This is my second challenge with Daring Cook’s! This month, we made Ceviche and Papas Rellenas. I have always wanted to make Ceviche. The first time I ever had it, I was with a group of friends from Belize. It was awesome, especially with chips! I was very excited (and nervous) about making this dish. Papas Rellenas, was a second part of this challenge (We could make both or one of the dishes..I opted for both, as the second part of the challenge, was familiar to me). This dish is a meat filling, wrapped inside mashed potatoes. I love how different culture make such similar foods. My grandmother and I both make a similar dish, when we have leftover potatoes or meat. (Especially around Thanksgiving time). I was excited to try a Peruvian version of this comfort food.
March 2011 Challenge Complete!
So, let’s get started!
Mandatory Items: Make at least one of the two recipes. If you chose the ceviche, it must be made with raw seafood and it must be “cooked” according to the method outlined in the recipe. If you choose the papas rellenas, you must make the “dough” according to one of the two recipes, shape the “potatoes” around a filling per the recipe instructions and fry them in oil. Bonus points for making a Pisco Sour.
This challenge was created by Lisa from Bake Like a Ninja. She had visited Peru, where she grew to love these two dishes from Peru.
Blog-Checking Lines:
Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenged 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.
Recipe For Challenge can be found here:
!Me Encanta Peru! Ceviche & Papas Rellenas
Or at the
Daring Kitchen Recipe Archives
(once it is release to public)
Ceviche, is Peru’s national dish and they take great pride in it. The fish, in this dish, is “cooked” with the acid from Limes (or lemons). The act of cooking with heat, denatures proteins. The acids from Lemons and Limes, also causes a denaturing of proteins and gives the appearance of the fish being cooked. If you make this, please ensure that you get the freshest, cleanest fish possible. This was the only reason why I was nervous about making this dish. I do not have many high quality fish markets, with sushi grade fish, near by. I did go to a very good store and purchased my fish, the day I was making ceviche. The hardest part of this dish was juicing all those limes. Luckily a quick google search lead to me some tricks. Roll the limes before cutting them and once you cut them, pierce the limes, several times at the cut side before juicing. My husband, luckily, came to the rescue and help me out. I added two lemons, along with the lime, because I was not overly fond of the lime flavor and because lime were expensive (compared to lemons). The lemon juice accounted for 1/3 cup of juice. There was 2/3 cup of lime juice. This version of ceviche, was delicious but I don’t think I care too much, to eat it as a salad. I think I definitely prefer having this with some chips. I would definitely make this again, maybe this time with some tomatoes.
The papas rellenas, were delicious! I cut the amount of boiled eggs (trying not to eat too many eggs), omitted the raisins and increased the amount of cumin (personal favorite spice). I had made the Salsa Criolla, a few days prior to cooking the challenge. Together, with the papas rellenas, it made a delicious dish. I think that the next time, I make this dish, I may make an actual sauce or gravy. While it was a great dish (and an awesome way to use up leftovers), I kept craving for some type of gravy. A definite make again recipe!
There was a cocktail recipe, for Pisco Sours, that I was sorry, that we did not get to try. I could not obtain the Pisco puro, needed for this drink. I did however research this drink, as I was worried about the raw egg whites, needed for this dish. You can obtain pasteurized egg whites, at the store, which are safe to use. I will definitely be on the look out for Pisco Puro, so that I can try this in the future. Luckily, it was not a required dish, for the challenge.
At any rate, I really enjoyed this challenge. I love learning new concepts and techniques in cooking and every time I do, it opens up a world of new recipes and idea for me. Thank you Lisa for this excellent challenge and I look forward to next month!
Without further ado: Pictures of my March, 2011 Ceviche and Papas Rellenas Challenge!
Samina Cooks 
Looks fantastic! I wouldn’t make the drink with the raw egg whites either…
Thanks! Yea…this meal already had too many raw elements. 🙂 I think MAYBE, with pasteurized egg whites…and a professional making it..I will try it.
I tried ceviche for the first time with a chef friend in New York City. I have been searching for some as good as I had it that day and I haven’t been able to! I think that I will have to make some of my own now to cure this need.
Oooh. I hope you do make it. I really enjoyed this version. Let me know how it goes!
Looks great – I wish I had been able to make the Ceviche too. The slideshow idea is really nice.
Thank you so much. Best part about the challenge 🙂 We will always have the recipes. I hope you do try it one day. Thanks about the slideshow!
Congrats on making both recipes–definitely an accomplishment! All of the different types of fish you used in the ceviche are totally making my tummy rumble. It looks so yummy!
Thank you so much! This challenge was so much fun!
Your papas rellenas came out beautifully, all golden and crunchy looking on the outside and flavorful on the inside!
Thank you so much 🙂 I love these challenges!
Looks great and looks like it was fun to cook! ❤
*hugs* It was fun. I wish you could have been there. I will plan the next challenge, to your schedule. Hopefully, it will be more kid friendly ❤
Wow – the slideshow is brilliant!
Thank you so much 🙂
Congratulations on completing the challenge. And great job with the slideshow! 🙂
Thank you so much Crustabakes!
Love the slideshow and photos! The food looks great.
Thank you so much Barb!
WOW I love that slide show at the end, great to hear that you will be making them again (with slight changes) I love the look of the papas and the red onion salad is outstanding.
Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.
Thank you so much Audax! I loved your post as well! Especially the diagram! Thanks for visiting!
The more papas I see the more I wish I had also made the papas as it looks delicious to me! But having said that; your ceviche AND your papas look very tasty!
Thank you so much Simone! I am glad I did try both. If I had skipped one, I am sure, I would not have made the other. This forced me to make both and I do not regret it. Wonderful dishes!
Love your slideshow with step by step photos. Your Papas and Salsa are delicious looking!
Thank you so much Renata! I loved your post on your site, as well!
We have a similar fish dish in Philippines its nearly similar but instead of lime or lemon we use vinegar. This is really good!
The first time I had eaten Ceviche, it was made from vinegar 🙂 I hope you post your version, on your blog 🙂 I would love to try it!