Comida Típica

This week Hugo (the agronomist at the farm) and I were talking about the food of the region, or “comida típica. (See our post of March 15 for a description of some regional cuisine.) He was asking if I had tried several different things. He asked me if I would like to try 2 dishes – Juane and Tacacho. Having had his wife’s cooking before, I jumped at the chance to try some more. A couple of weeks ago, Hugo and Betsy held a fundraiser for their house. Their’s, along with those of seven neighbors burned down a little over a year ago. At the fundraiser, Betsy had prepared ceviche and chicharrón, both of which were to die for. Ceviche must be the national dish of Peru. It is fish and seafood “cooked” in lime juice. Really it isn’t cooked at all, but the acid in the juice naturally “cooks” the meat. Chicharrón is fried meat – in this case fish. Both were delicious. So, when I was offered the opportunity to try something else, I jumped at the chance.
The Juane, is a combination of chicken, rice, hard-boiled egg and an olive. It is all cooked and then formed into a ball the size of a baseball, wrapped in large leaves and then cooked (I think probably placed in a pan of boiling water and covered). The other dish was tacacho, which is seasoned plantain, formed into a ball and grilled. Both were awesome! Now I’m waiting for the next meal!