Pour the mix into a mixing bowl. Whisk in olive oil gradually.

Salad

1. In salted boiling water blanch all vegetables and shock in ice bath.
2. Boil quail egg for 4 minutes and peel shell. Cut in half and set aside.
3. Season albacore with salt and pepper and sear until medium rare in hot sauté pan. Set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl add all vegetables and mix them with aji amarillo aioli until well coated.
5. Place dressed vegetables in center of a plate and decorate with quail egg halves.
6. Cut seared albacore in half and place on top of vegetables. Dress the fish with the aceituna botija sauce.
7. Garnish with cilantro.

PAN CON CHICHARRON (“Pork Belly Sandwich”)

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces braised pork belly (See Recipe Below)
• 1/4 cup Salsa Criolla (See Recipe Below)
• 2 Tablespoons Huancaína Sauce (See Recipe Below)
• Two slices herbed ciabatta bread
• Kosher salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Braised Pork Belly

• 1 pound pork belly, skin on
• 1/2 pound Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 3/4 cup aji panca paste
• 1/4 cup aji amarillo paste
• 1/4 cup garlic purée
• 2 cups canola oil
• 3-3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 pinch cumin powder
• 1 pinch oregano powder

Salsa Criolla

• 1/2 red onion, julienned
• 1/2 Roma tomato, diced
• 1 pinch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 fresh garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil

Huancaína Sauce

• 6 ounces aji amarillo chiles, seeded (about 8 chiles)
• 1/2 cup red onion (diced)
• 1-3/4 cup feta cheese
• 2 cups whole milk
• 20 store-bought saltine crackers

PROCEDURE

Braised Pork Belly

1. Start by scoring pork piece and seasoning it with cumin, oregano, ground black pepper and salt.
2. Roast the pork belly in oven at 400°F for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, combine all pastes and red onion with the canola oil in a saucepot. Add tomatoes,
   and continuing cooking until stewed. Then add the seasonings and chicken broth. Bring it to
   boil and let it cook for 5 minutes.
4. Blend everything in blender and set this braising sauce aside.
5. Place the roasted pork piece in a proper roasting pan or large sauté pan, adding the tomato
   braising sauce and covering it with its lid or aluminum tin foil. Make sure it’s very well sealed.
   Braise for 2 hours at 400°F.

Salsa Criolla

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with olive oil and lime juice.
2. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve with minimal amount of liquid.

Huancaína Sauce

1. Place saltine crackers into the milk to soak until soft.
2. In a smoking hot pan, sauté aji amarillo chilies and red onions separately
   until soft and slightly charred. Set aside.
3. Place aji amarillo chilies, red onions and soaked crackers in a blender. Start blending
   them at slow speed until a purée. Add feta cheese gradually until the blend is
   well emulsified.

CHEF’S NOTE:

• When it is time to serve the flan, place the foil flan cup in the center of a plate face down.
  Puncture the foil cup with a sharp knife, but be careful not to cut into the flan, and the caramel
  sauce will run out onto the plate. Lift the foil cup off the flan and serve. Garnish with edible
  flowers.
• Hot sugar is extremely dangerous and will cause serious burns. Use extreme caution when handling
  the caramel. Never leave the cooking caramelizing sugar unattended.
• Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions
  of Peru and Chile. You can find it at specialty stores.