In the mid-19th century, Chinese and Japanese immigrants arrived in Peru, introducing ingredients, like soy sauce, ginger and rice vinegar. These Asian flavors quickly were integrated into Peruvian cuisine, giving birth to the popular Lomo Saltado, a stir-fry of beef, onions, tomatoes and soy sauce served with french fries and rice.
As beta-testers for America’s Test Kitchen, we did the trial version for Cook’s Illustrated several months back. Here, you want tender beef and crisp-tender vegetables coated in a lightly thickened, savory and tangy sauce. There should be enough sauce to coat the meat, vegetables, and French fries, which should begin to soften as they soak it up.
For starters, we were a bit apprehensive regarding the added French fries. But after eating it, we were astonished how much we liked the potatoes in the dish. They soak up some of that luscious sauce and add additional texture. We feel the rice is not necessary, but it also doesn’t diminish the meal in any way.
Fresh aji amarillo chiles can be challenging to find; look for frozen chiles in some Peruvian, Hispanic, or possibly Asian grocery stores. If unavailable, use red fresnos, red jalapeños, or orange mini bell peppers. Beef tenderloin is preferred (and expensive!) but sirloin or skirt steak will also work. We used a sirloin steak, the least expensive of the three options, and it was perfect!
TIP: Make sure to start preheating your oven for the French fries before you begin prep, so that you don’t have lag time until the oven reaches temperature.
Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir-Fry)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
- 5 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 2- to 2-½ inch wide strips with grain, each strip cut crosswise against grain into ½-inch-thick slices, divided
- 4 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced through root end into ¾ inch‑thick pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch-thick wedges
- 2 aji amarillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, halved, and sliced thin
- 8 oz. french fries, cooked
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Whisk 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, and 5 teaspoons white wine vinegar together in small bowl and set aside. Cut 1 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed, into 2-inch-long, ½-inch-wide strips.
- Heat empty 14-inch flat-bottom wok over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil around perimeter of wok and heat until smoking. Add half of beef and use tongs to break up any meat that clumps. Cook, without stirring, until beef is browned on bottom, about 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges, about 1 minute longer. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Wipe wok clean and repeat with 1½ teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
- Wipe wok clean, then add remaining 1 teaspoon oil; heat over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add 1 small red onion, halved and sliced through root end into ¾-inch‑thick pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with beef.
- Return wok to high heat, add soy sauce mixture, and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce is thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add beef mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat ingredients but still pools slightly at bottom of wok, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Off heat, add 2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch-thick wedges, and 2 ajà amarillo chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced lengthwise, and toss to combine. Gently fold in 8 ounces cooked french fries. Transfer to platter, garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and serve.
Recipe by David Yu for Cook’s illustrated
Accounting for Taste 