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Peru, Americas · Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef and Fries Stir-Fry)

Lomo Saltado Loaded Fries with Huancaína Sauce

A sharing plate of crisp oven fries piled with smoky lomo saltado, drizzled with huancaína, Peru's yellow-chili cheese sauce, and topped with a tangy red-onion salsa.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time40 min
DifficultyMedium

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Cut the unpeeled potatoes into 1 cm sticks, soak in cold water for 10 minutes and dry thoroughly with paper towel. In a bowl, shake the potatoes with the cornstarch to coat lightly, then toss with the oil and salt. The starch is what gives an extra-crisp shell.

    Add in this stepPotatoes 400 gCornstarch 2 tspOil (for the potatoes) 2 tbspSalt (for the potatoes) 2 pinch

    oven

  2. Spread the potatoes on 1 lined baking tray(s) so they do not touch and roast in the oven at 220 °C for . Turn them once after 15 minutes. They are ready when deep golden with crisp edges.

    oven

  3. While they roast, make the sauces. Blend the feta, milk, ají amarillo, crushed crackers and oil for 1 minute (use a stick blender for small amounts) until smooth and as thick as yogurt; add milk 1 tbsp at a time if too thick. For the salsa, slice the salsa onion paper-thin, soak in cold water for 5 minutes to tame it, squeeze dry and toss with the lime juice, half the cilantro and a pinch of salt.

    Add in this stepFeta (or fresh white cheese) 60 gMilk 60 mlAjí amarillo paste 2 tspSaltine crackers 2Oil (for the sauce) 2 tspRed onion (for the salsa) 40 gLime ½Cilantro, chopped 1 tbsp

  4. Cut the beef against the grain into 1 cm strips and toss with the cumin and garlic. Heat half the stir-fry oil in a large frying pan over high heat until it just smokes, spread the beef in a single layer and sear in 1 batch(es), per batch. Set aside.

    Add in this stepBeef sirloin 200 gGround cumin ½ tspGarlic cloves, minced 1Oil (for the stir-fry) 1½ tsp

    high heat

  5. Add the rest of the oil and, over high heat, stir-fry the stir-fry onion, cut into wedges, for until the edges char. Add the beef, the tomato wedges, soy sauce and vinegar and toss for until glossy, then turn off the heat. A little juice should remain so it soaks into the fries.

    Add in this stepOil (for the stir-fry) 1½ tspRed onion (for the stir-fry) 120 gFirm tomatoes 1Soy sauce 4 tspRed wine vinegar 2 tsp

    high heat

  6. Pile the fries on a large platter, spoon over the lomo saltado with its juices, zigzag the huancaína sauce on top and finish with the onion salsa and the rest of the cilantro. Share right away, before the fries soften.

    Add in this stepCilantro, chopped 1 tbsp

Cook's tip

Give the potatoes room on the tray so they roast instead of steam. Huancaína keeps for 3 days in the fridge; it thickens when cold, so loosen it with a little milk. A quarter slice of white bread can replace the crackers for the same thickness.

Cooking it at camp

Roast the potatoes at home, or crisp frozen fries in plenty of oil in a cast-iron pan at camp. Make the sauce and salsa at home and carry them in jars in the cooler. At the campsite you only stir-fry the lomo saltado on a burner and tip it, pan and all, over the fries.