Lomo Saltado....Peruvian Beef Stir-Fry

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Lomo Saltado ...Peruvian Beef Stir-fry. If you want make a different sort of stir-fry, you might want to give this recipe a try. I was first introduced to this dish quite a few years ago...before I ever moved to Montana. My sister-in-law(who is Peruvian) decided to introduce my husband and I to some Peruvian dishes. Lomo Saltado was one of the dishes she prepared....she also made this incredible yellow spicy cheese sauce called, Salsa a la Huancaína, that she served with boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, and Peruvian olives. The dish itself is called Papa a la Huancaína. That dish I have yet to duplicate:). We loved the dinner she prepared! I remember watching her cook the Lomo Saltado and was quite intrigued with the fact that she used soy sauce in the dish. She told me that there was quite a bit of Chinese influence in Peruvian dishes. It was in the mid 19th century, after slavery had been abolished, that Peru began to see many Chinese immigrants coming in to work on their coastal plantations. Today, there are many Peruvians of Chinese descent....actually, Peru has one of the largest Chinese population in South America....you will see many Chinese restaurants in Peru called, Chifas. So, naturally the Chinese influenced a great number of Peruvian dishes....Lomo Saltado being one of them. It is true, that you hardly ever see 2 different carbs on the same plate... in this case, the potatoes add flavor and the rice absorbs the sauce.

This recipe is quite simple to prepare...especially if you have the fried potatoes and rice ready. Some people use store-bought frozen fries to make it much quicker. I prefer the homemade... just like my sister-in-law made them:)...

The actual stir-fry shouldn't take too long. Just make sure you have all the ingredients ready before starting. You can easily adjust ingredient amounts to your preference. If you don't care for beef, you can definitely substitute some chicken instead. In that case, you will be making Pollo Saltado. The secret behind this dish is not to overcook the vegetables...you still want them to have some bite. The tomatoes should still have their skins on. Many people prefer to combine the fries with the stir-fry. Some serve it separately, as I have done. Either way, the dish is quite tasty. We really liked it.
Hope you enjoy...

You will need:

1 lb beef strips, preferably tenderloin( I used tri-tip)

2-3 roma tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch slices, seeds and pulp removed

1/2-1 red onion, cut in 1 inch slices

1 -2 yellow chilies, julienned( preferably Aji Amarillo)

1 TBS soy sauce( or to taste)

2-3 tsps vinegar( or to taste)

salt and pepper; to taste

garlic, optional*

*though most recipes do not use garlic, you can easily add, if you like. Just add some chopped/sliced garlic right along with the beef.

Garnish with:

parsley ( I prefer cilantro)

green onion, totally optional(but since I had some in the garden I used some)

Serve with:

Rice

French fries

Directions:

Cook rice and keep warm. Cook fries and keep warm or have them almost ready...5 minutes before they are ready, start the stir-fry.

Stir-fry:

1. Cut beef in thin slices and marinade with about 1 TBS soy sauce(or to taste). Set aside to marinade for about 30 minutes.
2. Cut tomatoes and onions in wedges. Set aside.
3. Julienne the chilies and add to the cut vegetables. Chop some green onion(optional) and cilantro as well.

Before cooking the Lomo Saltado, get all your ingredients ready.... including the oil, soy sauce and vinegar....maybe a bit of water/stock in case you want more sauce( I didn't need any).

4. Pre-heat your skillet on high. Add about 1 TBS oil and the beef. Stir-fry beef until it is no longer pink...it shouldn't take too long(maybe about 2 minutes or so...depending how thick or thin your meat is cut).
5. Remove beef to a platter.

6. To the same skillet, add the onions and stir-fry for about 1 minute or until the onion catches a bit of color.
7. Add the beef back( and any juices it has collected) along with the tomatoes and the julienned chilies. Stir-fry for a couple more minutes....or cook until the tomatoes just start to break down. You don't want to get the tomatoes too mushy.
8. Add the vinegar and adjust seasoning... you can add a bit of stock if too dry....though I didn't need to.

9. Add some chopped cilantro and chopped green onion tops(or chives)....

You can serve the Lomo Saltado in three different ways:

1. Serve it with a side of french fries and rice.

2. Fold the french fries in the stir-fry and serve alongside some rice. If you prefer to fold in the french fries, you will want to do this at the last minute.... so the french fries don't get all mushy from the accumulated sauce.

3. You can also add the stir-fry on top of a bed of french fries and then serve it with some rice.