Ceviche de Pescado and Papas Rellenos (Lime Cooked Fish and Potato Croquettes)

This was fun. Almost as good as going to Peru. Almost I said. Nothing can actually beat a first hand experience.

Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenges us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. And Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by Kathlyn’s Spanish teacher, Mayra.

I did not prepare both the required items for the same meal. We were having a heat wave when I put the Ceviche together and wanted to keep dinner simple. I served it with corn on the cob and re fried black beans, topped with cheese.

The Ceviche was terrific, piquant and refreshing, close to a popular dish in the Hawaiian Islands called poke, which usually has some type of seaweed added in, and is more on the raw side, but very similar. I have decided this Peruvian version would be the winner in a poke contest, (if I were judging).  We do have a number of those competitions here.

Several days later it was Papas Rellenos time. A more involved dish, again with the deep frying.  You may or may not remember, we fried last month making Tempura at the Daring Kitchen.  Some of us aren't used to all that oil, but we press on in the interest of furthering our foodie educations.  And because it just tastes so darn good.

 The Ceviche was marvelous, and we both thought the Papas Rellenos were big time winners as well. Crispy, crunchy exterior, soft potato, enclosing a spicy, meaty filling, and all accompanied by the tangy, lime and chili accented dish of red onions, called Salsa Criolla. The next time I make these, and I do plan to, I think the pappas would also be good filled with shredded slow cooked beef, with the same added spices.  I might leave out the chopped hard-cooked eggs however,  I don't think they really add all that much to the taste.

This salsa was the first time I had brined red onions before using, as per the instructions, which were absolutely correct.  It does improve the taste, brightening the color as well. Just outstanding. I am so glad we had an opportunity to try dishes off the mainstream (for me anyway), in this Peruvian cooking adventure .

If you would like the recipes or just to see how the other challenged cooks approached our Peruvian theme, check out the The Daring Kitchen site.