[August 10, 2011] Flavors of Peru Tweet Aug 10, 2011 (St. Cloud Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Peru's food is in the spotlight. Ceviche, a seafood dish, is a favorite, especially in coastal cities. Quinoa, a grain used by the Incas hundreds of years ago, is now seen as a super food. Beatriz Lauer and a group of friends celebrated her home country last month. Peru's Independence Day was July 28, and it provided a perfect opportunity to eat native food, sing and dance. There is a variety of flavors," said Lauer, who has lived in St. Cloud for 10 years. "Peru is becoming well known for gourmet food." The ocean and the Andes Mountains provide a breadth to the cuisine, Lauer said. "They are making it modern," she said. Peruvian food is steeped in tradition. Many native ingredients were used by the Incas. The culture relies on rice and more than 1,000 potato varieties. Lauer has adapted two of her favorite recipes to fit Central Minnesota ingredients. The dishes are still authentic, and taste the way they would in Lima, she said. She uses events, such as Peru's Independence Day, to bring a taste of home to St. Cloud, and it's appreciated by those not familiar with the cuisine, she said. "I would love (people) to know that Peru and South America have a lot to offer," Lauer said. Peruvian ceviche Yield: 4 servings 1 pound tilapia 1 medium red onion 1 small serrano pepper, chopped very fine 1/2 cup or juice of 15 key limes 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped very fine 2 teaspoons celery, chopped fine Salt Black pepper To serve: 1/2 pound boiled sweet potatoes Butter lettuce One: Cut fish into 1-inch pieces. Slice onion and wash in colander thoroughly with cold water to get rid of bitter flavor. Two: Toss with fish and add pepper, key lime juice, garlic, cilantro, celery, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stand 5 minutes. Three: Serve with sweet potatoes and butter lettuce. Source: Beatriz Guimarey Lauer, St. Cloud Pisco sour Yield: 6 servings 1 cup Peruvian pisco 1/2 cup sugar syrup 1/4 cup key lime juice 1 egg white 5 cubes ice Drops of Angostura bitters One: Pour pisco, syrup and juice in a blender. Blend on high. Two: Add egg white and ice (one cube at a time) while blending. Three: Serve in glasses. Pour in 2 drops of bitters to top off. Source: Beatriz Guimarey Lauer, St. Cloud Sugar syrup Put 1 cup sugar in a pot with 6 tablespoons water. Cook, slowly stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Cool. To see more of the St. Cloud Times or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sctimes.com . Copyright (c) 2011, St. Cloud Times, Minn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]